The Marazzo sets a new benchmark on what one should expect from a Mahindra product, and it rightly should. After all, this premium MPV is a result of a collaboration between multiple business units owned by the Mahindra. This includes Mahindra, Mahindra North American Technical Centre, Mahindra Research Valley, Pininfarina and Mahindra Design Centre. Their combined effort has resulted in a vehicle that honestly delights and it quite a hoot to drive. Yes, I just said that about what is essentially a people mover and I am glad that Mahindra kept that bit intact.
If you’ve seen the commercials or have been paying attention to all the news surrounding the Marazzo since its launch in September, you are probably aware that it draws its inspiration from a shark. In fact, the term ‘Marazzo’ means shark in Basque – a sub language of Spanish. Needless to say, the Marazzo carries a very sleek design with enough shark fin motifs to convince you that it truly is a shark! It is a sharp looking vehicle that is honestly one of the best looking products to be churned out by Mahindra. It has the right proportions and sits nice on those large 215/60 R17 wheels. The Marazzo has a premium air to its design and it shows in the quality workmanship as well.
Mahindra hasn’t let go of their body-on-frame heritage even with a product such as the Marazzo. Instead, they have pushed the boundaries of engineering and have come up with patented a body-on-frame front wheel drive architecture that has never been used before and it combines the best of both worlds, namely the strength and durability of the frame with the lightness and ease of driving that a front wheel drive provides. What this translates to is the fact that the Marazzo delivers that built to last feeling and is purpose built for the Indian driving environment.
The cabin is well crafted and the fit and finish is commendable. It feels nice and airy and the sense of space gives the Marazzo the feeling of being a car that is bigger than it really is. Mahindra has done a good job in terms of carving out enough space for 7-8 passengers on board while retaining enough room to carry ample luggage for a weekend getaway. The flexi-seating means that you can free up more space if desired, which also adds to its practicality and I should add that it is really easy using those one-touch handles at the rear of the third seats to fold them down.
As far as creature comforts are considered, the Marazzo is well kitted out. You get plush leatherette seats, a neat touchscreen infotainment system, a very good sound system and a unique surround cool tech system to cool the second and third rows. The materials feel good to touch and the seats offer you the right amount of support. The clean, uncluttered cabin is a nice place to be and you won’t find yourself complaining at all. Add to that, Mahindra has put a lot of thought into the Marazzo and have included built-in window meshes for the rear doors in the higher models.
Powering the Marazzo is a gem of an engine from Mahindra. It gets a 1.5 litre, 4-cylinder diesel mill that is extremely refined, runs smooth and is capable of generating 121 bhp @3500 rpm and 300 Nm of torque between 1750-2500 rpm. It is mated to a six speed manual transmission and is touted to offer a fuel efficiency of 17.3 kmpl and I managed to get 15 kmpl on my drive which included a lot of driving in town.
The Marazzo is a joy to drive. The refinement in engineering shows from the minute you fire that engine up and realise that you really can’t hear it inside the cabin. Add to that, the gear lever isn’t shaking around (like what you see in the Scorpio, Xylo or Thar) and as you get moving, the refinement of this engine shines through. This is how all diesel engines should feel – minimal clatter and a solid tug from low in the rpm range. On that note, the Marazzo feels light to drive and acceleration is brisk. You can really get this vehicle to hustle and the best part is that it stays rather planted on the road and handles quite well for a vehicle of its size. I guess that shark inspiration goes deeper than just design for the Marazzo can move like one too!
Safety features on the Marazzo include disc brakes on all four wheels, two airbags as standard on all models, ABS, impact sensitive doors, a high strength steel structure and side impact beams to name a few. The higher M6 and M8 variants also get a rear parking camera and parking sensors.
Overall, the Mahindra Marazzo comes across as an extremely refined vehicle that is ideal for large families. It is a sure sign that Mahindra has come of age and if they can keep the momentum going with their new product offerings, then Mahindra has the scope to drive towards greatness. The Marazzo is a fine testament to their abilities and is a vehicle that can change your notion about Mahindra. As a product it delivers on all counts and has been priced very well with the range starting from INR 9.99 lakh and going up to INR 13.9 lakh.