Mahindra TUV300

The TUV300 is Mahindra’s entrant in the lucrative compact SUV segment. The sub-four metre model is a proper old-school SUV with a ladder-on-frame platform and rear-wheel drive set up.

Exterior

Mahindra has opted for a conventional design and the TUV300 is a boxy-looking car. The front gets modern styling with the five slat grille and chrome surrounds. The Indian carmaker has taken the boxy design theme too seriously; everything at the front is either rectangular or square. The headlamps are angular, the bumper is a perfect rectangle and so is the air dam it houses. The fog lamps are square and completely different from the one we are used to seeing. Mahindra tied up with the Italian design house Pininfarina for the TUV300 and the overall look is very international and some might say it looks like the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The side profile is tame in comparison; like the old SUVs it is simple with hardly any design cues to talk about. The B-pillar is painted black and the car gets 10-spoke alloy-wheel. The rear is similar to that of the Quanto, with the tailgate mounted rear wheel. The tail lamps are vertically stacked and the rear windshield gets black treatment to create a dual-tone effect.

Interior

The interior of the TUV300 feels premium. Mahindra has taken a lot of efforts on the fit and finish of the compact SUV. The beige-black get up makes the cabin looks spacious and everything from upholstery to the door trim feels nice. In terms of features list, the car gets a decent music system, rear parking assist, steering mounted audio controls and climate control.

The Mahindra TUV300 is a seven-seater with two jump seats at the back, good enough to accommodate children. This place, however, is more useful as a 384litre boot. The T4 and the T6 variant miss out on all the safety features, the other five variants get ABS-EBD; two of them have driver side airbags, while the top three versions get dual airbags at the front.

Engine

The TUV300 is available only with the 1.5-litre mHawk 80 three-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine. It comes mated with either the five-speed manual or the five-speed AMT transmission. The power figures of the manual are 84bhp and 230Nm, while the AMT is tuned to produce 81bhp and 230Nm. Like in most of the old-school SUVs, the power is sent to the rear wheels. The claimed ARAI efficiency of the SUV is 18.49kmpl.

Price and competition

The TUV300 competes mainly with the Ford EcoSport in the compact SUV segment while its other rivals in the entry-level UV segment include the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga, Honda Mobilio, Renault Duster and the Hyundai i20 Active. The sub-four metre SUV is available in seven colours – bold black, molten orange, majestic silver, dynamo red, verve blue and glacier white.