All you need to know about the Mahindra XUV500 automatic

Mahindra has added automatic transmission variants to the XUV500 lineup with prices starting from Rs 15.53 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The AT gearbox option is available with both the 2WD and AWD variants with the top-end W10 AWD costing Rs 17,36 lakh.

This is a new six-speed automatic transmission made by Aisin AW from Japan and will be used for both the Mahindra and Ssangyong SUVs. Unlike reported earlier, it isn’t the same unit that propels the Mahindra Scorpio.

The XUV500 AT continues to derive power from the same 2.2-litre engine producing 140bhp and 330Nm of torque. The efficiency has reduced by close to 13 per cent and the automatic with 2WD has an ARAI rating of 13.85kmpl.

The gearbox has manual mode with controls on the gear stick to upshift and downshift as needed. There is a system override for it, where the car auto upshifts or downshifts, in case the necessary action isn’t taken while reaching the end of the rev range.

There isn’t any cosmetic change to the car, apart from the ‘automatic’ badge at the rear under the variant name. Inside, the only change is to the instrument cluster that shows the modes and also doubles up as gear indicators in manual mode.

Mahindra is charging exactly Rs 1 lakh extra over the manual version for the gearbox. The same technology will trickle down to the Scorpio soon. The prices of the XUV500 automatic W8 2WD, W10 2WD and W10 AWD are Rs 15.53 lakh, Rs 16.36 lakh and Rs 17.36 lak respectively.