[gurudutt]

SUVs have fascinated me since childhood. Have always wanted to own one for the butch looks, the ruggedness, high seating position and the third row seat (always loved sitting in the last row as a kid). This dream came true on 22nd of Feb 2014 when i booked the XUV 500 W6 Volcano Black.


The Decision
Having owned two Hatch backs over a period of 8 years, the ageless beauty Zen LXI and the White Tiger Indica Vista Aura ABS QJD mind and wifey were calling for an upgrade. Owning a Zen needs no introduction, however Vista was a little pain the wrong place. Tatas pathetic Quality Assurance strategy, frequent visits to the service center with niggling issues, service center guys fixing one problem and starting another, to name a few. But in spite of all the minor issues, the vehicle was worth every penny. Be it the ground clearance or the cabin space or the Amazing Fiat MJD. But having owned her for 4 years now and driven a little over 50,000 KMS, i realized that her niggling issues will only get worse with age and it was time to bid her good bye.

And thus started the search for a new replacement. First thing to do was fix up a budget and since i was looking for an upgrade, fixed it at 11-12 Lakhs. With this in mind, started shortlisting the options.

Options Considered

Hyundai Verna: I was just sold on looks, Hyundai got a real head turner there with that fluidic design. Went to the near by showroom and had a look, i really liked the front seats and dashboard. The SX CRDI was within budget and it had all the creature comforts. The rear seat is what turned me off. Now, being a Vista owner spoils you for space. The car had enough space to put cars from 2 segments above to shame. A third passenger felt really unwelcome in the Verna and i didn't feel it was an upgrade in terms of space. Still decided go for a short spin, the engine is a rocket, very powerful. I somehow felt the clutch was a little too hard for my liking and read a few complaints on the web too. Steering was a little vague and felt a little lifeless. Finally ended up crossing her off the list mostly because of rear space, i still love the looks of her to this day.


Tata Safari Storme: Was a little hesitant to go for another Tata car but nevertheless it was my childhood love and decided to check her out. I just love the looks of this machine, its so ageless and neat. The person or the team which designed it deserve appreciation and i hope Tata Motors hires more such people. The showroom had the explorer edition on display, i liked the size of the vehicle and its road presence and storme with the refreshed looks and projector lamps was good from the outside, but its the inside that made me cry out. The dashboard is very basic and uninspiring, the seats are too small and does not give the bucket feel. The middle row however was really good with acres of space. And now the third row, this car effectively is a 5 seater. Even with my height (5'5) i could hardly feel comfortable sitting in the last row jump seats. The LX variant was a little stretch for me, at around 13 lakhs but it had just the ABS and no other features. Took her for a TD and was pleased with the seating position and road presence, people just make way for you. The new hydroform chassis has considerably improved the dynamics of the car. Finally took her off the list largely because of the interiors and Tatas pathetic ASS.


Skoda Rapid, VW Vento, New Honda City: All of them gorgeous beauties are good in their own sense, felt nothing really wrong with them and it was just the cabin space that deterred me. Didn't TD them as i was not very keen.

Eco Sport: Loved the build quality and the dashboard. The car is a very good package overall, the only problem was the space again. Its effectively a four seater. Also, even with all the butch design elements, the car is still smaller that the competitors. Its just a tad bigger than a B segment hatchback.

Renault Duster/Nissan Terrano: Space was not a constraint here, its got good cabin space and excellent boot space. Being a fan of sheer size, it seemed a little small to me for the price. The top end variant was close to 14 lakhs and i needed more for this price . Also the feature list was not extensive for the price.

Now the vehicle which just left me drooling.

XUV 500: I had called up for a test drive the same day i checked out the Verna. It was in the afternoon and the sales executive from Sireeh Auto dropped by. After initial introduction, he gave me the keys. First impression was the size and the overdone looks, i liked them. The moment i sat in the car and cranked her up, was awe stuck by the refinement of the motor and the noise insulation. Clutch seems far smoother than the Verna. Took her on some empty roads close by and felt pretty much car like, didn't really feel i was driving an SUV, except for the size. Although no where close to the Lineas and the Ventos in terms of stability and drivability, was definitely comparable to my Vista. The sales guy asked me to check out the brakes, and after making sure there was no one behind me, hit the breaks hard. The vehicle performed really well under hard breaking conditions. Came back to my apartment, and the last thing i wanted to make sure was if she fits into my parking spot and if i will be able to maneuver her into it. It was a little tight but perfect fit. The variant was a W8 and the sales guy explained all the features, was pleasantly surprised by the exhaustive feature list.

