You know that you have got a great car when it kindles your love for the road, your love to drive, when you want to keep driving it; you can't have enough of it. You know you have a great car when not just you but your entire family feels the same way. And when you have admired the car and longed to buy it for as long as it has existed, you know it's a dream fulfilled.
Before I start, I'd like to extend my immense gratitude to this forum and these two official reviews in particular:- Mahindra XUV500 : Test Drive & Review
- 2015 Mahindra XUV500 Facelift : Official Review
I would also like to thank my sources of inspiration:
- Anshuman's Mahindra XUV-500 W8 AWD : Long Term Ownership Report
- Ravi Sir's Mahindra XUV500 W8 FWD: My Pet Purple Cheetah
- Sanjay's (SDP) The "Duma" comes home - Our Tuscan Red Mahindra XUV 5OO W8
- Avinash's (abirnale) My 2015 Mahindra XUV5OO - The Orange Cheetah with an mHawk soul!
- Tanveer's My Sunset Orange Mahindra XUV500 AWD W10. EDIT: 1st Service 5000 kms update on page 6
- Sunay's (fusionbang) Silver Cougar - Mahindra XUV500 W8
- Suhas' (mpksuhas) Optimus Prime - Tuscan Red Mahindra XUV5OO W8 ownership report
- Mahesh's (Diesel9999) My 2015 Mahindra XUV500 - Pegasus comes home
You guys gave me reasons to own this beauty, made me feel as if I have driven the car even before a test drive, assured me that no matter the problem there is always a solution. My brothers in arms. Hats off to you! clap:
It gives real pride and absolute pleasure in introducing my very own
"BattleCat" to you.
LIKES
Everything about the SUV but here are my chartbusters:
1. Amazing ride quality, handling and ground clearance.
2. Top notch space, comfort and safety.
3. Powerful yet refined engine and excellent NVH levels.
4. Loaded with features - the W8 has very practical ones. Hardly any that I would never use.
5. Terrific road presence. Love the styling. DISLIKES 1. Attention to detail - minor gaps, issues with alignment, fit and finishing can be better.
2. Quality of the smaller parts.
3. Lack of an automatic variant. The W8 with automatic transmission could sell really well.
4. No luggage room if all three rows are occupied (I am not in favor of fixing roof carriers)
WHY THE NAME BATTLECAT
As a kid, I was very fond of "He-man and the masters of the universe". My cousin and I were so crazy that we had collected practically every action figure there was. Back to the present - this car had ignited that child-like enthusiasm and craziness in me. He-man's faithful pet and ride is called BattleCat and I felt that the name was apt for my ride; my Cheetah. This is not to say that I am He-man. LOL.
WHY A NEW CAR
I bought a Honda City in 2012 on company lease. The lease was with ALD for three years with the option to buy-back after the 36 months. The lease ended in August this year. There were good offers on the City back in 2012. I got the E variant, and added a whole lot of accessories to make it almost as good as the S variant, for 9 Lakhs on the road. ALD had initially estimated the buy-back price to be 4.2 Lakhs. When the lease ended, they quoted 5.2L! Plus I had to buy insurance on my own. The car was awesome. There is a reason why it is called the King of its segment. Unmatched ride quality, comfort and reliability. But then, the All New Honda City is now available and so are many other cars in the market that are much more loaded, more advanced. I decided to not buy-back the car, instead invest the money in a newer car that I can own for many more years.
THE HUNT BEGINS
I have never owned a diesel car. Never really considered buying one except for the XUV5OO because it comes only with a diesel engine. I do about 1000 KMs per month plus the occasional trips on the highways. On an average about 15,000 KMs per year. Petrol cars have always served my need and that trend continued as I evaluated cars. I was not in a hurry to buy because I could borrow my Father-in-law's i10 till I got my new car. I could delay my purchase to even a couple of months after I handover the City. The candidates were as follows:
Honda City:
This was a no-brainer. I was so happy with my previous car that my wife was convinced that I will buy the City again. The new City is a pleasure to drive, bigger, better in terms of fuel efficiency and features on offer. Also, the fact that I share a great relationship with Whitefield Honda and its Service Center had a lot of things going for this car. It sure was on my shortlist but there were a few things that made me skeptical about buying it.
