[Aditya_Dhull]

Hey Guys,

I just returned to Mumbai this weekend after a 3000+ kms road trip with my wife and my dog. We went to Jaipur to meet my parents. While there, we went for another short, 4 hour road trip with them to Ramathra and now got back to Mumbai via Udaipur. In these two weeks there was a little bit of driving around in Jaipur city too. And I had to write this post to just tell you guys that it felt so damn good to drive this car. It's the Diesel AMT W8 (O) version and it was freaking fantastic.

I do have many things I was disappointed about, like- really missed the rear AC vents with my parents riding with us, really missed a bigger boot, the engine sounds louder after the long trip, there are already a few rattling sounds behind the AC vents and a few more.

But again, Oh My God it drives so damn smooth. It was a joy to take control of the wheel on the bends. It feels so smooth inside. Our dog, who otherwise is always restless in the car mostly slept throughout the whole 15 hour trip from Mumbai to Udaipur just because of the ride quality. We didn't get tired at all even after doing 15 hour stretches. The automatic gear shift made it so much easier to drive long distances while munching on snacks and drinking coffee. The manual shift option really helped in overtaking the irritatingly indisciplined trucks.

This car might not have all the bells and whistles provided in the Kia and Hyundai cars, and it definitely has some issues like rattling sounds, errors in the reverse camera and general attention to detail problems (expected of a Mahindra) but it drives like a dream. It feels sure of itself and solidly planted on the road.

We got the automatic because we thought we need something that's easy to drive in the city traffic. But during this trip I realised how much fun this car is when driven fast (I just hate the over speed alert sound). It's extremely distracting to have a non-stop beeping sound at that speed).

Thanks to many of you on this forum for guiding me and helping me to make the decision to go for this car. I genuinely love driving it. Can't wait for another long drive honestly.

Mod Note: Team-BHP strongly discourages unsafe driving practices that put yourself and other road users at risk. Please do NOT post about illegally high speeds on public roads.

We advise you to read the Forum Rules before proceeding any further.

[Aditya_Dhull]

Hi Rudra Sen,

I didn’t mean to promote unsafe driving. I drive at high speeds only when the road is clear, with seat belts on, both hands on the steering wheel (at 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions), only when I’m feeling alert and only on short, straight, dry roads with no visible undulations. The Mahindra XUV300 overspeed alert system does a good job at alerting the driver to slow down. That’s why it’s such a safe car and safety was one of the main reasons I chose this car. It could have been a little less distracting is what I meant to convey in my previous post.

Accidents are not caused by high speeds though. German highways are a proof of that. They are caused by silly mistakes and indisciplined driving. I’m sorry if my previous post seemed to promote unsafe driving. That really was not the intention. I enjoy a little bit of speed though. It feels good. There’s something visceral about it. That’s one of the basic thrills of life an auto enthusiast is lucky to experience. I understand it’s a privilege to feel the joy of high speeds and still be alive. So I try to apply a method to the madness. And how dry would our lives be if not lived a bit madly.

[krishnakumar]

Originally Posted by Aditya_Dhull

I do have many things I was disappointed about, like- really missed the rear AC vents with my parents riding with us, really missed a bigger boot

These 2 missing features is exactly what that's pegging the XUV3OO at the 3rd spot on my contender list.

Wanted to understand, realistically, how much luggage can you carry in the boot? Just like you, the car will primarily be used by 3 (me, my wife and a dog) with occasional visits from our parents.

The automatic gear shift made it so much easier to drive long distances while munching on snacks and drinking coffee.

How does the AMT perform in general? While doing quick overtakes etc, does it kickdown fast enough? I'm unable to get a TD vehicle with AMT, neither for Nexon nor for XUV3OO.

Originally Posted by Aditya_Dhull

Accidents are not caused by high speeds though. German highways are a proof of that. They are caused by silly mistakes and indisciplined driving.

