[peterjim13]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Thin seats, really bad under-thigh support and an upright backrest would mean that passengers in the rear won't be too comfortable.

Yes, Steeroid. I suspect the same and am yet to get a drive on the car.
But I shall surely check the second row travel comfort.

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Its nice to get a validation of one's own views from another.

PS: Did you also experience sway while taking a curve at an average speed?

I am yet to get a test drive, my cousin brother who is looking to get this instead of the his old MM550 had the car taken to his office for the drive.

[LkoNawab]

I am seriously considering a car purchase this festival season and have finalized two contenders in the ~10 Lakhs range.

Choice 1: TUV 3OO T8 MT, and have taken two test drives for the vehicle.

Here are my observations on the same, I am not posting pictures as most of them have been shared here in the forum:

Looks: Very subjective issue to comment on, but I liked the side stance better than any other angle in white colour. The front is really a butch effort from M&M, but i feel this could have been a better and refined in proportion.

Space and Ergonomics: Vehicle has oodles of space, compared to other sub 4 Mtr category of Vehicles. Ample head room and shoulder space in all the rows. Though the jump seats are just enough for adults for short rides. The instrument cluster is well laid out and all buttons are easy to reach and operate. But I find the placement of the central control of the windows buttons quite awkward, next to the hand brake console, seems a straight lift from the previous gen Scorpio. Front seats with hand rest is really a boon for city and highway cruising. Really loved it. Second row seats are really a bench with lesser support and cushioning.

Ride and Handling: The ride as a ladder on frame SUV is quite planted especially on bad road conditions (read lesser body roll). Having extensively driven a 2006 Scorpio this vehicle seems better, though still to be proven to Scorpio standards on reliability and toughness. High speed rides over Bangalore potholes and humps was quite assuring.

Engine and Drive: The engine seems quite loud in any revs higher than 2500, though the diesel clatter is normal in the lower revs and is admissible with M&M standards. The city driving should not be a problem even with Manual Transmission (MT) as the engine has enough punch for lower revs and the 2nd & 3rd gear drives in bumper to bumper traffic should not be a problem. I should say the dual turbo charged engine plays the role well. But I found the engine to run out of power in 2nd gear with speeds above 50 Kmps mark. I believe gear ratios are to be blamed for this. Eagerly waiting for the TBhp review for the comments on this aspect.

Infotainment System and Gizmos: On a T8 top end model a basic dual color AV unit is really not welcome. In both my test drives I experienced some radio stations to have very bad reception. Not expected of a Top Spec variant. My current drive Swift ZDI 2008-09 model is bang on target with this aspect. The AC is not a Automatic System, though very effective in cooling the cabin.

My Verdict: Having driven (test rides & ZoomCar) XUV 5OO W6 variant my Value for Money choice in the 15 Lakhs price range from the same stable, I feel TUV 3OO is only the poorer cousin of the bigger sibling. What I miss the most, a reliable engine (MHawk 80 still has to be proved in market), fancy interiors (ambient lighting, second row aircon, split seats, etc), seems too much sharing from the previous gen Scorpio (Centre gear console, seat comfort, roof lamps). T8 is the obvious choice of variants because of the safety features and the added gizmos which the lower variants are missing.

Choice 2: Honda Jazz iDTec SV MT or Elite i20 CRDI Sportz

Point of having the choice in the premium hatch segment is only for the reason that this shall allow me leverage with family to push for the XUV 5OO at a later stage, which I shall forgo if I go ahead with TUV 3OO now.

In terms of direct comparison between the Jazz and Elite i20, I believe that anybody looking for features should not think beyond the i20 Elite. This vehicle beats Jazz in this category but for the safety features. Jazz diesel surely misses on the refinement levels of the Elite i20. Having said this and owning a Honda City ZX 2007, I am more inclined towards Honda for the fuss free ownership and reliability matters. I shall not comment in detail about the various other aspects as enough has been discussed on the Official Jazz TBhp review.