- I wasn't too impressed with the build quality of the new City. I felt my old one was much better.
- I also feel that Honda has overdone the styling a bit and focused a bit too much on the features. While this may appeal to the public at large, it adds little value for the enthusiast in me.
- Ground clearance.
- We had already owned a City albeit the third generation one. The family was hoping a change - a new car, a new brand.
Skoda Rapid:
Rapid is a good car. Solidly built. Looks decent. But the after sales service and support will always be a worry. Vinayak Skoda took a long time to respond to my request for a test drive. When they did, I was offered super discounts but was on my guard and did not get tempted. Tafe Access didn't even get back to me. The Rapid didn't make my shortlist.
Maruti Suzuki Ciaz:
This one is a BIG car. Oodles of space. A step-up by Maruti Suzuki with the interiors. But the power is something that left me longing for more, much more. Having driven the City day in and day out, I felt the Ciaz to be under-powered. Also, the NVH levels disappointed me. The Ciaz was dropped from the list.
Hyundai Verna:
Hyundai Verna was never really on my shortlist. It grabbed my attention because of the discounts on offer. It didn't take me long to realize that the discounts were after a price hike of nearly a lakh on the 4S variant. I have never been a fan of it's ride quality, highway handling and the new, Toyota Etios like, smile.
Hyundai Creta:
This was one car that I had pinned a lot of hopes on. I had been following updates from all over for more than a year. Was waiting for it with bated breath. My 4 year old daughter also loved the car for its looks - calls it the Jeep car :). July 21st was the launch. My cousin and I were there at the Trident Hyundai showroom in B Narayanapura in time, brimming with excitement but what followed was a series of disappointments. Though the car looks big from the outside, I was underwhelmed by the space on offer inside. Good luck seating three average built adults on the second row! The pricing was a terrible let down. I had already been disappointed with the choice of name - Hyundai, I feel, decided to allow the consumers to be at their imaginative best with this name. When the scoop on the variants was published, I was disappointed to know that the top variant did not have a petrol option. Creta has been doing well for Hyundai. Selling in great numbers. But it was not the car for me.
S-Cross:
The first diesel that I had seriously considered. XUV5OO was still an ambition at this stage.
I really liked the car. Thumbs up to the good quality all-black interiors, excellent ride quality and handling, the power and torque options. But the wife hated it. Why? Because it looked like an over-grown hatchback! I tried explaining the concept of a crossover to her. That was one hour that could have been better spent elsewhere.
Volkswagen Vento TSI:
Not just any Vento. This was the Turbocharged Fuel Stratified Injection engine mated with the Direct Shift Gearbox. There have been reports of DSG failures from a few years ago but I hadn't seen a single issue reported in the recent past. In my humble opinion, this car has to be the best automatic in the C2 segment - transforms you into James Bond on the road. So quick. So smooth. I was an instant fan. Never before had I grinned so much while driving a car (probably also because it was something within my budget LOL). Top notch build, fit and finish. Interiors of the highest quality. Excellent safety features including hill hold assist. I like the looks - will age with grace. Has features that are practical and not random bells and whistles. Tremendous scope for modifications. The family loved it too. This had to be it. The hunt was over. I had to fly to the US on a business trip on August 28th. I returned my City to ALD on the 26th, booked a Candy White Vento TSI on 28th and left for the US a happy man. The waiting period was 4 to 6 weeks. I was back in time for Ganesh Chaturthi. The very next day all hell broke loose.The floodgates opened and it was smoke everywhere. Volkswagen was caught cheating the US emission tests. 11 millions cars worldwide were found with "cheat" devices that duped customers into believing that they were driving cars that don't pollute. In reality, the VW diesel cars were letting out up to 40% more pollutants than the permitted levels in the US. Heads started to roll. Things were going downhill for the company at a rapid rate. Though I was looking at a petrol car, I had lost my trust in the company. What is the guarantee that they haven't tampered with parts of the petrol car as well? There is lot of instability at the top. The management and top brass are in complete turmoil. Questions the brand's reliability. Also, the scandal is going to affect not just the sales but also the resale of the VW cars. It would mean that I will need to keep the car for a lot longer than I had originally planned because of its presumed poor resale value. With the gearbox being a DSG and the extended warranty only for 4 years, it is not a risk that I felt was worth taking. With a very heavy heart I cancelled my booking. I really sympathize with the dealers more than current customers. Customers always have the option of selling off their car or keeping it for an infinite period till they have drained everything that they possibly can from it. But for the dealers, their entire investment and livelihood are at stake. It's going to take an awful lot to recover from this.
