Mahindra’s XUV300 set to go toe-to-toe with rivals

Continuing the trend of new utility vehicles (UV) entering the Indian automobile market in the recent past, home-grown auto-maker Mahindra & Mahindra is all set to introduce its own challenger in an already crowded segment. The compact SUV XUV300 will be launched on February 14.

Owing to a fresh design ethic inspired by speedy Cheetah, the sub 4-meter model has already generated considerable buzz in the market, and when launched it will take on the likes of established competitors like Maruti Suzuki’s Vitara Brezza, Tata’s Nexon and Ford’s EcoSport. Here is how the SUV300 measures up against rival UVs:

Power

The XUV300 will offer 1.2 litre petrol and 1.5 litre diesel engine options which can produce 110 hp and 115 hp of power respectively. Both engines are mated to 6-speed manual transmission.  On the other hand, its main competitor Brezza currently does not have a petrol variant and is powered by a 1.2 litre diesel engine that can churn out a power of 89 bhp.

The Nexon uses a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol mill tuned for 108 bhp and 170 Nm of peak torque, while the diesel is a turbocharged 1.5-litre oil burner churning out 108 bhp and 260 Nm of peak torque. Ford’s EcoSport uses the 1.5-litre diesel engine giving a power of 99 bhp and 205 Nm of peak torque. The petrol version of EcoSport gets a dual-clutch automatic transmission paired with the 1.5-litre TiVCT petrol engine delivering 120 bhp of power and 150 Nm of torque.

Features and Safety

As per reports coming in, the Mahindra XUV300 will offer class leading features like front and rear parking sensors, reverse parking camera, cruise control, a touchscreen infotainment system with seven speakers, sunroof, rear disc brakes and dual-zone automatic climate control system. Safety wise, XUV300 will come equipped with seven airbags, ABS+EBD, a tyre pressure monitoring system among other features. Other cars in the segment also offer similar options and meet the current safety norms.

Design and Dimension

The XUV300 is based on the Tivoli SUV from Mahindra’s South Korean subsidiary, Ssangyong. Up front, the new XUV300 looks a lot like its larger sibling the XUV500. Length wise, it is slightly shorter than EcoSport, but is the widest in its class and has the longest wheelbase.