Came back and revisited the team bhp test drive thread and finally both wifey and i were completely sold on it. XUV 500 it was. And now, the variant.


W4: The newly launched base Variant was a bang for the buck. It was a little stretch for me at 13.5 Lakhs. It had ABS and Airbags and i think Mahindra got it right here over the Storme LX which lacks the crucial Airbags. But ICE head unit was not 2 din and looked very basic. And with most of the other features missing, the dil was asking for more (dil maange more) .

W6: Had almost all the features of the W8 except for the Curtain Airbags, Alloys with tyretronics, ESP, Hill Hold and Assist, Leather Seats, Touch Screen Color Display with Navigation and Automatic Folding mirrors. I decided that these are the features i can live without or get some of them after market and finalized on the W6 Variant. Though it was close to 2.5 lakhs above my initial budget, i felt it was more than worth it.

Reason behind the decision (bullet points)

• Looks, first thing. I know its a love me or hate me kinds, but i was simply in love the first time i saw her on the road.
• The only option given the price range which looks and feels modern. Both the Scorpio and Safari have been around for almost over 10 years now and feel dated, at least from the inside.
• Refined ride and handling for an SUV. Am not looking to do any off roading beyond what our roads have to offer, so a monocoque would do.
• Awesome space in the first and the second row and was fine compromising the third row space since i don't have a requirement to ferry more than 4-5 people 95 % of the time.
• Feature list, man, the list is endless.
• Awesome cruising ability on the highways. As age is catching up with me, i seemed to have moved from low slung good handling cars to the move comfortable ones, Zen->Indica Vista->XUV

Booking Experience

Sireesh Auto Bangalore (new Airport Road, Yelahanka): Overall, the experience was not very pleasant. I would not recommend them and instead recommend India Garage (Mr Hemant). For details, please read on.

The sales guy Mr Nitin was well spoken and nice. They offered me 3 Lakhs for my Vista which i thought was a little less. I had already got a few prospective buyers for around 3.5 lakhs, thanks to team bhp classifieds. Decided not to go for exchange and booked the vehicle through Sireesh. They arranged for finance from SBH, the interest rate was around 10.4 %(if you have an own house, else 10.6 %). The loan was approved in a weeks time and delivery date was fixed for 7th March. Finally got a buyer at 3.4 Lakhs for my Vista but there was some confusion with the buyer and deal was called off and i was back to square one, exchange it with Sireesh auto and lose around 40 K. Then i recollected that India Garage had offered a better price and decided to cancel the booking with Sireesh auto and called Mr Hemant from India Garage Guttahalli to take the booking. This guy was very professional and got the evaluator along and took the booking amount. Later that day, i went to Sireesh auto to cancel the booking, they didn't want to let go of me and tried frantically to get the same exchange price and failed. They then offered me some discounts on accessories, i told them it was highly unprofessional of them and decided to go with India Garage even if i lose the 5 K booking amount. Finally the individual buyer called me back and cleared the confusion and wanted to buy my Vista . I was happy since i was not losing any money and decide to stick to Sireesh Auto in the interest of time. Felt very bad to cancel the booking with India Garage though Mr Hemant was very professional.


D-1 day (6th March). Went for a PDI with a avid tbhp follower and a good friend Prashant, checked out all the things mentioned in the PDI checklist. But for some reason, the garage guys refused to jack up the car for underbody inspection. They said XUV is no serviced here and they cant jack it up. It was a very absurd reason and after having tried for 30 mins explaining it to them that jacks are standard and designed for a specific weight and not any particular vehicle, finally settled with inspecting the underbody on a soggy, water filled washing ramp.


D day 7th March: Wanted to take the delivery in the Morning but the vehicle had to be taken for registration so decided for an evening time. Reached the showroom around 6 PM (was picked up from my residence), the delivery experience was short and sweet. They made us cut a cake, finished the remaining formalities. Finally i was handed over the keys to the black beast.

Free Accessories from the dealer: Woolen floor mats, Side Beading, Body Cover, perfume, idol and a 1.9 K discount on Teflon coating the total cost of which is 4.5 K. I had to pay 2.5 K more.