It was back to ground zero. I was really disturbed and depressed. It felt like the hunter had fried his juicy meal and was all set to eat, only for a crow to swoop in and fly away with it. It was all so sudden and so shocking.
I looked at my options. Was only left with the Honda City. A Honda City again? That was the question posed by the family.
The day I booked the Vento TSI, my wife and I were standing outside the house when a pre-facelift XUV5OO drove past us. My wife saw me looking at it with much fascination. It was like one of those time when a pretty girl passes by and you involuntarily turn around. This is not to say that the XUV5OO looks feminine by any means. LOL. I told my wife that the day we sell the Vento, I will buy the XUV5OO. As I sat with my head in my hands, I remembered this very incident. The calling had started. I decided to increase my budget.
Renault Duster:
Yes, I had increased my budget but that didn't mean I will immediately book the cheetah. I wanted to weigh my options carefully. I had driven the Duster in the past and had found its ride and handling to be very good. The 110ps power of the diesel variant was enticing. I was looking at the top variant, of course. Trident Renault had offered me 70K in discount including free insurance. In addition to that I had also been offered free accessories. The on road price of the top most variant was 15L. It was tempting but I felt, no offense meant to current Duster owners, that I will be buying not a car but a compromise. I absolutely hated the quality of the interiors. Felt very flimsy and cost cutting was evident in multiple places. Things you expect to be available in a 15L car were missing, even in the top variant. Had to be fitted as an accessory. No way was I going to pay extra for the Terrano though it is considered more premium.
I could now hear the cheetah's growl at a distance. The calling was getting louder.
THE NEW AGE MAHINDRA XUV5OO:
I had always been pretty sure that I will buy the XUV5OO some day. The reason why I did not consider it until now was because I had been hesitating to buy a 18L car. I consider it the most value for money car on Indian roads today. Ride, handling, comfort, space, power, features, support. Whatever you look for in a car, you will find it here. Agreed that there are some niggles but overall it is a fine mixture, something seldom seen in products from other manufacturers. I had driven the old XUV5OO couple of years ago and was already up-to-date with the offerings on the new model. I was eager to test the improvements in the clutch and braking. Wanted my wife and daughter to get a feel of the car. So, left the Renault showroom and immediately drove to the new India Garage showroom near Phoenix Market City and Decathlon. Took a test drive of the vehicle and loved it to bits. My wife was completely floored. Given a choice, my daughter will put up a "Do Not Disturb" board on the third row seats. That's now her favorite. We booked the Pearl White. It had to be White. In my opinion, no other color accentuates the beauty of the beast as this one. I had set my sights on the W8 FWD. I didn't think I will need an AWD for my driving needs and plans. I was never keen on the sunroof and can live without the Push button start/stop or the keyless entry and go. I am happy with rear parking sensors though I was impressed with the Dynamic Assist Rear Camera in the W10. A word of praise for the sales team (Rehman Khan and his team leader Harish) at the India Garage showroom. They were fantastic at their job. My experience, right from booking the vehicle, to getting the SBI loan approved in 24 hours, to the vehicle being delivered in FIVE days was very memorable.
I got a 10K corporate discount. The quoted price for the insurance was 59K for comprehensive + 9.5K additional for B2B. I bought accessories worth 17K. The dealer was willing to give me the accessories for free and sell the B2B insurance at 59K. I had negotiated with Future Generali, Tata AIG and a couple of others on the side. Managed to get a quote of 35K. Went back to the dealer and negotiated hard once again. He was able to get close with ICICI Lombard and United India Insurance. I picked ICICI and paid for the accessories after getting another Rs500 off on them. Also got the standard fitment and accessories like mud flaps, floor mats, idol and perfume for free along with under chassis treatment and teflon coating.
