Mahindra & Mahindra popularly known for making rock solid SUV’s and Tractors have stepped into a new league with a product which is altogether a segment creator. This car is fully developed in India, and fine tuned with help of some of the best engineering firms.
This SUV, and Mahindra’s first monocoque was developed on a budget of Rs. 650 crores. It the first SUV with front wheel drive and a monocoque construction in the portfolio. The suspension was developed and fine tuned with the collaboration of “Lotus Engineering “. The XUV500 (pronounced as “XUV five double ooh”) was launched with a lot of fanfare. The SUV received 8500 bookings on day 2 and crossed 25,000 bookings in the second phase.
Mahindra have put their 60 years of experience into this very project. Let’s find out whether Mahindra has hit the Bulls eye.
1) Design & Looks-
This is very subjective. It depends from person to person, some like it, some just don’t. But again, there’s a large road presence. It’s very clear that the Indians love the way it looks. There’s a novelty factor about the XUV5OO as it fills a niche and hits a sweet spot in the SUV market.
There were 3 design teams in total, from which the “Cheetah” concept was chosen. The “paw” type door handles, beefed up wheel arches, and the front end just resembles a cheetah. The headlights have Led’s for the parking and Projectors for the low, halogens reflectors for the high beams respectively. The XUV500 stance is very huge but it’s very easy to hop in, thanks to its monocoque construction and design.
The SUV gets massive 235/65/R17’s with petal design alloy wheels on the W8 variant. It get roof rails which make it look even more sportier. The around visibility is very good with large windows. The body panel fitment is surprisingly tight too, with consistent gaps for the most part.
Another attribute that immediately strikes you is that Mahindra have managed a top notch paint job, far superior than on its other cars.
2) Interiors-
Get inside and you’ll be welcomed by a all new high quality interior. High quality refers to good quality, nothing of Skoda or Volkswagen quality though. There are two combinations, White &Walnut and Chocolate & Black. The doors feel solid and heavy.
Sit inside and you’ll notice an all new wrap-around dashboard with modern touches everywhere. There are soft touch materials everywhere. The dashboard houses a 6″ touchscreen infotainment system which is very easy to use. Then in the lower portion it has buttons for the for the track number, etc. It has a dial for volume control which gives a very tactile and high quality feeling when operated.
Further down you’ll get the CD/DVD slot which is incorporated within the infotainment system. Below that there are the Climate control settings which are very effective. Then in those knobs you get the high quality feel and the ESP, Start-stop, Emergency breakdown indicator buttons are housed just below them.
Now moving on to the driver side, you’ll notice very masculine steering wheel in which the controls for the Cruise-control, infotainment systems are embedded. The instrument cluster looks good with a vertical arrangement of the warning lights.
The dials on the other hand are very effective during day and night both. They are very easily readable and visible. The left pod has the speedometer whereas the right pod has the RPM meter or revometer. The power window switches and the ORVM adjust controls are placed on the drivers side which could have been of a little better quality as keeping the competition in mind. But never the less the ORVM’s auto close just as in high end cars when you switch off the ignition.
The driver sits high and has a commanding, uninterrupted view of the road ahead. Lateral visibility is superb as well; however, rearward visibility is pathetic, with the situation only worsening as the 3rd row of seats gets filled up. The interior rear view mirror is useless too. The heavily bolstered front seats offer superb support, including over long drives. The range of the steering tilt adjustment is very limited.
The Seating-
The car has generous front seats typically seen on European cars. The front and second row have acres of space to play with. Middle row passengers have access to acres of space; you could sit behind a 6+ footer and still stretch your legs.
The back support is really nice, albeit under-thigh support is strictly average. The front seats are placed on the higher side, thus releasing a generous amount of foot-room for 2nd row passengers. The middle row seat is recline-adjustable as well, and you can set it at a really relaxed angle.
The center & door armrests are properly positioned, while the neck restraints / headrests are perfectly contoured for you to rest your head on. The wide seat can easily accommodate 3. Things aren’t too bad for the 5th passenger (3rd on the middle row) either.
The third row, well, is not enough for tall passengers, It’s only the kids or short adults who will be able to travel for a long-distance here. And if middle-row passengers have reclined their seat-back angle, things only get worse.
3) Engine & Gearbox-
The NVH-
Talking about the NVH of this car, it’s a giant leap for Mahindra & Mahindra. It doesn’t vibrate like say, a Scorpio or the Bolero. Mahindra Engineers have done an excellent job in the NVH department. You cannot tell there is a 2.2L Mhawk placed beneath it. Crank the car, and you’ll be surprised to see the efforts put in by the engineers.
The Gearbox-
The gearbox in XUV has been recalibrated and an additional 6th overdrive gear has been added to improve the driving pleasure. Slot it into the first gear, you’ll notice little notchness. The same can be noticed will the 4th gear from which it is very subtle.
