Introduction

It is without doubt Mahindra’s best, most impressive home-grown product yet. And going by the reactions we have gotten so far, it is probably the most awaited as well. We have had Innova and Safari owners and even people in Superbs hailing us down and getting a complete low-down on the new SUV. And rightly so, because for less than Rs 12 lakh, the stuff the XUV 500 (read as the five O O), packs in, it makes it a huge value for money (VFM) proposition. But is there more to it than just VFM, we drove it to find out.

Highlights

The XUV is a 7 seater SUV.Unlike other Mahindra utility vehicles which are built on older body over ladder frame chassis, this one uses a more modern monocoque giving it better handling and high speed stability.It is available with only with one engine option.The engine is the same 2.2-litre mHawk diesel already seen on the Scorpio, but on the XUV it makes more power and torque.The XUV is available in three versions – the front wheel drive version comes in W6 and W8 versions, while the all-wheel-drive is only available in the top of the line W8 version.The W8 comes with 6 airbags, ABS and ESP in terms of safety and has lot of comfort and convenience equipment as well like digital climate control, rear parking sensors, AC vents for all three rows, cooled box, steering mounted controls and a Satnav system as well.

Design & interior

It’s not traditionally good looking is the XUV, but it is hugely attractive. And even though we would have preferred slightly less design elements, it still doesn’t take anything away from its street credence. Park it anywhere and it is sure to draw glances in its direction. It also looks every bit as modern as it is positioned and pretty aggressive too.

Inside, it’s almost plush. If you don’t look closely, the choice of colours, the faux wood panelling at places, and both soft grain plastic and leather, leave you feeling like you are in an expensive set of wheels. It’s also got the equipment to go with the look.

The central touchscreen that is quite a comprehensive multifunctional device reads out a lot of things from climate control settings to music to trip computer with service and tyre health info, as well as satellite navigation! In addition, the XUV has steering mounted controls, cruise control, Bluetooth telephony that reads your phonebook, automatic lights, reverse parking sensors and three row air conditioning with column mounted vents for the second row.

There’s more, but this is still enough to tell you that there’s very little lacking when it comes to features on the XUV. Importantly, the focus on packing this Mahindra with stuff isn’t limited to comfort and convenience features, because it scores a huge bonus on safety too. It comes with six airbags, ABS and ESP as well.

As far as seating goes, we believe Mahindra cracked the comfort code quite impressively with the Xylo, and those learning are evident on the XUV 500 as well. So, as far as seats go, these are large, cushy and a nice place to be it. Only thing that takes getting used to is the side bolstering on the front seats. To give the feeling of a sporty drive, the front seats have prominent side protrusions that allow less side to side movement. No such issues with the rear seats though. And to boot these recline quite a bit as well. Space again is quite impressive on the XUV, particularly in the front two rows.

The drive

Apart from being loaded with equipment and an up-to-date design which are easily perceived by prospect buyers, Mahindra has put in a lot of work under the skin of the XUV too. So, it’s now a modern monocoque design suspended on MacPherson struts upfront and a multi-link setup at the rear. This is what most modern cars follow allowing better dynamics thanks to all four ends having a lot of freedom of movement of their own.

And the benefits show almost immediately on the XUV. Having a tauter, more responsive steering helps, of course, but the fact that there’s not a hint of nervousness in the XUV’s handling, is a huge positive. Now we drove the Mahindra from Mumbai to Delhi over varied road surfaces, and we are happy to report, not once did it scare us. And we were mostly doing three digit speeds, even around fast bends; something, we would never have attempted in a Scorpio for instance.

The XUV feels completely stable in the straight line even if the brakes are called for in a hurry. And around bends, sure it rolls, but being setup more on the stiffer side, there’s less see-saw effect and as a result, it turns in better and stays truer to its line. It’s actually enjoyable to drive fast, is the XUV.

And fast is something that comes easy on this Mahindra as well; courtesy, the stonker of an engine under its sculpted hood. It’s the same 2.2-litre mHawk we have experienced on the Scorpio before. But for the XUV, it makes more power and torque. So, the moment you dab the throttle the XUV picks up with surprising vigour. So much so that you’d believe that the speedo is over reading given the alacrity with which it reaches the ton. And it’s not just from a standstill that the XUV’s performance impresses, even through the gears, it never feels wanting.

What you do need to watch out for is the torque steer courtesy so much of juice going to the front wheels. And also, the clutch. It’s not terribly heavy to use and its progressive too, but in stop and go city traffic, it can leave you with an aching calf muscle.

Verdict

There’s no reason really not to buy the XUV if you are in the market for an SUV and have about Rs 13-14 lakh to spare. It looks impressive, has spacious, comfortable and loaded insides, and is dynamically able too. Yes, the ride quality isn’t as plush as say the Aria and one can feel the road below most times, but then again, it rarely gets uncomfortable. It’s decently quiet on the inside too. But most of all, the XUV 500, is an absolutely superb value for money offering that’s very hard to ignore.