Mahindra recently launched the XUV 3XO or the XUV300 facelift. The SUV is priced quite competitively and bookings will begin later this month. We were in Nashik a few days ago for the launch of the SUV and had the opportunity to drive the new automatic turbo petrol version. Mahindra claims that the XUV 3XO is “everything you want and more”. Does it live up to this statement? Let’s find out.
Outside
Apart from the name, Mahindra has also changed the exterior design of the SUV. It’s not a generational change, but it receives several updates that make it more relevant in this highly competitive segment. The front and rear design of the SUV is completely different from the older version.
We think the front design of the XUV 3XO is still a bit polarizing. It looks more like an appliance than a car. The glossy black stripe with vertical chrome inserts, C-shaped LED daytime running lights, projector headlights and LED fog lights give it a futuristic look.
There will be customers who will like this new design of the SUV and who will not. We personally felt that the front design could have been better. The side profile of the SUV remains the same as the XUV300. The only noticeable change here are the wheels. The higher variant gets 17-inch wheels with redesigned alloy rims, while the lower version continues to get 16-inch wheels.
Just like the front, the rear of the SUV also has a completely different design. Most cars in this segment and above come with a connected LED bar on the tailgate and Mahindra too has decided to join the bandwagon. We see full LED taillights with attached LED bars. The indicators are also LED. Just like the front, the back of the XUV 3XO also looks different. The sub-4 meter long SUV gets a choppy design at the rear, which looked strange on the previous version and remains the same on the 3XO. The rear bumper gives the Mahindra XUV 3XO a muscular look.
Inner
The interior of the SUV looks different than the previous version. The dashboard gets a new design. In fact, you would have noticed by now that the interior of the XUV 3XO is identical to Mahindra’s facelifted XUV400 EV. It features a 10.35-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system, a similarly sized fully digital instrument cluster, a multifunction steering wheel, leatherette upholstery and so on. The dashboard and door pads feature soft-touch materials that give the interior a premium look.
The SUV offers dual-zone automatic climate control; However, features such as ventilation in the front seats and an electrically adjustable driver’s seat are missing. However, Mahindra has worked on the interior of the SUV to make it much more spacious. It feels much more airy, especially with the ivory interior. There is enough space for the driver and passengers in both the front and rear seats. Mahindra claims that they offer best-in-class space with the XUV 3XO. While the ivory color looks premium in the cabin, maintenance is likely to be tedious in Indian conditions. Ideally, Mahindra should have given a darker theme like we saw in the Scorpio N.
Compared to the XUV300, Mahindra has done a bit of work on improving the trunk space. Up to the backrest, the Mahindra XUV 3XO has a trunk volume of 295 liters. If you decide to fill it up to the roof, it can be expanded to 364 liters. Mahindra also offers a 60:40 split rear seat as standard, so you can easily transport items of all shapes and sizes. Mahindra has improved the camera quality and also has a 360-degree camera in the top version.
How does it drive?
As we sat in the driver’s seat, the first thing we noticed was the impressive view. The large windows and windshield provide impressive visibility of the road, giving you the confidence to navigate busy city streets with ease. When we first drove the turbocharged petrol version, we found that NVH levels had improved significantly. The cabin feels much quieter than before. Good job here Mahindra. While we liked the NVH levels in the turbo petrol version, the diesel version still felt a bit noisy in the cabin and we feel Mahindra could have improved something here.
As for the powertrain part, the turbo-petrol engine we drove is a 1.2-liter four-cylinder unit that produces 130 hp and 230 Nm of maximum torque. The engine feels extremely peppy and the newly added automatic transmission only adds to the comfort and fun.
Mahindra did a good job of dropping the AMT from the petrol engines as they weren’t the most sophisticated. The jerks when shifting were clearly visible even after Mahindra tuned it. With the new 6-speed automatic transmission, shifts felt seamless and improved the overall driving experience.
The steering felt well balanced. It was light enough for use in the city and also had a good weight. The zip-zap-zoom driving modes changed the behavior of the car to some extent. One of the complaints from many XUV300 users was that the ride felt too harsh. The SUV did not offer comfortable driving characteristics. Mahindra listened to its customers and improved in this regard too. The XUV 3XO’s suspension is tuned to provide a comfortable ride without compromising on stability at higher speeds. The turbo petrol engine is extremely powerful and can reach and maintain triple-digit speeds without any problems. Since we were driving the top-of-the-line AX7 L, it was equipped with Level 2 ADAS functionality.
This feature is the same as the XUV700, but we feel Mahindra needs to calibrate this system a bit more. The SUV we were driving actually detected obstacles and applied the brakes or slowed down, even when there was enough distance for the SUV to move forward. This problem can be easily solved by Mahindra as this feature just needs to be refined.
Mahindra is very confident in the build quality and we expect nothing less than a 5-star rating. Mahindra offers 35 standard safety features with the XUV 3XO, including 6 airbags, 4 disc brakes, 3-point seat belts for all passengers, on/off passenger airbags for child safety and much more.
Should you buy one?
Mahindra is known for offering its products at competitive prices and the 3XO is no different. Mahindra had to price it this way to ensure people notice this odd-looking SUV compared to rivals like the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and Tata Nexon. Prices for the Mahindra XUV 3XO start from Rs 7.49 lakh (ex-showroom) and go up to Rs 15.49 lakh (ex-showroom).
At this price, the Panoramic sunroof and Level 2 ADAS. To sum up, the Mahindra XUV 3XO feels like an SUV that offers everything you want and more. Bookings for the SUV begin on May 15, 2024 and deliveries begin on May 26, 2024.
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