[sudipta]

I got a call from one of the sales executive of my chosen dealer yesterday for my booking assuring that he is assigned for me and will be in touch through out the process. I am impressed as this happened within 2 days of my confirmation.

[kgt.v8]

Originally Posted by sudipta

I got a call from one of the sales executive of my chosen dealer yesterday for my booking assuring that he is assigned for me and will be in touch through out the process. I am impressed as this happened within 2 days of my confirmation.

I am also from Hyderabad. I have not received any call yet from the dealership where I booked.

Which dealership and branch did you book with?
Did you book AX7L RWD AT?

[Raghu M]

I am not fully convinced that these nos. will actually convert to real sales. Let's say the deliveries start in 2 months or even after 15 months given the waiting times, would we be seeing a sales graph to the north of 14K per month for M&M? I highly doubt the sales would be in that margin. Given the capacity is 7K per month, let's say even if M&M plans to hike it, achieving the base of 7K seems a little ambitious. Will have to wait and see how this turns out. The waiting times, high bookings and sites crashing in 1 hour seems all like a drill for most of the new releases now.

[FAIAAA]

Test drove the ROXX today. Observations in line with the official review and member observations in the previous pages.
What stood out for me -
Positives-
1. Design - Love the jeepy look. Quite a head turner from the front and the rear. Side gives me a Bolero feel.
2. Smooth and refined engine-gearbox combo ( drove the diesel automatic) and NVH.
3. Suspension and ride quality.
4. Steering though very light is accurate, goes where you want the car to go.
Not so great-
1. Ivory interiors - test drive vehicle was soiled, lot of stains everywhere especially seats, arm rest, area near grab handles etc.
2. Short seat squab and hence poor under thigh support.
3. Ingress and egress.

It's out of my consideration set for a long distance tourer as I do cross county road trips and things like seat comfort ( under thigh and lumbar support) , storage (bottles), interior color etc matter a lot

[sudipta]

Originally Posted by kgt.v8

I am also from Hyderabad. I have not received any call yet from the dealership where I booked.

Which dealership and branch did you book with?
Did you book AX7L RWD AT?

I booked online for VVC Bachupalli location and AX7L AT 4x4 brown interior.

[gururajrv]

I took a test drive of Thar Roxx today and I felt happy driving a jeep for the first time

A jeep is a different breed altogether. Trust me, people who love driving should experience 3D/5D Thar. It changes perspective of driving a pure breed SUVs amongst a trying hard to-be or pseudo SUVs!

My perspective:

1) Driving experience is pure pleasure coupled with loads of tech. I found apt driving position and felt comfortable from the word go!

2) Interior quality is something anyone coming from Maruti/Tata will appreciate

3) Steering is so light, you can maneuver within city at ease. After driving Roxx, I felt my lighter Brezza's steering being heavy and tight! EPS spoils you, trust me!

4) I drove a diesel AT 4WD AX7L, engine and NVH is leagues ahead for a jeep. M&M's proved they're now the masters for producing great engines coupled with explosive performance

5) It was a bit difficult for family to get inside the jeep. Although they loved how the car looked, they were concerned about how smallest of steering adjustments I made on road was felt. Yes, body roll is evident. Drive 7OO and Thar Roxx back to back, you'll notice how world of difference you'll notice, if you're driving a jeep / BOF SUVs for the first time. This is crucial for any first timer into BOF SUVs/ single car dependent family individual / for anyone who prefers convenience over driving experience!

W.r.t how sales team are positioned, it's quite disappointing to note that they only push customers to go for AX5/7L variants while the lower variants aren't available at all to even take a quick peek at it. I believe it's the same across brands but with M&M, I feel they want to push the higher models for a fat margin. I wanted to check out MX variants in diesel specifically. Surprisingly anything below AX has not been received by dealership across Bangalore. I could be wrong, however, I strongly sense this is a game from Sales team or from M&M.

