Mahindra TUV300

Within a month of its launch, Mahindra TUV300 has become the country’s second best-selling compact SUV. As per September, 2015 sales numbers, Mahindra managed to retail a total of 4,313 units of the TUV300. Its closest rival, Ford EcoSport, on the other hand managed to reach 3,142 in the same month. The only other compact SUV that did better than the TUV300 was the Hyundai Creta with over 7,300 units retailed in the month. While the initial response for the TUV300 looks great, it will be early to comment if this can manage to maintain the momentum in the highly competitive compact SUV space.

Just so you know, the Mahindra TUV300 is priced in the range of Rs. 6.90 lakh – Rs. 9.12 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune). Available in three trim levels – T4, T6 and T8, the TUV300 has been designed at Mahindra & Mahindra’s Kandivli-based Mumbai office with inputs from Pininfarina. Whereas, the research & development of the SUV was carried out at Mahindra Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai.

Mahindra TUV300 Prices (Ex-showroom, Pune)

T4 – Rs. 6.90 lakh

T4+ – Rs. 7.25 lakh

T6 – Rs. 7.55 lakh

T6+ – Rs. 7.80 lakh

T6 AMT – Rs. 8.52 lakh

T8 – Rs. 8.40 lakh

T8 AMT – Rs. 9.12 lakh

So if you are planning to buy the all-new Mahindra TUV300, here’s everything you should know about it.

Exterior

Unlike the sketch and teaser images, the vehicle looks pretty alright in flash and might surely attract buyers due to its rugged feel. The Mahindra’s compact SUV’s design is claimed to be inspired by a “battle tank” with features like raised shoulders, high front nose, flat roof, straight bonnet and high ground clearance. The compact SUV has a commanding road presence, thanks to its high ground clearance and bold stances. The vehicle sits on a new ladder frame chassis that makes it more compact and lighter than the Bolero. It’s the same platform that underpins the new Scorpio. On the front fascia, the car features bold grille with chrome inserts, static bending headlamps, black bumper, flat bonnet and rectangular fog lamps.

Though the side profile looks plain and boxy, in fact the vehicle’s tyres too look undersized due to square-shaped wheel arches. That said, the prominent character line, roof rails and blackened C-Pillar help the vehicle’s side profile look sporty. The vehicle’s rear profile too looks simple but has a neat design that gives it a no-nonsense appeal. With aggressive stances and rear-mounted spare wheel, it looks like a proper SUV despite being it the sub-4 metre vehicle. Other design elements include body-coloured door handles and wind mirrors, outside rear-view mirrors (ORVMs) and vertical tail-lamps.

All Color Options – Verve Blue, Glacier White, Dynamo Red, Majestic Silver, Bold Black and Molten Orange.

Interior

Inside the cabin, the car gets a dual-tone black and beige interior theme with hexapod centre console with piano black finish, and 7-seats (5 +2) configuration with two single jumper seats behind the second row. The compact SUV offers best-in-class headroom and legroom. The chrome bezel surrounded instrument panel features a multi information display (MID) in the middle, a speedometer on right and a tachometer on the left. It gets two large dials with chrome highlights that add more to its sporty appeal.

There is a three-spoke steering wheel with audio system controls, Bluetooth telephony and contoured palm grips. The power window switches and parking brake lever are positioned towards the rear end of the center console. It offers best-in-class boot space of 384-litres that can be expanded up to 720-litres. Mahindra claims that TUV300 is ready ahead of time to meet the upcoming safety regulation – October, 2017.

Variant-Wise Features

TUV300 T4 – HVAC, power steering, power windows, tiltable steering, digital immobilizer and ECO mode, with optional ABS and dual airbags.

TUV300 T6 (+ T4 features) – ABS (anti-lock braking system) with EBD (electronic brake-force distribution), keyless entry, voice messaging system, 2-DIN audio with Bluetooth, body-coloured bumpers and handles, side and rear footsteps and stylish ski racks, with optional dual airbags and AMT.

TUV300 T8 (+ T6 features)– Dual airbags, alloy wheels, static bending headlamps, electric ORVMs, Micro-hybrid technology, steering-mounted controls, driver seat height adjuster, lumber support, Intellipark reverse assist and fabric upholstery, with optional AMT.

