[mooza]

It has been 4 years and 6 months since we purchased our Mahindra Xylo. So I thought of putting up my ownership experience. The MUV has seen 44000 kms till date. At the outset, I can say that I have enjoyed the ownership thus far.
I picked up the E4 variant (M-eagle engine) from Sireesh Auto (Silkboard junction), Bangalore, in February 2012.

Okay, now let's get to the important points:

What I like:
1. Space, oodles of it
2. Great comfort of the seats
3. High driving position
4. Good low speed ride quality
5. Easy city driveability
6. Great all round visibility
7. Comfortable cruiser on highways

What I don't like:
1. Interior plastic quality
2. Difficulty in ingress for elderly
3. Lack of sliding second row
4. Long, slightly notchy gear throws

A few exterior pictures now follow. I'll start with the rear of the car!

I like the way this car looks from the rear. A little bit of blackening on the portion above the number plate and the pillars have been done by me recently.


The rear quarter picture showing the blackening of pillars:


Coming to the side profile, it looks every bit the s t r e t c h e d MUV that it is !


A few pictures of the interiors:


The driver's seat is a great place to be in Xylo. The seat holds you with good support from all sides, with great under-thigh support. I could easily find a comfortable position to operate all the controls.

The second row picture below shows the near flat floor, keeping the second row middle passenger happy.


That's me in the second row, I am 6 feet tall. The leg space and comfort is good:


The third row is very comfortable for any one who is 5 feet 10 inches or below. A six footer like me too can find a comfortable position, but the knees just about graze the second row seat. But the scoop out contour helps. The under-thigh support even for a six footer is good. Again a picture of me in the 3rd row:

[mooza]

The vehicle specifications:

Mahindra Xylo E4
Color: Java Brown
Engine: M eagle 2498cc turbo, 260 Nm Torque at 1800 rpm
Brakes: Front - discs, Rear - drums
Suspension (Front) double wishbone, Coil type, Independent front suspension
Suspension rear: Multi link (5 links), coil type
Shock Absorbers: Hydro pneumatic, telescopic
Fuel: Diesel
Overall length: 4520mm
Overall width: 1850mm
Overall height: 1895mm
Wheel base: 2760mm

Price details:
Rs. 9.5 lakhs OTR in Bangalore
Freebies: Floor Mats (transparent type), Mudflaps
Added accessories: Reverse camera (9 k)

Why Xylo ?
We were looking for an MUV to perform those long highway journeys over 1000 kms with 6 passengers. In 2012 Feb, I did not have the compact MPVs like the Ertiga and Mobilio to choose from. The options were Tata Safari, Scorpio and the Innova. Since I was looking for good space in the 3rd row for my folks (Dad is 5'10" tall, Brother in law again 5'10"), and considering the VFM aspect of Xylo over the true blue MUV the Innova, our vote finally went to the Mahindra Xylo.

I had found the Mahindra Scorpio fairly reliable in my earlier ownership experience, but the 3rd row was not suitable for tall folks. I might have considered trying out the Tata Safari as well, only if it had a front facing 3rd row.

Based on my experience of driving and travelling as a passenger in both the Innova and Xylo, here are my personal views (no offence to Innova owners!)

Xylo over Innova:
1. 3rd row leg space and thigh support
2. Excellent all round visibility for all occupants
3. More Value for Money. The mid variant Innova was priced nearly Rs. 3 lakhs higher.
4. Low speed ride quality
5. Low NVH levels for the passengers (Driver feels the diesel clatter vibrations through gear lever and steering wheel in the Xylo as well, though)
6. Underseat storage space for each passenger for a travel bag

Innova over Xylo:
1. Interior quality is miles ahead
2. Much more car like to drive
3. Less body roll
4. Better slotting gear lever
5. Easier ingress
6. Split folding 3rd row seat, flexible luggage carrying options

The buying experience:
The TD vehicle was arranged on time by Sireesh Auto. The sales guy brought an E8 for the test drive.

I took my entire family for the drive, and they were bowled over by the excellent interior space and all round visibility! I made a second visit to the showroom to confirm the pricing, the Java Brown color, and the other inclusions on offer (floor mats, mudflaps), and closed out the deal.
The vehicle was delivered in a week's time, on the appointed date and time.

I would rate Sireesh Auto 8/10 on the experience.

