Mahindra XUV300 competes with a plethora of subcompact SUV rivals such as Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue and more
The sub-4 metre compact SUV space is currently the most contested segment with multiple offerings from different manufacturers. With each phase passing, the competition gets stiffened with manufacturers bringing in new and attractive products at competitive prices.
Seeing the rising competition, Mahindra has decided to give an important update to its subcompact SUV offering- XUV300. Until now, it was offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard with the option of a 6-speed AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) on the diesel powertrain. As we know, AMT is a form of a clutchless manual transmission in which a pair of actuator and sensor does the clutching and gear shifting for the driver.
XUV300 Details
AMT is now on offered with both 1.2-litre turbo petrol unit and 1.5-litre turbo diesel unit. The former cranks out 109 bhp and 200 Nm of peak torque whereas the latter generates an output of 115 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. XUV300 is offered in four trims- W4, W6, W8 and W8 (O) at prices starting from Rs 7.95 lakh and going up to Rs 12.30 lakh (both prices ex-showroom).
Petrol Automatic XUV300 price starts from Rs 9.95 lakh for the W6 trim. In addition to this, Mahindra has also introduced AMT on mid trims. Sunroof equipped W6 manual Petrol XUV300 is priced from Rs 9.4 lakhs. Mahindra says, “The AutoSHIFT top variant, W8(O), will also be equipped with the all-new BlueSense Plus connected SUV technology. The Electric Sunroof will now be offered from its mid variant – (W6) onwards on both manual & autoSHIFT versions.”
Speaking of its features, Mahindra offers XUV300 with gizmos such as an electric sunroof, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, heated and electrically adjustable wing mirrors, automatic climate control and reverse parking camera to name a few. In terms of safety, it is provided with up to seven airbags on its top-spec trim, front and rear parking sensors, corner braking control, ESP with roll-over mitigation and much more.
Along with these introductions, XUV300 range will also see introduction of new colours – Dual-tone Red and Dual-tone Aquamarine on all W8(O) AutoSHIFT variants and an all-new Galaxy Grey on its manual W6, W8 & W8(O) variants. Bookings for the all-new Petrol AutoSHIFT are now open and deliveries will begin from mid-February onwards.
Veejay Nakra, CEO, Automotive Division, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said: “The young Indian consumer doesn’t like to compromise and seeks technology-led convenience & experiences. Today, we launch our innovative auto transmission AutoSHIFT on petrol, which uses advanced technology to offer an effortless drive in city drive as well as on the highways. We also introduce today the BlueSense Plus, our connected SUV technology with 40+ features, that will seamlessly integrate the XUV300 into the always-connected world of today’s consumer.”
XUV300 SportZ & XUV300 Electric
Mahindra is also planning to launch a sportier iteration of XUV300 called XUV300 Sportz which will feature the more potent 1.2-litre mStallion turbo petrol engine which will push out 130 bhp. It will also carry a sportier exterior and interior styling and slightly tweaked suspension setup for a sportier ride and handling. A prototype of the same was first presented at the last edition of AutoExpo held in February 2020.
Not only this but the homegrown utility vehicle manufacturer will be launching an electrified version of the subcompact UV sometime later this year. The company showcased its concept at the AutoExpo and will be directly rivalling the likes of Tata Nexon EV, Hyundai Kona and MG ZS EV.