Will wait till the end of the week in anticipation of the TBhp review of the TUV 3OO by the end of the week and will take a plunge with any one of the above. Have confirmed with all the Mahindra, Honda and Hyundai dealers in Bangalore that White colour vehicles in my choice of variants shall not be a problem in the festive season.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

If you've read my posts elsewhere (and on an entirely different timeline) on the forum you probably will not refer to me with that comment.

I stand by what I felt - this is a mediocre effort that is not path-breaking in any way and a step backwards in many. There is no reason to applaud an effort simply because it is local - I think our local players are good enough to not require such a patronising attitude, and should take negative feedback in their stride.

My apologies if I've offended you - maybe my irritation got the better of me. The fact is that since following this thread I've come across several mindless comments about this vehicle, extolling its imagined drawbacks while lauding the minor virtues of its potential rivals. I should perhaps say it aloud, that I don't consider the quality of plastics or the number of cubby -holes or the "ergonomics" as being defining virtues of a car.

Mediocre effort or not, path-breaking the TUV certainly is in many ways. When the Humvee was launched - years ago - it was one of the few efforts at function over form which went on to become an icon, even though it looked like nothing on earth at the time and made only nodding concession to creature comforts.

The TUV300 too does not offer much in the way of conventional aesthetics - but it is a sincere effort at a compromise between form and function, notwithstanding M&M's mindless spiel about being "inspired by a battle-tank"!

How successful it will be commercially time will tell - but I for one will certainly be disappointed if it doesn't land somewhere near the bull's eye. And as I have mentioned elsewhere, I have zero connection with M&M or the auto industry. I happen to live in a CHS developed by Mahindra Realty.

[kalleo4]

Mahindra TUV300 (vs) Ford EcoSport - FaceOff
& now I'm falling In love with the TUV300-BLACK!

http://www.gaadi.com/auto-reviews/ma...ort-comparison

[C'estlavie]

I'll wait for the team bhp review. Five things determine my choice of vehicle, in no particular order: Interior space, middle row seating comfort (space, recline, arm rest etc), NVH, ride quality, security/ 'solidity'.

All agree that space seems to be good. But I'm a little disappointed that while middle row space seems to be great, the seats do not recline, and there seems to be no arm rest. I guess one can always have the arm rest fitted, but if long rides in the middle seat can get tiring, then it's a worry for me, and close to a deal breaker.

NVH and Ride quality seems to be attracting wildly diverging opinions, they're good, they're bad, they're ok. I am guessing it's less a commentary on the car than the prior experience and expectation of the commentators.

Apparently it is a 'solid' vehicle, but them I was a bit thrown by some comments about thin/ flimsy feeling doors.

I'll wait for the team bhp review and of course plan to check it our for myself, but I have a good feeling about this one. And I do not mind its looks, in fact prefer it to Duster/ Ecosport at first blush. It's now a question of where this vehicle fits in the matrix created by my preferences.

[BlueJay]

I have now driven this vehicle twice. I have owned SX4, Palio, Maruti 800, Accord (in US) in the past and have driven variety of vehicles in the past including a 10 day long road trip driving a scorpio. Am looking to change my vehicle and had kept the budget between 10-20 lacs... I know its a long one. Priorities are Automatic, seating space for 7 and ease of entry and exit. Since there are hardly any options in this space so had to dilute some criteria. If I dilute automatic then innova was coming out to be good one. If I dilute 7 seater then sedans like city and corolla were there, and off the two I was finding top end automatic city to be more VFM than Corolla (I think Corolla becomes VFM only when you consider entry level/mid manuals). Also buying very large vehicle means having two vehicle, one for long drive and another for short city drives to crowded market places where parking places are at a premium.

TUV serves as a great 7 seater vehicle for short intra-city drives in traffic as its short, easy to park, and a 'not-bad' option for intercity travel. What will add to its versatility would be its capability to take up rural roads and non-existent roads as well. The relative ease of ingress and egress is something which is an added boon and a rarity in 7 seater options available. Noise levels are either same as or better than Scorpio, rider quality is definitely much better than previous version of Scopio, over all driveability is much better than Scorpio, Torque is better than SX4.

