Mahindra Genio cheap ute on the way

Mahindra currently sells the Pik Up ute in Australia and is readying another load hauler that will come it at a more affordable price point.

The Pik Up starts off at $21,990 for the two-wheel drive single cab, which is cheap but not as cheap as the Chinese and the Great Wall V240 range that starts off at $17,990. 

Mahindra Australia, which is now a factory owned operation, will import a new ute called the Genio to compete with the Great Wall and other Chinese cut-price machines.

The company is not ready to disclose pricing, but told Working Wheels the new narrow-bodied ute will not be cheaper than the Great Wall products.

The Genio is based on the Xylo people mover platform and is not as focused on off-road work as the Pik Up, although it will be available with a locking four-wheel drive system as well as a two-drive.

“It will really be aimed at your metro tradie, it will be suited to the urban kind of life,” says Mahindra national sales manager, Russell Thiele. “The Pik Up is more of a rural focused vehicle.”

The full list of equipment will be made public closer to the launch, but the Genio will come with cruise control and airconditioning, front disc brakes (and rear drums) and a front airbag for the driver and passenger.

It will not have as much gear as the Pik Up and items such as the sound system will be one grade lower than in the Pik Up model. No side airbags, curtain airbags or electronic stability control are available for the Genio.

It has not been tested by ANCAP unlike the Pik Up, which has been given a poor three star rating and was criticized by the safety body. The Genio uses a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel, which generates 90kW and 270Nm.