[karthikd21]

Originally Posted by mohansrides

Clutch travel - very long.

Spot on! I took a test drive yesterday and felt the same. My sister's Ritz has the same problem. The position of our foot on this kind of Clutch makes it painful specially on busy roads like Bangalore-Mysore. This is a deal breaker for me!

I also felt the engine lacking low end torque. My 2009 Verna CRDi has better low end torque and is easier to drive inside the city.

Missing 2nd row bench seat on the higher variants is not appealing. Last row although is wide, the passengers on the left and right feel the pain as they would have to sit with left/right leg in a not so relaxed posture. I felt the middle seat to be the best in the 3rd row as one can stretch their legs. But, again 3 point seat belt and head rest is missing there!

Overall, i was looking for a 7 seater and this is out of my list

[karpusv]

Originally Posted by karthikd21

.......Last row although is wide, the passengers on the left and right feel the pain as they would have to sit with left/right leg in a not so relaxed posture....

Are you referring to this? When sat in the 3rd row, on left side, my left foot was not comfortable due to the angle of resting. As you can see, the floor is not flat.

This picture is taken by lifting the 2nd row seat to show the floor underneath, where 3rd row person will rest his foot.

[vineet_k21]

Originally Posted by n_naik

I am eagerly waiting for the official review by team-bhp. Any idea when is it coming ?

Same here! Any idea when we will get the official review?

[pavi]

Originally Posted by vineet_k21

Same here! Any idea when we will get the official review?

The same question comes up from most bhpians when ever a new model is launched and it ends when the official review is out. I would suggest our moderators to come up with a ‘launch date’ for all our official reviews so as to build the anticipation among bhpians and other non-members who are avid team-bhp followers (just like me some weeks back).

Note to moderators : I don’t know if the above suggestion is against any of team-bhp policies. Enlighten me if it does.

[rajeshsundaram]

I own a Xylo E8, the one with mEagle 2.5L engine.

Here are some quickies

PROS

1. The engine in Marazzo is silent. Pulls well for a 1.5L.
2. The steering is light and balanced compared to Xylo.
3. The interiors are class apart to Xylo. Feels solid and premium.
4. Comfortable to drive.
5. The ride quality is car-like. Surprise from Mahindra, I liked it.
6. The Top-end model is the one to go for. Has all the bells and whistles one would expect.
7. Body roll is well maintained on corners.
8. 6 forward gears is a surprise.
9. Good turning radius is a great plus.


CONS
1. 1.5L engine does not have the grunt. Low-end is weak. With just two onboard the test drive vehicle was not responding as expected to accelerator input. I guess Marazzo offers linear acceleration.
2. The last row is a joke. No under-thigh support for adults.
3. The middle row captain seats offer just enough leg-space. I am skeptical.
4. The clutch pedal has long throw, which is a nuisance in city-traffic. Though the SA said, half clutch shifting is possible, I am skeptical about the side effects.
5. Brake bite is okay. Neither too sharp like XUV nor too spongy like Xylo.
6. Rear AC blower is noisy. Just too noisy at full speed.
7. IMO this is NOT a value-for-money people mover.
8. High mounted Gear-lever has long throws. Couple this with stupid arm-rest to experience irritating driving experience.


MY PERSPECTIVE
As a Xylo owner, I am pretty disappointed by two facts.
1. Puny 1.5L engine. No matter what Mahindra screams in their marketing brochure that this engine produces more than 120+ BHP and more than 250+NM of torque, it does not translate to a WOW. I just feel the engine is mediocre in terms of performance.
2. Disappointing 3rd row seats. Good enough for kids, or good enough for adults on short drives.

Adding to the above, I am appalled that the higher variants do not have 8 seater.

CONCLUSION
Mahindra Marazzo will disappoint if you are looking for a Innova alternative. Marazzo just competes with Maruti Ertiga and Renault Logan. Also Marazzo is priced premium in my opinion. If I am right, after the initial hype is over Marazzo will sell a consistent 1000 - 2000 copies every month. It wont set the sales on fire as XUV or Scorpio.


On-Road Price in ERODE, TAMILNADU.

M2-7 Seater : INR 11,69,000
M2-8 Seater : INR 12,35,130
M4-7 Seater : INR 13,42,075
M4-8 Seater : INR 13,47,950
M6-7 Seater : INR 15,12,480
M8-7 Seater : INR 16,88,760

That's almost 17L for a 7 seater with a small 1.5L engine. I would buy a base variant of XUV 500 instead.

If I am buying a 8 seater, I would put my money and buy the upcoming Ertiga instead of Marazzo. Or, I will sell my kidney and buy an Innova Crysta V series. Both for the sheer brand value, resale value and A.S.S.

PS: Marazzo will help Maruti Ertiga sell more. Because people will see Ertiga as a VFM choice here after. Mahindra somewhat missed a golden chance by not introducing a bigger engine and omitting auto-box.

[karthikd21]

Originally Posted by karpusv

Are you referring to this?

Mostly yes. Can't remember very well. But, I tried multiple times and I could never set my left foot straight. I had to always keep it in a curved position. It was very uncomfortable!