But to my horror, the teflon coating was not done at all as i figured out later when i took my car for a paint treatment. They had just applied a layer of polish instead. After a lot of harsh words being thrown at them, they reduced the price of the rear guard for the extra amount i had paid for the teflon coating (2.5 K).

On-road price, discounts

OR Price: 14,80,000 (after the excise duty cut)
M&M Discount: 20,000
Insurance Discount: 16,000 (Future Generali, sales rep got the deal)
Corporate Discount: 8,000
Final Price: 14,36,000

Engine Type and Variant

mHawk140, Direct injection diesel engine 5th generation Variable Geometry Turbo charger (VGT)
Cubic Capacity: 2179 cc
Max Gross Power: 140 Bhp(103kW) @ 3750 rpm
Max Gross Torque: 330 Nm @1600-2800rpm

Equipment Levels

Good equipment levels for the price i must say. Some really useful, others merely cosmetic and nonetheless, good to have.

The List:
Automatic Head Lamps, Rain Sensing Wipers, Projector Lamps, Lumbar Support, Ambient Lighting, Puddle Lamps, Follow Me Home, Conversation Mirror, AC Control on 3rd row seats, Recline even on middle row seats for that extra comfort, Chiller Box to keep those drinks cool, Micro Hybrid, Cruise Control, Voice Commands and my favorite Static Bending lamps, Vanity mirror with automatic lights which the wifey likes and the list goes on.

The bad things about the equipment levels.

• Can't switch to high beam while using the automatic head lamps.
• ICE audio quality is just average, nothing to write home about.
• Reaching the lumbar support adjustment knob needs some yoga lessons.
• I don't find the conversation mirror that useful.
• Chiller Box in the center arm rest is not all that chill.
• Center arm rest slide is not sufficient, for people below 5 foot 5, its not that useful at all. Also, you tend to elbow the co passenger, since the arm rest is shared. Individual arm rest like the Safari's would have been better.
• ICE automatically switches on by itself when you start the car even if you have switched it off while getting out of the car, seems like a bug.
• Volume does not increase or decrease instantly when you long press the steering mounted + - buttons. You need to hold it for a while.
• The call cancel button on the steering is also used for changing Radio channels and Songs, and i have had this problem when i cut a call and end up with a changed channel or song.
• Static Bending lamps sometimes keep going on and off when on curvy roads, not a big issue, but a little irritating since you may confuse it for another vehicle on coming or behind you.

I have driven close to 2700 KMS now and continue to fall in love with her. Got a chance to take her on the highway too, read on.

Usage Pattern

Daily: 40 kms a day in dense city traffic. Still getting used to her, i mean, i can drive her well but will take me a while to get to the same comfort level as my previous cars. My wife owns a nano and sometimes end up driving that when i feel the beast is too big or feel guilty for being the lone guy in the big car.

Highways drive: Once in a month or two >500 KMS.

Exterior styling and design

The cheetah inspired looks is a real head turner. Its everywhere, be it the front grill/bumper with its cat like whiskers or the paw like door handles.
The bulged wheel arches needs getting used to while driving around in city traffic. The rear windscreen is in line with the design but is a little small to my liking. The front and the side profiles are the best according to me.

Build quality and fit & finish

Exterior: Build quality is satisfactory on the exterior, not in the league of the Europeans, but definitely good for an Indian manufacturer. The bonnet is on the heavier side too and no brownie points to Mahindra for missing out on a hydraulic strut. The front fenders are of ABS/FRP material, this is a definite weight reduction move as mentioned in the team bhp TD report but could it be a cost cutting move too? Mud flaps are of decent quality and feel durable. Mirrors are just about average, could have been a little more sturdier. Overall, exterior build and fit and finish feels good.

Interior: This is a mixed bag, some parts like door pads, dashboard, door handles, wiper and headlight stalks, power windows buttons feel good. On the other hand certain areas like, steering mounted switches, ICE and AC buttons, center dashboard console door, the speedometer console as a whole are just average. There is already some vibration from the speedometer console and dashboard in general, need to check from the service center if it can be fixed. Overall, interior build and fit and finish leaves you desiring for more in some places.

