Mahindra XUV3XO vs Skoda Elroq

What's the difference?

So, what do we make of the Mahindra XUV 3X0?

After our first taster in India, we are pleased with its presentation inside and out, packaging, quality and equipment levels.

And while driving around a brand’s own proving ground cannot give a true indication of how a vehicle performs, steers, handles, rides and stops, our initial impression is that this is an easy, confident, responsive, agile and comfortable small SUV from behind the wheel. More or less.

Of course, not knowing pricing limits a definitive verdict, but the 3XO looks promising, and we’re keen to drive it on Australian roads very soon, so watch this space.

Better still, it is obvious that Mahindra is serious about cracking Australia’s small SUV market, since the 3XO ticks so many of the essential boxes.

In the face of largely cheap yet disappointing rivals out there, that’s a very good thing.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Skoda Elroq is a niche option in a boiling hot small SUV segment, but it makes sense as the next plank in Skoda’s multi-model EV strategy. It has the value, quality and performance to cut through. We think it’s a worthy newcomer.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer with accommodation and meals provided.

The 3XO is not quite as new as it looks.

Although only on sale in India since last year, the newcomer is actually based on the decade-old SsangYong Tivoli, which was the first model under Mahindra’s brief ownership of the Korean brand (now under KGM control since 2023).

And, if you’ve visited India lately, you might have seen a substantially modified Mahindra version of the Tivoli, badged XUV300 and sold for five years there from 2019, and the actual basis for the 3XO.

Now, Mahindra says that the latter is around 80 per cent new, with fresh sheetmetal clothing the bones of its predecessor(s). And they’re quite contemporary threads, with crisp surfacing, striking LED lighting, clean grille finishes and a pert rear-end design.

Subaru would be proud of the squared-off wheel arches, lofty 201mm ground clearance and sub-four-metre length, while the latter helps keep the small SUV inside an Indian tax bracket. Fun fact: that’s why the old Ford EcoSport, also from Chennai, needed its spare wheel mounted on the tailgate.

The 3XO's length/width/height/wheelbase of 3990mm/1821mm/1647mm/2600mm respectively, puts the 3XO on the stubbier side of the crossover brigade. Yet with more clearances than almost all alternatives. This is crying out for a rugged 4x4 ‘Outback’ treatment.

Overall, then, the smallest of Mahindras is an effectively chunky update, with a height and stance to handle the rough and tumble of urban driving.

Skoda’s aim with the Elroq is a contemporary, ‘solid’ design approach and while of course a car’s looks are always a subjective call I think it’s sleek and clean. 

In this case, perception is reality with the car recording a slippery 0.26 drag coefficient and a 2025 Red Dot Award in the automotive category is an impressive design feather in its cap. 

First thing you’ll notice is ‘SKODA’ type on the leading edge of the bonnet in place of the more typical winged arrow brand logo, which is a cool detail.

Functional pieces include active shutters to help balance aero efficiency and battery cooling as well as front wheel arch air curtain inlets on the outer edges of the nose.

The underbody has been smoothed and at the back 'separation edges’ help to manage exiting airflow, as does a roof spoiler with subtle mini aero pieces underneath it on either side.

The interior is understated and manages to combine visual interest with easy functionality.

A 13-inch media screen sits in the centre but happily there’s a row of physical shortcut buttons underneath for often-used functions. The ‘SKODA’ lettering replaces the logo on the steering wheel, too.

A two-tone treatment across the console, seats, doors and multi-level dash looks deluxe, as do bold orange seatbelts in the 130 Years Edition.

There’s also a heavy emphasis on the use of what Skoda says are “sustainable, practical and durable materials” in the cabin.

The ‘Loft Design’ interior in the 85 Select uses fabric comprising 78 per cent recycled PET plastic, while the ‘Lodge Design’ in the 130 Years Edition features synthetic leather and a fabric made from Nylon waste. The floor trim and mats also contain a high percentage of recycled polyester.

Mahindra reckons that even though the 3XO is only four metres long, it's got the space and the practicality of some 4.7m SUVs.

Which sounds dubious, but first impressions inside reveal ample room for legs, shoulders and heads, even in the sunroof-specced AX7L. Sat high, vision is impressive too, aided by an excellent driving position on nicely-shaped seats, deep glass areas and handy 360-degree camera views.

Based on the old dashboard architecture but with a completely redesigned central touchscreen and electronic instrumentation pod (and both measuring in at 10.2 inches), the effect is modern enough, with a very welcome avoidance of screen-based buttons for actual switches that are incredibly easy to navigate.