[mooza]

Mine is the pre-facelift model. A couple of months later, the facelifted model was launched. However, to suit to my taste, I did a small facelift of my own, as you must have seen in my avatar.:



Coming to the boot, here's a view of the empty boot, which would make you think it is almost non existent:



However, the boot can accomodate a large travel suitcase and a few bags:



On account of the space available under the seat for each passenger, I have not used the roof carrier much at all. Here's the space below the 3rd row seat and the co-pilot seat:







Similar space exists below the 2nd row seat as well.

A view of my Xylo standing ahead of my Ecosport, and another exterior shot. Very different driving experiences, when I switch between the two, I can surely say!


A couple of changes made to my Xylo are seen in the pictures below, namely PLATI alloy wheels, and a front fender mirror to help in parking and picking out things hidden in the blind spot below the rather high bonnet.

[mooza]

Engine and driveability:
I have always found ample power on hand, be it overtaking, driving on inclines through the ghats, the m Eagle engine just munches everything in its way. The turbo spools in at 1800 rpm, and one can feel the clear surge in power. Power availability from the engine is almost immune to load, so I feel just at ease and confident while hauling 8 passengers along with luggage.
There are mild engine vibrations felt on the steering wheel and gear lever at idle, these subside at higher rpms during the drive. Performance of the engine has remained good over the entire 4 and a half years thus far.
Due the good low end torque, driving in the city is easy, one can manage with few gear changes. The clutch is surely heavier than, let's say, the Ecosport, I have got used to this.

Airconditioning
The AC is effective, though not a complete chiller of an AC as in the Scorpio. There are adjustable overhead AC vents, one pair for each row. The cabin takes a while to cool (because of the humungous cabin volume !), but performs adequately thereafter.

Ride and Handling
The suspension is tuned to the softer side, so the low speed ride quality is very good on city roads, munching up all the potholes and the road cutting jobs strewn all across my locality! As the speed climbs up, a bit of roll is experienced on undulating roads, mainly due to the tall seating position, but not really upsetting the overall composure, and the ride is never unsettled.

The highway ride is a very good experience, the MUV feels quite composed, particularly more so with load.

The very first drive would make one a bit conscious of the movements of the vehicle on account of the softer tuned suspension, but one quickly gets used to it, my family has never complained ! In fact, I enjoy the ride as I am a sedate driver.

The handling, expectedly, is not particularly great, especially after a back to back drive with my Ecosport, which has a crisp, point and shoot response to the steering wheel inputs ! One has to maneuver the Xylo a bit more gently around corners, to not spill the occupants all over the place. But put a sedate driver in the driver's seat, and the passengers will enjoy the ride, be it city or highway. The steering feedback is average upto 90 kmph, after which it feels a bit light for my liking.

Tyres and Braking
The Xylo came home with the Bridgestone Duellers 215/75R15, which have served me well till date, they look good for another 10 to 15k kms. The grip is good. I changed over to PLATI alloy wheels a couple of years ago, after which the handling has improved a bit. I set my tyre pressures at 38 to 40 psi, which gives better handling with lesser sideways rocking while negotiating potholed roads.

Braking is pretty good as well, the vehicle came to a halt in a straight line pretty quickly on the 2 occasions of my emergency braking here in Bangalore, to avoid rear ending some lane criss-crossing cars ahead of me.

Fuel efficiency
9.5 to 10 kmpl in Bangalore's crawling 25 kmph traffic.
13 to 14 kmpl on highways like NH4, at 90 to 100 kmph speeds.

Both have been measured tankful to tankful.

Niggles, problems, maintenance
Door beadings getting unseated, the plastic cap on the seat rail ends popping off, some squeaks from the front seat belts were the initial niggles, all rectified within the first year.

Some work was done at Sireesh Auto for reducing power steering rack play under extended warranty in Oct 2015.

Servicing bills, repair charges:
Around 8k to 10k on an average per annual service.
Main repair costs incurred, based on my bills:
Paid service labor charges: Rs. 1400/- per visit
Washing: Rs. 450/- per visit
AC servicing charges: (4th year): 1500/- plus 2000/- gas top up (never topped up for years)
Wiper blades full set: Rs. 510 (4th year)
Front Brake pad set (disc): 3010/- (3rd year)
Wheel alignment & balancing checks: 880/- (3rd year)
Headlight bulbs: 450/- (3rd year)
HVAC particle filter: 430/-(3rd year)

Consumables, oil top up, AC duct cleaning, Brakes adjustment, oil filter and air filter changes made up for the remaining cost components.

The servicing experience at Sireesh Auto is quite good, but they invariably deliver the serviced vehicle a couple of hours late, with lots of cars queued up for the final washing.

