The usual-spec XUV 300 fills an attention-grabbing area of interest within the “Compact SUV” phase. However is its efficiency pedigree sufficient to face out within the sea of JDM crossovers?
Compact SUVs, in any other case generally known as bulked up hatchbacks, have gotten more and more standard within the APAC area. From the Suzuki’s Vitara Brezza to its rebadged cousin, Toyota’s City Cruiser, these vehicles have gotten the go-to alternative for the middle-class household who needs the fashion and picture of a Sport Utility Automobile however lacks the price range and real-life want for an precise SUV.
Mahindra, historically recognized for his or her road-legal tanks, determined to throw their very own hat to this phase with their SsangYong Tivoli primarily based XUV 300. And though now we have reviewed the totally optioned out W8 trim of the automotive a couple of months again, let’s examine what the standard-spec XUV 300 has to supply.
Again to fundamentals
The characteristic record of the W6 has been purchased all the way down to necessities, however what’s there may be excellent for each day use. Photographs: Ayan Rahman Khan/TBS
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The characteristic record of the W6 has been purchased all the way down to necessities, however what’s there may be excellent for each day use. Photographs: Ayan Rahman Khan/TBS
Visually, the W6 stays just like the W8, if much less shiny in a couple of locations. The SsangYong engineered, Pininfarina designed (each owned by Mahindra) subcompact has all the time regarded good, and with the appropriate paint job, the blacked-out plastic claddings create a pleasant distinction. The center grille with the Mahindra badge stays chrome, whereas the LED DRL headlamps have been swapped for tried and trusted halogens. The built-in LED fog lamps are omitted from the bottom trim with the empty area lined up with plastic accents.
On the rear, the LED taillamps are nonetheless current, although the rear bumper has been painted all black. One thing I discover to be an enchancment over the W8.
Formally, the W6 comes commonplace with 16-inch metal wheels. However the of us at Mahinda Bangladesh will swap them for alloys at value. Regardless of shedding an inch in wheel diameter, the automotive nonetheless sits a good 180mm off the bottom, making it fairly appropriate for our roads.
Constructed to final
The inside of W6 stays largely unchanged from its donor, anybody who’s been inside a pre-facelift Tivoli will really feel proper at dwelling. Mahindra caught to their “sturdiness over consolation” philosophy on the subject of materials, utilizing laborious carrying plastic in most locations and ending the seat with diuturnal material upholstery. Using dual-tone contained in the automotive works brilliantly, making the inside really feel brilliant and welcoming.
The characteristic record of the W6 has been purchased all the way down to necessities, however what’s there may be excellent for each day use. There are nonetheless 10 cup holders, steering mounted audio controls and a 4 speaker audio system in your aural wants.
The 17.78cm infotainment system retains its Bluetooth, USB and aux functionality, however backup digicam perform is now provided by an aftermarket unit mounted on the rearview mirror. What can also be retained is the superb standalone navigation system, which works with out the web and rival Google Maps when it comes to accuracy.
The storage scenario of the W6 stays largely the identical, together with the issue of the excessive trunk lip on the rear. The small rear deck measurement makes hauling massive gadgets a bit difficult, although flipping down the rear seats solves that situation.
Lastly, the Mahindra workers knowledgeable us the W6 retains the 5 star NCAP security rankings, which means it’s simply as secure as its higher-spec cousin.
The enjoyable bit
Of all of the Compact SUVs now we have reviewed to date, the XUV 300 stays probably the most entertaining to drive. The 300Nm of torque generated by the 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine makes this sub-1.5-ton automotive bolt like a bat out of hell. The Six-Pace-AMT shows a noticeable knockdown between first and second gear, however that may principally be prevented by intelligent modulating of the throttle to remain within the powerband.
The sensible steering system of the automotive is available in three modes, Regular, Consolation and Sport. In Regular and Consolation mode, the steering behaves like every other automotive in its phase, with half an inch of useless zone on both facet. Swap it to Sport, nevertheless, and it is a utterly completely different expertise. The steering turns into far more direct, with the automotive responding to each little enter. Mixed with the automotive’s brisk acceleration, offers you the sensation of driving a —considerably elevated— sports activities automotive.
This stage of engagement has been carried over to the automotive’s brakes, that are fairly delicate in sport mode. At low pace, the slightest brake enter causes the automotive to jolt to a cease, which may be fairly a shock if you’re not prepared for it.
The suspension of the W6 is far stiffer, permitting the automotive to remain stage even on spirited sharp turns. Conversely, it means the automotive is much less proficient at smoothing out the bumps on the street, which is usually a discomfort after a protracted day at work.
When it comes to sound, the diesel motor is surprisingly quiet, and you may barely hear it contained in the car. From the skin, you hear the motor idling on very quiet roads however on regular Dhaka visitors, one would discover it nearly unimaginable to establish the XUV 300 as a diesel with out prior data.
In cessation
The XUV 300 W6 fills an attention-grabbing area of interest within the “Compact SUV” phase. It has the whole lot wanted to be a daily household automotive, however its torquey diesel motor, comparatively stiff suspension and sensible steering give it a efficiency pedigree that virtually doesn’t exist in its class. Anybody in search of an affordable to run, snug crossover with simply sufficient energy to scratch their efficiency itch shall be sensible to maintain this could in thoughts.
