[TusharK]

Mahindra has introduced a new base variant of the XUV500 called the W3. It is priced at Rs. 12.22 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).



The XUV500 W3 comes with projector headlamps, roof rails and twin exhausts. On the inside, it gets black and grey interiors with a 6-way adjustable driver seat and Jacquard fabric upholstery. The car is equipped with electrically adjustable ORVMs as well.

The W3 variant is available with a 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that produces 153 BHP @ 3,750 rpm and 360 Nm of torque @ 1,750-2,800 rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission.

Standard safety features offered on this variant include ABS with EBD, dual front airbags and disc brakes on all 4 wheels.

Link to Team-BHP News

[nmenon]

This looks like a decent entry level variant which may come around 14 Lakhs on road. There probably aren't many vehicles that offer the XUV's combination of space and performance at that price.

On a lighter note this may not have any of the major niggles since there probably won't be many gadgets to go wrong.

That 2.2 Diesel engine is quite good to drive.

[coldice4u]

Originally Posted by TusharK

Attachment 1875123

The XUV500 W3 comes with projector headlamps, roof rails and twin exhausts. On the inside, it gets black and grey interiors with a 6-way adjustable driver seat and Jacquard fabric upholstery. The car is equipped with electrically adjustable ORVMs as well.

No offense but an actual pic of the W3 version would have been more appropriate ! The images floating around point to a very bare bone variant, nothing like the model in the pic above.

[tushky]

Received these images on WhatsApp group.

[Geo_Ipe]

I hate it when these entry level models come without a rear wiper! Such a useful feature which cannot be retro fitted.

[TejasKinger]

Honestly, those blank switches in the center console are plain ugly. Mahindra had launched the bare-bones XUV500 W4 variant back in November 2013 at a price of 10.95L Ex-showroom Delhi.

For 12.23L Ex-showroom Mumbai for the W3, we should at least get a basic music system like the erstwhile W4. Here's a photo from bharatautos.com for reference.

[fx45]

Agree, the W3 looks too bare bones and that black interior with cheap plastic looks horrible. Mahindra should've kept the W4's interior with that basic music system.

[landcruiser123]

I didn't know that there is demand for such a model. I'd understand if Mahindra wants a lower entry price for a new launch, but it begs to ask the question - is a stripped down version of a flagship SUV with such compromises worth it?

I'd rather buy a used Innova Crysta if I had budget constraints.

[NaXal]

I wish they had kept the AWD as an option & included that really important Rear Wiper.

Rest of the stuff like Music system or alloys could be easy fit from after market.

AWD option still would have made sense for many but who's going to spend 14L on road for bare bone XUV500 when they can look opposite in the same showroom to pick XUV300 top variant?

[jithin23]

I feel that this is a stop-gap measure by Mahindra to get more sales for XUV500. This really dilutes the premium perception of XUV500 and not many will pay 15L on-road Bangalore for a bare-bones variant without a music system and rear wiper. Add to that, the plastic quality of the car is not worth the price it commands for the mid and top variants.

The latest XUV500 has gone a step backwards in terms of build quality i.e. the doors have a wrinkle near the door lock and when I have asked the yard manager during a PDI for my friend's XUV, he said that the panels are lighter than the previous gen XUV for the interest of more fuel economy.

The features to price ratio are reduced compared to the previous versions of XUV. For instance, 2015 W8 had 6 airbags, puddle lamps and other small features and it was well loaded for the price of 17-18L on-road Bangalore. Now, W9(replacement of W8) MT comes with only 2 Airbags, ESP, hill assist and Sunroof without the small features like puddle lamps, door ajar lamps and camping lamps. for 20L on-road Bangalore.

[Storm2.0]

This particular variant may be serving the taxi fleet in future including self drive services like revv, zoomcar and all.
Only to them this model seems sensible I feel.
Just for comparison sake when I went through Harrier's feature list for it's base variant, I was shocked to see how it missed a number of basic features including audio system , electric mirrors remote locking.
These base variants are definitely an eyewash so as to show a lower starting price to the market.

[haisaikat]

Originally Posted by NaXal

I wish they had kept the AWD as an option & included that really important Rear Wiper.

Rest of the stuff like Music system or alloys could be easy fit from after market.

AWD option still would have made sense for many but who's going to spend 14L on road for bare bone XUV500 when they can look opposite in the same showroom to pick XUV300 top variant?

When an enthusiast wants to buy AWD or 4x4 the manufacturers know that they will get to upsell the top Variant easily. The unit sale figure is good but it's the revenue that gets you the shareholder sentiment as it's tied to growth. So what is the point in offering AWD at entry level variants, it would kill higher Variant sales instantly. Interior and features do matter a lot but in the end when drive enthusiastic people spend upwards of 12-14 lakhs I suppose durability aspects get more weightage and they would not hesitate to buy AWD with a bit more premium even if that means s waiting for a year and then make the buy.

I think as someone rightly pointed out this is a means to boost unit sale figures and I agree to that. What I also personally think is that Mahindra might be considering lowering price of their XUV500 to launch a 2 way competition with Creta and Brezza especially looking at the insane unit sale figures of the latter two As per current news 2020 XUV 500 would be way cheaper with a starting ex-showroom of under 10 lakhs rupees which we all know would be a 5 seater version only, an adaptation of SsangYong Korado. So in order to win the war with price point they have placed XUV 300 on lower end and XUV 500 on higher end of Creta and Brezza price ranges.

[diwa]

They have also increased the price of the other varients silently by ₹ 2000 - 5000. Am paying ₹2,500/- additional more than what I booked last month. This is a second price revision, they had increased around ₹15,000/- in April.

[GTO]

This is the XUV500 team's way of tackling the slowdown in the car market and get whatever additional sales they can, to keep the production lines & suppliers busy. At best, I think such a stripped variant will add 100 units / month to the sales tally.

Also a good way of pushing some more cars down dealer's throats. Right now, dealers are reluctant to accept any new cars from factories as their inventory levels are sky high. But they won't be able to say no to a new variant.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by GTO

Also a good way of pushing some more cars down dealer's throats. Right now, dealers are reluctant to accept any new cars from factories as their inventory levels are sky high. But they won't be able to say no to a new variant.

Sorry for going OT here.

If the dealers already have high inventories, wouldn't it be counter-productive to push even more vehicles to the dealers, including new variants? They will eventually pile up in some part of the country and will be difficult to dispose off when the market recovers.

Would it be better to cut production till existing inventories are cleared out? Or give discounts and clear stocks while keeping the production levels constant? From what I know, Maruti used to follow this strategy of giving discounts when needed, but now has been forced to cut production as well.

Coming to the XUV 500 W3, it is a thoroughly stripped down variant of the vehicle and looks bad, IMO. It will simply dilute the XUV brand at the cost of few more sales. Seems Mahindra is feeling the heat from Harrier and wants to keep the momentum going for the current gen-XUV while the new one is in the makes.

Edit: This strategy, of a barebones variant, has worked very well for Creta where the base variant brings in significant sales numbers. Maybe Mahindra is thinking along the same lines. However, in the past, I have seen very rare number of W4, W5 (and similar base) variants of XUV.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/modif...goodies-3.html (The curious case of the ‘converted’ Cretas! People buying lower variants & then adding extra goodies)