Mahindra TUV300 : Official Review

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

I told him that I would be holding back some payment so that in case there are any issues after my PDI, those would be fixed immediately. He said that I would have to make the complete balance payment (9.75 lacs) and they can give me the car prior to registration.

Just now coming back from the showroom. Negotiated a bit for retaining some payment, finally they obliged. Gave a cheque for 9 lakhs, retained 75K to be given after doing the PDI and before sending the car for registration. I told them that once the car lands in their stockyard and they do the PDI, they should inform me so that I can get my PDI done simultaneously. Also once the car reaches their showroom and is to be sent for registration I will do the final inspection and do the online transfer for the balance payment of 75K.

I inquired about the TUV accessories. I was interested in getting the floor mats and mud flaps, however the prices of the accessories stunned me. Humble mud flaps costing Rs 1200/- and rubber floor mats costing Rs 1700/- . I would be better off getting these from outside.

The Black Armour Kit with black spoiler costs a whopping 68K. Attaching below the TUV Accessories Price List for those who would be interested.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

.......... And guess what it is rear wheel drive not because Mahindra wanted it. If you know what I mean.

I must be dense, because I really don't get it. I thought RWD was M&M's forte & the Logan was an aberration, while the XUV500 was more or less their coming of age - of sorts.

[nishant kar]

Tomorrow i will be taking delivery of my TUV T8 Black .
Did the PDI yesterday as soon as the car was taken of the trailer.
I am super exited for tomorrow.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by nishant kar

Tomorrow i will be taking delivery of my TUV T8 Black .
Did the PDI yesterday as soon as the car was taken of the trailer.
I am super exited for tomorrow.

Wonderful Nishant, many congratulations to you in advance . I can feel your excitement as I would be in the same situation a week down the line. Is it a coincidence or our true BHPian trait that the four of us have not compromised on the variant and have gone for the top end T8 model, you, myself, Captain Rex and Silver Knight. More than that I would say it is the tremendous value proposition that TUV is bringing to the table. Nowadays people are struggling even to get hatchbacks under 10 lacs OTR and here we are getting full fledged SUV in just under 10 lacs or marginally over it. Hats off to Mahindra for bringing the TUV in our lives

Edit: Nishant, did you observe any issues during your PDI? If you don't mind could you please send me your PDI checklist. A readymade TUV specific PDI checklist would be of great help for me.

[nishant kar]

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Wonderful Nishant, many congratulations to you in advance . I can feel your excitement as I would be in the same situation a week down the line. Is it a coincidence or our true BHPian trait that the four of us have not compromised on the variant and have gone for the top end T8 model, you, myself, Captain Rex and Silver Knight. More than that I would say it is the tremendous value proposition that TUV is bringing to the table. Nowadays people are struggling even to get hatchbacks under 10 lacs OTR and here we are getting full fledged SUV in just under 10 lacs or marginally over it. Hats off to Mahindra for bringing the TUV in our lives

Edit: Nishant, did you observe any issues during your PDI? If you don't mind could you please send me your PDI checklist. A readymade TUV specific PDI checklist would be of great help for me.

The PDI was the standard Team-BHP PDI. Nothing unusual was observed during it. Thankfully

[AutoIndian]

Friends, happy to inform you that just now received my TUV's chassis number. It is F6KXXXXX.

As per Wildon's thread on VIN decoding:
F = Year of manufacturing = 2015
6 = I guess this is the manufacturing plant = Chakan, Pune
K = Month of manufacturing = Oct
XXXXX = These 5 digits are the serial number of the car.

[AutoIndian]

Originally Posted by nishant kar

The PDI was the standard Team-BHP PDI. Nothing unusual was observed during it. Thankfully

Thanks for that info Nishant. Did you make the full payment after the PDI? Also has the car registration been already done. I believe the car would have been sent for registration yesterday after you did the PDI and gave the clearance. If the registration was done in 2 days flat then that is simply superb.

[procrj]

Back from another 70+km test drive of the tank. Adding to the inputs from my previous drive

Originally Posted by Tushar

Slot into 3rd gear and even at 20 km/h, the pick-up is effortless

Need to drive it to believe it. Doesn’t feel like a 1.6 Tonne tank when you hit 1.3K RPM and the torque starts to come in. I thought the Figo aspire had good power delivery at low rpm but this is even better! You dont get pushed back into you seat but feels more like the steady pull of Bangalore metro when accelerating.

The engine's behaviour is at its best between 2,000 - 3,500 rpm

Originally Posted by Tushar

As for the FE, as stated in the review:Real world should be in the region of ~14-15 km/l.

