Mahindra XUV500 auto – the high-value XUV gets an automatic

Since the beginning the Mahindra XUV500 was positioned as a high-value SUV, named XUV.  To immediately put this into perspective, the XUV500 range starts at R 272 995 for a new large 7-seater SUV.

When it was added to the local Mahindra product range in the last quarter of 2011, it was the first modern-looking SUV from the brand, which previously offered only the rugged and not-so-modern Scorpio SUV.  

XUV500 auto

It had a facelift in 2015, though still no automatic.  This meant Mahindra lost out on sales, as the uptake on automatic SUVs is on the increase.  In today’s market, you’ve got to have an automatic SUV in your range.

This has now happened, with the top-spec W8 receiving the option of an automatic transmission.  The 2-wheel-drive SUV autos sell the best, so the XUV500 W8 auto is available in front-wheel-drive 6-speed auto, while the W8 AWD (4x4) is available in manual.

The six-speed design has been optimised for both response and fuel efficiency, thanks to a carefully selected ratio set that ensures brisk acceleration and midrange tractability, while the overdrive sixth gear allows economical open-road cruising.

The torque peak of 330 Nm is reached at just 1 600 r/min and sustained to 2 800 r/min, ensuring in-gear tractability and lugging power.  This 2.2-litre four-cylinder mHawk 140 turbodiesel makes use of a variable geometry turbocharger to produce 103 kW of maximum power at 3 750 r/min.

At 7.4 litres/100 km for the combined cycle linked to CO2 exhaust emissions of 196 g/km, the XUV500 W8 automatic also counts efficiency among its talents.

The only downside, ironically, is that this usually high-value SUV commands quite a steep price premium for its automatic gearbox:  the price of the auto above the manual is R 35 000.

Mahindra XUV500 price list, including the new auto model

A likely surprise is that the Mahindra XUV500 is sold with a strong 5-year / 150 000 km warranty.  It also has a 5-year / 100 000 km service plan, and service intervals are 20 000 km or 1 year.

Mahindra XUV500 2.2CRDe W4	R 272 995
Mahindra XUV500 2.2CRDe W6	R 319 995
Mahindra XUV500 2.2CRDe W8	R 354 995
Mahindra XUV500 2.2CRDe W8 AWD	R 374 995
Mahindra XUV500 2.2CRDe W8 auto	R 389 995