Interior space and comfort: Space? Yes, acres of it. Front row footwells are quite deep and wide. Good space between the drive and co passenger seats too. Bucket seats offer good back support and under thigh support is adequate as well, lumbar support works and makes you feel a tad more comfortable. The middle space is at a different level all together. Can easily seat three well built adults abreast and you can stretch you legs as much as you want. Middle row seats too offer good under thigh support and more importantly, even the middle row seats recline , yes, you heard it right. Center arm rest with the cup holders add to the comfort. AC vents on the b pillar are a change from the roof mounted ones which we are used to in Safari, Scropio and Innova etc and they work well, vents located under the drive and co passenger seats too for the mid row occupants. Third row seats are strictly for 5 footers or kids at best. Mostly suited for short trips, expect to be cursed if you put some healthy adults in there on a long journey. AC vents in the third row will give some respite, and yes, you can adjust the airflow independently too. No luggage space whatsoever with the 3rd row seats occupied.


Air Conditioning: Automatic climate control works as expected, although it increases the fan speed drastically when you start, it also switches to the external circulation mode which is not desirable in city traffic. I some how haven’t got used to it yet, like to keep things manual. The Econ mode will give you a little more kms per liter, although i haven’t measured how much i save. I had to turn off the Econ mode only in the hottest parts of Tamil Nadu in the peak of the summer during noon where i really felt the cooling to be less effective. Otherwise, Air Conditioning is powerful enough to easily chill you to the bones in the Econ mode itself in Bangalore summer. You can turn on the 3rd row AC (rear AC) when needed. You have vents on the dashboard with air flow towards the driver and co passenger windows around the A pillar area, this apparently helps in keeping the part of the window defogged for the driver to have a clear view of the ORVM. A single mode button changes the mode, i.e. the airflow towards the face, face and leg, leg and defogger etc. I felt this to be a little uncomfortable since if you miss a mode you need to keep pressing until you cycle back. Where as in a rotary control, you can directly jump to the desired mode.

Seat support and Ergonomics: Seat support is quite nice, i felt XUV seats to be the best in its class (compared to Safari and Scorpio). Under thigh support is good, lumbar support in the front seats works well, although the knob operating the lumbar support is un-ergonomical. Steering has good fore-aft adjustment range, reach adjustment is sorely missed. SUVs are a little tricky and sometimes uncomfortable for short people, B pillar is way behind you, you need to turn back to get hold of the seat belts, you need to turn quite a bit to have a look at the left ORVM, have difficulty while shifting to second gear, as the gear shift is almost besides you and not ahead. The center armrest travel is not enough and as good as no armrest for short people. I always felt my knee messing with the steering column during ingress egress, sometimes feel like pushing the seat back before getting out. All the controls are easily reachable and no ergonomic problems there.

Engine performance & driveability, Gearshift:

Engine does feel powerful, the 140 BHP 330 Nm motor does move the almost 2 ton beast well. Having driven hatchbacks and the last one being the one with a Fiat MJD motor, i do feel the beast to be a little lethargic. Turbo lag is negligible and well controlled. One thing i have noticed is that, the engine lugs a bit while trying to negotiate a typical bangalore speed (car?) breakers in 2nd gear, not sure if its got something to do with the changed gear ratios to accommodate the 6th gear. Torque otherwise is quite good for city driving, no need for frequent gear shifts. Its the highway cruising ability which i admire the most, just effortless. You can go from 60 to triple digits speed in no time and without having to downshift from 6th gear. You can easily hit three digit speeds in the 4th gear itself when you are in the mood to drive fast and keep progressing upwards. Saw a video on youtube where someone has pushed her to 200 KMPH, although i don’t recommend this.

Gearshift is a bit notchy for the 1st and 2nd gear, other gears seem fine. I have noticed one thing though, if the vehicle is rolling downhill and if you shift to 1st gear, there is a sudden jolt and becomes real notchy, this is worrying me a bit, please let me know if any existing XUV owners have faced this issue.

Fuel efficiency:
City: Used to get around 10.4 kmpl, but after the highway drive and clocking around 2500 kms, have been getting around 11.4 kmpl of late. Must say i have changed my driving style a bit too.

Highway: <~100 KMPH, i got 13.5 kmpl and with a heavy right foot and some ghat section roads, got around 12.4 kmpl

Suspension & Ride Quality: Suspension has the right setup, it’s neither two soft nor too stiff. It can munch on bad roads pretty well and also give a respectable ride quality on highways and corners. There is definitely some body roll, after all she is a SUV, but its well controlled. She may feel a tad stiffer that her older sibling the scorpio but that's in the interest of handling and stability.