Well, the 3 bolded words aren't really that different you'd notice. Not only that, silly mistakes compound at higher speeds and Indian roads are no comparison to German roads. One could also argue that high speed driving is in fact a form of undisciplined driving.

I understand where you're coming from and in no way I'm insinuating that I'm an angel when it comes to driving. However, realistically there is no need to go beyond 120kph on public roads to the point that the continuous beep gets irritating.

[ashishk29]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

These 2 missing features is exactly what that's pegging the XUV3OO at the 3rd spot on my contender list.

Wanted to understand, realistically, how much luggage can you carry in the boot? Just like you, the car will primarily be used by 3 (me, my wife and a dog) with occasional visits from our parents.

We recently did a ~1500km journey with 4 people on board, and the boot was sufficient for the 4 of us.

It is large enough to hold ~3 duffle bags, plus some stuff on top. Alternatively, one full sized airport traveller bag, and 2-3 backpacks.

I have very similar usage pattern to yours. It's usually just me and my wife. And occasionally my dad. And we have plenty boot space between the 3 of us.

Rear AC vents surely are a miss, but I did sit on the rear seat for ~300km on the journey, and I was fairly satisfied with the cabin cooling. But this metric will vary from person to person.

[Kshitin]

Need help! I decided to go for W8 (O) Manual but was asked by wellwishers to reconsider my decision and go for AMT. I have been driving manual for 13 years and in between drove a proper automatic in a foreign country for a year. While I was thrilled with the TD of the manual version, the AMT didn't give me that excitement but would like to know from fellow BHPians here who have been using AMT for some time now that if that feeling changes with time as you get familiar with how AMT works and your driving style changes subconsciously.

[alchex7]

Originally Posted by Kshitin

Need help! I decided to go for W8 (O) Manual but was asked by wellwishers to reconsider my decision and go for AMT. I have been driving manual for 13 years and in between drove a proper automatic in a foreign country for a year. While I was thrilled with the TD of the manual version, the AMT didn't give me that excitement but would like to know from fellow BHPians here who have been using AMT for some time now that if that feeling changes with time as you get familiar with how AMT works and your driving style changes subconsciously.

I would suggest choosing the Manual version only. I own a W8(O) AMT - D, but the turbo lag, coupled with AMT lag especially around the 20-40 kph mark really makes it hard to enjoy even a slightly spirited drive in the city. On the highways the lag is minimal, but if you are planning to majorly drive in the city with medium traffic, I would recommend the manual.

[callmeneo]

Originally Posted by krishnakumar

How does the AMT perform in general? While doing quick overtakes etc, does it kickdown fast enough? I'm unable to get a TD vehicle with AMT, neither for Nexon nor for XUV3OO.
.

Try Prerana Motors near Hebbal Flyover on the outer ring road if you are from Bangalore. I remember test driving a Nexon AMT there.

[Duckdoc]

Originally Posted by Kshitin

Need help! I decided to go for W8 (O) Manual but was asked by wellwishers to reconsider my decision and go for AMT.

I made an informed choice to go for MT and I have been happy so far. For AMT, hopefully the thread below may be of help to you:

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...ip-review.html

[Kshitin]

Thanks Duckdoc!! I have also made up my mind to go for MT! Making the payment today and delivery will be tomorrow.

I am based out of Hyderabad (Hi Tech city area) and looking for some shops from where I can get the following done:

1. Need more under-thigh support in the rear seat so is there any reliable shop that can do it for me

2. As per advice in this forum, would go for Osram Nightbreaker Laser H7 for low beam so pointers to any shop that can help in this would be great!

[Kshitin]

Originally Posted by alchex7

I would suggest choosing the Manual version only. I own a W8(O) AMT - D, but the turbo lag, coupled with AMT lag especially around the 20-40 kph mark really makes it hard to enjoy even a slightly spirited drive in the city. On the highways the lag is minimal, but if you are planning to majorly drive in the city with medium traffic, I would recommend the manual.