In fact, the sheer user-friendliness of the 3XO’s interior is commendable, from the world’s deepest glovebox and chilled centre bin (in the AX7L only) to the various USB ports, cupholders and storage options. The climate control effectiveness is a given if any Indian vehicle is to succeed. And the material fit and finish seemed fine. About the only dislike is the lack of steering-wheel reach adjustment, betraying the Mahindra’s real age.

Moving to the row behind, there’s sufficient space for a pair of 180cm adults, on comfy cushions. Again, vision, storage and all amenities rate highly, with face-level vents especially appreciated at this price point. The 3XO is pitched as a sensible family-car proposition in India so the back-seat area is crucial.

Behind that is the boot, which is fairly large as well, aided by a low floor and a large hatch aperture, while a space-saver spare lurks underneath, so no stupid tyre-repair kit for this sensible small SUV.

There’s also a lot of room under the bonnet…

In terms of practicality up front there are big bins in the doors able to easily cope with larger bottles as well as a pair of cupholders in the centre console with a removable divider. They’re best for cups rather than bottles. 

There’s a decent glove box, a useful oddments tray behind the cupholders, a console box in the centre with a lift-out tray and a ‘false floor’ style door at the bottom to hide things, which is typically Skoda.

Wireless device charging is onboard and under the ‘flying buttress’ style centre console there’s a large storage bay with two USB-C sockets, plus there’s another pair of USB-Cs in the back. And don’t forget the obligatory Skoda umbrella housed in the driver’s door. Very nice.

The Elroq rides on the VW Group ‘MEB’ platform and although shorter overall it has the same wheelbase as its larger Enyaq sibling, so rear space is surprisingly generous.

For the record, the Elroq is just under 4.5m long, close to 1.9m wide and a little over 1.6m tall with a 2765mm wheelbase. 

In the back, sitting behind the driver’s seat set for my 183cm position I have ample legroom, plenty of space for my feet and lots of headroom.

It would be a little tight for three full-size adults across the back; two is probably better. But a trio of up to mid-teenage kids will be swimming in it.

In terms of storage, again, there are pockets in the doors big enough for large bottles. There is a pair of pop-out cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest combined with a small tray for devices or other bits and pieces.

A removable tray, including a couple of bottle-sized holders sits on the floor in front of the centre rear position, which is terrific. Then you’ve got your map pockets on the front seatbacks. Nothing unusual there, but a thoughtful touch is a device-sized pocket on the back of them.

Both grades have adjustable ventilation for back-seaters with third-zone temperature control and drop-down side shades in the 130 Years Edition.

Boot capacity is a class competitive 470 litres with all seats up, nudging up to a generous 1580 litres with the 60/40 split-fold rear seat backrest lowered.

In typical Skoda fashion there’s a range of useful additions including a through-port door for lengthy items, side storage compartments, an intermediate position for the parcel shelf, multiple cargo fasteners, net pockets and a 12-volt socket.

There’s even a windscreen ice scraper housed in the tailgate and a charging cable tidy in the 130 Years Edition.

Bad news is there’s no spare wheel of any description, just a repair/inflator kit. But it’s worth noting the Elroq can tow a 1200kg braked trailer which is handy.

A two-grade Elroq line-up starts with the entry-grade 85 Select at $54,990, before on-road costs, which pitches it into a swirling vortex of small SUVs comprising a mix of pure combustion, hybrid and other EVs kicking off in the around 50 to 60 grand bracket.

How’s this for a table of well-credentialed competitors? 

At the same time it substantially undercuts primo compact EV SUV options like the BMW iX2 (from $77,300), Mercedes-Benz EQA (from $84,900) and Mini Countryman E (from $64,990), all before on-road costs. Which brings the flagship Elroq 130 Years Edition into the picture at $64,990, BOC. 

Once you’ve crested the $50K barrier expectations in terms of included features are understandably high and Skoda has obviously done some heavy lifting to load up the Elroq value proposition. 

Aside from the performance and safety tech we’ll get to shortly, 85 Select highlights are 19-inch alloy rims, a 13-inch central multimedia touchscreen, a 5.0-inch digital instrument display, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, dual-zone climate control and heated front seats.

There’s also an eight-speaker audio (with digital radio), wireless device charging, a heated leather-trimmed steering wheel as well as LED headlights, auto rain-sensing wipers and heated auto-folding exterior mirrors.

