Mahindra Marazzo : Official Review

[locusjag]

Finally, if the Marazzo is carrying 6 people, one can forget about any luggage space. One would have to cram stuff between the seated occupants and use the boot for a couple of very small bags.

I know that the Marazzo doesn't come with roof-rails, but is an aftermarket rooftop luggage carrier not a solution?

[HighwayofLife]

Originally Posted by locusjag

I know that the Marazzo doesn't come with roof-rails, but is an aftermarket rooftop luggage carrier not a solution?

It absolutely is. Mahindra has a very nice Integrated Roof Carrier as an official accessory. I'm getting that next week. Also, the luggage space with all three rows up is sufficient to hold a kitbag or two, and a medium suitcase. While the Innova's boot is definitely bigger with all three rows up, the Marazzo's boot has some depth, which allows for a bit of extra loading. I might add that it's far better than the XUV 500's boot with all three rows up

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Other manufacturers such as Mahindra (Xylo), Tata, Honda, Renault and Nissan have had a crack at this segment too, but none have been able to match the 2 leaders.

I could not care much for the Mahindra Xylo, TATA or Honda Mobilio. I feel the Renault Lodgy was a brilliant product and was marred only due to the way it looks.

Originally Posted by Aditya

The Marazzo has been designed by Mahindra's design studio with inputs from Pininfarina - the Italian design house that Mahindra owns.

This is one modern Mahindra that I can appreciate from a design perspective. Nothing seems overly done apart from the few interior bits. I feel there is better design execution in every way with the Marazzo than the XUV, which I could never comes to terms with on its design on the outside or the inside.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Fit & finish are better than other Mahindra vehicles, but not as good as say, what Toyota manages.

Nice. This is something I am always suspicious about with anything TATA and Mahindra make. As modern and brilliant the XUV is, I still can't get over how my friends brand new XUV had a squeak coming from somewhere in the car on delivery day. These are things that don't show up when you do your own PDI. TATA seems to have put in a sincere effort and gotten around the problem with their new platform cars such as the Tiago, Nexon series. Mahindra should follow this path.

Originally Posted by Aditya

We wish Mahindra had provided the top-end variant with 6 airbags & ESP like the XUV500.

They should have. The Marazzo is going to cost in excess of 15 lac on road for the top variant and not having these extra safety bits is a huge let down in my view.

Originally Posted by Aditya

M8 variant gets dual-tone 17" alloy wheels shod with 215/60 section Bridgestone Duelers.

This is your standard fare alloy wheel design and probably works for a people mover. I appreciate that they did not under tire the Marazzo. 215 section should offer good grip. The ride is definitely going to take a hit with 17".

Originally Posted by Aditya

Disc brakes are provided on all four wheels of the Marazzo

I wish they were a bit bigger on both ends. An all disc setup does not necessarily mean better brakes. Fully loaded, I am sure they may just cut it. There also needs to be careful disc size matching. No point using a massive disc up front and a tiny one at the back. This is what usually leads to nose dive as there is excessive weight up front.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Cabin quality is overall satisfactory, with some good parts & a few cheap ones. The plastics on the dashboard are all hard.

Photographs suggests the quality to be good. I like the layout of the dashboard. Very car oriented. The ICE also looks intuitive to use. In a XUV, you'll be fumbling around to figure out where a button is or how to work the touch screen (On those initial days). I still can't digest the choice of color being purple for the infotainment system and dials. Mahindra does seem to have some strange choices when it comes to lighting up the dashboard.

Originally Posted by Aditya

See the carelessness - between "x1,000" and "rpm" on the revv counter

Sure is. Considering there some space at the 3000 mark, they could have easily moved the letters a bit to the left.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Niggles = this was working intermittently in our test car.

This is a QC issue and the very reason that makes me nervous to put my money on a TATA or Mahindra product. They have not got it yet. This one aspect alone is enough for me to add some more number on my cheque and pay for a Innova. I don't care if it costs a few lacs more and that I can't get the top variant. I know nothing will break or fall apart and even if it does, Toyota will go out of the way to sort it out and keep me happy.

Yes; we have come across a few unhappy new Toyota Innova owners but ask them what they will buy again and the answer will be an Innova only. Such is the confidence and reliability of the product and brand. It is gonna take something to take this away and iffy QC control is not something you can afford to have.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Weird that companies miss out on such simple convenience features after spending over a thousand crores in R&D

Seriously.

Originally Posted by Aditya

It's too sensitive & Mahindra needs to correct it. In the city with a heavy foot, the compressor is kicking in and out constantly. There was a bug in our test car - the cabin re-circulation mode light was not going off.

Sounds like the Eco mode coming in the way even when it is OFF. It is possible that re circulation mode did not deactivate as desired cabin temperature could not be achieved.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Aircraft (or boat?) inspired handbrake looks super cool, but is terribly inconvenient to use, especially with the armrest in place.

Should have made it foot operated if space was a constraint.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Exposed screws & bolts under the dashboard on the driver's side look ugly!

