Mahindra is known for its rugged products, but the XUV300 is a turning point for the brand. IOLMotoring
JOHANNESBURG - Mahindra has made a name for itself by creating rugged vehicles of the kind you’d want for the trials and tribulations of farm life. Fittingly, agricultural is a word that comes to mind when describing the road manners of some of the earlier Mahindras.
But the times are a changin’ as Bob Dylan famously sang half a century ago, and the Indian brand has been gradually gravitating towards more refined and passenger-centric options. Vehicles like the XUV500 and KUV100 have been instrumental in this journey, but in my opinion, the XUV300 is the real turning point for Mahindra.
Granted, it still has a few niggles, as we’ll get to shortly, but in terms of its overall look and feel, this is a product that truly elevates the brand. The front-wheel-driven XUV300 is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli, thanks to the fact that Mahindra now owns the South Korean SUV specialist, but the Indian designers have put their own unique stamp on the styling, and it’s one that works very well in my book. Its lines are crisp and it’s got curves and creases in all the right places, but it’s not over-the-top or trying too hard to be different, it’s just easy on the eye.
The cabin feels light and airy, and the overall ambience is somewhat more upmarket than in any Mahindra that we’ve experienced until now. Sure, the plastics are still hard and I wouldn’t go as far as calling the cabin premium, but it’s certainly decent by compact SUV standards.
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