All in all, about 42K off on initial quoted price + standard accessories + under chassis treatment + teflon coating.
The dealer also gave me 10 litres of free diesel at the time of delivery. As a Purple Club member, I also got the 3 nights/4 days free holiday from Club Mahindra.
The on road price here in Bangalore, including the accessories, came to 17.6 Lakhs. I was told by the dealer that the prices were increased by 20K on October 5th.
The SBI car loan was processed and sanctioned the next day. It helped that my previous car loan (Swift DZire) and home loan had been with SBI. Did the preregistration checks on the third day. A big thank you to Team-BHP for the PDI checklist. You can find it at
http://www.team-bhp.com/advice/pre-d...pdi-check-list. A customized one for XUV5OO can be found at
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/attach...ecklist-v2.pdf. Thank you Avinash (abirnale)!
I found a couple of problems with inconsistent panel gaps. Here are some photos:
The gap was pretty big on the left side of the bonnet. No gap on the right side! 
The fuel lid was uneven. Left part was in while the right was protruding.
They attempted to fix both of these. Were successful to some extent. The fuel lid is more aligned now. There is still a gap on the left bonnet but better than before.
The dealer does his own PDI as well and they give you a document confirming the same at the time of delivery. The registration was done on the fourth day and the delivery happened on the fifth day. I was asked if I wanted a fancy number. It would have cost me anywhere between 4K and 25K. I politely turned it down.
I happened to get the very first XUV5OO in Bangalore that was manufactured in September this year. Here is some confirmation:
The India Garage Whitefield showroom is still under construction. They are still working on the delivery bay. A photo taken at the time of delivery.
Got the pooja done in the evening by the same priest who performed pooja for my Swift DZire and Honda City.
Proud to be a BHPian. The Live to Drive sticker in full glory. Also notice the rear guard purchased along with the side steps as additional accessories. 
These side steps look much better than the ones that were available with the old XUV5OO.
I also got these floor mats for free. Will probably change them soon. These are going to be hard to maintain.
THINGS THAT I REALLY LIKE
1. Ride Quality, Handling, Braking
Two words - super smooth. I have been driving in the city and haven't taken the car on to the highways yet. But I have not felt the size of the beast to be cumbersome at all. Aided by the monocoque design, it is easy to maneuver. I have found my ideal seating position. The ideal position really helps in operating the clutch and brakes. The brakes are a lot more sensitive than what I can remember from when I drove the old car. A simple jab is enough to bring the beast to a halt. Having driven the Honda City, I have not found the transition to this bigger, more powerful SUV difficult at all. The higher seating gives you much better view of the road ahead and also shields you from the high beam usually thrown on your eyes at night by vehicles traveling in the opposite direction. The clutch needs to travel more than what I am used to in a car but it hasn't really been a problem, again perhaps thanks to me having already found my ideal seat position. The 1st and reverse gears can be notchy at times but I have not (yet) had any real problem in slotting them. Ground clearance is a piece of cake and bad roads are now taken care of with ease. The car has tremendous road presence. People give way when they see you. I plan to run in the engine till at least the first service (5000 KMs). I haven't taken it above 80 kmph and the RPMs have always been kept below 2200. Even then I find overtaking a breeze. If you are in the 2nd or even the 3rd gear, a slight push on the pedal will get you zooming past that slow moving truck or van. The car is very responsive and I don't feel any turbo lag. It feels good to have the all that power right under your foot, available to you when you need it. It has only been about 10 days since I bought the car. The current ODO meter reading is just above 400 KMs. It was 46 KMs at the time of delivery. I have mainly been driving it in the city in bumper to bumper traffic. The mileage has been around 9 kmpl. I will get a better understanding of the fuel efficiency once I complete the full tank and also when I take it on the highway. The highway will also help me confirm the absence of any body roll. I don't expect any due to a lot of the car like dynamics of this SUV.
