Mahindra XUV300 is here to turn the tables

 

By Ané Theron

Mahindra's never been famous for crafting stylish, sophisticated cars, but the XUV300 is about to change perceptions. We drive the flagship  1.5 diesel W8 model.

 

Styling

The XUV300's styling is largely generic - a culmination of various Korean and Japanese brands such as the Suzuki Vitara, Toyota RAV4 and Hyundai Creta all rolled into one. And yet it still manages to look somewhat unique and also quite adorable. A "floating" roof, black cladding on the sides and rear, silver-toned roof rails and faux skid-plates add the necessary urban SUV-appeal. Seen head-on, you can't ignore the above-mentioned Toyota RAV4-inspiration. Sexy 17-inch alloy wheels and daytime running lamps round off the XUV300's city-sidewalk climbing-outfit rather nicely. On the inside, white leather adorned our test model and served to make the cabin look even bigger. (Read our international launch report of the XUV300 here.)

Space and Comfort

Mahindra has done the proper research to offer comfort-seeking families exactly what they need: Enough space for all their stuff, sufficient smart technology, and enough convenience features to compete (and outshine) some of the best in this segment. In this model there's even user-friendly Satnav, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. W8 models also get dual-zone climate control, keyless entry, electrically folding mirrors, a sunroof, and cruise control.

However, I almost feel like Mahindra tried just a little too hard to be the cool kid with all their in-car tech. For starters, the voice control system doesn't understand your commands. Then, every time you slot the gear lever into reverse, the park assist system's loud robotic voice offers to help you park. This was very annoying because ninety-eight percent of the time, all I wanted to do was leave my driveway.

One of the XUV's strongest points is the spacious back seat with surprising amounts of wiggle room. I also like the plush salt-and-pepper carpets that are adept at hiding sand or crumbs, which can also be easily removed to get rid of said sand or crumbs. The loading bay is sufficiently large, and heavy items are easily loaded into it. The boot is lined with the same type of carpet as the rest of the car, and the rear seat can be split and folded.

The drive

The XUV300 rides surprisingly well and didn't display much roll in the corners. Suspension is comfortable and pothole-friendly, and the 1.5-litre diesel powertrain is willing and able. On one or two occasions the Mahindra's starter button didn't work the first time around, and this didn't instil much confidence. One should keep in mind that the XUV300 is Mahindra's first foray into the segment and I trust that they'll sort their issues out as time goes by.

The XUV300's little stint on bad gravel was not quite as good as my favourite in this segment, the new Renault Duster.  But, in the XUV300's defence, it was an especially dilapidated gravel road that will put hair on even the Toyota Fortuner's chest. The diesel engine isn't noisy and the cabin is also well-protected from its gentle rumble.

Performance

The XUV300 turbodiesel models have a hearty 86kW and 300Nm coming from their 1.5-litre engines, with nice low-end torque and sufficient power in every gear. The slick-shifting 6-speed manual gearbox is a good match to the pliant diesel engine. (Click here for our local XUV300 launch report.) The engine didn't feel underpowered, nor did it run out of breath as I traversed Sir Lowry's Pass at highway speed.

Fuel Consumption

Mahindra's rated fuel consumption under perfect conditions is 4.8 litres of diesel per 100 km, but our average figure came closer to 5.8 - 6.5, which is still good for a feisty little oil-burner and about the going rate for a car of these dimensions, with an engine of this output.

Safety features

The XUV300 comes very well-equipped: It has ABS, EBD, cornering brake control, ISOFIX child seat anchorage points and 5x3-point safety belts. W8 models get a whopping seven airbags (W6 variants have two), stability control, fog lamps in the front and rear, park distance control (in the front and the back), reversing camera, hill-start assist, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. 

Pricing

XUV300 1.2 petrol W6            R249 999

XUV300 1.5 diesel W6           R274 999

XUV300 1.2 petrol W8           R304 999

XUV300 1.5 diesel W8           R324 999 (tested)

The 1.5-litre diesel W8 isn't what we'd call a bargain at R324 999, considering that the Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi Ambiente with near-similar safety and convenience features goes for R273 700 new.  The Renault Duster 1.5 dCi Dynamique 4WD sells for R324 900, and the top-of-the-range (4x2) Prestige model is priced at R340 900. The Renault Captur also undercuts the Mahindra's price, starting from R293 900 for the 66kW turbo Dynamique model to R336 900 for the 88kW turbo Dynamique auto variant. The Dusters lack a few airbags, though (the 4x4-variant has two, and the Prestige gets four).

When faced with all those proven and more affordable options, are you really going to buy an expensive, albeit well-specified Mahindra? Unless, of course, you're looking for the most spacious cabin in a compact SUV, because the XUV300's interior offers more room than all of the cars mentioned above.  If budget is your no.1 concern, and you still want a spacious family SUV with turbo performance, the XUV300 1.2 petrol W6 is a good option at R249 999. With power figures of 81kW and 200Nm coming from its 3-cylinder engine, you can be assured of decent performance.

The XUV300 is sold with a five-year/150 000 warranty and a five-year/90 000km service plan with roadside assistance.

Verdict

Mahindra is in the process of reinventing themselves and the XUV300 is a fine example of what's to come. Let's hope the rest of South Africa will also start to recognise Mahindra as a manufacturer with merit.

3 Pros

1.Tremendously spacious for its overall size

2.Engine/gearbox combination & suspension

3.Seven airbags

3 Cons

1.Parking assistant's "voice"

2.Generic styling 

3.Possible depreciation value

Expert rating: 3.75 out of 5