Had to refuel before the drive and after 25 liters of diesel, the DTE was 344 km. I drove the tank for 2 hours after that in a mix of B2B & typical Bangalore haphazard traffic (approximately 70 min of the drive) and 50 min of highway cruising at 90-120 kmph. All the while the RPM needle never crossed 3K. After almost 65 km of the above, the DTE was 368 Km. Some rough math based on the above indicates that pre fill up, the FE was ~14 kmpl and post the ride, the FE was ~17 kmpl (assuming I burned 5 liters of fuel for 65 km). I understand that that is a very significant jump in FE and is unrealistic, but I do feel that at sane speeds of 100 kmph over long distance, the tank could return a FE which is very close to the ARAI claimed FE. And all of the above was without using engine Eco mode and the AC in Eco mode

Move out of the fast lane and cruise. 100 km/h in 5th gear sees the tachometer touch 2,600 rpm, while 120 km/h comes up at 3,100 rpm

Did manage to do 100 kmph at 2400 rpm and 120 at 2900 rpm. Engine noise is controlled at this speed but wind noise increases significantly at 120 when compared to 100.

Like most Mahindras out there, the gear lever has a rubbery side to it. The shifts aren't slick and boy, does the gear lever vibrate!

The gear lever is a dancer and the shifts arent precise. But coming from a 6 year old wagonR, the gear shift did feel better and gear vibration is something that one needs to live with.

The clutch pedal has a long throw. Those used to C1 & C2 segment sedans won't be pleased, as the long travel range makes it cumbersome to use in bumper to bumper traffic

Yes the clutch pedal is long but in B2B traffic all you need to do is slip the clutch and roll forward without accelerator input. In fact this worked even on the flyover when I was stuck in B2B traffic. This is when I noticed that in neutral the engile idles at almost 1K rpm and the dual scroll turbo ensures that you dont really have to wait for the torque.
Q: Is the idle rpm of 1K normal for 3 pot diesels? How does this compare with the 4 cyl 1.3 liter national engine?

Driving the TUV300 is an experience. In the city, people moves out of your way

Amen to that. A tap on the horn pad and autos and cab drivers think twice before cutting you off

The TUV300 gets a hydraulic power steering

Love the steering. When I drove the Aspire and the Zest, the EPS steering felt very light. For the last 6 years, I have got used to the heavy, steady hydraulic unit of the wagonR and that is why I love the tank's steering. Weighs up nicely at high speeds and gives you the confidence that you are connected to the road. Easy to manoeuvre in city B2B traffic and low speeds as well. Note - I am pretty well built and this could also be a factor

The 5.35 meter turning radius is wide for a sub-4 meter vehicle and making U-turns in narrow by-lanes will warrant a 3-point turn. Well, the EcoSport (5.3 m) and Duster (5.2 m) aren't much better in this area.

Had to take a U turn on an incline to reach the showroom and I watched a duster take a 3 point turn with bikes/autos in the opposite lane starring daggers. Mentally prepared myself to endure the same and turned the steering to be surprised. The tank easily made the turn without a hicup! Not sure if this has anything to do with the deep wheel arches or with the front suspension setup. On paper the turn radius is 5.35m but if you get the approach right, the tank can take some pretty tight turns.

Stopping power comes from disc brakes up front and drums at the rear.

Slow depress of the brake pedal and you will not feel the brakes bite but they are doing their job as the tank loses momentum. Having said that, deceleration is not linear and a couple of times the brakes bit hard and I could feel the front bowing down even though I did not fully depress the brake pedal. Need to find a balancing point and plan your braking in advance.

Other points to note
- Quality of plastic covering the hand brake is very poor and I dont see that lasting very long, especially if you have kids in the back seat
- Bluetooth pairing is easy and the buttons on the steering are very convenient
- There is no convenient place for a 5+ inch smart phone. You will have to use 2 of the cubby holes provided for coins, below the handbrake lever. Would be better to get some foam and fill these with just enough space in-between to fit the phone vertically
- While the handbrake is easy to engage, disengaging it was a little problematic for me. A couple of times during the ride the handbrake warning came up and I realized that I had not pushed it down all the way
- Door ajar warning is good and clearly shows which door is open. Did not check if this works for the boot door as well
- AC is a chiller and the AC eco mode is good enough for Bangalore weather
- Reverse parking sensors work very well and covers not just the rear but also looks for obstacles which are at an angle to the car. But given the height at which they are mounted, will need to check if they scan for objects in the 2D plane or in 3D
- While using ESS, the engine shuts down but doors do not unlock
- I am 6 feet tall and after adjusting the seat height, I could see the bonnet line to my right and also the edge. Makes driving in B2B traffic so much more easier
- Seats feel so much more comfortable when compared to my 6 year old WagonR and lumbar support is a welcome addition
- Floor carpets are nice and thick and feel good against your feet
- WIth 4 adults and a child on board, the tank is easy to drive in both city as well as highway speeds

The more I drive the tank, the more I feel that this is a logical upgrade for me. Might go for one last test drive at night before I book the car. Saw a Red tank in the flesh and my better half had to wipe the drool off my chin . Looks like the T8 Dynamo Red will be my next ride unless the new ertiga shvs manges to completely outclass the tank.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

rubber floor mats costing Rs 1700/-

Idol, perfume and floor mats are complimentary accessories that my sales advisor has promised. You should get the DIY noodle mats as they work like a charm and are easy to clean. Do search for the thread if you haven’t seen it.

