Team-BHP - Mahindra KUV100 : Official Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by msk_kapoor (Post 4016897)

Hi i believe most of petrol variants are suffering from low mileage. Mine was always struggling at around 8 nowadays. Nothing is going to change after first service. Still the mileage remains the same.

Quote:

Originally Posted by studedude (Post 4016922)

8-10kmpl is what I'm getting and have done 9700kms so far. Not much you can do about it I guess.

Had complained through an email to Mahindra Customer Care 10 days back complaining about my pathetic FE of 6-7 kmpl. Got a call the same very day from their Eastern India Customer Relationship Area Manager. She appeared surprised that the FE is so low and said that i should be getting between 12-14 kmpl atleast in the city.

She requested me to handover my car for a day for some technical checks. And post that, she requested for a mileage test to be conducted on the car to verify the FE figures. Gave my car the very next day for the check-up and scheduled a 150 kms mileage test run the day after. The mileage test was to take about 5-6 hours and i was asked to accompany.

Now this mileage test is conducted as per Mahindra "standard protocol". Which means:

1) the fuel will be filled in the car upto brim (even after auto cut-off, by shaking the vehicle multiple times after auto fuel cut-off at the pump)

2) The vehicle will be driven on a highway at a speed range of 40-60 km/hr with no AC and headlights off. But i insisted on keeping the AC on, as that is how the car will be used by me. They agreed after much reluctance.

3) Electric Start Stop (ESS) to be used while driving

Note: They tried filling additional 5 ltrs in a jar to be added in the fuel tank after a few kms running. i protested vehemently to this, after which they agreed not to, after much reluctance.

Quite surprisingly, the mileage test of 150 kms returned a FE of 16.5 kmpl!!! Was pleasantly shocked to say the least. Asked them what did they do in the technical checks. They said, not much, just some regular checks and some software update. The mileage test ended on a positive note and the technicians conducting the test assured me that now since i have got a FE of 16 kmpl on the highway, i will get at least 12-14 kmpl in the city.

But alas, have been using the car since last 8 days in the city and did two tankfuls in the period. In the first tankful, got a FE of 8 kmpl, and in the second got the earlier FE of 6.5 kmpl. My car runs 100% in city with no highway trips. I agree that the traffic pattern in the city is different from the highway, but does that mean the FE will drop by 50% in city? In the other cars i use (in the same very routes where the KUV 100 plies), there exists a marginal difference in FE of only 4-5 kmpl between city and highway.

So now i am back to square one. Really don't know what to do next.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viv_cal (Post 4026476)

I agree that the traffic pattern in the city is different from the highway, but does that mean the FE will drop by 50% in city? In the other cars i use (in the same very routes where the KUV 100 plies), there exists a marginal difference in FE of only 4-5 kmpl between city and highway.

So now i am back to square one. Really don't know what to do next.

I was initially fed up with the low FE thinking i was the only one getting it. Now when i hear the same from others i am getting a hope that mahindra might bring in some ecu changes to fix this. My major problem is to go for refill every 3-4 days since the vehicle is giving only 220 kms avg in a tankful. Thats low for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by msk_kapoor (Post 4026514)

Likewise! I too am getting an average of about 210-230 kms in a tankful.

On the other hand, with a similar fuel tank capacity in my wagon r, on similar routes and similar traffic pattern, i used to get 420-450 kms ! This is beyond pathetic.

What action can we take against Mahindra on this ?

My car right now is at the dealer for the 10000kms service. SA informs me that a software update has been carried out and the smell and engine stuttering issues after filling the tank to the brim will not be a problem. FE issues I feel will remain and I have noticed that when you fill the tank and run it for around 100 to 200kms and refill it you get outstanding FE figures. But let the tank come to near minimum and refill it and check the mileage figures and they would be appallingly low. Even the fuel gauge only reduces rapidly after the first 2 bars. Also when I pour ₹1000 worth of petrol (ie is 16lits) the distance I can do is around 140 to 160kms only. That is 10kms/l mostly highway. This should be set right during this service is what the SA says. Let's wait and see.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viv_cal (Post 4026476)

2) The vehicle will be driven on a highway at a speed range of 40-60 km/hr with no AC and headlights off. But i insisted on keeping the AC on, as that is how the car will be used by me. They agreed after much reluctance.

.....Quite surprisingly, the mileage test of 150 kms returned a FE of 16.5 kmpl!!! Was pleasantly shocked to say the least. Asked them what did they do in the technical checks. They said, not much, just some regular checks and some software update. The mileage test ended on a positive note and the technicians conducting the test assured me that now since i have got a FE of 16 kmpl on the highway, i will get at least 12-14 kmpl in the city.