[VineetG]

Originally Posted by rajeshsundaram

That's almost 17L for a 7 seater with a small 1.5L engine. I would buy a base variant of XUV 500 instead.

And to think that Honda will launch the CRV at around twice the price (on road) for a seven seater with a small 1.6 L engine, with having the same 120 HP as the Marazzo. And while Marazzo is a people mover, CRV is supposed to be a "Sports" UV.

And people will pay that kind of money for the CRV and then claim that it has adequate power for everyday driving, while at the same time criticizing the Marazzo for being underpowered.

I wish all the success to the Marazzo and waiting to see the fate of CRV.

Rgds

[GTO]

Originally Posted by pavi

The same question comes up from most bhpians when ever a new model is launched and it ends when the official review is out. I would suggest our moderators to come up with a ‘launch date’ for all our official reviews so as to build the anticipation among bhpians and other non-members who are avid team-bhp followers (just like me some weeks back).

Frankly buddy, we ourselves don't know . Being very honest here.

When me & the team are working on Official Reviews, quality is priority no.1, not a deadline. We usually don't work very well when we're working against a clock. Reviewing cars is something we love doing, but running against a clock kills that 'buzz'.

We typically drive the car for 3 - 5 days in Bombay, of which I keep it over a weekend (Sat night in Bombay, Sunday run to Lonavla). Then, it takes 20 working days for the original reviewer to just write his review, list the pictures & add captions. Post that, I start proof-reading the review. Takes me ~2 weeks to proof-read a review of an important car (the more important the car, the more time we spend on it). Most times, someone else would have accompanied the original reviewer and would add / offer his inputs on the car.

Yep, I took the Marazzo as well to Lonavla, as did Aditya.

But that's not all. It also depends on our schedule. Right now, I'm proofing the Ciaz Facelift, while Viddy is just adding the finishing touches to the XC40. So, there is a sort of a 'que' of reviews too.

In case you were looking for a very simple answer, our Marazzo review will be out sometime in November (just don't ask me which week ).

Do keep in mind that a Team-BHP Official Review has a useful life of 10 years (5 - 7 years when the car is on sale in showrooms, and then probably another 3 for those looking at it used). So a month more for a good review is something we're comfortable with.

[pavi]

Originally Posted by GTO

Frankly buddy, we ourselves don't know . Being very honest here.

Being a part of software field for a lot of years all my work is tied to a ‘deadline’. Hence the suggestion. I agree to all your points. Yes, the specialities I love about our official reviews are the quality of the contents, in depth photos even the underbody pics, a well laid out template etc. If a timeline can actually affect the quality of our official reviews, then I think ‘I can wait without any deadline buddy’.

Note : GTO, you should have been my manager. May be in the next life. Then I can say “Hell with deadlines”.

[GTO]

Just to add to my previous post, this time, Aditya spent a couple of hours meeting with a senior member of Mahindra's technical team who walked him through the Marazzo & pointed out some finer details. Just the amount of time that we spend researching a car is more than what most others take to write their review.

Originally Posted by pavi

GTO, you should have been my manager. May be in the next life. Then I can say “Hell with deadlines”.

Hahaha! Good one. Just to add, it's not that I work without a timeline in mind, but it's always flexible as long as the work has progressed properly with top quality. Usually, with Official Reviews, the approximate timeline is mutually decided between me & my team members (i.e it's not one-way).

[Surprise]

Originally Posted by GTO

Do keep in mind that a Team-BHP Official Review has a useful life of 10 years (5 - 7 years when the car is on sale in showrooms, and then probably another 3 for those looking at it used). So a month more for a good review is something we're comfortable with.

I intend to keep the car for minimum 5 yrs or 1L kms & may extend unless its getting heavy on my pockets or miss the updated technology on newer versions that impresses me. Hence I always go slow on the buying decision to make a perfect balance on my requirements available at that time in market. Our official review help a lot here & none of the cars I have bought are without getting a thumbs up here. I truly enjoyed all of my previous cars & enjoying the current ones.

PS: But the wait for official review when you had an eye for a particular car is really killing -

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by pavi

Being a part of software field for a lot of years all my work is tied to a ‘deadline’. Hence the suggestion. I agree to all your points. Yes, the specialities I love about our official reviews are the quality of the contents, in depth photos even the underbody pics, a well laid out template etc. If a timeline can actually affect the quality of our official reviews, then I think ‘I can wait without any deadline buddy’.

Note : GTO, you should have been my manager. May be in the next life. Then I can say “Hell with deadlines”.

Good software just like good review isnt time bound. But what can the "yes sir" managers with absolutely no technical capability say to the clients.

[PYSO]

Has anyone had a chance to drive the marazzo on hilly roads? Any lack of pulling power?

GTO, if you drove it to lonavala - can you share the hilly terrain performance of marazzo in brief.