[anup_av]

I also did a quick test drive today along with my wife and kid at PPS Mahindra in Pune. The showroom experience was below-par (reference point is Hyundai and Kia showrooms). Coming to the car itself here are few quick observations
Thar Roxx has towering presence and looks amazing the initial eyesores like the kink in the door and C-pillar design eventually have grown over me.
What we liked
1) Super-commanding driving position, others start making way for you as you approach.
2) Big windows and white interiors make it look spacious and airy (Wife and son was happy as the windows start below their shoulder line)
3) Decent quality interiors with good fit and finish and ergonomically sorted.
4) Superb handling with butter-smooth EPS even felt a touch lighter than my Sonet.
5) Feels robust and indestructible, especially on rough roads, the suspension does a phenomenal job and that too silently.

What we did not like
1) Ride is extremely busy and jiggly in slow speed for reference we took a the same test drive route immediately after in our Sonet and the difference was night and day. In fact wife was so happy with Panoramic sunroof and rear seat comfort but was constantly bothered with the ride, even my 7 year old son noticed and mentioned the same.
The ride settles a bit as you gain momentum but still leaves a lot to be desired. I understand the BOF limitations and this is still the best BOF ride quality, however coming from a hatchback, sedans and monocoque SUV’s I want to give unfiltered feedback for those who will be making this transition.
I asked my wife for a summarised feedback on ride quality and this is what she said, “feels like travelling in a state transport bus with a Panoramic sunroof and luxurious seat.”
2) Drivers seat - While I was immediately feeling the lack of under-thigh support mentioned across multiple reviews, however, seems like it is underplayed. Thigh support is very minimal and seat squab is very short, it feels like you are sitting in a knee up position. I however found a comfortable driving position immediately, even though my left knee was touching the centre console (It was not uncomfortable). I also checked the seats in Thar 3D and those were also similar except for the slope towards the end in 5D. I am doubtful how comfortable it will be on the long journey.

Overall, I have loved Thar Roxx from the bottom of my heart however my mind is not still fully convinced that for a once in while off-roading adventure should the daily driving comfort be compromised?

If I decide to go ahead it’ll be AX7L 4*4 Mocha Brown Interiors as I feel buying a Thar in 4*2 is foolishness.

[Karthik Mathur]

Originally Posted by anup_av

The ride settles a bit as you gain momentum but still leaves a lot to be desired. I understand the BOF limitations and this is still the best BOF ride quality, however coming from a hatchback, sedans and monocoque SUV’s I want to give unfiltered feedback for those who will be making this transition.

Kinda in the same boat as you. On the same test drive route, my Rapid felt more composed than the Thar. But we do ride our sedans and hatchbacks much slower on poor roads and potholes. Maybe we need to change the way we drive and actually go faster on bad roads. I guess that's when we'll actually get to understand the advantages of this suspension and chassis set up.

In a way, this reminds me of my experience with the KTM 390 Adventure having owned a Harley Street 750 before that. When I rode the KTM the same way I rode the Harley, I.e. really slow down at bumps and speedbreakers, I didn't find it too comfortable, didnt absorb the bumps well at crawling speeds, lot of feedback passed to my hands. I never understood what all the reviews were praising it for.

On a ride back from Goa, the open roads nudged me to ride faster and voila, I found it way more comfortable. I could barely feel any of the road imperfections nor the expansion joints on NH48, it was a way smoother ride than on the way to Goa. The unexpected side effect - Goa to Mumbai in 8 hours!

We would never push our sedans or crossovers on bad roads, we might just take it easy till the bad stretch passes. On the Roxx, I suppose we don't need to treat it with kid gloves and it in turn, treats us better!

P.s. I also wonder if downsizing to 18" would be beneficial and solve this issue

[Abhi_abarth]

Long post alert :
Have good news and bad news to share.

