The cheetah inspired Mahindra XUV300 has been launched in India today, at Rs 8-12 lakhs range. It comes in with a host of segment first features, which will not only cause quite an upheaval in its segment, but also a segment above; especially for the Hyundai Creta.
Mahindra XUV300 is offered with features which are not even offered in cars above its segment. The below mentioned features are those seen on the Mahindra XUV300, but are not on offer with Hyundai Creta.
But before that, let’s take a look at Mahindra XUV300 prices;
Petrol Prices
W4 – Rs 7.9 lakh
W6 – Rs 8.75 lakh
W8 – Rs 10.25 lakh
W8O – Rs 11.45 lakh
Diesel Prices
W4 – Rs 8.5 lakh
W6 – Rs 9.3 lakh
W8 – Rs 10.8 lakh
W8O – Rs 12 lakh
All prices are ex-sh.
Airbags – Mahindra XUV300 boasts of the highest number of airbags as compared to any other SUV either in the sub 4 meter segment or in the higher segments. These 7 airbags include dual front airbags, side, curtain and driver side knee airbags. This is against only 6 airbags seen on the Hyundai Creta which includes dual front airbags, side and curtain airbags but not driver’s knee airbags. This is a vital safety feature that saves the driver’s knees in the event of a crash.
Heated ORVMS – In cold or rainy weather conditions, ORVMs tend to collect mist, thus causing difficulty to the driver and also poses a safety hazard. Heated ORVMs disallow such constraints in viewing and is a feature only offered in more expensive vehicles on sale in India. The new Mahindra XUV300 comes in with heated ORVMs, thus gaining points over the Hyundai Creta.
Front Parking Sensors – First in segment front parking sensors are seen on the Mahindra XUV300. This safety feature aids in parking in tight spots as it determines the obstacles at the front of the car. However, since these sensors only get activated when the vehicle is below a certain speed limit, it does not get activated in bumper to bumper traffic conditions. Hyundai Creta only receives rear parking sensors and reverse camera but no front parking sensors.
Disc Brakes for All 4 Wheels – Another segment first feature seen on the Mahindra XUV300 will be disc brakes on all four wheels. Most vehicles in this segment are offered with drum brakes on front and rear wheels while the Hyundai Creta is offered with disc brakes on front wheels and drum brakes on rear wheels. Disc brakes are more superior to drum brakes as they offer more efficient braking performance.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System – This feature indicates the driver in case tyre pressure in any of the four tyres is low. This is a highly useful safety feature as it allows the driver to maintain tyre pressure at optimum levels. This feature is also available on the Mahindra XUV500, but not seen on the Hyundai Creta.
Dual Zone Climate Control – Another first in segment feature offered on the Mahindra XUV300 ensures cooling in the cabin as per passenger’s preferences. Driver and co driver can select their own temperatures. This is an exceptionally handy feature specially when the vehicle is exposed to sun on one side and not on the other. It is only automatic climate control that is seen on the Hyundai Creta, offering uniform cooling throughout the vehicle.
Smart Steer – Another feature seen on the Mahindra XUV300 but not on the Hyundai Creta is the Smart Steer feature. This feature allows the driver to set steering modes at Normal, Comfort and Sport depending on driving conditions. These modes alter the response / feedback of the steering wheel, allowing ease of driving.
Besides the above features, Mahindra XUV300 also gets best in class torque figures. It is also the widest car in its class along with being the one with longest wheelbase. This ensures spacious cabin. But will these segment first features be enough to lure a Hyundai Creta customer? Only time will tell.