The gear ratios chosen by the engineers is just perfect both in drivabilty and overtaking. The first gear max’s out at 40Kmph, 2nd at 85Kmph and the third incredibly at 140Kmph. Further there was no road left to test the other gears. The highway overtaking is very very easy in this car.
Step the foot down and the car just rockets ahead. The drivability in the city is very good too. you’ll not have to shift down continuously. The in gear acceleration of the car is very good too. The car does 0-100 to hundred in mere 12.34 Seconds which is in-fact faster than any SUV in its segment or in the segment above thanks to the all might Mhawk 140Bhp.
The Engine-
The Engine is a gem. It has been placed transversely in the XUV500. It also does duty on the Scorpio too where it has been tuned to produce 120Bhp and 290Nm of torque. But in the XUV it has been tuned to a very healthy 140Bhp and 330Nm of torque which helps it propel so fast.
The 2179CC Mhawk helps it in doing 0-60kmph in 5.52Secs and 0-100 in 12.34 secs. The engine is very revv happy in nature and the redline is 5200Rpm. The sound insulation is also very good, there absolutely no noise creeping in from the outside and the ride is very calm and quiet.
The engine’s power band is from 1600Rpm to 4300Rpm after which the progress slows down and is better to upshift. The XUV also feature the micro-hybrid technology which stops the engine if the clutch has been depressed more than 10 secs and the engine is on, in that period of time. Hence forth which helps it claiming an astonishing mileage 15.1(ARAI Claimed) which is better than any SUV in its segment.
The XUV uses Bosch injectors which have been specially tested and developed for the Mhawk 140. The Mhawk uses new generation turbocharger which spools up faster resulting better performance and drivability. BTW watch out for torque steer from the front wheels, especially when you are overtaking, or in the middle of a corner.
3)The Ride and Handling-
The suspension for this Mahindra is jointly developed by Mahindra and Lotus for better handling and ride. The cars ride and handling is far better than any Mahindra till date, thanks to its new construction and suspension setup.
The suspension is brilliantly tuned and is the new benchmark in the SUV segment. Such a level of ride <-> handling balance is only possible with a monocoque design. Those with a body-on-frame construction (from the Scorpio to the Fortuner) don’t even come close in terms of on-road behaviour. There is an underlying firmness at city speeds, but the ride quality is never uncomfortable, and feels very mature all through. As the speedometer needle climbs, the XUV5OO stays flat, including at expressway speeds or over unevenly paved Indian highways. At speed, you don’t even need to slow down; the XUV5OO can simply demolish the worst of craters in its path.
Comfort levels are fabulous even on the middle row seat, and there is none of the excessive vertical movement / bounciness that we have experienced in most other UVs. Whether its regular driving or long distance touring, the XUV5OO is far more comfortable than the alternatives (including the Fortuner, Endeavour, Aria etc.).
When you take it to a corner, then you realise it is a SUV and is not meant to throw it around the corners. The XUV handles well but is not the type of car which you’ll want to throw around the corners. The body roll is evident and the car starts pulling due to its tall height. We all know that height of the car is inversely proportional to the handling of the car. No doubt the XUV is better than the Scorpio or any other Mahindra Sibling, but is not comparable to say a Sedan around the corners. The five zone link suspension is good for highway runs.
The ground clearance is massive 200mm with a wheelbase of 2700mm. The car doesn’t feel as high as the GC suggests but is a very good city car and a highway cruiser.
The braking capability is strong, what with all-wheel-disc brakes and a host of electronic aids. Standing hard on the pedal from speed brings the XUV5OO to a halt in a straight line. But the OEM tyres screech a lot resulting irritation.
4) Safety-
Mahindra have paid a lot of attention on the safety department. They have provided the XUV with 6 airbags, ESP (Electronic Stability Program), ABS with EBD (Anti-lock braking System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution), Roll over mitigation, High decent control, Tandem Booster Brakes, all 4 Disc brakes.
5) Features-
The XUV is loaded with features and Gizmos.
1) DVD-navigation system.
2) Tyre tronics
3) Auto folding mirrors
4) ESP
5) Rollover mitigation
6)6 Airbags
7) Leather seats
8) Puddle-lamps
9) Cruise & voice control
10) Conversation mirror
11) Lounge lights
12) Start-Stop
13) Dual zone climate control
14) 50:50 split on the last row of seats
15) AWD
6) Pricing- The Range starts from 10.8 lakhs for the W6 and Rs. 12.88 for the W8 AWD it’s indeed a game changer for Mahindra. It’s a very value for money car and has already crossed the booking limits.
Verdict- Best value for money car in the 15Lakhs budget and the best SUV in that budget.
Tech-Specs
Engine-
2179cc, 4 cylinders, 16 valves,
Power & Torque:140Bhp 330Nm.
Dimensions-
Length-4585mm
Width-1890mm
Height-1785mm
Wheelbase-2700mm
Tyres-235/65/R17
Turning Circle Diameter- 11.2m
Ground Clearance-200mm
Kerb Weight-1785Kg
Fuel Tank-70L