I got the Bridgestone Duelers tyres. Truth be told, I was praying for these. The guy who picked up his car a couple of days before me got Apollo. His was an August make. Perhaps they allot tyres to cars in batches month-wise. I am not sure.
I have read that the Duelers are tougher and more long lasting though they are more noisy when compared to Michelin. I am happy with the current stock and don't see a reason to change them.
2. The Safety and Build Quality
Six airbags, ABS, EBD, ESP, Hill hold assist, hill descent control, disc brakes. You name it and you have it in this car. What more can you ask for?
The build quality is exceptional, in my opinion just short of the Germans. The whole car looks and feels strong.The doors are heavy and need to be closed with some force. The thud is reassuring. I find the rear hatch a bit flimsy though. It could have been a bit more firmer.
3. The Engine Bay
Pop up the hood and you will see the bay with everything beautifully laid out. At the heart is this piece of art with all its 140 horse power.
What you get is a highly refined engine. There is proper cladding and insulation. The noise does not filter into the cabin. In fact the noise insulation is so good and the cabin is so quiet that it is sometimes difficult to even hear the horn, especially on a hot day when the AC blower is operating at a higher speed.
Cladding under the hood
Well insulated parts
The fuse box is easy to access
Another useful part is this pump. If your vehicle has not been used for a long time, may be a month, in order to get rid of air blocks that may otherwise cause problems, press this pump 5 to 10 times before starting the engine. Also, look carefully on the right and you'll notice that the part has been manufactured by Bosch.
4. The Space and Comfort
The driver and passenger seats are huge, will swallow you and keep you comfortable. I liked the lumbar support. Also found the under-thigh support to be sufficient on the first and second rows; not so much on the last row. Acres of space in the second row. I am almost 6 feet tall. The photo below has the driver's seat adjusted for me. Passengers sitting behind on the second row still have room to stretch and perhaps sleep on the floor. No hump too!
By the way, I prefer the beige interiors. It does look more premium. It will take some effort to maintain but that is a trade-off that I am willing to make for the more up-market and roomy feel. I didn't like the interior color combination of the previous generation. It was a recipe for claustrophobia in spite of the ample room.
When I sit on the third row, I have about a finger's space between my knees and the seat in front of me. It should be okay for short drives but will probably be a problem during long drives. In any case, I intend to use the third row as my boot most of the time.
Third row ingress is easy. They also have a lever behind the second row that can be operated while seated in the third row to tilt the second row seat forward in order to exit the vehicle. They also have simple instructions, pasted on the second row seat, on how to operate this lever.
5. The Steering Wheel and its Mounted Controls
I like the size of the steering wheel and its simple yet efficient design. I think it provides sufficient feedback but others may disagree. The tilt and telescopic adjustments were put to good use and I have found the position that works best for me. It has steering mounted controls for audio, phone (bluetooth connection is simple and quite efficient), cruise control and voice recognition. I use all of the controls extensively and I find the quality of the buttons decent. The steering wheel as such has a nice leather wrap and feels really good to hold. I feel truly in command when behind it.
The Voice Recognition button on the top right corner is probably my most used control. My daughter is a big fan of the software. These days she waits to get into the car to make calls to her grandmom and cousins. She thinks her car is super cool and sometimes magical! I dial my colleagues and/or clients with ease to have in-car meetings, thanks to the flawless bluetooth connectivity and awesomely quiet cabin. I also use it to change FM channels. All I need to say is the command 'Move to <FM Channel number>', example 'Move to 91.9'.
The cruise control has, in some ways, been a boon. The vehicle is so smooth and powerful that you run the risk of involuntarily accelerating to much higher speeds that what you desire if you aren't careful. Since I am running in my engine, I need to be extra cautious. What I do is keep an eye on the speedometer as I am accelerating and the moment I touch 80 kmph, I turn on the cruise control. The roads are pretty clear when you are doing such speeds and so I think it is a good thing having this feature at my disposal. The cruise control is reset when you break or explicitly turn it off.
6. The ORVMs
The ORVMs are nice and wide. They can cover the entire road if properly set. Here is my attempt to get a complete view of what is behind me.