Starting with the good one, received a call on Oct 4 from the M&M dealer representative confirming that my vehicle has been allotted (AX5L D AT RWD) and it will be the first Roxx delivery for the dealership. To be honest, I was expecting the deliveries around January so I can get ample time time to take test drives, M&M fixing the niggles and finally decide to go ahead or not. The call has come to me no less than a shock I should say. I booked the vehicle without a test drive because here in Hyderabad the TD vehicles at some dealer ships are yet to arrive.

We (and my wife) immediately decided to take a test drive, went to VVC Kompally only to be told that they do not have the TD vehicle yet. Our original plan was to do back to back TDs of Creta and Roxx. Went to the Hyundai showroom which is <3 KM for the creta TD. They only had 1.5 NA CVT top end which I was ok with given no choice, the vehicle felt solid and I was feeling like a kid being pampered with all the bells and whistles, road noise was audible. I tested the eco, normal and sport mode. Overall the car felt quite premium and over priced at the same time (referring to 1.5 D AT Sx(o)) but I am sold on it.

An interesting comment by my wife was that apart from the panaromic sunroof it felt no different then our Baleno in terms of the road noise, suspension and cabin space. Kids loved the sunroof though.


Bad news:
Visited the M&M dealer whom I marked during the virtual booking. Without wasting time we got on to the TD car which was a AX7L 4x2 Diesel manual and here are my observations. Please note, I may have driven not more than 3-4 different cars till now that too mostly the entry level hatch backs hence my pointers might sound weird :

1. Car is very big. Felt like getting on a truck.
2. Gives a nice view of the road, nothing can be missed due to the commanding seat position.
3. Thigh support is below average.
4. Doors aren't as heavy as the Creta
5. Passenger seats are quite comfy, that's the place to be in this car. My wife and both the kids felt at home.
7. Feather light steering makes it a breeze to maneuver in traffic.
6. Exceptional sound insulation. You can hardly hear what's happening outside.
7. Punchy engine, pulls like a locomotive. Enthusiasts will love revving it.
8. Now comes the best part - Ride comfort : The 4 Km drive was very comfortable. I intentionally drove over speed breakers and rough patches and we could hardly feel them. I was fully prepared for lot of vertical movement in low speeds but surprisingly we didn't feel. Able to relate to Mod Jaggu's posts on the ride quality.

This car has the potential to pull away creta buyers towards it.

Overall, all of us loved it more than the Creta. But, the ONLY issue is with ingress and egress. My wife who is 5 feet 3 inches literally struggled to get in and out. She also has major knee complication for which the medications are ongoing.

Heart says Roxx but don't want my wife to suffer. The dealer has been pushing us to initiate the payment process and a delivery on Dussehra but, I told him I will decide only after the test drive.

Sorry for the long post. Just thought I will feel light by posting it here.

[ArSh]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Long post alert :
Have good news and bad news to share.

Starting with the good one, received a call on Oct 4 from the M&M dealer representative confirming that my vehicle has been allotted (AX5L D AT RWD) and it will be the first Roxx delivery for the dealership.

Congratulations on the allotment! Did your status change on the booking portal as well? Or is it still the same acknowledgement that booking is confirmed?

[kgt.v8]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Long post alert :
Starting with the good one, received a call on Oct 4 from the M&M dealer representative confirming that my vehicle has been allotted (AX5L D AT RWD) and it will be the first Roxx delivery for the dealership.

Heart says Roxx but don't want my wife to suffer. The dealer has been pushing us to initiate the payment process and a delivery on Dussehra but, I told him I will decide only after the test drive.

I think Mahindra has already manufactured AX5L and AX7L variants of the Roxx in past 1 month. Mahindra did the same thing with XUV3XO and Scorpio-N where top end variants which have more profit margin were delivered first.

BOF car like Thar Roxx will have side to side movement when you go slow on bad roads. If your heart is leaning towards Thar Roxx, I would suggest you take longer test drive on known roads. The dealers in Hyderabad were not providing home test drive or test drive for more than 5kms, as there were lot of people in showroom waiting for test drives. This is based on my 2 test drive experiences with VVC and Neon Motors in last 2 weeks of September. You can still push the VVC salesperson to see if they can bring the car in early hours or late hours near you for test drive.

