Re: Mahindra XUV300 : Official Review Hi all,
Did a short test-drive of xuv300 petrol variant. Being a recent EcoSport (ecoboost) owner, I wanted to know what i was missing/gaining from my vehicle when compared to Xuv300. Below are my observations.
Looks: At the front, there is hardly anything that you would feel awkward of. Usage of chrome is minimum and it actually looks good up front. Side is plain and rear is where you may get the hates. From the rear it looked a bit awkward to me. Overall the design felt good. But in traffic, it would be easily mistaken for a Brezza and hence you won't be getting any special attention, rather you would just be getting lost in a sea of Brezza's. But up close, xuv looks bigger and wider.
Interiors: Its inside the vehicle, where I was really surprised. It just don't feel like a Mahindra. Fit and finish levels are beyond expectations. Even the plastics feel good to touch. Build quality is nice. EcoSport has some rough edges, but xuv's interior doesn't feel so.
Dashboard layout is plain and simple. Nothing there is in your face. The only sore point in an otherwise nicely laid out dashboard is the jukebox inspired centre console and the silver coloured control switches. These felt dated to me.
White interior is another negative point. Now being raining in this part of Kerala, interiors, especially the white seats of the test-drive vehicle was dirty and mud stained. Hope Mahindra will offer an all black interior soon.
Space: Cabin feels spacious compared to an Ecosport. Can accommodate a third person more comfortably in the rear than in anecosport. But comparatively the rear bench seemed a bit shorter and hence lacking in under thigh support.
Legroom and headroom were all adequate.
Drive: The engine comes to life without much drama. Vibes are negligible, another surprise from Mahindra. The engine felt refined at most times of my testdrive. When you rev up in a lower gear, it becomes audible. But at any time, there is hardly any vibes that crept into the cabin.
Engine felt sprightly at most times. No lag is felt, but there is a sudden surge of power past 2000rpm. That class leading torque figure is rightly felt. Right from stand still, xuv's engine felt a bit more responsive than ecoboost. Didn't get the chance to take it to high speeds though. Clutch pedal has long play and even the gear throws are long, which will require some getting used to. Low rpms are handled well and you don't need to downshift very often. Engine is ready to pull even from 1000rpm, even though it may take its own sweet time. Power and torque are adequate if not more.
But it was the handling part that made me happy for my decision. EcoSport felt a level up compared to the Xuv.
Xuv felt bouncy at even small undulations. SA said it may be due to tyre pressure differences, but it was not, atleast according to the TPMS. Body roll is also comparatively higher. Rear passengers felt it more. At speeds EcoSport feels much stable.
Steering also feels better on the EcoSport. Although you can choose from different steering modes on the Xuv, apart from some heaviness in the sport mode, you don't get anything else. Feel and feedback felt dull at all modes. So, for a better driving experience it is still Ecosport for me.
Overall, if it isn't for the ride and handling package, Xuv appears to be a better buy. But a newly launched Mahindra isn't something that I would plunge myself into. I am not ready for that yet!
Last edited by blueeyed : 25th April 2019 at 22:46.
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