7. The Dashboard
I really like how the dashboard looks, how well it is integrated and the waterfall theme. I don't mind the textured surface. It's different from what I have had in the past.
The buttons are of decent quality. I love the fact that there is a good combination of touch screen and physical button control. The essential settings are available to you by a quick press of a button or turn of a knob. This is something that had bothered me in the New Honda City - one needs to take his eyes of the road if he wants to adjust the temperature.
The black top is good. No more reflections on the windshield! I always drive with my sunglasses on but now it is more for style and less for the glare. LOL.
I like that the instrument cluster scowl is integrated into the dashboard. No rattling headaches there. I also like the positioning of the trip meter reset button on the side. Unlike in the Honda City, it does not stick out like Pinocchio's nose.
8. The Infortainment System
I am a big fan of the new system. Some have reported issues and have had to replace the entire unit under warranty. I hope and pray I don't run into such problems. For now, its simply awesome.
The audio system works very well. The touch screen is intuitive and therefore easy to use. The USB and AUX points work as expected. I find all the speakers and the two tweeters on the dashboard good enough. The sound quality is pretty decent and quite powerful. It is loud even at 20% of the max volume - you are able listen to and tap your foot to the music no matter where you are seated in the car. If you want to isolate the music to a particular part of the vehicle then you can use the balance & fade feature. An image of the screen can be seen
here. I find this useful when I am having a conversation with my wife in the front while someone else sitting at the back wants to listen to music.
The bluetooth settings work very well. I could pair my iPhone 6 in no time and the calling works like a charm. I, initially, had problems with the SMS read-out feature. I thought it was a problem with the system. The dealer, in fact, told me that it could be because I use an iPhone and the support hasn't been fully enabled yet. On closer inspection, I found that I could keep the settings in my iPhone's 'Notification' menu as is but I need to explicitly turn on notifications in the 'Mahindra' device on the iPhone once it is paired. It is disabled by default. You can do this by pressing the 'i' displayed against it on the list of paired devices.
The navigation is from MapMyIndia. Has worked well so far. No issues there. Will test it out more next week when I take the cat out on his first highway sojourn. I previously used a Vx140s navigator from MapMyIndia. I had recently updated the maps thinking I will need it for the Vento TSI. I think I will now give the device to my father-in-law for use in his i10.
The two features in the CarInfo menu that I find particularly useful are the fuel info with DTE and the tyretronics. The Fuel Efficiency is currently at 9 kmpl. I believe this is the lower limit and I hope it improves with time. I have read reports of the FE improving significantly after the first service.
The tyretronics is one cool feature. A quick check at the start of every day for tyre pressures has now become a routine. Peace of mind. It is great that they report the spare wheel pressure status as well. I am waiting for Mahindra to update the New Age XUV5OO's Blue Sense App for iPhones. It supports only android phones for now. The app will help me control all of these infortainment features and I will be able to view not just the tyre pressure status but also the actual tyre pressure. Wish they included the spare wheel in there though.
The E-Manual covers usual features like Cruise Control but can be a bit more exhaustive.
9. The Air Conditioning
Like others have pointed out in their ownership threads and as mentioned in the official review, the air conditioning is super effective. The cabin is cooled in double quick time. I prefer keeping the ECON mode on at all times as the cooling is quite effective even in this mode. Protects the compressor as well.
10. Ice Blue Lounge Lighting
Blue has always been my favorite color and when I learned that Mahindra had replaced its sort of intimidating red with the ice blue I was super thrilled. Seeing it in real is something else. I was in awe. Must say it looks splendid. Especially in the dark. Here is how it looks at night.
You have the lighting on the door handles as well. Adds to the ambiance.
The door handle in the dark.
You have the ice blue light in the footwells as well. Notice the dead pedal. I find that useless.
OTHER MATTERS OF CONVENIENCE
1. The Static Bending Headlamps and Projector Headlamps with Light Guides
I find the static bending headlamps very useful. No more issues with blind spots. Corners are well illuminated and along with the light guides add to the SUV's WOW factor. The projector headlamps are good for now but I may change the bulbs for something better/stronger in the not too distant future. I generally keep the lights in "Auto-on" position. It not only adds to the looks of the vehicle at dusk/dawn but also makes it really convenient in dark areas where you often have to fumble for a second or two to turn the lights on.
