2020 Mahindra XUV500 Reviews

The W6 isn’t just the cheapest way into the Mahindra XUV500 range, it’s about the cheapest way into a seven-seat SUV in Australia.

The W8 occupies the second (and top) rung on the XUV500 ladder, sitting above only the W6 in the two-tier line-up.

Mahindra hits the target in terms of price, but does it deliver on design and build quality? A new petrol-powered XUV500 aims to lift the brand further up the crowded seven-seat SUV ladder.

Once you get past the predictable jibes and the plasticky smell inside, the new Mahindra XUV500 is something decent from the big |Indian manufacturer - light years ahead of the rather horrible Pik-Up ute.At $30,000 - $33,000 for front wheel drive and all wheel drive respectively, buyers get plenty of vehicle for the money, but no bargain basement prices.The new compact XUV (SUV) is pitted against some classy competition in the small soft roader segment and arrives fighting, loaded with goodies that add considerably to its appeal.It's an entirely new vehicle on a new platform with a new powertrain from Mahindra itself which also happens to own Korean outfit SsangYong.You can already see discernible cross pollination - coming from the SsangYong side into Mahindra. The engine feels just like a SsangYong to drive and bits of the interior including the door locking system are familiar. The monocoque body is about the same dimensions as a RAV4 and it's slightly larger inside allowing for a third row of seats for seven pews in total.That's a lot of bods in a not very big vehicle but they all fit pretty well thanks in part to the upright rear roof section and tailgate. The car looks impressive on the street, certainly not as hokey as the Pik-Up.This one is quite pukka especially from the front and sides. To their credit, Mahindra developed their own styling for XUV and it's distinctive. But the interior is outdated in style and function, looking years old - like earlier Korean and Malaysian efforts in its design, materials and function.Despite being a throwback there's plenty of modern technology like voice control, Bluetooth and satnav among a generous list of goodies. The faux woodgrain is a tad tacky and the dash panel fit is only OK. You'll need spectacles to see the tiny writing on the controls that dot the cabin capped by a set of retro looking but high-tech dials sticking up in front of the wheel.Mahindra has put attractive two-tone leather upholstery into the vehicle along with climate control, tyre pressure monitor, auto headlights and wipers and a reasonable audio system. Some touch screen functions are provided.The engine is an in-house effort as is the six speed manual-only transmission. XUV is sold in two variants - front wheel drive and all wheel drive and only one high spec' W8 level. The diesel is a 2.2-litre with variable geometry turbo and is good for 103kW/330Nm output - no complaints there. Fuel economy is a respectable 6.7-litres/100km from the 1785kg all wheel drive model and on demand system.Safety rates four stars from ANCAP thanks in part to six airbags, stability control and roll-over mitigation system.It's an interesting thing to drive, good in parts like the curate's egg. There's a daft engine stop/start system that can be easily tricked into stopping and then not starting again without a full shut down. But the engine itself has plenty of pull from low in the revs aided by pretty good gearing from the rubbery shifting manual box.Our test vehicle had an annoying drivetrain rumble from 80-110kmh. The Mahindra is a reasonable thing to drive, bit coarse, bit old school actually. But it is practical, has an excellent turning circle and easy to fold flat seats. We reckon 1000km range would be achievable.

The Mahindra XUV500 is a pivotal vehicle for the Indian marque, Mahindra. Until late 2011 the company says it made cars and tractors for the domestic Indian market and exported them to other countries.But now it proudly says the XUV500 has been made for global markets, but will also be sold in India. Mahindra has been assembling tractors in its Brisbane facility since 2005. In 2007 it started importing the Pik-Up, a diesel-powered ute aimed at the rural market and tradies.At present Mahindra has 25 dealerships with a goal of increasing this to 50 by the end of 2012. It is at present in talks with potential franchisees in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne and is already represented by tractor/Pik-Up dealers in rural areas of the eastern states.Drive away pricing starts at $26,990 for the 2WD and $32,990 for the AWD. The vehicles are highly specified in terms of equipment usually found on the options list with other makers.Some of the standard goodies include automatic temperature control over the three seating zones, high-tech media, satellite navigation screen, tyre pressure monitoring, smart rain and light sensors, reverse park assist, power charging points in all three seating rows, remote keyless entry, leather seats and concealed lounge lighting. Mahindra comes with a three-year, 100,000km warranty.Two variants are available, a 2WD and AWD. Both have a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine made in-house by Mahindra, that’s linked to a six-speed manual transmission. At this stage only the manual transmission is available and the XUV500. The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel develops 103 kW of power at 3750 rpm and 330 Nm of torque between 1600 and 2800 rpm.Despite all its active and passive safety equipment it rates only a four-star ANCAP safety rating, the loss of the coveted fifth star being the result of vehicle deformation issues in a severe head-on impact."These are our two important issues which we will be addressing as a matter of importance," said Makesh Kaskar, Mahindra's business manager in Australia. “An automatic transmission is 18 months to two years away while engineers hope to elevate the XUV500 to a five-star rating.”The safety suite is impressive: six airbags, stability control, ABS brakes, EBD, rollover mitigation, hill hold, hill descent control and disc brakes. A reversing camera is an option as are tow bar and bull bar. While the bling and goodies are impressive, it's not all rosy.The exterior design of the XUV500 will not be to everyone's taste, particularly the rear where a non-functional wheel arch impedes on window space.The marketing gurus at Mahindra tell us the XUV500's design was inspired by a cheetah in the about-to-pounce position. The grille represents the animal’s fangs, the bulging wheel arches the shoulders and hips and the doorhandles the cheetah's paws.The interior fit and finish leaves room for improvement with variable gaps where the doors meet the dashboard and on the dash itself. Like the exterior the interior could be polarising. It's as if the designers have tried everything to make the interior look luxurious with contrasting plastics and different coloured leathers. It's a busy place.The centre stack waterfalls all the way from the windscreen down to the gear shift in shiny imitation woodgrain that is highly reflective creating glare and a driver distraction. We also heard rattles while driving over uneven road surfaces.The third row of seats easily fold almost flat, as do the second row, creating a large cargo space. The second row are a 60/40 split and the third row is really suitable for kids, but at a pinch could take a couple of grownups on short trips.A full size matching alloy spare wheel is housed under the boot area and uses a typical 4WD wind-down system. The driving position is similar to that of a genuine 4WD - high, upright and giving a commanding view over the bonnet. The front seats are comfortable with manual height adjustment and lumbar support.The steering wheel has height adjustment. The instrument binnacle is almost retro in appearance, enhanced by chrome circles around the dials. We found the engine's torque smoothly usable from low revs, where it matters, in second, third and four gears. Fifth and sixth are fairly tall highway fuel-savers. At 100 km/h the XUV500 cruises in sixth gear at a lazy 2000 rpm.The suspension is on the soft side and won’t endear itself to anyone who enjoys driving. Mahindra's AWD system automatically transfers torque between the front and rear wheels at a variable rate depending on traction needs. There's a lock button that manually engages AWD. There is no low range transfer box. There were no 2WD XUV500's for us to test at the media launch.