Originally Posted by AutoIndian

Friends, happy to inform you that just now received my TUV's chassis number

Just below the right mirror there should be a sticker that clearly mentions the date of manufacture. Saw this on both the TD vehicles.

Originally Posted by nishant kar

Tomorrow i will be taking delivery of my TUV T8 Black

Congratulation nishant! Do post pics and first impressions

[mrbaddy]

Originally Posted by procrj

Back from another 70+km test drive of the tank. Adding to the inputs from my previous drive

That's 110 km (40+70) of Test drive. You are a Tough customer to please. . You might have covered more mileage than our reviewers during their review.

Are both the test drives from the same dealership? If same, the SA would be one disappointed guy if you go for Ertiga.

By the way, nice write up of your observations.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by mrbaddy

You might have covered more mileage than our reviewers during their review.

Given the attention to detail in the official review, I am sure that the reviewers spend more time/distance driving the car before turning it inside out

Are both the test drives from the same dealership? If same, the SA would be one disappointed guy if you go for Ertiga.

Yep from the same dealership. Was very frank with the SA and told him that if I am going to invest 10L of hard cash into a product, I want a whole bunch of TDs. The SA also did mention that there were instructions from the top that long TDs/Multiple TDs should be given to customers who request the same.

Slightly OT: Over the last few visits, I have been observing customers who walk into the Mahindra showroom. Not sure if this is isolated to this particular showroom (located almost in the centre of the city) or is a trend across mahindra showrooms
- The typical IT/Salaried folks form a very small percentage of customers (dearth of hatch/sedan options keeping them away?)
- Urban Business men (and when I say that, I mean non salaried) primarily come in to check out the XUV 500
- Did see a few large families walk in to check the XUV 500 and Scorpio
- Semi urban folks seem to be their biggest clients (again this is a guestimate based on dressing style, mannerisms and language)

Even the folks checking out the TUV 300 are primarily from the last segment and hence mahindra might be in for a rude shock when they see the TUV 300 eating away into Bolero/Scorpio sales instead of the Ecosport/Duster sales.

[drsingh]

Originally Posted by procrj

Even the folks checking out the TUV 300 are primarily from the last segment and hence mahindra might be in for a rude shock when they see the TUV 300 eating away into Bolero/Scorpio sales instead of the Ecosport/Duster sales.

Rural agricultural families can only get agricultural equipment loans to buy a vehicle. Consumer car loans are difficult for them. Bolero and it's variants among other SUV'S is the most popular choice for joint rural families for its ruggedness and reliability, ease of repair.

Mahindra will probably use this 1.5 engine in different tunes going forwards in as many vehicles they can. They may also launch rural - suburban variants of TUV 300 like the bolero.

They know their target customers well. Its just that they seem to be competing with Duster/Ecosports with their jeep DNA and ruggedness.
This is a sound strategy. They used it successfully to beat the Safari into oblivion.

This also reminds me of the way bajaj took on the Hero Honda splendour with the Pulsar. A different product offering a different experience. They couldn't beat the Splendour head on.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by shashanka

I must be dense, because I really don't get it. I thought RWD was M&M's forte & the Logan was an aberration, while the XUV500 was more or less their coming of age - of sorts.

Logan technically wasn't actually a Mahindra. The first true blue new Mahindra is years or perhaps decades is the XUV500 and lo and behold it is a monocoque and a front wheel drive unless you specify the all wheel drive variant.

The 'new' TUV is still old school with a ladder frame chassis based on the same platform as Scorpio, only shortened. Which is why it has the height of the thing but not the length. Anyway enough digression from the topic. If it suits the use case, buy it. To me it doesn't make any sense because I would not have more people in my car than the number of seats and neither would I be traversing the rural indian village roads during my daily commute.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by procrj

Love the steering. When I drove the Aspire and the Zest, the EPS steering felt very light. For the last 6 years, I have got used to the heavy, steady hydraulic unit of the wagonR and that is why I love the tank's steering. Weighs up nicely at high speeds and gives you the confidence that you are connected to the road.

Errr.. your WagonR never had a hydraulic steering. It was always electric. Speaking of hydraulic steering, the steering on the Scorpio and Quanto/Xylo is the worst hydraulic of its kind anywhere. Too light and no feel whatsoever. Good if they have improved it.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Errr.. your WagonR never had a hydraulic steering

My bad. Always thought it was a hydraulic unit given its weight and how solid it feels at high speeds

[iVtec]

Just drove the TUV 3OO today and the ride was very comfortable (I drive a Honda City). The front and side visibility is excellent and the rear view is hindered by the small glass area at the rear. The engine was smooth, the acceleration above par. The turning radius was not a problem at all - I was able to take a couple of sharp u turns without having to resort to a 3 point turn. However, there was this noise that I heard at about 1100/1200 RPM and then again at about 2500 RPM that bothered me. It lasts for about a second and then the engine regains its usual rhythm. Not sure if this is a TUV problem, or is it just the sound of the turbo kicking in?