Handling and High speed stability: She handles well i must say for her size, the monocoque build has definitely helped here. Does not feel like she would fishtail as easily, but haven’t pushed her hard to be sureshot, don’t intend to either. I did get into a small race on my way to Kodiakannal first with a Corolla Altis and then a Swift VDI, tried keeping up for a while but it got really difficult around the corners. I did push her to the limits here and she handled well for a vehicle with such high center of gravity and moving mass. Although i felt, with a W8 and its ESP i could probably have kept up with them, not sure though. Any W8 owners out there can enlighten me? Straight roads are welcome, you can effortlessly cruise at 140 KMPH, just be a tad bit careful about her size and dimensions.

Steering and Braking: Steering is confident inspiring, have driven a friends scorpio and felt much comfortable steering the XUV. Good feedback and sharp response is how i would describe it. Braking is one area where am not very happy, its fine in normal driving conditions. But emergency braking is where i have had some tense moments, she seems to be stopping well until the last moment when the brakes almost give up. Had one such experience already where i braked hard and the brake pedal shuddered a bit and hit back, i had to press it again when the tires screeched a bit, was able to stop her in time though. I might have expected a lot after being used to the braking abilities of the lighter hatchbacks with ABS and may have to be a little watchful here. Not sure if anyone else has experienced the same.

Things i like.


Build: I like the build quality on this Indian manufactured car, the doors close with a thud and feel heavy. The bonnet is on the heavier side too and no brownie points to Mahindra for missing out a hydraulic strut. Its the rear boot door that feels a little lighter (and perhaps not so strong). Not sure if its an intended weight reduction. The front fenders are non metal too, this is a definite weight reduction move as mentioned in the team bhp TD report but could it be a cost cutting move too?

Engine: The 2.2 Liter mHawk is an awesome motor to have under the hood. For some reason it feels more refined than the one on the Scorpio. The engine though on the inside at low revs sounds more like an electric motor, i liked the roar (as my good friend Prashant calls it) of the Fiat MJD better. At higher revs you do hear the grunt of the big motor. Its the highway drivability and in-gear acceleration which amazes me every time, you can drop down to 60 KMPH and reach top speeds within no time in 6th gear. Say good bye to frequent downshifting. If Fiat MJD was the one which introduced me to this amazing quality (read torque) of diesel motors, this engine has take it to a different level.


Space and Storage: You have acres of space. Front row footwells are quite deep and wide and you have good space between the two seats as well. The middle row is a notch higher in space. You have enough space to add another small bench. You have storage space everywhere in this car, be it the split glove box, the top center dashboard console, the armrest storage area, the door pads and even the sun glass holder near the IRVM.


Features: Automatic Head Lamps, Rain Sensing Wipers, Projector Lamps, Lumbar Support, Ambient Lighting, Puddle Lamps, Follow Me Home, Conversation Mirror, AC Control on 3rd row seats, Recline even on middle row seats for that extra comfort, Chiller Box to keep those drinks cool, Micro Hybrid, Cruise Control, Voice Commands and my favorite Static Bending lamps, Vanity mirror with automatic lights which the wifey likes and the list goes on.

Drivability: Thanks to the monocoque design, the dreaded body roll is well controlled. It also feels more car like to drive and high speed stability is quite good for its size. Thanks to the 17 inch wheels and beautiful weight distribution, you don't feel nervous around the corners.
Road Presence and Seating Position: This is my favorite part, the butch looks of the car and the size makes it noticeable on the road. Well, i bought the Vista as i was tired of being pushed around in my Zen in Bangalore Traffic and on high ways too. Now with the XUV, there are hardly any vehicles which would want to misbehave with you, even the cabbies seem to behave themselves. Slow cars on the right most lane, no issues, just two flickers of the headlight and you get your way


Things that i dislike or needs improvements:

Some plastic parts on the inside are not up to the mark, they need to improve on quality. You don't expect cost cuttings in a 15 lakh rupee car.