The flagship 130 Years Edition, celebrating the brand’s time in business, ups the ante with 21-inch rims, an augmented reality head-up display, power front seats (with memory and massage), heated rear seats, three-zone climate, 675W 12-speaker Canton audio, a hands-free power tailgate and matrix LED headlights.

Then you can add in a 360-degree overhead camera view, adaptive cruise control, ‘Intelligent Park Assist’ and more.

Both Elroq grades’ standard equipment is on the pace for the price.

It might be tiny and a cylinder down compared to almost all of its Asian rivals, but Mahindra’s in-house 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine follows European downsizing convention.

This means it relies on advanced technologies to produce comparatively healthy power and torque outputs, being 82kW at 5000rpm and 200Nm between 1500rpm and 3500rpm respectively.

Coming in at around 1400kg, the result is a power-to-weight ratio of about 59kW per tonne, which is modest against the slightly heavier Tiggo 4’s 76kW/tonne, for instance.

Driving the front wheels is a Toyota-made six-speed torque-converter automatic, so no droney CVTs or laggy dual-clutch transmissions here. But we’re disappointed the six-speed manual gearbox offered elsewhere isn’t even an option in Australia, especially after driving the Mahindra.

The Elroq is powered by a single, rear-mounted AC permanent magnet synchronous motor sending 210kW/545Nm to the rear wheels only. 

Strong numbers for a single-motor EV; way higher outputs than the Elroq’s internal combustion and hybrid rivals and right up there with pricier Euro EV options in the category.

The official Australian combined fuel consumption average is 6.5 litres per 100km, which translates to 137g/km of carbon dioxide emissions. With a 42L tank, should equate to about 640km per refill.

Urban and Extra Urban numbers are 7.6L/100km and 5.9L/100km respectively.  

Just keep in mind that the 3XO is recommended to drink from the 95 RON premium unleaded petrol bowser.

Both Elroq grades are fitted with a CATL-sourced 82kWh (77kWh net) lithium-ion battery for a claimed 529km (WLTP) range.

DC fast-charging up to 175kW is possible which equates to a 10-80 per cent charge in 28 minutes. AC charging at 11kW means eight hours for a 100 per cent charge. Mode2 and Mode3 Type 2 charging cables are included.

Claimed energy consumption on the combined cycle is 16.6kWh/100km and on the launch drive which took in city, suburban and freeway running we saw an average of 15.2kWh/100km, which is impressive given the mix of conditions covered.  

There’s much made about how strong and rigid the 3XO’s platform is, and it’s not just for better crash protection.

Aided by a typical MacPherson-style strut front and twist-beam rear suspension set-up, Mahindra reckons it has dialled in just the right amount of dynamic finesse to make this small SUV the keen driver’s choice.

To find out if that’s the case, we spent a couple of hours behind the wheel of one at Mahindra’s vast proving ground near Chennai. A 180km/h high-speed loop. A set of chicanes. And a few rough surfaces where we could find them. Just a taster, really.

The overall impression is that nothing betrays the 3XO’s ageing platform from behind the wheel.

Torquey and smooth, the 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine is punchy off the line, possessing a sporty, peppy nature as well as an endearing willingness. Adding to this is the six-speed auto, as it’s also pleasingly responsive, with no lag or jolts. This is how small turbos should behave.

We managed to max it out at almost 170km/h (indicated) on the speed bowl, where it felt dead-set stable and secure. Impressive, given the 3XO’s height and ground clearance.

But the steering seems too light and a little disconnected during low-speed manoeuvres, at least for keener drivers, but once velocities climb, it seems to weigh up with sufficient heft. This is reminiscent of the way that Volkswagens used to tune its steering some 25 years ago. Maybe that’s the biggest sign of the Tivoli’s bones lurking underneath.

What this means is that the Mahindra is not the sort of SUV you buy if you absolutely relish driving, in the way the Mazda CX-3 or the very sadly-missed Ford Puma are. Hopefully, we’ll be pleasantly surprised on Australian roads.

We never got a chance to test the suspension’s ride quality, but over the couple of bumps that we did traverse, it seemed to soak them up well enough. And even though our test 3XO lacked the (optional) rear parcel shelf, road and tyre noise seemed sufficiently contained. Again, Australian roads will reveal all.

What we can say with some confidence is that the little Mahindra is a lively, user-friendly, comfort-biased and civilised small SUV. No glaring faults or anomalies appeared, just a cheerful, charming character.

For what it represents, the 3XO seems properly engineered and tuned.

Perhaps all those years ironing out the bugs in the preceding XUV300 and Tivoli are paying dividends for today’s buyers.