That is horrible.

Originally Posted by Aditya

Out on the highway, straight line stability is satisfactory at 120 km/h.

Something you definitely want when you are out on the open road. Thumbs Up here.

Originally Posted by Aditya

45-liter fuel tank (same size as the Ertiga) is too small for this class of car. We would've preferred a 55-liter tank like the Innova

This might okay. The Toyota needs it due to the larger engine. Considering you can manage a good 600+ km on a tankful (With a lower ARAI rating), it is not so bad

As always, an excellent review.

[roby_dk]

Originally Posted by Vasuki

Normally seen many vehicles, where the front passenger side seat is folded completely, so that the second row passenger can rest the foot there. This is the first vehicle, I have noticed, where the second row can be folded completely so that the third row passenger can stretch his legs.

I think this can be done in most of the modern SUV's. I can do the same setup in my car(read: Endeavour) as well. Basically this can be achieved in any 7-seater SUV which possess flat folding 2nd row option. It is a nice to have have feature specially for long drives.

[SDP]

Originally Posted by Vasuki

...
Normally seen many vehicles, where the front passenger side seat is folded completely, so that the second row passenger can rest the foot there. This is the first vehicle, I have noticed, where the second row can be folded completely so that the third row passenger can stretch his legs.
....

Originally Posted by roby_dk

I think this can be done in most of the modern SUV's. I can do the same setup in my car(read: Endeavour) as well. Basically this can be achieved in any 7-seater SUV which possess flat folding 2nd row option. It is a nice to have have feature specially for long drives.

I believe the "folding flat 2nd row seats" are meant to create more luggage space when you need to move lets say a small sofa in your SUV/crossover/MUV.

Can't imagine someone folding an empty 2nd row seat - which is definitely more comfy and spacious - and then seating in the 3rd row seat - which is typically more upright and cramped - just so that he/she can put the feet up. In a SUV/MUV the last row is definitely more bouncy than the 2nd row when the car is in motion. So the ride is typically not pleasant.

I would never trade a 2nd row seat for a 3rd row seat. In fact, I would never trade a driver's seat for ANY other seat in a SUV.

[extreme_torque]

How practical are the 6 seaters anyway for 5 people travelling and their luggage? I say that because 5 people travelling with luggage is a pretty normal use case - Husband Wife Kid and Parents. With a bench seat, you can seat three in the middle and two upfront making folding third row a possibility for luggage. With a 6 seater, one person will have to sit at the back and you can only half fold that seat down affecting luggage capacity. Even though captain chairs are marvellous, I think the hit on the practicality is undesirable enough that I probably would not buy one.

[roby_dk]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

Even though captain chairs are marvellous, I think the hit on the practicality is severe enough that I probably would not buy one.

I fully agree on this point. The six seat arrangements is better suited for hauling office employees. It will be successful as all members will be having a personal space on their respective seats and they kind of enjoy the privacy.

If we talk from the family perspective the captain seat arrangement is not at all good. The 2nd row bench is the most important while traveling with infants. You can make them comfortable by cocooning them by your side which is not possible with captain seats. The other point as already highlighted by you is traveling with 5 people on board. This is a common setup for most of the families. Parents along with wife and a kid will make exact 5 members. Any outstation trip will have the 3rd row folded down for luggage and front two rows utilized for sitting.

[HighwayofLife]

Originally Posted by roby_dk

I fully agree on this point. The six seat arrangements is better suited for hauling office employees. It will be successful as all members will be having a personal space on their respective seats and they kind of enjoy the privacy.

Not really- offices nowadays want proper 8 seaters to maximize vehicle occupancy. That's why the M2 and M4 variants come in 8 seater models. IMHO- the middle bench will make the third row slightly claustrophobic.

Where taxi operators use the 7-seater config is for 5 star hotels for airport transfer duties, and similar requirements. While I agree that having the extra seat in the middle row is beneficial, fact is that you can register an 8-seater with whiteboard only if you're an individual buyer. If you buy in the name of company, such as in a lease or company-owned vehicle case, you can only buy a 7-seater, or have to register the 8-seater as yellow-board. This is a silly regulation, which makes it impossible to lease an 8-seater, and I wasn't going to buy a depriciating asset

[JayKavadi]

I do think that the Marazzo is Mahindra’s best attempt yet at the passenger segment yet in terms of design. All of their previous offerings have had odd ball designs (including the XUV). Although I could have done with a slightly better rear. This one looks slightly disproportionate especially the tail lamps.

I really dont understand why domestic car designers (Mahindra, TATA or even MSIL for that matter) are unable to churn out designs with clean lines like say a JEEP or even a KIA. Almost all Mahindra designs and some MSIL designs have some or the other quirk. Its almost like the designer did the tight rope walk and right towards the end jumped off it. While TATA has improved their designs, it still seems like a half hearted attempt.

