[aviorp]

Got a chance to test drive the TUV3OO this morning. There was not a mad rush but still had to wait a good 45 minutes to hop in for the TD. While waiting for the poojari to turn up, me and my colleague, who is planning to buy this, did Pradakshan of the display car.

When compared to the pics, the TUV in real looks quite big and it looks fab when viewed from these angles





The rear door is designed pretty well, when compared to my Scorp, with arm rests for both the passengers and also a cup holder.



This was quite strange. Dint expect the Compressor (left side) and the Alternator to be exposed without proper cladding.



The Interior has a premium finish and look.



The Engine bay, quite compact



The display car wore the Apollo shoes and the one we test drove had Ceat.



The Test drive car had clocked a little over 1K kms. I was expecting a lot of NVH/clatter from the Engine bay, but surprisingly it was quiet, in the sense, we could barely even hear any noise at all.

The Interiors are designed pretty well, with plenty of storage space. Cup holder/mobile holder/storage space below the drivers seat etc. Its got a commanding view, just like the Scorp and driving around was fun, though it was for a very short distance. With the A/C set to high, the pick up was nifty, in the sense, you get a feel that this thing pulls. The gear shift was butter smooth and in the few turns I took, there was not much of body roll either. My colleague has asked for a longer TD and hopefully it might happen next week.

Overall, a decent package and the pricing is brilliant. If I were to buy my first car, I would be comparing this with the Swift/Polo/i20 and the likes and will have no second thoughts to pick this one up.

[RavenAvi]

The official TUV300 accessories are listed under two headings - Standard & Heavy Duty.

Details of the Standard accessories are:

Exterior

• License Plate Chrome Bezel
• Stylish Chrome ORVM
• Fog Lamp Chrome Bezel
• Bold Lower Chrome Grille
• Gleaming Chrome Door Handle
• Protective Sill Proctors
• Chrome Bumper Reflector
• Stylish Rear Spoiler
• Sporty Ski Rack Chrome Ends
• Tail Lamp Chrome Garnish
• Metal-Finish Wheel Cover

Interiors

• Classy Carpet Floor Mat
• Illuminated Scuff Plate
• Sporty and Premium Seat Covers

The standard accessory package also include metal-finish dashboard trims, high-quality dash bin mats, durable rain visor and long-lasting perfumes.


Coming to the details of the Heavy Duty accessories, which are:

Exterior

• Tough Side Assist Step
• Sturdy Roof Carrier
• Black Machined Alloy Wheels
• Easy-To-Install Handy Pack-Inflatable Roof Carrier
• Tough Side Protector
• Black Aluminum Side Step
• Handy Bicycle Carrier

Interiors

• Long-Lasting All-Weather Mats

The Heavy Duty accessory package also includes imposing front bull bar in 5 attractive designs, splash protector, eco rugged black roof carrier and protective rear impact beam.

In addition, there is a TUV300 Armour Body Kit available as well, which includes:

• Front Armour
• Tough Bonnet Hull
• Side Armour Skirt
• Front and Rear Stone Guard
• Marker Lamps with Shroud
• Bold Wheel Arches

Other than these, customers can also buy:

An advanced infotainment system,
A handy car inverter,
A Heads-up-display (HUD),
Sun blinds,
A mobile holder,
A durable rain visor,
A spare wheel cover,
A white tyvek body cover,
An intellipark reverse assist,
A rear view camera,
A thermoelectric cooler,
A logo projection lamp, and
A seat back organiser.

Gaadi

[Arindam_Nayek]

Just came back from Ananth Cars saw the TUV in flesh and it didn't look too bad as I have thought. The heavy duty accessories if selected properly can make wonders to the look (personal opinion).
This vehicle begs for 4X4 hope Mahindra would have one soon.
Eagerly waiting for the expert review .

[johy]

Originally Posted by yikes6633

Honestly, I have fallen in love with it, however will not buy it, until its launched in a 4WD or AWD version with the rear seats having a split option together with the option of adjusting the rear support incline.