Engine & Transmission

The Mahindra TUV 300 is powered by a mHawk architecture based engine – called mHawk80 – that makes it more powerful and efficient than the Bolero. This 1.5-litre mHawk80 turbocharged diesel engine is capable to produce a maximum power of 84bhp and 230Nm of torque. This power-unit is boasted with the Micro hybrid technology which we have already seen on various Mahindra products including the Scorpio.

The compact SUV also gets the start-stop option that helps the engine save fuel and reduce emissions. This hybrid technology automatically switches off the engine when the vehicle comes to a halt, and gains life again once the clutch gets operational.The new Eco Mode system balances engine power for driving and AC usage. It also helps in achieving optimum fuel economy. Transmission options on offer are a 5-speed manual, and a 5-speed AMT (automated manual transmission). Mahindra claims that TUV300 returns a fuel efficiency of 18.49km/l. This makes it one the most frugal cars in its league.

Mahindra TUV 300 Mileage – 18.49km/l

Mahindra TUV 300 Compact SUV Engine Details
Engine Type – 1.5-litre mHawk80 diesel with 2-Stage turbocharger
Power – 84bhp @ 3,750rpm
Torque – 230Nm @ 1,500rpm – 2,250rpm
Transmission – 5-speed manual and 5-speed autoSHIFT AMT

Suspension
Front – Double wishbone with coil spring
Rear – Multilink suspension with coil spring

Braking System
Front – Disc brakes
Rear – Drum brakes

Tyre Size
Front – 215/75 R15 tubeless radials
Rear – 215/75 R15 tubeless radials

Dimension
Length – 3,995mm
Width – 1,835mm
Height – 1,839mm
Wheelbase – 2,680mm
Ground Clearance – 184mm
Kerb Weight – 1,650kgs
Turning Radius – 5.3m
Seating Capacity – 7-seater (5+2)
Boot Space – 384-litres (Expandable up to 720-litres)
Fuel tank capacity – 60-litres

Key Features
• Static-bending headlamps
• Infotainment system with display
• 2-DIN audio system with USB, AUX and Bluetooth connectivity
• Mahindra BLUE SENSE Mobile App
• Driver information system (DIS)
• Voice messaging system (VMS)
• Micro-Hybrid technology
• ECO Mode
• Dual airbags
• ABS with EBD

Besides the above mentioned features, Mahindra is offering a plethora of accessories (as paid options) to armour-up the compact SUV. Here’s a list of the Mahindra TUV300 accessories.

Classy Enhancers – Exclusive & Premium Accessories
• Chrome ORVM
• License plate chrome bezel
• Fog lamp chrome bezel
• Sporty ski rack chrome ends
• Tail lamp chrome garnish
• Stylish upper grille chrome inserts
• Metal-finish wheel cover
• Bold lower chrome grille
• Chrome door handle
• Protective sill proctors
• Carpet floor mat
• Chrome bumper reflector
• Illuminated scuff plate
• Sporty and premium seat covers
• Metal-finish dashboard trims
• High-quality dash bin mats
• Durable rain visor
• Long-lasting perfumes

Toughness Enhancers – Heavy-Duty Exterior Add-Ons
• Tough side-assist step
• Sturdy roof carrier
• Black machined alloy wheels (also available in Hyper silver and OE alloy)
• Tough side protector
• Long-lasting all-weather mats
• Easy-to-install handy rack- inflatable roof carrier
• Handy bicycle carrier
• Black aluminum side step
• Protective rear impact beam
• Eco rugged black roof carrier
• Imposing front bull bar in 5 attractive designs

Armour Body Kit – Durable Add-Ons
• Front armour and side armour skirt
• Tough bonnet hull
• Front and rear stone guard
• Marker lamps with shroud
• Bold wheel arches

Smart Additions – Interior Accessories
• Premium rear seat entertainment
• Advanced infotainment system
• Premium sun blinds
• Handy car inverter
• Rain visor
• Mobile holders
• Heads-Up Display
• Logo projection lamp
• White tyvek body cover
• Spare wheel cover
• Rear view camera
• Thermoelectric cooler
• Front and rear parking assist
• Seat back orgraniser
• 3D surround amplifier for home theater effect
• Mood lighting
• Portable android and iPhone charger
• Round the clock vehicle tracker
• Silver reflective body cover
• Tyre pressure monitoring systems
• Car bin and key chain