Thank's a lot Alchex! this kind of feedback is what I was precisely looking for...Due to the very reason you mentioned, I was heavily inclined towards MT but was pushed hard by friends/family (wifey!) to consider AMT. You made my life easy buddy..will take the delivery tomorrow and will post the pics in a day or two!

[SoupRaw]

Originally Posted by Kshitin

Thanks Duckdoc!! I have also made up my mind to go for MT! Making the payment today and delivery will be tomorrow.

Did you take delivery? I booked W8(O) on 18th September but have no updates on delivery date. When did you book?

[SoupRaw]

Originally Posted by ashishk29

We recently did a ~1500km journey with 4 people on board, and the boot was sufficient for the 4 of us.

Hi Ashishk29! I've been following your XUV300 thread for a while and have made a booking last month after 2 test drives.

Saw that you test drove the XUV700. How does it compare to the 300?

Since a vehicle is not allotted to me yet, thoughts of going for the 700 creeps in once in a while

Would really appreciate if you could make a comparison, even though it'll be apple to oranges

[ashishk29]

Originally Posted by SoupRaw

Hi Ashishk29! I've been following your XUV300 thread for a while and have made a booking last month after 2 test drives.

Saw that you test drove the XUV700. How does it compare to the 300?

Since a vehicle is not allotted to me yet, thoughts of going for the 700 creeps in once in a while

Would really appreciate if you could make a comparison, even though it'll be apple to oranges

I drove the diesel manual on the 700. And incidentally, the test drive showroom and route was the same that I took for the 300 too. So it's a decent comparison overall. Here are my thoughts:

• I found the refinement levels to be lower than the 300. This came as a shocker to me as well. The test vehicle I drove for the 300 had 41000km on the clock, and was still more refined than this ~900km run 700. I could clearly feel engine vibrations on the clutch pedal throughout the drive, and every once in a while, some vibes on the steering wheel as well. And considering that even my 300 has yet to go through its first oil change, I do not believe that to be a point for the 700 either.

• The engine noise also climbs up a bit faster than the 300. Meaning, at ~2500-3000RPM, the 700 engine is definitely more audible than the 300's.

• That said, the engine is a heck of a performer. The 300 has a noticeable turbo "spot" at around 1500RPM where you suddenly get a chunk of the torque. The 700 doesn't have a spot as such. You get very clean and even acceleration throughout the rev range. I did hammer the engine quite a bit, and it responded very well. It's a fun to drive engine. It's especially fun to feel how nicely it can throw around that full sized SUV body. However, the overall performance is comparable to the 300, simply because it's a much larger car. 0-60, 0-100 are actually comparable on the two.

• I didn't see a dedicated button to manage steering modes, but the car does have that feature tied in to the drive modes. So there are 3 default drive modes, which can roughly correspond to city (Zip), normal(Zap), highway(Zoom). Zip is economy oriented and has the "Comfort" level steering setting. The engine response is also more dull here. By contrast, Zoom has the "Sport" level steering, with full 185bhp/420Nm on tap.

• Handling is about as sharp as the 300. My mid row passenger friends noted the suspension to be firm, but not too firm to be uncomfortable. There is noticeable body roll, which is way better controlled in the 300. But that's to be expected given the size, shape, and weight of the 700. The car is huge in dimensions, but doesn't feel that huge to drive and handle. Which is a good thing.

• Driver assists work fantastic, and seamlessly. I especially liked lane assist which automatically triggers at 60kmph, and has a nice layout on the console. Emergency braking also executes VERY well, and that too from a good safe distance.

• Auto hold function works way better than the HHA on the 300. Electronic parking brake button will take some getting used to.

• Electric seat adjustment is fun. Driving position is about similar to the 300 at the settings I am habituated to.

• The middle row is definitely more comfy, especially since you can recline the seats. Third row is just usable. No more no less. It's functional.

