Although Mahindra has always been a strong contender in the world of SUVs, yet the XUV 300 of the time did not quite set the sales charts on fire. Its competitors did reasonably well, but the company went back to the drawing board and has come up with a fresh new design with loads of features that may just give its player an edge over the competition. Enter the XUV 3XO.
So named because the company says that the new vehicle delivers many times over its previous avatar, the 3XO has undeniably gotten its act together in a proper manner. Gone are the staid looks of yesteryear’s, the front now looks sharper and more chiseled. The company likes to refer to this as the ‘baby brother’ of the XUV 700 and hence has incorporated most of the features from its elder sibling.
This includes Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), utilising an array of cameras and ultrasonic cameras and advanced safety features like 6 airbags as standard throughout the range and a new Electronic Stability Program (ESP) version 9.3, which jointly make the vehicle a safer haven for everyone.
But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Features like dual zone climate control, a 65-watt fast charging USB-C port, full digital control and instrumentation screens and a segment topping sunroof also ensure that creature comforts are not lacking.
On the exterior you now get the C shaped DRLs, and LED headlamps, though the main beam is still a halogen. A new grill design and front end makes the vehicle look more focused. At the rear, you get connected DRLs, which is somewhat of a fad now and sharp looking tail lights. Even the nomenclature of the models is similar to the XUV 700, with our particular test car being nominated AX7L.
The boot is quite spacious, and you are looking at 295 litres of space, 364 if loaded to the top. Needless, you also get a standard 60:40 folding rear seat. Top models get 17-inch diamond cut alloys and this again becomes the only vehicle in the segment to get a 940mm long sunroof. The interior also features a kick-ass Harmon Karon sound system with a 7-speaker surround system with a 9-band equaliser and Bass enhancer, with 380 watts of amplification.
The main consideration of any vehicle is its driving dynamics, and here too the XUV 3XO shines with its gasoline and diesel motors. the petrol 1.2-litre outputs 130 horses of power and has 230 Nm of torque (250 Nm in case of the auto).
The automatic here is an Aisin 6-speed, specifically adapted top this engine. the diesel motor is a 1.5-litre, with 117 horses and 300 Nm of torque, that can be had with either a manual or an AMT. We drove the petrol automatic, and the vehicle never felt lacking for power and even made the company’s 0-60 km/h claim of 4.4 seconds believable. Must mention here that the cabin is quite silent, though tyre noise intrudes majorly.
All in all the XUV 3XO deserves to be at the top of the game. It is well made, has a sensible suite of features in every trim and has potent powerplants. Yes, it misses out on some features like ventilated front seats and a heads-up display (HUD). But knowing Mahindra, you could be seeing this sooner rather than later. meanwhile, there is a new king in the jungle.
Priced from INR 7.49 - 13.99 lakh, ex-showroom.