In spite of the elaborate PDI the previous day, the door alarm kept going off all the while and the system said the driver side door was not shut properly, after repeated attempts i finally realized that the switch was not getting activated properly. Used a double sided tape on the inside of the door where it makes contact with the door open switch and the issue was sorted out temporarily. Took her to the service center (was not happy visiting the service center within a week of purchasing the vehicle) and got it fixed, a broken washer was the culprit. I urge all future buyers to inspect the electricals throughly during PDI.

Alloy wheels sans tyre tronics and automatic folding mirrors should have been standard, at least on the W6 variant.

The third row seats are not as comfortable as an Innova and no boot space what so ever with the third row in use.

I somehow feel the second gear ratio is a little off, i find it difficult to cross a speed breaker in second gear without lugging the engine. Not sure if it will improve after run in. Fellow XUV owners can enlighten me.

Brakes feel quite responsive at slow speeds, but somehow you feel the vehicle wont stop in an emergency braking situation. This is kind of bothering me, fellow XUV owners please throw some light on this.

The OEM speakers are pathetic, no where comparable to a Ford's, worse than a Tata. Expected a better one for the price. The ICE head unit turns on by itself every time you insert the key, even if you had turned it off last time.

The B pillar and the seat belts go behind me and i have to literally turn back to buckle myself up, this could be because of my height and may be nothing much can be done about it. And for a similar reason, i sometimes find it difficult to engage the second gear.

The individual glove boxes are not as big. Vista had a more spacious one.

The low beam projector lamps positioning seems a little awkward, i tried adjusting the head lamp levels but for some reason, am not getting enough spread.

You need to get down to raise the height of the driver seat, not very user friendly. I didn't have to get down in my Vista to do the same.

Bluetooth pairing does not work if the vehicle speed is above 5 KMPH. Not a very useful safety feature considering the fact that its mostly a one time thing for owners and besides, someone sitting next to you can do it as well.

Arm rest for driver and co passenger does not have enough travel and seems inadequate for short people.

As mentioned in the team bhp TD thread, the glossy finish of the center dashboard console leads to a bad glare on the windscreen. Specifically on a sunny day, it takes time to get used to it.


Accessories Added/Planned

Side foot steps from Century: Even the ones offered by Mahindra look the same.

Rear Guard from Mahindra: After a lot of deliberation about looks vs nagging two wheelers, i decided to go for this.

Alloy Wheels: Not many options with 139 PCD available. Finally settled for a HRS one. Tried alloywheelsindia.com and was surprised that they asked me to contact the same guy whom i have known for a while and had got alloys for my previous cars. See the pics below. The wheels have jutted out a little though, since they are 7.5 or 8 J.

Paint and interior protection: Heard some good things about care care india from an automobile accessories guy whom i know for 8 years know. Saw a demo from them at the times auto expo in bangalore, was impressed. Owning a black care is good, maintaining it is another thing altogether. The dreaded swirl marks are every black car owners nightmare. These guys said they their treatment will avoid it as much as possible and it also leads to water beading (water forms pearl like beads when it sprayed on the treated surface), this makes cleaning easy. More details on then here.

Seat Covers: Finding it really difficult to get the upholstery which matches the dash and interior colors. Found the dark brown one from G Sport which was a close match, but the light beige one is proving a little harder to find. Still contemplating on the possible options. Any help here could be much appreciate, IMHO mahindra should have offered the OEM seat covers as an accessory.

Speakers: OEM speakers calls for a replacement, have enquired about components. Got a quote from one of the accessories shop. 6.5 K for infinity set of two and 8.5 K for polk audio set of two again. Waiting for an expert friend to be back in town before going ahead.

Sun Film: Though its banned throughout the country, planning to get the lightest one just to improve the looks of the vehicle and to keep it a tad cooler in summer.

3D Mats: Have kept it for a little later though, but planning on getting these in a couple of months. The woolen mats (part of the free accessory from the dealer) gets dirty soon and causes a lot of static electricity. I keep getting shocks when ever i get down and touch the door to close it.

[Ross]

Mod Note : There are several spelling & grammatical errors in your posts. This negatively affects the forum experience for other readers.

Kindly ensure that you proof-read your posts prior to submission. Also, it would be a good idea to use spell-checkers.

[SedatedDrive]

Congratulations on a brilliant choice, Guru! I wish you and your family many many safe and happy miles in the Black Beast!

Two years ago I turned away an offer of a W8 and went for an Innova V for my parents. The XUV is that impressive. I personally would buy an Automatic Manual Transmission W4 if I had the choice and the need right now.

