KOZHIKODE: Since the launch of Bolero, Scorpio and XUV 500, Mahindra has become a preferred name among SUV lovers in India. Now, they are ready to enter one of the hotly-contested segments in country-compact SUVs. Their latest offering is sub-four meter TUV 300. Let’s take a peep at this baby SUV. Design The first look may give an impression of TUV 300 being a bonsai Scorpio.
The toothy-front grill and the sharp eagle-eyed headlamps lends it a close resemblance to its older sibling, the Scorpio. But the look is its advantage too. TUV 300 is not a monocoque SUV like the Ford Ecosport. The Mahindra product is more rugged, robust and by placing the spare wheel on the tailgate, Mahindra designers have given it a butch look too.
Make no mistake, this is no really small SUV as TUV 300 is 3,995 mm long and stands 1,839 mm tall, the calculations that provides oodles of space inside for passengers. Interiors The TUV 300’s interior may not carry a premium feeling like some of its rivals. But they more than compensate it with the well-proportioned dash board and interiors which have a friendly-appeal and car-like ease on the travellers. Mahindra engineers have left no stone unturned to make it appear contemporary. TUV 300 is Blue Sense compatible too. Blue Sense is Mahindra’s latest app that allows the driver to control a host of functions like audio, checking fuel level and vehicle speed remotely.
Keeping the back seats folded you can get 400 litres of space and by folding middle-row space expands to 720 litres, good enough to for a homemover. Engine TUV 300 is powered by mHawk80, a 1.5 three-cylinder diesel engine. It uses a dual-stage turbo charger and dual-mass flywheel to produce 83 bhp of power at 3,750 rpm and 234 kgm of torque at 1,500 rpm.
The numbers may not look significant on paper, but enough to give sufficient driveability in the city and agility on high ways. It has ARAI-certified fuel efficiency of 18.5 kpl. The engines will be mated to a five-speed manual gear box and an AMT option too is available. Mahindra may offer the petrol and 4x4 versions in the future. Main contender Chief rival for TUV 300 is Ford EcoSport, the only other sub-four meter SUV in India. Of course, Ford’s off-spring is more stylish and has the early bird advantage, but TUV 300 has its unique look and the success stories of previous SUVs from Mahindra stable to bank upon.