I think for me another option is to wait it out for Hexa automatic but then that's a 6 seater I believe (although in much more comfort) but the price tag of top end Hexa could be double that of TUV. Also given the fact that scoops of Hexa being road tested has started coming only recently I think it could be a long wait. Also between Mahindra and Tata I feel its formers reliability which is perceived to be better. Hexa's 400NM torque maks it a totally different animal though and that will be a vehicle much better greared for long distance commute.

The only drawback of TUV could be that it should have customers ranging from both urban and rural market which could impact the 'aspirational' value of owning it. On the flip side maintenance will then bound to be cheaper and it should be relatively easy to get it repaired, get spare parts even if it breaks down in the middle of a long distance commute.

[Aakarsh]

I was eagerly waiting for my membership to be approved so that I could post here. Feeling really proud that I am able to post.I saw a TUV3OO test drive vehicle on road and it looked really nice. I didn't even find the NVH to be on higher side. IMO it should be acceptable for most of us.
Regards
Aakarsh

[BlueJay]

Those who are contemplating TUV 300 for its MUV'ish capabilities might want to know that the New generation Innova could be unveiled next month in Jakartha Auto show. They can go through the reviews from jakarta and since Indian launch is speculated to happen in Feb 2016, shortly after Indian auto show, they will have couple of months to make up their mind. I feel its worth the wait. Innova automatic will be in 18-20 lacs mark, so it will be in a completely different segment though. As per some websites another promising MUV, Tata Hexa could take as long as Aug 2016 to launch.

Source:
http://www.ibtimes.co.in/new-gen-toy...october-646535

Excerpts from the article:

Toyota's MPV, the Innova, is all set to get a major update in its new-generation version, which is slated to be launched in India early 2016. Toyota is tightlipped over the global unveiling of the new-gen Innova before the end of this year.

According toautonetmagz, the new Innova will be launched in Indonesia in October 2015. The website says the launch is likely to happen at the 2015 Jakarta Auto Show, which will be held simultaneously along with Indocomtech 2015, from 28 October to 1 November, 2015.

The report further says the Innova, which is known as Kijang in some foreign markets, will have better safety features than the current model. Apart from the dual airbags, the new Innova will also be equipped with ABS brakes and a middle seat Isofix. Isofix is the International Standards Organisation Fix created by car seat connoisseurs. The system uses fixed connection points rather than a seatbelt as two-thirds of car seats are incorrectly fitted, according to statistics.

Under the hood, the new Innova is expected to include 2.4 or 2.5-litre diesel engines with 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. The new Innova will be built on a new platform and is likely to be lighter than the current generation model. The re-styled front end will feature bigger grille and tweaked front and rear bumpers. Additionally, the popular MPV in new avatar will sport projector headlamps that have LED daytime running lights and fog lights.

The interior of the new Toyota Innova is expected to get features such as dual-tone interior and updated steering wheel. In terms of entertainment, this car will be equipped with touchscreen head unit. When launched in India, the Innova will rival against Honda Mobilio, Renault Lodgy and Nissan Evalia. The 2016 Toyota Innova is expected to be priced around Rs 1lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh more than the current model.

[C'estlavie]

I saw the TUV 300 today at the Delhi Safdarjung dealership. Wasn't able to take it for a drive as they didn't seem to have have any vehicle available, plus the staff there seemed to think they were doing potential customers a favour by just being there.

Now to the vehicle. The space inside is just great. I find it hard to believe that it's maybe 18 odd centimetres longer than the Nissan Micra, but then the extraordinary width and height give it the inner 'volume' that make you feel like you're in a hug vehicle.

I found the middle seats under thigh support to be underwhelming, but will need some time to decide if it's a deal breaker for me. The rear seats were a surpass given what I have read on here- I'm five eight and found to difficult to sit at all in the back seat, my head kept hitting the roof. Perhaps they seats are height adjustable and had been raised it their highest setting? I don't know but don't really care that much as I do not envisage using the back seat all that much.