2. Driver Door Controls
The electrically foldable and adjustable ORVM controls and one touch down driver window are being put to good use. I wish the one touch up function with anti-pinch was available in the W8 rather than the W10. Probably the only feature I miss from the W10 list. The quality of the parts is okay but can be improved. You would expect them to be slightly better in an 18L car but what the heck, you are getting so much more for that price that you are willing to make this trade-off.
Notice the strong and long handle. I find it very nice and sturdy to hold, especially for the elders in the family as they ingress and egress from the vehicle.
Also notice the space for the umbrella, bottle holder etc. My umbrella is slightly longer. So I use the horizontal compartment to hold it rather than the vertical one that has been provided for it. You have similar compartments on the passenger side door as well. Overall, lots of cubby spaces and bottle holders all around. This is in addition to lights, ac vents and 12V sockets for all 3 rows (no exclusive lights for the third row occupants). Makes the cabin a place you don't mind living in! If, for some reason, I get into an argument with my wife and am forced on to the couch, no second guesses what I will ditch the couch for :D.
3. Seat Belts on the Second Row get Clips!
A nice addition that holds the belts in place and prevents unwanted rattling.
Also notice the third row bottle and umbrella holders, 12V socket among other things.
The open umbrella holder in the third row. You have one on each side. I will probably use these spaces to hold other smaller things than umbrellas.
4. Micro Hybrid Technology
You have a button, right below the AC controls, to turn this on and off. I prefer leaving this one on in City driving conditions, especially during long halts at the Bangalore traffic signals. Automatically shuts off the engine to save fuel and turns it on when you press the clutch with the SUV in neutral gear.
Also notice the ESP button below it. NEVER TURN THIS OFF.
5. The water sprays in the front are well positioned, thoughtfully hidden from direct view. The wipers are long and cover the windshield well. Rain sensing automatic.
6. Fuel Tank Access from inside the vehicle
In case you encounter a fault with the normal opening, the fuel tank can be accessed from the third row using the below.
I find that the plastic knobs are of below average quality. I fear they may break easily. Also, though this provision is meant to help, the position of the opening is worrisome especially when kids occupy the last row and with their tendency to fiddle.
7. Rear Hatch Door
The rear hatch door houses the hazard triangle. There is one other cool feature that I, surprisingly, have not seen mentioned in any of the other reports or reviews. It also has a mechanism to open the hatch and exit the vehicle if, for some reason, you get locked inside the car and are unable to open any of the other doors.
8. Spare Wheel
How I wish Mahindra had continued supplying the spare alloy wheel. To access the spare wheel, you will need a coin to unscrew this cap. Tushar and SDP have suggested this in the official review of the New Age XUV5OO.
DO NOT USE THE SCREWDRIVER THAT IS AVAILABLE IN THE TOOLKIT UNLESS YOU WANT TO PUT A JOKER LIKE SMILE ON THE CAP'S GROOVE. The plastic is not strong enough to be unscrewed using the screwdriver. I have kept a coin aside in the toolkit that is available in the compartment just beside the spare wheel cap. Here are the tools:
Mahindra has provided a plastic lock to hold the compartment in its place. The plastic seems to be decent quality. Does its job without any fuss.
Lowering the spare wheel is child's play. Unscrew the cap with your coin. Turn the screw in anti-clock direction as shown in the photo below.
The wheel is lowered using a cable and can be easily detached/attached from/to the cable. Once re-attached, turn the screw in clockwise direction until you hear a click that indicates that the wheel is safely stowed away. Put the cap back on and screw it in using the coin. And you are done.
THINGS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
I move the second row split seat to enter the last row and I see this.
Wish they had done a better job in covering this up. May be it should have been on the other side where it is not easily visible.
The wiring in the passenger foot well could have been concealed. They are left dangling in plain sight at the moment.
There are some rough corners/edges along the bonnet. The finishing could have been better. Fixing little things like these can go a long way in changing people's perception about Mahindra.