Dont mean to ramble on anymore and going slightly off topic, its just that in our market, where cars are so ridiculously expensive compared to global prices, it hurts that there are hardly and “Good Looking/ Non quirky” cars in the 5-15 lakh segment

[pavi]

Originally Posted by extreme_torque

How practical are the 6 seaters anyway for 5 people travelling and their luggage? I say that because 5 people travelling with luggage is a pretty normal use case - Husband Wife Kid and Parents.

Isn't the number 5 taken just for considering one scenario? A family can have as many number of kids as they wish, and there can be absence of parents too (may be died or not staying with them). Consider two kids, husband, wife and parents. Does this equation put you in the same '6 seater use case' even though you got a 7 seater. As long as it is legal to have more than 1 kid in India, this use case is just one among the large number of use cases.

Originally Posted by roby_dk

I fully agree on this point. The six seat arrangements is better suited for hauling office employees. It will be successful as all members will be having a personal space on their respective seats and they kind of enjoy the privacy.

Who is that particular employer that you consider to come to such a conclusion . As far as I understand, a company loses less if the same cab can take more people. I think employees also will be happy in a 'whatever seater' cab as long as they don't carry another employee on their laps.

Originally Posted by HighwayofLife

Not really- offices nowadays want proper 8 seaters to maximize vehicle occupancy. That's why the M2 and M4 variants come in 8 seater models. IMHO- the middle bench will make the third row slightly claustrophobic.

Very true. Employees don't expect luxury in a cab, all they need is a means of transport to reach their homes safely. Let's consider a client is coming to the company location, then an employer may select a car with captain seats. But it is also not guaranteed, as a captain seat may not fetch them 'business'. But if you consider a hotel business, captain seats itself can get them a five star rating in the travel section.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by Rshrey22

While the young would prefer Marazzo for its features and tech, the old and mature will take the TUV300 Plus.

Disagreed. The older you are:

1. The tougher you will find to climb into the TUV300 Plus.

2. The harder you will find the TUV300 to drive (Marazzo is very light & easy to drive in comparison). The TUV300 Plus' steering is on the heavier side.

3. The more your back & bones will prefer the Marazzo's ride quality to the TUV300's.

[Rshrey22]

Originally Posted by GTO

Disagreed. The older you are:

1. The tougher you will find to climb into the TUV300 Plus.

2. The harder you will find the TUV300 to drive (Marazzo is very light & easy to drive in comparison). The TUV300 Plus' steering is on the heavier side.

3. The more your back & bones will prefer the Marazzo's ride quality to the TUV300's.

Didn't look at it that way .
But still, won't the TUV300 Plus be lighter to drive in city due to almost instant torque delivery? While I agree the other parameters that Sir, you have mentioned will turn most buyers away from the TUV.

[9thsphinx]

Somewhere in the review it says.."As much as Mahindra has restrained itself on the Marazzo, I guess they couldn't completely stop overdoing the design in some places" Aptly said

Will we ever see a clean cut design from Mahindra without any tackiness, ever? With the way their US counterpart has lent design cues to the Marazzo, we may just. Looking forward to the S201 now!

Super review. Fantastic coverage of the best designed product to come out from the Mahindra stable, yet. Rating 5 stars.

[roby_dk]

Originally Posted by Rshrey22

But still, won't the TUV300 Plus be lighter to drive in city due to almost instant torque delivery?

We can relate the same with people buying Toyota Innova rather than Fortuner. Former is more comfortable for the older generation and I am sure they don't care about the power delivery and torque figures. For ingress and egress Marazzo will be definitely better than TUV300.

[kbishwa]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Other Points

While at Team-BHP all the reviews are superb, one by Aditya, IMHO, is a masterpiece always, seems like going through a novel.

• The number of missing features is alarming! For an MPV that costs 16 big ones on the road, there is simply no excuse to skip on a leather-wrapped steering wheel, telescopic steering adjustment, auto-dimming IRVM, auto wipers & headlights, passive keyless entry & go etc. Cars that are priced much cheaper get these features.

I feel Mahindra went little greedier, it has overpriced the higher models for the engine size and features it has been providing. All above mentioned omissions could have been provided at this price along with 6 air-bags and sunroof (although just a gimmickry stuff for India). I fear the car will be twice killed, at one end by Ertiga and at another end by both Crysta 'G' and Hexa XMA as a privately owned car.

• Even the base M2 variant gets the rear air-con. We expect cabbies to rush to it!

• This U321 platform isn't designed to accommodate a 4x4 / AWD.

• For owners, there are 2 financial benefits to the Marazzo's 1.5L engine size. One, it's cheaper to buy due to the lower excise duty slab (compared to the 2.2L). Second, insurance premiums will be lower.

I tell you, Mahindra has cabbies in mind more than private owners while spending around ₹1400 crores! Because, the revenue generators is this segment for MPV.

Also, I was expecting more cross-referencing with Lodgy (is it dead?) and Hexa in addition to Ertiga and Crysta.

Thanks again.