Originally Posted by shashanka

The fact is that, as per the media reports, a 4WD version is in the pipe-line and should be out sooner rather than later. But as for the RWD on offer, I must state emphatically that for most SUV (not necessarily off-road!) addicts - I'm an also-ran! - a FWDer hatchback posing as an SUV (Ecosport, Creta, Avventura, S-Cross et al) is anathema. The least one expects in any self-respecting SUV is standard RWD (and preferably AWD/4WD as an option). Like many others on the forum, I am also waiting for the 4WD version to be launched.

I am a bit skeptical if they will launch 4WD on this one. Reason being it will draw a lot of people who want a Thar + hard top away from the Thar. Would Mahindra want that? Even at 9 to 10 lakhs tops, people wanting a Thar hard-top (and who don't want to do serious off-roading) would then look at this. That said, I would be very happy if they indeed launch the 4WD and soon!

Of course, there is also the Scorpio S4 4WD, but it is a bigger vehicle than either the Thar. A lot of folks prefer a smaller (sub 4 meter may be the way to go) SUV with 4WD.

Any specific media reports to confirm/positively speculate on the 4WD?

[Samba]

Got a call from Shree Automotive Kolkata as they had the launch for the Tuv300 today at 3pm.

Being present at the launch felt great and the reception from them was really touching.

Coming straight to the car. Got a chance to drive it for around 10kms.

My observations-

From front it resembles the Jeep cherokee





The side profile looks okay and more importantly this vehicle looks proportionate unlike the Quanto.


The rear looks boxy.




215/75/R15 tyres looks small for a vehicle of this size. At least a 16inch rim would have made more justice. The wheel whale looks big compared to the size of the tyre.



The interiors of this vehicle looked good. Though its not as jazzy as the ecosport but its decent and a good cosy place to be in. Space wise its more spacious than the ecosport. The front seats were comfortable and with a tall person seating in the front rear passengers can have a good amount of leg space.

The front dashboard looks neat.


The front seat hand rests are comfortable.


Decently spacious rear seat for three adults.


The front seat adjuster is made of plastic though it feels durable.


The chrome adds some character to the otherwise monotonous rear door pad.


The third row seats are only good for kids. If any one above average height want to travel on that seat it will be uncomfortable. With the two person seating over there with the door closed it feels claustrophobic. A strict no for any tall person.


The meter console illumination looks classy in white. Plus the chrome adds better looks to it.


The ac knobs felt good and durable. Note the placement of the usb and aux.


Nice storage place beside the gear lever.


Two 12v sockets are useful for the front passengers as well as the rear passengers


The dashboard integrated music system looks great and sounds good too but misses out on the rear camera.


Illuminated glove box is a nice touch.


The doors are a bit angular at the edges. One or two customers got hit while coming out of the car today. So getting out of the car with the door half open can be a bit risky.



The view from the driving seat is commanding. Its gives a typical suv feel.


Mahindra missed out sorely on a dead pedal


The engine is a just fit with no free space and the bonnet comes with an insulator.



The undercarriage looks neat and well protected too.




Now coming to the drive-
1) This car has two modes one is eco and the other is normal. I drove in the normal mode and didn't test the eco mode.

2)The 3 pot 80 bhp engine felt smooth and no unwanted 3 pot vibration was present. If noted very minutely there was a faint vibration on the door pads and the gear lever.

3) The Ac is great. With Ac on or off there is not much visible difference to the car's acceleration.

4)Comfort level is at per with the new Scorpio. We drove it mostly good roads so cant comment much on its bad road behavior.

5)Body roll is present in sharp turns.

6) The acceleration is just decent. In gear acceleration was okay. Nothing to complain on the smoothness factor. Nvh level is well sorted out too. No evident turbo lag was felt. It pulled cleanly till 100kms/hr. We didn't test over that. An ecosport will any day be more fun to drive.

7)I felt the brakes to be spongy and inadequate. On hard braking the front bows down like a Scorpio.

Over all the whole package seemed to be a value for money proposition with one lakh rupees cheaper price tag than its prime competitor the Ecosport.

[fz_rider]

Contrasting reports about NVH levels ! Some members are okay with it, while I and another fellow member felt it was bad. Am I expecting more from a modern day car? May be.
Have to wait till the official report comes out.

[Samfromindia]

Originally Posted by Samba

Over all the whole package seemed to be a value for money proposition with one lakh rupees cheaper price tag than its prime competitor the Ecosport.