[HighwayofLife]

Boy, does this group expect the moon, when it comes to vehicles. I think the Marazzo is a fantastic piece of work by Mahindra. Now, it could just be me, who's driven about 70k km in my Scorpio, and am used to its pulling power and general road manners, but when I test-drove the Marazzo (for a pretty long stretch on Ggn-Faridabad Road, I might add), I didn't find it lacking in any department, be it in accelerating from rest or in keeping up with other vehicles. Is it intended to be a race car? Not at all. But does it suit the purpose? Absolutely! I wanted this to be a proper family test drive, with the car fully loaded, so it was myself, wife, son, Bro-in-law, his wife, mom-in-law, and Sales Exec, meaning the car was fully loaded. The car definitely did not feel under-powered, as some others have suggested.

We test drove the Innova Crysta Automatic, Tata Hexa, and Marazzo. Here is my very basic comparo, and what made the case compelling enough for me to book a Marazzo.

- Crysta: Drives really nicely, because the engine has adequate power. But some things were disappointing for me- I'm a tall guy at 6'3", as is my Bro-in-law, and when we sat in the driver and navigator seats respectively, we found the leg-room upfront has been compromised. I also found the footwell quite cramped. For a car this expensive, Toyota could have done a lot more to provide driving comfort for tall guys. Looks like they designed with Japanese people in mind. Also, the Crysta automatic has this weird way of revving a lot before shifting- I don't know if it was just the TD vehicle, or if this is the normal characteristic. But it tells me that the fuel consumption of the Inmova Automatic is likely to be on the higher side.

- Hexa: Brilliant Automatic, and great handling on bad roads. The Hexa is the most SUV-like car in its class, and has the best mid-row comfort, but the third row seats aren't as good.

Marazzo: Good all-round package in terms of space in all rows, performance, and quality of interiors. What struck me most was the great build quality, and car-like feel. In fact, the turning radius of this car is tiny! I couldn't believe how tight the u-turns I could take were- that's definitely a departure from the old Mahindras, Scorpio or Xylo. It was a hot day, and the TD vehicle cooled well despite the fact that it had been parked in the sun, and was hot when we got into it. What I missed was the start-stop button, which Mahindra should have provided on at least the top 2 variants, and the sound quality of the Hexa's ICE- Aman (Motor Concept), you certainly have some new business from me ��. But do consider that even the Innova GX, which starts Rs 3.5 lakhs abive this car, doesn't have start-stop button and no head-unit, and you do realize that this isn't a major miss from Mahindra. The other slight miss from Mahindra is the ease of ingress and exit from last seat. None of these were deal-killers for family and me though

All things considered, Mahindra has a brilliant package on their hands, and they certainly convinced me. There are a few sore points here and there, but no car is perfect. At its price point, the Marazzo is a compelling proposition- it's far ahead of lower segment MUVs like the Ertiga and BR-V, and positioned nicely below the Innova, with equivalent build quality and a far more silent engine and cabin.

I have driven the XUV as well, which has great space in all seats, but zero boot space when the last row of seats is up, so there is always a compromise somewhere in all vehicles. If you understand this aspect, the Marazzo does not disappoint

[kbishwa]

Originally Posted by GTO

Frankly buddy, we ourselves don't know . Being very honest here.

I really appreciate you for putting the things as straight as possible. This is the reason we feel Team BHP a family & friend place.

When me & the team are working on Official Reviews, quality is priority no.1, not a deadline. We usually don't work very well when we're working against a clock. Reviewing cars is something we love doing, but running against a clock kills that 'buzz'.

How fortunate you are, you people love your job and also how to execute the job. This freedom can only be enjoyed by true entrepreneurs like you. Most of people in service would envy you (I appreciate!)

We typically drive the car for 3 - 5 days in Bombay, of which I keep it over a weekend (Sat night in Bombay, Sunday run to Lonavla). Then, it takes 20 working days for the original reviewer to just write his review, list the pictures & add captions. Post that, I start proof-reading the review. Takes me ~2 weeks to proof-read a review of an important car (the more important the car, the more time we spend on it). Most times, someone else would have accompanied the original reviewer and would add / offer his inputs on the car.

Boss, please be little kind to us. We wait for the reviews like a thirsty guy in the middle of Sahara, at keep supplying some drops (some portions of the review, with a disclaimer that final version may vary after proof-reading.

Yep, I took the Marazzo as well to Lonavla, as did Aditya.

But that's not all. It also depends on our schedule. Right now, I'm proofing the Ciaz Facelift, while Viddy is just adding the finishing touches to the XC40. So, there is a sort of a 'que' of reviews too.

In case you were looking for a very simple answer, our Marazzo review will be out sometime in November (just don't ask me which week ).

Queue of reviews, I again respect that Q but, itni nainsafi Q? November is too late

Do keep in mind that a Team-BHP Official Review has a useful life of 10 years (5 - 7 years when the car is on sale in showrooms, and then probably another 3 for those looking at it used). So a month more for a good review is something we're comfortable with.

Again agree. That's why we love Team BHP. In the West please respect the feelings of people in East who go crazy to buy cars in Durga Puja and the things continues till Diwali. A little bit of overtime to banta hai. But of course not at the cost of another Q(ality). Happy Durga Puja