[dockap]

my try at the front end. very crude attempt with ms paint
also side view without the hump behind the c pillar

[chpk]

M&M just dropped the ball with the front design. The side and rear profiles are ok and interiors are excellent for an Indian product. I just wish they didn't go for that front just for the sake of looking different; they still might not get rid of the "mahindra = ugly" tag anytime soon with these kind of end results...

[shankar.balan]

I like this vehicle. It looks a bit Montero-ish. Though frankly they dont seem to have changed very much from the proto I saw in May.
Im sure that they would have ironed out the small proto niggles in this production version though.
Waiting to know the on road price Bangalore for the top end 4WD with all bells and whistles.
Waiting also to test drive and check its handling.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by Fordmanchau

Didn't see any price info anywhere?Is it not declared?

Price is supposed to be out in 24 hours.

Edit::
Sirish of Odmag predicts a price of 14.7 ex showroom for the top end W8 variant !

And Hormazd says "On XUV price I think its Rs 14-16 but my guess made anandmahindra grin so price could be lower!"

Will we be in for a rude shock or a sweet surprise tomorrow?

[shankar.balan]

Latest Autocar predicts 13-15 lac range for the 2 variants.
15 lacs for the top end with 4WD and all bells and whistles translates to about 19 on road Bangalore.
Can consider this - provided it handles well and the fit and finish niggles have been ironed out.

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Price is supposed to be out in 24 hours. Odmag predicts a price of 14.7 ex showroom for the top end W8 variant !

[Selective]

This looks decent and not very bad, IMHO better than Xylo! With whatever we have seen so far, interiors are good, nothing to complain about. I am sure opinios will change to certain extent if we see the XUV in flesh.

[Sheel]

The tail lamps appear nice to me so do the pillars.

Don't like the center console or the instrumentation.

[SedatedDrive]

Originally Posted by Bottom Torque

Is it just me or Mahindra took the Ssangyong C 200 Concept (showcased in 2008)as the basic structure for designing the XUV 500?

Which one is the concept again?

MM would have done a better job if they had released the actual concept as-is.

[sidindica]

I only need two things in this XUV to be perfect.

1. The grill should be placed lower down and the gap between the grill and the middle of the upper portion of the front bumper should be finished.

2. That serial killer who ran knifes across the bu,per should be eliminated. A clean simple cut-less bumper is all we need.

Then it would somewhat look much palatible.

[vagu]

Originally Posted by sidindica

I only need two things in this XUV to be perfect.

1. The grill should be placed lower down and the gap between the grill and the middle of the upper portion of the front bumper should be finished.

2. That serial killer who ran knifes across the bu,per should be eliminated. A clean simple cut-less bumper is all we need.

Then it would somewhat look much palatible.

exactly! if someone can offer this package off-the-shelf, I think there will be many buyer for the XUV

[harimakesh]

For a 4x2 with fabric seating and reasonable features 11L is good price. Mahindra is aware that Tata's Aria flopped with AWD with its 12L+ pricing.
I guess Mahindra will price it 10% less than Aria.

[suhaas307]

Is it just me or does the wrap-around green-house remind you of Land Rover Range Rovers? Especially the roof that tapers downward giving it an almost Evoque-ish look?

I like the bulging wheel-arches that extend up to the window-sill. I do not like the front end. Looks messy, cluttered and overdone. The rear could have done without the protrusion on the boot-lid.

All in all, a decent looking SUV, that requires some ironing out, in the looks department. Let's hope the core is promising. The engine-drivetrain should be great. Hope the suspension is better than the other Mahindras. The interiors look great. If Mahindra provides you with customize-able interiors, it should be a big plus-point!

A winner in my books. Just needs some work. Much like the Aria.

[AVR]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Is there any way we can ask the Taliban to issue a Fatwa on the design team at Mahindra. Their design philosophy centers around scaring other people on the road.

For some reason I knew this was coming. The fact that the MM design team still had their jobs after they did the Xylo speaks a lot about what MM perceives of 'design' and 'aesthetics'

Originally Posted by NIP

Quirky yes, but I quite like it But yes...I agree the design chaps at M&M need to get their heads out of the gutter! Pardon my PS job, but here's my version of the XUV500 (Someone please make the kit!):

MM has just spawned a after-market industry in 2 hrs of the launch. Speaks a lot about the original product.

Saving graces for me would be great driveability (Reasonable to expect from MM), great pricing (Hopefully!) and offroad-ability (For old times sake!)

Aria was always a good looker to me but suddenly it looks so much better. I think its just "put together" better than the XUV5oo. There seems to be a method behind the madness (if I may say so) for the different angles you see of the Aria. For the XUV, its just tough to explain!

Have heard of this concept of "design language" for different brands. E.g. "fluidic" for Hyundai.
What would be your one-word description for MM?
(Hints: Scorpio, Xylo, XUV500, lots of plastic cladding)

Cheers,
Adi

[Zed]

Missed the launch online. The basic proportions seem fine but styling is a bit over the top. Perhaps the front end will look better in the flesh as opposed to some of these pics.

From a styling perspective one can almost draw a parallel between M&Ms recent designs and bollywood. The critics think its too garish but the crowds love it. A number of design purists in our esteemed forum have been vocal about their admiration for the clean lines of the Safari...but the Scorpio has the popular appeal when it comes to numbers. Theres a good chance that the XUV will follow a similar plot vis-a-vis the Aria.

With regards to the XUVs styling, my humble opinion is somewhere between the critic and the fan. I do believe that the fit & finish will probably win both critical acclaim & mass acceptance.
One can assume that the 140 hp Mhawk will provide adequate performance.
Now that the styling mystery is out in the open, pricing becomes the critical factor for the XUVs success from this point on. Its possible that potential customers will line up outside dealerships with their chequebooks in hand if they can get a good 2WD package for between 12 - 14 L on road. The queues would get considerably shorter if the price is between 16 - 18 lakhs.

[StarrySky]

The front is overdone - probably would qualify for the "weird and wacky" thread if it was an after-market mod. Just removing the "teeth" and leaving the black mesh grill in place would greatly enhance the looks, IMO. The day-time LEDs look copied from Q7. Third row space seems minimal just like in the Aria, but the front two rows seem to be spacious. I'm not a big fan of the rear either, but I like the stance from the sides. Dashboard design looks good. Fancy air-vents look flimsy to me, though.

Can't really judge from the pics, but the middle row seats seem to be placed low. It's probably also not going to be easy to slide into those seats given the vehicle's (presumed) height. We may have to climb up, then sit low down. Can't imagine that being very comfortable for the elders.