I think this is a very interesting proposition. If the ride quality, driving experience and NVH levels come up to scratch, then brother, this vehicle could go places. I just hope that this vehicle does not have to face the same niggles as the XUV when it launched, taking a few years before the latest version got some basic stuff in place.

And in closing, I also hit myself in the face opening the front door. It didn't seem to matter that I had been forewarned by people here. Personal experience literally being the nest teacher? But this is a problem with the TUV 300 and I'm expecting that the next version will probably have to sort it out.

[pgsagar]

Post Deleted by the Team-BHP Support: You have been warned before. Enough with the continuously negative posts!

[ScorpMan]

By when is the official T-bhp Review expected?

[Arindam_Nayek]

Originally Posted by ScorpMan

By when is the official T-bhp Review expected?

I am too waiting eagerly for the comprehensive review before giving the booking amount to the Dealer. Almost decided say around 70% rest depends on the review.

The Black TUV looks like a mean machine.

[TaurusAl]

Just back from a test drive and I am highly disappointed. Here's why -

Car Driven - T8 Automatic
Dealer - G3 Motors Navi Mumbai


Positives -

1) Car looks good from all sides. Except front.
2) Overall exterior look is much better than expected after seeing in the pictures.

Negative -

1) The front looks very down market and like a tempo. The bonnet is higher than XUV but narrow and thus throwing the proportions out of the window.

2) The car is very boxy from inside. The over all feel is like sitting in a box due to sharp angles.

3) Driver's seat is horribly low. I am 5'8". If you are less than my height you will struggle to see the road ahead.

4) The tires are a tad too small for the car of this size.

5) Last row seats are a big joke. Once you close the door, there is barely any space to move. My female companion who is only 5 feet found highly claustrophobic seating there.

6) Engine is no where compared to the marvelous 2.2 M Hawk. Such a large car and so under powered. Why ?

7) The fit and finish are not as good as they seem in the picture. Scorpio is much more refined from inside compared to TUV.

8) The feel while opening and closing the door is no where near luxurious or even acceptable.

9) Lack of climate control, infotainment and other gizmos present in 10 lac + rupee car

10) No snob value even after paying as much as a Honda City.


The dealership experience was very good and people were very courteous. One good thing is people are storming to the showroom and even booking the TUV. The sales person told be they already have 70 bookings which is great. But one observation I made was, the people who came to the showroom and were disappointed, turned towards the Scorpio for a test drive. Yes I was one of them and was blown away by road presence and power. Do yourself a favor, test the Scorpio and TUV back to back.

Final verdict - Scorpio is worth couple of extra lacs in every sense if you want to buy a Mahindra and can live with less mileage.

Can TUV compete with Ecosport / Duster / Terrano ? It sure has a long way to go and if it keeps improving like Scorpio and XUV who have improved with time, someday it will. Well maybe not.

Am I buying it ? Nope.

Cheers!

[Aakarsh]

Originally Posted by kalleo4

Mahindra TUV300 (vs) Ford EcoSport - FaceOff
& now I'm falling In love with the TUV300-BLACK!

http://www.gaadi.com/auto-reviews/ma...ort-comparison

You are not the only one falling for TUV300 in black sir. Black just enhances the SUVish character of the vehicle. Ecosport in the comparison (especially from the front) looks like a small kid out there. Black TUV3OO with some roof mounted fog lamps would just look smashing IMO.

[pgsagar]

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

...But one observation I made was, the people who came to the showroom and were disappointed, turned towards the Scorpio for a test drive. Yes I was one of them and was blown away by road presence and power. Do yourself a favor, test the Scorpio and TUV back to back.

You know, since you brought it up, I am one of those, too, who is mighty impressed by Scorpio's performance. The MHawk of Scorpio just pulls like a freight train. Makes me wonder if Mahindra under-reports its BHP and torque. I mean spec sheet says it makes only 120 BHP and 280 NM of torque. But the Scorpio pulls just as good as cars making 168 BHP and 380 NM torque. It makes me wonder if the real specs are higher. Now, is there any gain in under-reporting power and torque? I don't know.