[agbenny]

Originally Posted by swiftnfurious

Someone posted that this will be a 5+2 seater with the 2 child seats facing each other at the back.

That's wise, 7 seated rear side facing means better luggage space. I decided this way when buying Scorpio, and I am happy that I did that.

[julupani]

Originally Posted by agbenny

That's wise, 7 seated rear side facing means better luggage space. I decided this way when buying Scorpio, and I am happy that I did that.

I am sorry, how do you say that??

If you have side facing seats, there is almost no luggage space if there are people sitting there.

And if you can make the front facing seats fold away, I dont see any luggage space difference between side-facing or front-facing seats, when you have upto 5people on board.

At least with front facing, you can make the design such that there is atleast some luggage space even with the 3rd row up. In the Innova, there is still "ok" luggage space with all 7 seats up. While the Aria compromises on a bit of 3rd row comfort, allowing for very generous luggage space with 7 people on board.

If you have a 3rd row, its always good to have it front facing, which are always more comfortable, not to mention the 3rd row people dont have to turn their heads to make conversation. In the north-east, I have seen many Spacio, Sumo, Bolero users who have actually converted the read side-facing seats to front facing ones.

[scorp 1]

Mahindra seriously needs it's logo makeover - the logo is all but dumb, and is a bad design. Looking at the initial pictures of XUV5OO on the net, wonder if the grille and the mesh is body colored? If yes, it's whack of a cheap looking stuff. The front is so much Grand Cherokee, or even the '07 Terracan.
Mahindra really need good designers. They have made a dud out of a Scorpio. Not sure what's in store for 5OO. The webpage (Mahindra XUV500 |Mahindra next generation global SUV | Code name W201) is as amateur (read the one-liners). They've even mentioned the pronunciation 'eks-yoo-vee-fayv-dubh-uh'l-oh). Laughable!

[Bimster]

XUV500 sounds pretty lame. eXiting Utility Vehicle? Just read some where that their SsangYong brethren are coming out with something called XIV (eXiting Interface Vehicle it seems! )
Both cars look pretty good though.

[shankar.balan]

quite right
the rear 3 quarter looks rather montero-ish.
and yes the third row in the proto which I saw, has front facing seats foldable into the floor. I even sat in the 3rd row. a bit of a squeeze for my height but not so very bad really. acceptable space level for kids or smaller built adults.

Originally Posted by Parm

i expect XUV500 to have seats like Montero, which get folded into the boot floor, unlike fortuner and safari!

[tushky]

Originally Posted by Bimster

XUV500 sounds pretty lame. eXiting Utility Vehicle? Just read some where that their SsangYong brethren are coming out with something called XIV (eXiting Interface Vehicle it seems! )
Both cars look pretty good though.

and their so called Ssangyong XIV is a pure copy of Evoque.

[designersf]

I thought of this - Maybe Mahindra are planning to revamp their naming convention to alpha-numeric - The Scorpio might be the XUV400, Bolero the XUV300 and the new small SUV S101, the XUV100.

[Akshay1234]

I read in one of the papers that it will be a front wheel drive? This was yesterday. Is that true? The M&M chap was saying it will be like this to make it more car like, what a joke.

[shortbread]

XUV500 sounds like a denomination for a cheap commuter motorcycle.

@ akshay,

I dont think it will be FWD, wont that be pointless in an 'SUV' even if it is only supposed to be a soft roader?!!

[shankar.balan]

Most of these soft roaders all over the world nowadays are of monocoque chassis and front wheel drive. its not wrong to be front wheel drive. Monocoque chassis + FWD does handle better on tarmac and while climbing the nice hill roads etc. The idea is to give the consumer a car like feel with the SUV look and some of the SUV ability. Thats what consumers seem to want all over the world, which is why the birth and serious growth of these cross-overs!
Of course I agree that 4WD or AWD would be better for an SUV/ cross-over like this. However, considering that most SUV's are pretty much never taken into really slushy or bad conditions the FWD/ Soft Road AWD is more than enough to handle most snowy, slightly slushy or loose surfaces which are most probably what the vehicle will encounter in its lifetime.
Ive been used to and feel psychologically comfortable with RWD vehicles but am coming round to thinking that FWD works just as well in most conditions. Of course, 4WD/ AWD would be preferred - something like the intelligent AWD of the Yeti, which senses and sends the right amount of power to whichever wheels need them most, depending on the surface one is driving on and the need for better traction.
End of the day, the XUV500 or any other soft roader is just that - a soft roader. One would not be advised to take it seriously off road into swamps and jungles and attempt river fording or something in these vehicles. For one thing, every serious off road adventure results in some horrendous things like water in the brakes and issues with the suspension and a host of other such irritations which means that the vehicle typically has to be overhauled pretty well after such adventures, if one wants it to continue its proper performance and ensure it lasts.
Bottomline - for real serious off road work, better get a vehicle primarily suited for that purpose.
Soft roaders, like it or not, in the end, are mere posers. But they do have the advantage of the high ground clearance, good stance and commanding driving positions coupled to lots of space for people and luggage. These are the main reasons for people to buy them. They also help one to live one's dreams / pretensions to be able to "go anywhere" - though in practice this hardly ever happens!

[Bimster]

^
Agree. Body on frame SUVs are becoming a rarity. Most people dont even realize that most of the cars they think are SUVs these days are actually car based, road biased crossovers. Many of them are are also FWD.These are much better for everyday use though.How many real BoF SUVs are sold in India? Of the foreign manufacturers, from the list I have seen-Fortuner, Land cruiser and all LR models-thats it I think.

[Games Goblin]

Guys, any chance the XUV 500 will look like this?



If it looks like this, it'll be a winner for sure!

Image courtsey : Vicky.in

[Zed]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Most of these soft roaders all over the world nowadays are of monocoque chassis and front wheel drive. its not wrong to be front wheel drive.

Exactly. The 2011 Ford Explorer has taken the crossover route after many successful years of existence as a body on chassis classic SUV. Mazda's acclaimed CX 9 & CX 7 are crossovers. Crossovers offer better comfort and handling on tarmac compared to SUVs. Considering that very few SUV owners actually take their vehicles off road in India, a crossover does seem a sensible choice for this market. In fact I would go on to add that customers that decide in favour of a pas car, having considered SUV \ UV options, do so on account of the comfort and handling aspects. A crossover would make that decision even more difficult as it offers car line handling and comfort with the road presence, space and image of an SUV.
The Indian automotive market is likely to embrace crossovers as long as they are not significantly more expensive than sedan options available.

[Parm]

Crossover Utility Vehicle, so thats what it is>>XUV500.

X5, X3, X1, XC90, XC60, CRV, MRV, HRV...all are soft ofroaders.

its the correct product for indian market as people with SUVs or Soft Offroad vehicles dont indulge in offroad activities.

for that purpose, JEEP and GYPSY are there.

lets see the response to XUV.

[shankar.balan]

yes it will look pretty much like this going by the pre prod proto that I saw. it is a good looker. Almost captiva ish in size and presence.

Originally Posted by Games Goblin

Guys, any chance the XUV 500 will look like this?

Attachment 604305

If it looks like this, it'll be a winner for sure!

Image courtsey : Vicky.in