• Build quality is about similar to the 300. The panels are solid, and feel the same to touch as the 300. I found a couple panel alignments to be off, which I don't see in the 300.

• The interiors are way way better. I liked the faux leather stitched treatment on the dashboard, and the faux wood inserts on the door panels. The steering wheel spokes are finished in piano black, which looks better than the silver ones on the 300. The button layout is also far superior. In the 300, the buttons on the center console are thin and long, which can be easy to miss. The ones in the 700 are neatly squarish/rectangular shaped, and have good tactile feedback. Glove box is also pretty huge, just like the 300.

• The AC vents are sensibly placed horizontally. I hate the center AC vents in the 300. The steering blocks out about 30-40% of the air flow. AC blast and effectiveness is about the same. Note: middle row does not get any blower speed control. It is governed by the front row setting.

• The displays are amazing. Very clearly visible even in daylight. The driver console can be used for navigation! This is a brilliant feature.

• Stock music system is way better even on the non-luxury variant than the absolute basic one we get on the 300.

• That said, 300 getting auto-dimming center mirror, and a driver side mirror and vanity light, but the 700 not getting one, is a bit weird. Especially considering that the variant I drove is probably a full million more than the 300.

• Boot is pretty much non-existent in the 7 seater version. You can hardly keep maybe a couple of backpacks in there. And that's saying something considering that the 300 already has a pretty small boot. But I imagine the 5-seater must have amazing boot space.

Overall, if I were picking even today, I'd still pick the 300 simply because I have no use for a third row and I do not want a 4m+ car.
And the refinement was also a bit of a deal-breaker for me.
A huge reason why I went for the 300 was purely because of how refined the diesel is, and not just for a diesel, it's about as refined as a lot of petrols!

[SoupRaw]

Originally Posted by ashishk29

Here are my thoughts:

First of all, thanks a ton for taking the time to write such a comprehensive comparison

I've booked a diesel too, since I found the refinement levels amazing for a diesel (I'm used to the Ford/Tata/Volkswagen/Skoda tractor clatter). The petrol somehow felt less refined and lacked power compared to the diesel (could be a bad test drive vehicle). Also, I'm still not sold on the three cylinder petrols.

The 300's handling impressed me. Coming from an Ikon 1.6, C-SUVs and SUVs didn't feel like good handlers but the 300 seems to have hit a sweet spot (although nowhere close to the go-kart like handling of the Ikon) between handling and comfort.

Originally Posted by ashishk29

Overall, if I were picking even today, I'd still pick the 300 simply because I have no use for a third row and I do not want a 4m+ car.
And the refinement was also a bit of a deal-breaker for me.
A huge reason why I went for the 300 was purely because of how refined the diesel is, and not just for a diesel, it's about as refined as a lot of petrols!

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. 300 is compact enough, while I feel the 700 as an only car will be a pain with its dimensions especially in Bangalore. Other than the small boot, I don't have any problems with the 300. And the boot will be loaded once or twice a year, so smart packing should solve that.

[mihir_m13]

After a lot of dillydallying - Nexon - XUV 300 -Nexon - XUV 300 - I finally booked the XUV 300 W8 Petrol White yesterday here in Baroda.


The cruise control clinced the deal for the XUV. I had always liked this car over any other CSUV - but in terms of cost - Nexon was ofcourse more value for money. I had almost finalized Nexon XZ+ which is the first version to get Height Adjustible driver seats which was my prime criteria. Initially was looking at Nexon AMT (For comfort) but just didn't enjoy driving - so later added cruise control to the must have's list. Now with Nexon - that comes only with the top model XZ+(S). Sunroof was a big no no as its mostly useless in our climatic condidtions + where i live, we have battalions of monkeys visiting us quite regularly and i've seen the damange they do. I didn't want to take a chance with them damaging the roof. Leakages would be expensive to fix.



I've been told it'll be delivered in 2 months. Lets see.