[AutoIndian]

Shame on me, Captain Rex, as somehow I missed your ownership review, when it went live on 20th Oct. Thanks for fellow BHPIan, Swamyzen for bringing it to my notice. Many thanks for bringing out this wonderful review with loads of pictures. For now I have just scanned through it. Once I return home tonight I will go through it in detail.

[damanshaheed]

Congratulations on the Tank Captain. I took a TD when we were at the showroom for the delivery of our XUV and really liked it.

The nice little cubbyhole next to the gear lever makes me think will Mahindra give us a 4wd in the future. That cubbyhole is the perfect place for the 4wd selector. I am drooling....

[MaxTorque]

Congratulations on acquisition of your new ride. Happy miles ahead. Thanks for the detailed write up with lots of high quality images.

[noelnelly]

Congratulations on the new car. The TUV 300 is a looker although people I know aren't too fond of it, I found it to be a good looking vehicle.

Overall it's a good package. Nice colour as well. Kudos.

[mukul32]

Originally Posted by mallumowgli

Why is the XUV the original one? If at all, the genes of the TUV can be considered to be from the Scorpio

They indeed are from the Scorpio, it uses a shortened version of the same chassis.
Here, I meant to say 'original XUV' as in the original generation XUV. The one before the facelift. I didn't link the origins of the TUV to the XUV.

[greenhorn]

Originally Posted by CAPTAIN REX

In September, 2014, I shifted residence to Chennai with the Kerala registered Vento following me. Some where in February 2015, the cops stopped me and asked for the usual 'NOC'. I managed by 'Just came from Kerala last week'. The same occurred again after a week or two.
The TN RTO website showed an annual tax for car, but in reality it was not possible. So that left me with two options - 1. Get a NOC and transfer the registration to Chennai, or option 2. sell the Vento and buy a new car in Chennai. The mind settled for the more expensive option - sell the Vento and buy a new car.

A bit offtopic - where did this happen? I didn't know chennai cops were upto this.

[procrj]

Congrats Captain Rex. Or should we call you T-Rex now? The TUV300 in Black looks smashing and I just cannot get enough of that front 3 quarter pic. Need to get to a showroom and test drive the same.
OT: Would love to bully a few bangalore auto drivers with this monster. time for some payback!

Originally Posted by greenhorn

A bit offtopic - where did this happen? I didn't know chennai cops were upto this.

Was in Chennai last week driving a KA vehicle. Cops stopped me just after the ITC Grand Chola - Guindy and asked me for docs and asked if I have paid TN road tax. Showed them the toll receipts and they let me go.

[TMRT]

Congratulations CaptainRex for being one of the first few buyers of Tank! The black beast looks fabulous in so many different angles. Thanks for sharing informative illustrations with pictures . I believe it gives a lot more insight in and out without me having to go for a test drive!

Happy driving.

[Travelator]

Great post CaptainREX.

Drive safe and keep us posted on your Tank's performance on longer rides. I was wary of the body roll that I felt in a short drive that I had and that could be one deal breaker for me.

Nonetheless have a scheduled 2nd test drive next week to better know the car/jeep/crossover (whatever one would call it).

[karuvally]

Congrats on your new car sir.
Correct me if I am wrong, but from some angles it looks a bit like the Jeep Cherokee

[PADAS]

Congratulations Captain REX and wish you a million miles with your TANK . Thanks for the detailed review. Like many had said earlier in their comments about TUV, this vehicle and its design sort of grows on you over time. Though I did not like the overdone masculine styling initially, I like it a lot more now. And I feel the vehicle looks much better in person than in photographs. The dashboard looks more stylish and contemporary too. May be even better than the XUV in some ways.

[jacksons]

Thanks Mr Rex for great review with detail. I am planing to test drive AMT today as it ticks all our requirements. 1 suv 2, Auto gearing, 3 seven seater, 4 diesel and of course price tag.
Now only confusion remain is color, we have silver linea, blue A star and orange is not for us then remains red, white and black. wife is for black and I am for white or red but who will win is any body's guess.

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by CAPTAIN REX

The need for a new car:
I cant really explain why................. The quality of the plastics are excellent and look like it should last like a tank.

Thank you Capt. Rex for the initial ownership report. Looking forward to the next bulletin after you have taken her for a few longer trips out of Chennai. The TUV certainly promises to be a good tourer, despite its limited top-end. And keeping in mind our generally Neanderthal awareness of traffic rules, one can certainly wish safe journey to those wishing to cross the ton on our highways!

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

Let me chip in with some unsolicited advise, because I own both a premium hatch and a big Mahindra. Crossover vehicles ("SUV") like EcoSport/TUV/Duster drive like and behave like hatchbacks.

Hello sandeepmdas, I could not gloss over your above observation! - do you really wish to bracket the TUV with the other steroidal hatch backs in the above grouping? Leaving aside the major injustice of equating soft-roaders with SUVs, in no way can the TUV handle as adroitly as a hot hatch, tho' in the street cred stakes it can draw rings round the others!

[Samfromindia]

Originally Posted by CAPTAIN REX

Cost Breakdown:

EX SHOWROOM - 866302.00
INSURANCE - 36947.00 (BUMPER TO BUMBER)
REGISTRATION - 88730.00

TOTAL - 991979.00

Freebies given - coffee, tea and softdrinks during all our visits, and a box of chocolates on delivery.

Accessories installed prior to delivery:

Seatcover - 8115.00
Mudflap - 560.00
Mat (6 pcs) - 1455.00
Chrome for door handles - 2513.00
Rain visor - 1953.00
Total - 14596.00

Grand total on road - Rs 10,06,575.00

Congrats on your new ride and kudos for posting one of the first ownership review of this car ! Hope you enjoy countless happy moments and memorable trips with her. But i am afraid to say the dealer fleeced you bigtime in the deal. 37K is way too high for zero dep insurance for a car with ex showroom price of 8.7L. This should never be more than 20-25k at most. You could have bargained or got the insurance done from outside.