[mooza]

Long drive experiences



Made 3 trips to Mumbai and back. One trip from Mumbai to Udaipur, Rajasthan, and then a really long one from Bangalore to Bhubaneswar. The photograph above is on the highway to Udaipur, and the one below en-route to Bhubaneswar. My family asking me to hit the road again at the earliest !

All the road trips were absolutely trouble free, not even a puncture, and not a single case of anyone throwing up ! My sedate driving could also be a reason, I guess. Overall, journey comfort was rated very high by my family, because of the legroom and supportive seats.

[mooza]

Some other points:

-The bonnet is barely visible to the driver. Took some getting used to, after the Scorpio's bonnet visibility !

-I have fitted rain visors on the windows. While this helps towards keeping the windows a tad down during rains, it has affected visibility near the front pillars.

-A clearly audible, one time beep alerts you on the highways when you cross the 130 kmph speed mark.

-The intermittent wiper frequency can be adjusted by selecting the time gap between successive selections. A useful feature.

-Follow me home headlamp feature has been provided, not much used by me.

-Butterfly type limited opening 3rd row windows are provided, and these are opened by my folks sometimes during long drives.

Things that could be improved by Mahindra:

- The recline angle can be increased for the 3rd row seat, as it feels a bit upright. This can be done easily by Mahindra for future models by trimming off a bit of the rear leg length of the seat.

- Boot volume can be increased without increasing the overall vehicle length, by just straightening out the rear profile of the boot door and providing a scoop out on the inner part of the door.

- The interior plastics tend to get scratched easily, could be improved.

[mooza]

Some more pictures of the interiors and comfort features

Convenient retractable holder for the music system remote:


Some views of the dash:








One more view of the 3rd row:


Aircon vents for each row:


Reading lamp for the 3rd row, used by my kids:

[mooza]

A snapshot of the alloys:


The Xylo E4 badge:


The useful rear wiper, and a nice place for the "Team BHP" Sticker to blend in!


Overall, am I pleased with the vehicle ? Yes, I am indeed. It has proved to be a reliable workhorse so far, with no breakdowns ! I am already looking forward to my next highway drive, probably to Goa via the NH4.

Thanks to all for listening. Questions, feedback, suggestions are most welcome.
__________________

[Aditya]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Long-Term Ownership Reviews Section. Thanks for sharing!

[mmxylorider]

V. nice. Reminds me of my E4 (bought 2009, sold 2014). Lots of memories associated with the ownership especially some very looong drives. It was also my commute vehicle to work.

wishing you years of mile munching.

[RAPTOR-XUV]

My first cousin who stays in Bengaluru uses a similay colured H8 Xylo and has done about 1.4L Kms till date. The kind of comfort it gives to its occupants is phenominal and in particular the second row captain seats. I had the privilage of using a Black H8 Xylo for about a month and and half and boy it was fun driving this mamoth. Body roll was certainly evident because of its dimensions, but if the speeds were in check, it offers a fatigue free drive for miles.

[manij]

Wow! Phenomenal to see a thread on Xylo in the hot threads category in August 2016. Congrats mooza!

Personally I mostly love the Xylo, still have my E8 bought in 2009. Terrific vehicle in almost every way, provided we play to its strengths and allow for its weaknesses (e.g. dont push it on turns at 100+ speeds, always slow down to about 80kmph on roads that are not straight, or when line of sight ahead is limited, etc.).

One thing I completely HATE though is the lack of luggage space. My Xylo (version with Captain seats in the middle row) effectively becomes a 4 seater when I have to carry even weekend luggage while travelling (and I dont seem to have the space under the rear seats or passenger seats that you seem to indicate in your Xylo/photos!).
I believe this lack of luggage space to be the single biggest factor for the failure of this vehicle - During 2009/10, I still remember having personally disuaded atleast 20 friends/colleagues from buying a Xylo for this very reason, most had subsequently bought Innova (one even bought a wagonR because it looked like a smaller Xylo but with 4 seats plus luggage space). Mahindra have no one else except their then design team to blame, wish they had done a proper "design thinking" session before they finalized - they clearly prioritized rear seat space which was good, but at the expense of forgetting all else, look where it has got them! Mahindra have further been exceptionally unresponsive and pig-headed about incorporating feedback on this important feature on further versions (and their other vehicles) - though they made some minor changes and allowances like split seat in later models, they still haven't learnt from their humongous Achilles Heel Mistake (I would never buy a XUV500 for this very reason of lack of luggage space). Well, its all water under the bridge now and the vehicle languishes as a certified failure.

