The battle-tank inspired TUV300 has been in SA since 2017, but recently enjoyed a successful facelift and looks much more attractive now. Pre-facelift models are rather ungainly in comparison, but if you can see beyond the angular 80s visage, you'll find an inexpensive and practical little SUV with the added functionality of 2 extra seats.
Power and fuel efficiency
The rear-wheel-driven TUV300 has the same chassis and drivetrain as an Indian military vehicle, and is said to be as tough and hardy as one. Power from its 1.5-litre mHAWK100 turbodiesel engine is rated at 75kW with 240Nm of torque. It's no firecracker, but at least it's very light on diesel: Mahindra claims 5.4 litres per 100 km, which is not at all far-fetched. There's even an ECO mode setting for further fuel savings. It's available with only one transmission: A five-speed manual.
Space, comfort, and safety
There are 7 seats in total, of which the rearmost 2 are facing in each other and don't have seatbelts. Unless you're transporting more than 4 other people on a regular basis, this is probably not going to be an issue for a young driver. The 394-litre boot can be expanded to 220 litres.
Safety features include ABS, EBD, 2 airbags, 2 Isofix seat mountings for child seats, and follow-me-home headlights. The TUV300 has daytime running lamps, front fog lamps, park distance control in the back, and a full-size spare wheel.
The TUV300 comes equipped with Bluetooth, air-conditioning, electric windows, and a USB port. The beige material seats are not ideal, so I would probably wait till I got home before tucking into my drive-through takeaway.
If you're more serious about safety, consider a Mahindra XUV300 compact SUV. It's one of the safest cars in the segment. You can read our top XUV300 stories on AutoTrader, here.
Stock is limited, though
According to Eugene Fourie, head of marketing at Mahindra SA, at present there's only limited stock for new TUV300s at Mahindra dealerships. A pause in production due to the worldwide pandemic is to blame, but we should know more in about 3 months from now. If you are keen on a new TUV300, now would be the time to test drive one before they disappear completely.
Verdict
The Mahindra TUV300 is certainly a more interesting proposition than what most young drivers imagine their first car would be. Interestingly, even the slightly older, pre-facelift TUV300s managed to hang on to their value quite well. You won't easily find a low-mileage model for under R200k. New, the Mahindra TUV300 is priced at R254 999.