Superb coverage Samba ! As a Ecosport owner i find the car pretty attractive and practical for our indian roads. This surely will find many takers in the sub 4 meter compact suv segment. However what i liked most is that Mahindra will offer safety features like airbag and abs for all variants. So people who are on a tight budget or those who wants to add their custom set of alloys, ICE etc dont need to shell out extra cash just to get the safety features. A very welcome move from mahindra Hope all other manufacturers follow suit.

[zaks]

Checked out the TUV at the dealer today, quite a lot of prospective customers making a beeline for this car. The showroom was abuzz with activity and most people came only to see the TUV300.
It is quite big in real, the bonnet is quite high and is easily higher than my waist. The front looks little odd with the curvy headlamp not match well with the big flat bumper. There appears to be lot of open blank space in front because of the huge bumper.

The seating is good and gives a high vantage point and clear view of even the bonnet. Nicely placed armrests and storage. The interipr colouring is also good. The rear seats are ok but may not be comfortable for long ride as they lack much thigh support. The luggage space is large and good for a family week trip also if one don't use the last row seats. The wheels are small for a vehicle of this size and it vehicle looks quite heavy. In short a good vehicle larger than a sedan for it's price.

It may click if people tune to its rather odd looks from front but there is real possibility it may become the next travel agency car or cab.

[vivekz]

Although I can criticize a few things about this, I also feel this is a good attempt by Mahindra. Home-grown product with good attempt on basics like space, efficiency, VFM as well as squeezing 7 seats, rugged looks. Given the genuine attempt from Mahindra, I hope they get good sales.

All said and done, I still feel the design is not cohesive. Yes it is better than Quanto (anything is) but still I think individual elements do not merge well on the overall design. Also, body on frame may not be the best approach for a urban SUV. Also I hope the structural safety is not compromised given that this will sell exclusively in India.

All said and done, lets hope it takes the challenges to the global brands.

[wilful]

A pretty decent offering from Mahindra methinks. Now if they would only offer a few more things on the top AMT version like the AWD, side & curtain airbags, it would really be the icing. I have a feeing this will chalk up some encouraging numbers.
Looks of course are subjective but what I fail to understand is the attitude of folks either running down the appearance of other cars to eulogise it or vice versa. For God's sake - to each his own.

[predatorwheelz]

Originally Posted by Samba

Got a call from Shree Automotive Kolkata as they had the launch for the Tuv300 today at 3pm.

Coming straight to the car. Got a chance to drive it for around 10kms.

My observations-

Excellent, just the kind of review I was looking for, as I believe the official review will take some time. 2 more questions, in case you checked:

1. What is the ground clearance on the car?

2. Do you have a copy of the price sheet and can you share it?

[HillyThar]

Originally Posted by johy

I am a bit skeptical if they will launch 4WD on this one. Reason being it will draw a lot of people who want a Thar + hard top away from the Thar. Would Mahindra want that? Even at 9 to 10 lakhs tops, people wanting a Thar hard-top (and who don't want to do serious off-roading) would then look at this. That said, I would be very happy if they indeed launch the 4WD and soon!

That's a very valid point why Mahindra wouldn't be launching the AWD version now, but as Behram sir pointed out, the new crash norms will be upon on the industry soon and that might make the Thar a redundant vehicle in a few years time. It could be at time that the 4x4 or an AWD version be offered on the TUV300. Its a pity if that's the design.

[Arindam_Nayek]

Attached Mahindra TUV300 quotation is from Anant Cars Bangalore. Shocked to see that handling charges are included that too INR 10,000 (Marked in Red). If I am not wrong i was reading in some article that RTOs in different states are asking dealers not to have these charges anymore. Any thoughts will be appreciated.

Apologies for the Picture quality(Cellphone).

[windiesel]

on the net there's also some talk of TUV500 coming up in a few months. This is stated to be more than 4m and with a proper 4cylinder engine......any other info on this , anyone?

[al pacino]

I drove the car day before yesterday . the car looks much better in real and the plastic quality used is also decent .
It drives well too but the only problem I see is the noisy engine it is quite noisy .
The front bumper I think they could have designed well its not bad but its not wow either .