I would love to have had the option of buying an automatic variant. The W8 in automatic will be a super seller. There are rumors of it coming in 2016. Perhaps, 7-8 years from now when its time for the cat to go to sleep, I will upgrade to an SUV with AT. One thing is for sure, having driven an SUV and seen its benefits, it will be difficult for me to go back to a sedan. Also, I don't see the sedans in this price range as value for money. I consider them more status symbols. They are nice to drive as long as I don't own them ;).
Here is my basic car care kit: the Jopasu duster, Sonax Xtreme Detailing kit, a few micro fiber cloths, an electric tire inflator and few other essentials in a duffle bag.
The car is covered under warranty for 3 years or 1L KMs. I plan to buy the extended warranty for an additional two years or 50K KMs soon. I will be getting it serviced at India Garage Whitefield. I am hoping to take it for its first long trip during the Dusshera long weekend. We also have two trips to Kerala lined up in December and I plan to do a trip to Chennai in November. I expect to hit the 5K mark by the end of December. I will keep this thread updated with experiences from my journeys, the vehicle's performance and with the dealer and service center.
Overall, this has been a dream come true. I am excited about this new partner in my life. My wife doesn't say it loud but she feels threatened. LOL.
Thank you so much for your patience in reading this thread. Please do reach out with your feedback and questions.
Here is a parting shot of the cat waking up from its slumber and getting ready to pounce.
Wow Achyu, what a detailed review. I too have the Pearl White XUV (W10) and love this color on the beast. You know what, if I ever want to refer to the controls/buttons, I will come to your thread and refer, it is so well detailed. Rated 5-star for this wonderful write-up.
Like what you said, I too had never driven a diesel car before XUV and only reason to go for diesel car was XUV itself.
Congratulations again and wishing you loads of happy miles.
Official Congratulations achyu:thumbs up Happy munching miles with the battlecat!!
Nicely detailed ownership report buddy and wish to see regular updates from your end on the beast. Rated 5 stars.
-->In my car(pre-facelift) the command to change the Radio station is "Tune <FMChannel>", for instance "Tune 91.1" will tune the radio station 91.1, I think with the new infotainment the commands have changed.
-->Thanks for pointing the umbrella holder in 3rd row seats, I was not aware that exists till date. I am not sure it is available in my car, first thing I will check today while leaving office is on the holder.stupid:
-->Can you post the mechanism of opening the hatch door from inside, as even I have not come across this feature anywhere. I will see and find out how it works, as I was not aware of this feature till date.
-->Finally on the rough edge, it looks like paint has come off. Make sure it does not pose any problem like rusting in future, get it checked properly. Was this not checked during PDI?
Congrats @achyu for brining home the BattleCat Cheetah! Wish you many more safe and happy (s)miles on your new BattleCat Cheetah.
Once you complete the first service, it will be like Cheetah unleashed :D
For sure buy the 4 & 5th year warranty for peace of mind.
Hope to catch up someday in person :)
Congrats achyu for the BattleCat . Liked your ownership posts.
In my opinion all of us who have recently bought the new XUV500, though we took other test drives but the heart always stayed with XUV500 :)
You are probably right
(The guy who picked up his car a couple of days before me got Apollo. His was an August make. Perhaps they allot tyres to cars in batches month-wise.).
My car is August make and has Apollo tyres
Congratulations achyu! Wish you many miles of happiness with the cheetah, Love the new white colour, Very comprehensive review aswell :thumbs up I am glad my ownership thread helped you making the final decision. :)
@achyu, Congratulations on your new BattleCat. Wish you a lot of safe and interesting miles ahead.
XUV 500 is an extremely competent and comfortable highway cruiser, and I am sure you will love it on your upcoming trips.
I can relate to your observation on the NVH levels. I was recently driving a self-drive XUV500 (pre-facelift) in Munnar, and in the ghats I had to roll down the windows a couple of inches, since I could not hear the horns from the oncoming traffic coming around the bends (but not yet visible) with the windows up.
Overall, it is a superb vehicle and is on my shortlist as my next vehicle.
