When you think of Mahindra, diesel-engined hardy UVs and SUVs come to mind. So, a petrol-powered XUV500 feels a bit of an anomaly in the line-up.
While the petrol XUV500 has been brought out to cater to the small but growing number of petrol SUV buyers in India, it has been manufactured primarily for export markets.
The XUV500 petrol is available only in the G Automatic variant and is priced at ₹15.50 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), which is ₹1 lakh less than the corresponding diesel variant (W9 AT). Being a G trim means the petrol XUV misses out on features like side and curtain airbags, a reverse parking camera, an electric sunroof, quilted leather upholstery and 18-inch alloy wheels; this one rides on 17-inch wheels.
The petrol XUV500 looks similar to the comparable diesel version, with only the badging to tell them apart.
In general, though, the XUV500 does look more upmarket following the recent facelift.
What’s it like inside?
The petrol XUV500 follows an all-black cabin theme, and gloss-black plastics and brushed silver elements do help uplift the cabin, but general fit and finish is not up there with the best in class. What looks good are the shapely tan-finished fabric seats, and the front pair does offer good lateral support. The middle row is big on space and can comfortably accommodate three adults, but thigh support is in short supply.
When it comes to features, the petrol XUV500’s standard kit includes dual airbags, ESP with rollover mitigation, hill hold control, and hill descent control, while convenience features include keyless entry, cruise control and a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with Android Auto connectivity.
What’s it like to drive?
The petrol XUV500 is powered by a 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that is built around the same block as the diesel one. It generates an adequate 140hp and 320Nm of torque and comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, with power channelled solely to the front wheels.
The petrol XUV500 does feel more refined than the diesel version, but it’s not the most refined as petrol units go. However, it is nice and responsive in low-speed environments — part-throttle responses are good, and power is delivered in a smooth and linear way. Also helping in city driving conditions are the seamless gearshifts. The turbocharger kicks in at around 1,800rpm, after which the XUV starts pulling away nicely. Shifting to manual mode for overtakes doesn’t really help, as the ’box automatically shifts up when above 4,300rpm, which is pretty low for a petrol engine. Also, while the engine is fairly responsive initially, it lacks punch as you go higher up the powerband.
When it comes to the 0-100kph dash, the petrol XUV500 manages it in 12.77sec, which makes it just as fast as the diesel XUV that’s got an extra 15hp. But you will experience considerable torque steer under hard acceleration. However, what will be a bigger concern for urban users in times of rising fuel prices is the XUV500’s fuel economy — we rarely saw the numbers touch double digits.
Should I buy one?
Priced at ₹15.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), the XUV500 petrol does get you plenty of SUV for the money. But is it the version to buy? Not really. Sure, the petrol model will appeal to buyers for whom refinement is high up on the list of priorities, and it does work fine for urban use, but the low fuel economy is sure to be a put-off even for the most ardent petrolheads. Our advice would be to go for the XUV500 diesel-automatic, as it remains the best of the XUVs to buy.