Mahindra XUV300

The Mahindra XUV300 sports a more contemporary design with its LED lighting up front and the DRLs merge into the sweeping headlamps, creating a neat look overall. The grille is also sleek and good to look at. The chrome touches are also a good addition while the air dam is bigger with more bonnet touches for that SUV-like stance. The floating roof is also a neat touch while there are good body creases and chunky wheels that complement the wheel arches nicely as well. The rear body creases are polarizing though and the portion looks slightly out of place. The rear seems to have been cut short to abide by the sub-4m regulations. The high boot opening position also was avoidable. The rear tail lights look big and have good LED components alongside.

The Mahindra XUV300 has good engines, especially the diesel engine which has a lot of torque and a punchy feeling. This makes for a good highway cruiser and offers great fuel economy as well. Refinement levels are up and the engine feels sportier to drive. You never feel underpowered and in fact, the big SUV-like feeling is reinforced by the experience of propelling this powerful engine. The petrol engine is also refined enough with decent power delivery. The overall performance is better than many other competitors in the segment and this could be a major plus point for the Mahindra XUV300. The turbocharged diesel engine has very little lag and you can press the accelerator and witness the steady power rush that follows. The engine is extremely drivable and you can cruise smoothly with the engine. The gears shift smoothly alongside.

• Diesel Manual- 20 kmpl
• Petrol Manual- 17 kmpl
• Diesel Automatic- 20 kmpl
• Petrol Automatic- 17 kmpl

The Mahindra XUV300 feels extremely drivable and well put-together as it is. The ride quality is nice with a softer suspension system and dampers that absorb potholes and other road undulations. The car corners well and you can expect a more confident and stable feeling at higher speeds as well. There are three steering modes, i.e. Comfort with a lighter steering, Sport with a more planted feeling on the highways and while cornering, and also Normal which is the standard setting. There is excellent driving visibility although the clutch pedal has longer travel levels, which makes the driver sit nearer to the steering wheel than required.

The Mahindra XUV300 has the longest wheelbase in the category with decent shoulder, head, and knee room. The front seats offer good support and cushioning with decent comfort. The rear seats are good enough although taller people may have appreciated more under-thigh support. Rear passengers may also feel slightly claustrophobic at times, with the higher beltline and the front seats. However, the cabin gets various nifty storage spaces with a boot floor that may be raised with a touch. Fit and finish is good with superior plastic quality to many other Mahindra vehicles. However, there are some niggles with the instrument cluster and central console. However, the glovebox feels nice to use along with the central armrest and guardrails. There is a 7-inch touch screen which is not that convenient to use in direct light. The touch functions are responsive enough with helpful buttons. There are tons of features including a sunroof, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming mirrors, viewing modes with a rear viewing camera, automatic wipers and headlamps, push-start and keyless entry, front parking sensors, TPMS, and more. There is a memory function for the climate control system along with the multiple instrument console color schemes. The rear AC vents are a major miss along with the telescopic steering adjustment feature.

The Mahindra XUV300 has a 7 inch touch screen infotainment system along with other features such as dual-zone climate control, sunroof, viewing modes for the rearview camera, automatic wipers and headlamps, auto-dimming interior mirrors, powered and heated outer mirrors, TPMS, and front parking sensors.

The XUV300 comes with a tyre pressure monitoring system, seven airbags, ISOFIX seating, traction control, disc brakes for all four wheels, hill start assist, rear fog lamps, and more. Standard features across variants include dual airbags and four disc brakes. Other features include ABS with EBD, speed-sensing door locks, corner brake control, and more.

The entry-level W4 variant is priced affordably with good safety features including ABS with EBD, speed-sensing door locks, corner brake control, child seat anchors, and central locking. There is also the smart steering setup with a four-speaker Bluetooth audio unit, electric mirror adjustability, four power windows, driver’s armrest, rear 60:40 split, adjustable seat belts in front, and more. This is the value proposition that buyers want and is a good variant to consider. Paying a hefty premium gets you steering-mounted controls, navigation, a touch screen infotainment unit, follow-me-home headlights, a roof spoiler, remote key entry, and black roof rails in the W6 variant. The W8 is even costlier although you get more safety features, dual-zone climate control, connectivity features, DRLs, cruise control and a lot more. The top-end W8 (O) variant offers more airbags with leatherette upholstery and the sunroof along with the tyre pressure monitoring system and auto-dimming interior mirrors. The W4 variant is the value pick. The W8 (O) variant is slightly costlier than desired. Buyers may pick the W8 which has good features.

The Mahindra XUV300 takes on rivals like the Ford EcoSport, Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, Tata Nexon, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue, Renault Kiger, and the Nissan Magnite in its segment. The XUV300 has the longest wheelbase and widest car body. The cabin space is a big plus point while the XUV300 does not have as much boot space and a smaller fuel tank. The XUV300 also has good power figures although its petrol engine is not up there with the Hyundai Creta which could also be a rival in the category and the Ford EcoSport. The diesel engine offers excellent power although the Creta is still better here. The XUV300 has better features than some of its rivals although the Hyundai Creta is again a better rival that many buyers could prefer at a higher price point. The Vitara Brezza and Nexon are also better-equipped now. The XUV300 gets an abundance of safety features which may tilt the scales in its favor though. However, it is a costlier proposition in the category, especially in the top-end.

The XUV300 stands out with decent features, things like rear disc brakes, seven airbags for the top-end variant, more safety features, steering modes, dual-zone climate control, and of course, powerful engines, especially the diesel unit. It offers a stylish and attractive design. However, for all the space and oomph it offers, it has a higher sticker price than some of its rivals, leading many buyers to consider the Hyundai Creta which is now slotted in a slightly higher segment. Yet, overall, the XUV300 still offers good value for money and is a fun SUV to drive in the city and on the highways too.