Also another (smaller) issue observed on some Xylos including mine (and one that some other Xylo owners have pointed out to me) is the rubber on the remote key fob used for pressing the remote keys wearing out. Mahindra ASCs mostly have standard answer to suggest full key replacement, at the minimum some service centers suggest full case replacement for the key fob. Being unwilling to spend that much money since the plastics and electronics were all right, I looked around to realize there are multiple options (on online stores like ebay.in and now also on Amazon.in) of just replacing the rubber for about Rs. 200, and the key fob is back to as good as new. Wonder why the Mahindra service centers do not suggest doing this - carrying around a dismembered key fob does no good to the credibility of Mahindra's quality standards, rather just creates a negative perception in the mind of the customer (especially since buyers of the Xylo are mostly value conscious).

Wishing you many more happy kilometers ahead, and please keep updating this thread.

[mmxylorider]

One of the more interesting features the Xylo offers is the Hi-Lo for the AC. A preset control of how frequently the AC clutch will engage.

I always loved the low end torque of the Xylo and 3rd gear was the sweet one.

My most memorable drive was on NE1 - Amdavad and Vadodara. Such a fantastic road....

Slightly off topic, my 12 yr old's eyes still well up when he see pics of our Xylo.

I am only happy the beast found a nice home on being sold, a auto engineer - deal was finalized in 2 mins flat!!!!

[mooza]

Originally Posted by mmxylorider

One of the more interesting features the Xylo offers is the Hi-Lo for the AC. A preset control of how frequently the AC clutch will engage..My most memorable drive was on NE1 - Amdavad and Vadodara. Such a fantastic road..Slightly off topic, my 12 yr old's eyes still well up when he see pics of our Xylo.

Thanks mmxylorider for reminding me about the useful HI LO feature of the AC. I use it usually on LO mode when I drive with just one or 2 passengers.
Yes, the road between Ahmedabad and Vadodara is really great, I drove on this road en route to Udaipur.
And most kids I know really love my Xylo as well, space being the reason quoted by them !

Originally Posted by RAPTOR-XUV

My first cousin who stays in Bengaluru uses a similay colured H8 Xylo and has done about 1.4L Kms till date. The kind of comfort it gives to its occupants is phenominal and in particular the second row captain seats. I had the privilage of using a Black H8 Xylo for about a month and and half and boy it was fun driving this mamoth.

Great to hear about 1.4L kms, it's confidence inspiring. Nice to know about your brief encounter with Xylo.

Originally Posted by manij

Wow! Phenomenal to see a thread on Xylo in the hot threads category in August 2016. Congrats mooza! Personally I mostly love the Xylo, still have my E8 bought in 2009.
One thing I completely HATE though is the lack of luggage space.. I dont seem to have the space under the rear seats or passenger seats that you seem to indicate in your Xylo/photos!)..
Also another (smaller) issue observed on some Xylos including mine (and one that some other Xylo owners have pointed out to me) is the rubber on the remote key fob used for pressing the remote keys wearing out.
Wishing you many more happy kilometers ahead, and please keep updating this thread.

Coming to luggage space, yes, with all 8 seats up we cannot travel heavy, but I have managed to convince my family to carry small to medium sized travel bags, which can be squeezed in under each seat, as shown in the link to Bhpian Vinayrathore's Xylo thread:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-t...onwards-9.html

So I have not used the roof carrier for several years now. As far as the boot is concerned, I have been able to fit in one big suitcase brought down annually by my brother from abroad, similar to the one shown in my post above on the boot. I do agree that travelling with heavy luggage of many suitcases with all seats up is not feasible. I wish Innova owners could share their experience on this point of adequacy of luggage space with all seats up.

An improvement in design has been suggested by me to liberate more luggage space in the boot:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ml#post3242367

I sincerely hope Mahindra makes this change some day !

Thanks a lot manij, for your wishes! Sorry to hear about your issues with the key fobs. I am lucky so far on this front

[grkonweb]

Thanks mooza for sharing your Xylo experience. I too have a Xylo D4 and enjoying every moment of my ownership. It's a big hit with my family members as they love the acres of space especially for long drives. Individual A/c vents are real convenience for all passengers. In fact, my Xylo is the favorite ride for all my office colleagues for team lunch outings.

Though the vehicle has its own weaknesses, personally I'm happy and have recommended it to few of my friends who have bought and are satisfied.