VVC showroom at Kothaguda crossroad and Neon Motors showroom in Chandanagar had 4x4 diesel automatic available for test drive. VVC Kothaguda showroom has well laid roads on the entire test drive route. Neon Motors Chandanagar showroom has some bad road patches around where you can take the test drive car to understand how passengers will feel on bad roads. Neon Motors showroom in Boduppal might have a test drive car available also. I would suggest you call both VVC and Neon Motors in Boduppal to find out which showroom has automatic available for test drive and if they are willing to provide home test drive.

The ingress and egress in back or front seat of Roxx requires 2 step approach always. You need to step on the sidestep and then only it is easier to get into the cabin. Ingress and egress from Thar Roxx cabin could put some strain on your spouse's knees as she has a knee complication. I would suggest you try ingress and egress with her in showroom display car to see how comfortable she will be to do this on daily basis. My family travels only 30% of the time with me in the car, but that 30% is more important for me than rest of 70% where I drive alone as I have only 1 car garage.

[CARbun]

Originally Posted by Abhi_abarth

Long post alert :
Have good news and bad news to share.

Starting with the good one, received a call on Oct 4 from the M&M dealer representative confirming that my vehicle has been allotted (AX5L D AT RWD) and it will be the first Roxx delivery for the dealership.

Congratulations! Many happy miles to you.
What was your booking mode ? Did you pull any strings ? or it was just a matter of booking and getting the allocation

Please keep us posted on how the delivery goes and what mahindra tries to upsell (acessories) or anything at the time.
Thanks

[Abhi_abarth]

Originally Posted by ArSh

Or is it still the same acknowledgement that booking is confirmed?

It only shows as 'booking confirmed' on the portal.

Originally Posted by kgt.v8

The ingress and egress in back or front seat of Roxx requires 2 step approach always. You need to step on the sidestep and then only it is easier to get into the cabin. Ingress and egress from Thar Roxx cabin could put some strain on your spouse's knees as she has a knee complication. I would suggest you try ingress and egress with her in showroom display car to see how comfortable she will be to do this on daily basis. My family travels only 30% of the time with me in the car, but that 30% is more important for me than rest of 70% where I drive alone as I have only 1 car garage.

Thank you for your inputs. Yes, I will try and get another test drive this time.
Regarding the ingress and egress, we did try it on the demo car multiple times and my wife had to struggle a lot.
I share the same sentiments with you, we are a family who loves travelling by road and keep exploring new places every 3 months. Did a Kolhapur-Hyd trip month ago and have already started planning for a new trip. Very important to consider their comfort and convenience when they are travelling.

We still are not able to come to a decision.

Originally Posted by CARbun

Congratulations! Many happy miles to you.
What was your booking mode ? Did you pull any strings ? or it was just a matter of booking and getting the allocation

Please keep us posted on how the delivery goes and what mahindra tries to upsell (acessories) or anything at the time.
Thanks

I booked virtually. The dealership I chose had received few bookings compared to the others in Hyderabad hence I got on top of the list. At least this is what the sales executive said.

I will surely share the delivery experience if I am going ahead with the purchase.

[07CR]

Originally Posted by FAIAAA

3. Suspension and ride quality.

Considering you have owned a Fortuner and Corolla altis, how good or bad is the low speed ride quality compared to it? On a scale of 1 to 10 how much would you rate each, 10 being the best?

[iskandariya]

Honest answer , if Knee complication is in the picture along with 5'3" height. Don't opt for any BOF or MUV(pseudo SUV) where she cannot ingress directly. As getting hold of grab handles would be a challenge unless she is able to a sweet spot which is easier for her.

Also while deboarding make sure not to put load of the body on that knee.

Grand Vitara ingress is easy and suspension is also good. It comes with AWD too incase you require that.