[SDP]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Few doubts

1) Hill-Descent & Hill-Hold comes on W8 and W8-AWD?
2) The difference between W8 and W8-AWD is just the AWD part?
3) The new improved version makes it a better buy/ safer buy?
4) How good are the electronics now?
5) Ride quality @ rear. Can you compare how good or bad it is with respect to Innova,Safari,Scorpio, Fortuner ?

Let me try answering:
1) Yes.
2) Yes.
3) There is informal word about some 42 changes that have gone in the XUV since launch. No first hand experience with the new improved version, so won't be able to comment.
4) Do not have extensive experience with other SUVs/MUVs. From whatever little I have seen, ride is definitely firmer (in a good way) as compared to Scorpio and Safari. Not as harsh as Fortuner. Innova most likely rides better. The highway-speed ride is amazing. Low-speed ride sucks on uneven roads. Crashes into potholes at low-speed (Apparently the improved version has better damping rates). On bad roads at slow speed, rear seat passengers get thrown around...not vertically, but horizontally. Body-roll is well controlled.

Originally Posted by StrangeWizard

I just sat in the refreshed xuv5OO. Even though the niggles might have been ironed out, the quality of interiors was more or less the same.

There was an ESP off button too. Have you driven with the esp off? Does it even make any difference?

ESP does work. At least that's what people who have experienced it in the XUV claim. To see ESP in action, search on youtube for Bunny Punia doing laps in a XUV at the Budh Circuit. I have not encountered a scenario yet where ESP would kick in.

NOT ADVISABLE, but if you really want to test ESP on XUV (zappo mentioned it on the review or niggles thread) - Find a empty parking lot and with the vehicle at standstill, floor the accelerator in first gear. Turn the ESP off and do the same thing again. Repeating - please do NOT try unless absolutely sure about what you are doing.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Few doubts

1) Hill-Descent & Hill-Hold comes on W8 and W8-AWD?
2) The difference between W8 and W8-AWD is just the AWD part?
3) The new improved version makes it a better buy/ safer buy?
4) How good are the electronics now?
5) Ride quality @ rear. Can you compare how good or bad it is with respect to Innova,Safari,Scorpio, Fortuner ?

1. Yes, Available in both the variants.
2. Yes, just the AWD system.
3. Yes, it does. My own car (after the few updates) and my BIL's few months old car are now absolutely niggle free.
4. I have not faced any issues with Electronics in either of these cars. For details refer my ownership thread.
5. Ride quality is lot more settled, especially at speed compared to these chassis based Vehicles running solid axles, personally i'd rate Dynamics and Overall ride few notches higher. But the the ride at slow speeds is not as supple as some the softer chassis based SUV's, but far more flatter ride at speed and lack of pitching makes up for it. Unlike the chassis based SUV's the monocoque XUV can be thrown into corners without hesitation, and it can carry much more speed confidently into curves.

For rough road performance of AWD variant please read this: http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-d...ml#post3194098

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by SDP

Let me try answering:

ESP does work. At least that's what people who have experienced it in the XUV claim. To see ESP in action, search on Youtube for Bunny Punia doing laps in a XUV at the Budh Circuit. I have not encountered a scenario yet where ESP would kick in.

Originally Posted by .anshuman

1. Yes, Available in both the variants.
2. Yes, just the AWD system.
3. Yes, it does. My own car (after the few updates) and my BIL's few months old car are now absolutely niggle free.
4. I have not faced any issues with Electronics in either of these cars. For details refer my ownership thread.

Thanks guys!

Was there any recall/retrofits .

My cousin's had the following done. He is on to the 3rd service today at 30k odo. He is pretty happy though.

Brake pad was part of a recall they had .. so was two other things.. one on the wiper motor wiring and power steering..

[SDP]

Originally Posted by jkdas

Thanks guys!

Was there any recall/retrofits .

Yes. 3 parts.

Details here:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ain-parts.html

[rakesh_r]

Hello sir,
Excellent review on Duma.A little rewind back to August 15th.I believe i had seen you on the Mumbai-Bangalore highway.I was heading to Goa on a white swift,while you were effortlessly gliding over the bad roads and while i was crawling.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

Hello sir,
Excellent review on Duma.A little rewind back to August 15th.I believe i had seen you on the Mumbai-Bangalore highway.I was heading to Goa on a white swift,while you were effortlessly gliding over the bad roads and while i was crawling.