We weren’t expecting that.

Skoda claims the Elroq will accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds which is usefully rapid. There’s plenty of power and nearly 550Nm of torque available. But the car weighs almost 2.2 tonnes, so you’re talking strong rather than ‘extreme’ performance.

There’s plenty of acceleration on tap for the nip and tuck of the city and suburbs as well as easy cruising and overtaking on the freeway.

There are multiple drive modes including ‘Eco’, ‘Comfort’, ‘Normal’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Individual’ to manage energy use and performance.

The Elroq sits on the same ‘MEB' battery-electric platform as any number of EVs in the VW Group portfolio and it has a strut front, multi-link rear suspension set-up. And it feels the bumps.

Even on reasonably smooth surfaces little bumps and thumps make their presence felt. The worse the surface gets, the more pronounced it is. Once you get out onto the smooth highway and freeway, of course it’s not an issue. And you may get used to it over time but it certainly is present.

Noise suppression tech along with low wind and tyre intrusion combine to deliver a calm interior environment, even by EV standards.

The Elroq steers nicely. It points accurately and the steering weight is quite light, although it’s not the last word in terms of road feel - the connection between your hands on the wheel and the tyres on the tarmac.

Speaking of which, tyres on the 85 Select’s 19-inch rims are Kumho Ecsta PS71 (235/55 fr - 255/50 rr) and the 130 Years Edition’s 21s are shod with Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 (235/45 fr - 255/40 rr), both EV-specific tyres designed to reduce rolling resistance for improved energy efficiency. They grip firmly and the car feels stable and nicely balanced in twisting corners.

All around vision is good. The A-pillars in particular aren’t as chunky as they can be in some modern cars, which opens up the view in front. Over the shoulder vision is good and the large rear window makes the internal rear view clear, as well.

As mentioned, the Elroq is reasonably hefty for its size and you want sturdy brakes to wash off speed, which come in the form of ventilated front discs clamped by twin-piston calipers.

Having said that, there are drums at the rear. Not unheard of on an EV where regenerative braking takes a fair amount of the load, harvesting energy in the process.

Nothing wrong with a well engineered drum and the brakes work perfectly well, even when tested constantly on downhill twisting sections. No hint of fade.

On the active safety front, this car is loaded with ADAS-style crash prevention tech but we didn’t feel any of it being overly intrusive. No lane-keeping wrenching at the wheel or reminders telling you to pay attention; it’s all fairly low-key.

Miscellaneous observations include the compact 9.3m turning circle, great front seats in both Elroq grades and the effectiveness of the augmented reality head-up display in the 130 Years Edition. As well, a 5.0-inch instrument display might sound crazy small but it works beautifully. The view to it and the graphics on the screen are crystal clear with three switchable layouts available.

No ANCAP or Euro NCAP assessment for the Elroq at this point but crash avoidance tech is extensive, including auto emergency braking (AEB) with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, ‘Lane Assist’ (with ‘Adaptive Lane Guidance'), rear cross-traffic alert, ‘Traffic Jam Assist’ and adaptive cruise control.

There’s also ‘Turn Assist’, ‘Side Assist’, an exit warning system, driver fatigue detection, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera. The 130 Years Edition ads a 360-degree overhead camera view, adaptive cruise control, ‘Intelligent Park Assist’ and more.

If a crash is unavoidable there are seven airbags in the 85 Select (front, front side, front centre and side curtain) and nine in the 130 Years Edition, which picks up rear side airbags.

There are three top tethers for child restraints across the third row, with ISOFIX anchors on the two outer positions. 

Mahindra offers a seven-year warranty with roadside assistance, and that is excellent news for most buyers. But the 150,000km cap when most other brands have unlimited mileage might fall a bit short for some prospective buyers’ requirements.

At the time of publishing, no service scheduling and capped-price servicing pricing information was available, but expect these to be announced after early July 2025.

The Elroq is covered by Skoda’s seven-year, unlimited km warranty which is ahead of most mainstream players sitting at five years, unlimited km, with 24 months roadside assist included and renewed for a further year after each authorised dealer service. The battery carries an eight-year, 160,000km warranty which is the industry norm.

The option of guaranteed future value pricing is a plus with loan terms from 12 to 60 months as well as novated lease packages to take advantage of FBT reductions for efficient vehicles.

Service is recommended every 30,000km or two years, with each workshop visit costing $502, which isn’t bad given the maintenance interval. Six, eight and 10-year service packs are also available.