[nik hill]

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[SaurabhSaran]

Guru, congrats for your new black cheeta! Wishing you thousands of niggle free miles with your XUV 5OO.

-
SS

[gurudutt]

Adding more pics..





Got the TBHP Stickers on Yesterday










With DRL


Interiors specifically as i had a tough time finding the ICE pic of the W6 when i was deciding.

Dashboard


Closer look at the ICE


Steering Wheel and Mounted Controls.


Ambient Lighting




Center Arm Rest.


After the paint treatment and alloys, @Kodiakannal





Rear Gaurd





Alloys



Proud owner of the black beast, yours truly





Will keep adding more, please reach out to me if you have any specific queries or picture requests.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Initial Ownership Section. Thanks for sharing!

[TaureanBull]

Heartiest congratulations and happy driving ahead.

The alloys look cool. How much did they cost you finally? Did you go for all five?

The placement of TBhp "Live to Drive" sticker on tail board and "www.teambhp.com" sticker on front and fear number plates look good and I also share the same placement of these stickers on my W8.

[Car-riedAway]

Congrats Guru, you are living the dream of many of us here. The Alloys really look great. Could you share the size and spec of the same? Have you changes the wheel size in any way?

[gurudutt]

Originally Posted by Car-riedAway

Congrats Guru, you are living the dream of many of us here. The Alloys really look great. Could you share the size and spec of the same? Have you changes the wheel size in any way?

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

Heartiest congratulations and happy driving ahead.

The alloys look cool. How much did they cost you finally? Did you go for all five?

The placement of TBhp "Live to Drive" sticker on tail board and "www.teambhp.com" sticker on front and fear number plates look good and I also share the same placement of these stickers on my W8.

Thanks Guys, alloys cost me 29 K for a set of 4. They are 17 inch 139 PCD width 8. Below is the link, i found them on alloy wheels India website. Tyres are stock.

http://www.alloywheelsindia.com/prod...82/0/h_338.htm

[Chitta Pradhan]

Congrats Guru for your XUV. Wish you years of happiness with your new car.

Sometime wonder, if the size is not utilized fully, does a SUV fulfill passion of bhpians ( read- love to drive). With due respect to all, even a Ford ( Ecosport) felt to me a far cry. I feel Duster( driven both 85/110 bhp) / Terreno ( not driven yet) is the best compromise between a SUV/Sedan/Hatch within this budget to best meet the requirement of most bhpians.

Again. no offense to any one, just my opinion. Wish you wonderful times ahead mate. Keep the thread updated plz.

[Seran Manian]

Sorry for the late review. Lovely write-up. Looks very professional and un biased. All the very best for a long association with XUV500. Please keep posting about your usage and service information.

[gurudutt]

Originally Posted by Seran Manian

Sorry for the late review. Lovely write-up. Looks very professional and un biased. All the very best for a long association with XUV500. Please keep posting about your usage and service information.

Thanks Seran, i will try and keep this thread updated.

Originally Posted by Chitta Pradhan

Congrats Guru for your XUV. Wish you years of happiness with your new car.

Sometime wonder, if the size is not utilized fully, does a SUV fulfill passion of bhpians ( read- love to drive). With due respect to all, even a Ford ( Ecosport) felt to me a far cry. I feel Duster( driven both 85/110 bhp) / Terreno ( not driven yet) is the best compromise between a SUV/Sedan/Hatch within this budget to best meet the requirement of most bhpians.

Again. no offense to any one, just my opinion. Wish you wonderful times ahead mate. Keep the thread updated plz.

Thanks Chitta, i think its a decision made from the heart. People ferrying was never a requirement for me. It was just the butch looks, high GC and road presence for me.

[mpksuhas]

Congrats Gurudutt. XUV looks great in black.
I guess the price you mentioned were before Mahindra increased the rates by around 10K or so. If you don't mind can you please give break up of the on road price you had mentioned (14,80,000).

[Car-riedAway]

Originally Posted by gurudutt

Thanks Guys, alloys cost me 29 K for a set of 4. They are 17 inch 139 PCD width 8.

Guru, I more query, I hope this does not cause the warranty to get void. I asked a sales rep at Mahindra outlet regarding warranty issues if I upsize the wheel from 235 to 250 yokos. He said that warranty issues may arise.