Oh, that was you!
I guess we spotted each other before the Khambatki ghat. My wife even clicked a few pics of your Swift. I overtook your car so that you could spot the stickers and later slowed down so that you could pass and we can wave at each other. But somehow traffic was bad in that stretch and I guess you got entangled somewhere.

Unfortunately pics from that section got accidently overwritten later in the Goa trip and I was not able to recover those pics.

I even mentioned it in the sticker-spotting thread.
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/shifti...ml#post3213749

[SDP]

A HDR taken yesterday night:

[debuda]

Originally Posted by SDP

The highway-speed ride is amazing. Low-speed ride sucks on uneven roads. Crashes into potholes at low-speed (Apparently the improved version has better damping rates)......

I had no idea that the XUV suspension has been retuned or modified. What exactly are the changes? Any published reports in auto mags?

[SDP]

Originally Posted by debuda

I had no idea that the XUV suspension has been retuned or modified. What exactly are the changes? Any published reports in auto mags?

Was covered here:
http://overdrive.in/reviews/2013-upg...a-first-drive/

No specifics though.

[.anshuman]

Originally Posted by debuda

I had no idea that the XUV suspension has been retuned or modified. What exactly are the changes? Any published reports in auto mags?

One of the changes are redesigned Anti Roll bar bushes, my car now has these latest ones after the previous ones failed. For last 6-7kms the noise associated with loose bushes has vanished. I cannot really comment on whether there is any change in Ride quality compared to the previous design as i have not driven a XUV running the older bushes for a long time now, my BIL's car has upgraded new bushes straight from the factory.

Other change as i read somewhere was in altered Spring/Damper Rates. IMHO no change was required to Damper rates as they are already perfectly setup, just the springs might need some tweaking to get rid of this under-sprung, over-dampened character. Overall i am pretty much satisfied with the Ride and Handling combo of XUV.

[SDP]

I had started getting "Front brake-pads" worn-out message. A visual inspection did not show any snapped sensor wires, so took the XUV to the service center over a weekend.

Besides this, reported the following minor things from the running list that I maintain:
1. MMI upgrade to latest version
2. Wipers non-smooth operation
3. One nozzle of spray blocked.
4. Main system s/w upgrade (for FE to show more than 18kmpl ..high hopes )
5. A screw/nut from tail-light assembly was rusted
6. Reverse horn was disabled last time I visited. Wanted to enable it.
7. The Infotainment system shows "Hi ...". Wanted my name added to the message.
8. Minor rattles from the car.

One of the front brake-pads had a broken sensor and the pair was replaced under warranty. Got the remaining things done as well.

Interesting root cause for the wipers vibration issue - if the windshield washer fluid is replaced with plain water, the wipers don't wipe smoothly because of more friction.

Suspension was retorqued and some solution was applied to door-beadings which solved the minor rattles.

[raj_5004]

Originally Posted by SDP

4. Main system s/w upgrade (for FE to show more than 18kmpl ..high hopes )

Good you know. G3 was unaware about such an update, I left it at that.

7. The Infotainment system shows "Hi ...". Wanted my name added to the message.

Is that possible?

Interesting root cause for the wipers vibration issue - if the windshield washer fluid is replaced with plain water, the wipers don't wipe smoothly because of more friction.

My car uses plain water as well and the wipers work normally.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by raj_5004

Good you know. G3 was unaware about such an update, I left it at that.

Sorry, missed mentioning that this was not done. They were not aware of any such thing. Have to dig out that snap where it shows FE more than 18kmpl and approach them.

...."Hi ..."...

Is that possible?

Yes. Will share a snap soon. Not very elegant, but can be done.

My car uses plain water as well and the wipers work normally.

My wipers used to shudder horribly towards the bottom edge of the sweep. May be I need to keep the windshield cleaner.

[fundagenie]

Originally Posted by SDP

May be I need to keep the windshield cleaner.

Came across this product on ebay.

http://www.ebay.in/itm/PROKLEAR-Nano...ht_4326wt_1184

Thinking of giving it a try after watching the videos.

FundaG

[SDP]

Sharing some good snaps clicked by friends:

First 3 clicked by cartman and adishenoy:






Next 3 clicked by Dodge_Viper:






Thanks guys! Those are unarguably the best snaps of Duma ever.