The Mahindra XUV300 will be launched on February 14. Bookings have opened for the vehicle that is likely to be priced in the Rs 8 lakh to Rs 12 lakh segment, competing with the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport.
The company is showcasing the vehicle at malls ahead of its launch. These photos were circulated on a Whatsapp group, from one of the malls.
The Mahindra XUV300 will come in four variants, according to dealers: the W4, W6, W8 and W8 (Option). The vehicle showcased is the top-spec W8 (Option) variant and its easy to see that it has a pretty long feature list.
Some of the features on the top-spec W8 (Option) variant include a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, push-button ignition, full keyless entry, seven airbags, 17-inch alloy wheels, projector headlamps with LED daytime running lamps, all-round disc brakes, powered mirrors, arm-rest for the front seats, touch-screen infotainment system, dual USB ports, cruise control and seat-belt warnings for multiple seats among others.
It also gets three steering modes – normal, comfort and sports – that alter the electronic power steering feel for different driving conditions.
The Mahindra XUV300 is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli, but has been redesigned for the Indian market. It has a wheelbase of 2,600 mm that’s the longest among the sub-4 metre length compact SUVs, allowing for better interior legroom. The styling follows the “cheetah-inspired” look of the XUV500.
The XUV300 also gets a fairly large boot, with 60:40 split-folding rear seats. Some reports state it has a little under 260 litres of boot space, which is smaller than the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport, but we will wait for our full review to confirm these specs. It looks like Mahindra has focused more on interior space and comfort.
The steering gets silver and black treatment with switches for audio and cruise control. The beige and black theme looks quite well laid out.
The XUV300 is the first vehicle in its segment to sport dual-zone automatic climate control. This is a good feature to have when the driver and passenger want different temperature settings in the car.
So far there is no clarity on engine choices. The 1.5 litre four-cylinder diesel engine from the Marazzo is likely to be the choice for the diesel model, while there is talk of a 1.2 litre turbo-charged petrol motor as well. It will come with a six-speed manual transmission at launch, with an automatic option later.
The Quint will be reviewing the Mahindra XUV300 shortly. Watch this space for a full review of the XUV300 and how it stacks up with its competition.
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