We always want more than what we get. If one buys a hatchback vehicle, they want it to give them the feel of an SUV. If one buys an SUV, then they wish that it could be as zippy and quick through the traffic like a hatchback.
And if you are offered all of this then you would want that car to be as cheap as possible, won’t you?
Mahindra realises this wish of yours and has tried its best to fulfill all your demands with the launch of the KUV100, and expects the car to repeat the success story that the company achieved with the Scorpio.
But is this car good enough?
Mahindra lunched the KUV100 with its latest mFalcon engine which comes in diesel and petrol.
The 1.2 litre dual VVT petrol engine produces 82 horsepower and 115 Nm of torque. The 1.2 litre CRDi turbocharged diesel engine churns out 77 horsepower and 190 Nm of torque and promises a quicker pickup.
The mileage figures claimed by the company is 18 km/l for the petrol and 25.32 km/l for the diesel variant.
The diesel variant also gets two driving modes – Power and Eco – which offer higher power and better efficiency, respectively.
If you look at the car from outside, some really strong lines and curves catch your eye. The chrome grille, the black cladding, high stance and the ‘sunglass inspired’ headlamps and DRLs make this car stand out of the crowd. Yet, the car appears as if it got squeezed lengthwise. Nevertheless, the car manages to look aggressive and according to the trends in the Indian market, aggressive means good.
From the back it is a little easy on the eyes and looks decent.
Once you step inside the car, things look neat, but a bit unconventional. The first thing that pops out is the gear lever placement on the central console, which has been done to make legroom for the passenger who will sit directly behind it, on the armrest that turns into a fully fledged seat in the six-seater version of the car.
If you think that the extra seat is not required, you can also buy the five seater version.
Once you get used to the inside layout, you might actually like it.
It is also loaded with technology like an infotainment system, steering mounted controls, remote keyless entry, electronic ORVMs and follow-me-home headlamps.
Produced in Chakan, the latest offering from Mahindra comes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) as standard across all variants.
Speaking of variants, there are a total of seven to choose from.
WIth the KUV100, Mahindra is targeting those who wish to buy a car that has an SUV stance, is feature loaded, and comes within a budget of under 7 lakh Rupees.
The company has also said that its direct competitors are the Maruti Suzuki Swift and Hyundai’s Grand i10. By the looks of what the KUV is offering, and the price that comes for it, Mahindra has launched a serious competitor in the market.
Mahindra KUV100 Specifications:
- Engine: 1198cc – CRDi Turbocharged Diesel/ Dual VVT Petrol
- Transmission: 5-speed manual
- Power: 77 hp @ 3750 rpm for diesel/82 hp @ 5500 rpm for petrol
- Torque: 190 Nm @ 1750–2250 rpm for diesel/115 Nm @ 3500-3600 rpm for petrol
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 35 litres
- Ground Clearance: 170mm
- Price: Starts at Rs 5.52 lakh for diesel/Rs 4.42 Lakh for petrol
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