I own a WagonR 1.0 and get 17-18 kmpl on the highway while maintaining 3-digit speeds with AC on. So if you are doing 40-60 kmph, which is the Economy zone of an engine, you should get ~20 kmpl. I agree it has a 1.2L engine (vs. a 1L in mine) but that shouldn't mean it will start drinking petrol.
Also some engines are very sensitive to driving condition (esp. the turbo charged ones). Their FE varies significantly in city and highway conditions. Maybe this engine doesn't like to be driven in slow driving conditions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viv_cal (Post 4026476)

the check-up and scheduled a 150 kms mileage test run the day after. The mileage test was to take about 5-6 hours and i was asked to accompany.

Now this mileage test is conducted as per Mahindra "standard protocol". Which means:

2) The vehicle will be driven on a highway at a speed range of 40-60 km/hr with no AC and headlights off. But i insisted on keeping the AC on, as that is how the car will be used by me. They agreed after much reluctance.

:uncontrol
Using this protocol one can get even 20-25 kmpl figures.

Cruising at 40-60 kmph on top gear doesn't require much wheel power, and therefore doesn't burn up any significant fuel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viv_cal (Post 4026476)

Quite surprisingly, the mileage test of 150 kms returned a FE of 16.5 kmpl!!! The mileage test ended on a positive note and the technicians conducting the test assured me that now since i have got a FE of 16 kmpl on the highway, i will get at least 12-14 kmpl in the city.

The whole thing is highly suspect. Even for a 1.2 engine, 16 Kmpl on the highway is not a great figure in any sense.
My Chevy spark with its 1 litre motor delivers 18-19 kmpl on highways and a max of 14-15 kmpl in the city.
In heavy traffic it doesnt go more than 12 kmpl. And all this with AC on and at highway speeds of 90-100.
Also when I drove our 2006 Honda city CVT (idsi engine) from Mumbai to Thrissur (around 1450 kms), the car surprised me with figures of 17-18 Kmpl at highway speeds between 100-120 with AC.
In city the consumption figures hovered between 10-12 Kmpl.

My point is that even if your car delivered 16.5 kmpl under such controlled conditions that is very low, and it will not translate to 12-14 kmpl in the city, 9-10 will be max IMO.
The efficiency or actually the lack of it is definitely concerning and it is sheer cheating on part of M&M if they claim it will deliver 40% more efficiency than it actually does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by viv_cal (Post 4026476)

Now this mileage test is conducted as per Mahindra "standard protocol". Which means:

1) the fuel will be filled in the car upto brim (even after auto cut-off, by shaking the vehicle multiple times after auto fuel cut-off at the pump)

2) The vehicle will be driven on a highway at a speed range of 40-60 km/hr with no AC and headlights off. But i insisted on keeping the AC on, as that is how the car will be used by me. They agreed after much reluctance.

3) Electric Start Stop (ESS) to be used while driving

Having witnessed similar test runs a few times, i can say for sure that the figure of 16.5 is alarmingly low for a 60 kmph ideal run for a car this size. This is a naturally aspirated 3 cylinder engine and is supposed to be a new generation 4 valve/cyl block which should offer much better Fuel Efficiency in in a sub 1 ton vehicle. Now just for a rough comparison, the power and torque, capacity, no of cylinders etc of the KUV closely match that of the Tiago with the only serious difference being the kerb weight. I feel these two should offer similar fuel efficiency with Tiago having a small advantage due to the lower weight. I will suggest that you refer the Tiago thread for the FE which the owners are getting. What drew my attention was the striking similarity in the engines specs between these two cars. (Tiago 1.2 L 84 BHP @ 6000 rpm and 114 NM @ 3500 rpm, KUV 1.2 L 82 BHP @ 5500 rpm and 115 NM @ 3500 rpm). KUV kerb weight 1085 kg, Tiago 940 kg.

Another comparison will be the Grand i 10 petrol which is again very similar in terms of specs.

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offici...review-68.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by extreme_torque (Post 3965567)

There is a fundamental difference. When the XUV first came out, no body said the proportions were flawed, it was said that it had too many styling elements, creases and the likes. Cleaner lines would have made it look even better.

The problem with KUV100 is that even the proportions are flawed and it is overstyled, double whammy if you ask me. The wheel are comically small, it istoo high relative to its width, the line and creases have no sense or purpose and are just there because Mahindra does not know any better. For comparison take Nissan Juke for example - it is quirky but atleast it is proportioned. There isnt much that you can do with the design on the KUV because the proportions are odd.

I think that says it all - "comically small" nails it perfectly. If M&M had the good sense to give this peculiar-looking Godhelpus large 16" wheels, it would have done the whole thing a world of good & added much needed street cred.