[CAPTAIN REX]

Thanx to all for the wishes and sorry for the delay in getting back. Was travelling. To all those who feel that the review was done well, the thanx should go to GTO who forced me into making it good, saying the review will never see daylight unless it is good and to Gannu_1 for tweeking the posts and photos here n there.

Originally Posted by naveen.raju

One question - How is the bumper paint quality? The car we show at the showroom clearly missed the clear coat and it looked a bit weird. Do check on yours.

NaveenRaju, thanx on that tip. Could not find fault with the bumper. It seemed to gel in with the rest of the paint and the gloss is there.

Originally Posted by StepUP!

Somehow I am wondering why you bought TUV? From Vento TDI to 3 pot TUV seems like a downgrade. I read your report and I don't get a single reason except a new car bug bite. Excuse me if I am offending you.

Ha ha StepUP, thanx. It may be a StepDown but no offence taken. I always liked the Bolero and the Thar but could not bring myself to get it due to the interiors and its finish. The interiors of the TUV cleared that up for me. With regards to the 3 cylinder engine, I had my doubts till I drove it. The vibrations which would be the trade mark of a 3 pot has been really taken care of with the 'dual mass' flywheel. At idling RPM just a slight vibration is felt on the gear lever, with nothing else in the cabin being induced to vibrate. At higher RPMs (3000 and above) the vibrations do seep in, when accelerating, but dies down when you settle down on that gear.

Originally Posted by DragonHawk

Congrats on your new ride Cap!!.

I must say interior quality of TUV300 is in a different league altogether when compared to Scorprio. Only thing I am not happy with its interiors is the power window switches. Why in the world would anyone place the switches in central console. Coming from Vento I would say, you might find it uncomfortable to operate this for quite sometime.

Thanx DragonHawk. The position of the window switches are indeed 'Mahindra patented' and shared with the TATAs too. I normally drive with the left hand resting on the gear knob, and now I have found that the position of the window switches are conviniently located. I dont have to let go of the steering wheel (right hand) to fiddle with the switches. The left hand effortlessly move from the gear knob to the switch to bring down the glass and give the autowallah or the block headed guy who thinks the road is his playground a piece of my mind.

Originally Posted by fusionbang

I think you missed mentioning about "Kitna Deti he" part as there has been a huge difference as per the ARAI specification and the reviews.

Thanx Fusionbang, I did not miss the fuel efficiency part. I know a lot of us would be interested on that. I wanted to put in an actual figure, from 'tank top' to 'tank top', and will update this the moment the fuel gauge comes down to below half, and then I fill up. For starters, I think it should be somewhere in the range of 13 to 14 kmph in Chennai city traffic. The DIS shows that I have done 193 km after top up and a DTE of 631 km. With a 60 ltr tank capacity this works out to give 13.7 kmph.

Originally Posted by mukul32

But more than stuff like legroom, fuel efficiency, low end torque, plastic quality, etc. looking beyond all of that; there is this certain raw appeal to it that no other CUV can match.
On a different note, I am usually a big hater of too much chrome on cars, and was a bit skeptical when I read that you put on chrome on the door handles. But on yours, I feel the chrome door handles actually look quite neat on the black body and help breaking the slab-sided look of the profile. But the same on a white TUV would look disastrous.

ROFLMAO!!!

CUV ? Cute Utility Vehicle.
Thanx Mukul, I, too, do not like too much of chrome. I did this to get off the monotone of black. Wanted to do the chrome on the mirrors too, but the showroom did not have that piece.

Originally Posted by AutoInt

You may get used to operating the audio / phone controls without having to look down over a period of time and same applies for the power windows controls.

Thanx AutoInt, already got used to the window switches as I had mentioned above to DragonHawks comment.
Getting used to the audio control will take some time though.

Originally Posted by TaurusAl

We might have another owner on t-Bhp soon

Did you consider the automatic as well ? If yes, please throw some light on why you chose manual over automatic.

Congrats in advance TaurusAl, and welcome to TEAM TANK. The AMT was never on my mind. I enjoy the rush of power when you down shift and press on the gas, specially when driving uphill on curvy roads, something you will never be able to enjoy on an AMT.
On the test drive of the manual, I found the clutch to be very light, so never gave the AMT a second thought, though I wanted to TEST drive it. Unfortunately till I took delivery of the TUV, the showroom did not get the TEST drive AMT.

Originally Posted by thatsdileep

What is the top speed you hit with this.

Thanx Dileep, Have managed to go up slightly above 100 kmph without feeling any strain on the engine. Did not want to go above that during the 'running in period', a 'period' I do take seriously.

Originally Posted by vashisth

Just needed to ask, as the drivetrain in your vento was FW and in TUV it is RW, did you find any difference yourself ?

Thanx Vashisth, In the city traffic and on smooth tarmac I dont feel much of a difference between the FWD and the RWD. I guess the RWD will matter once the TUV is taken off the road, and onto NO ROADS, where the push from the rear wheel will do better that the pull from the front wheels to move the TUV effortlessly.

Originally Posted by greenhorn

A bit offtopic - where did this happen? I didn't know chennai cops were upto this.

Grenhorn, at Madhya Kailash junction, where you turn from Sardar Patel road to the IT expresway. Both times at night, after midnight.

Originally Posted by jacksons

Now only confusion remain is color, we have silver linea, blue A star and orange is not for us then remains red, white and black. wife is for black and I am for white or red but who will win is any body's guess.

Jacksons, Orange looks good in flesh and was my first choice. Anyways, black will look stunning too, in your garage. Did I guess the winner ? No nah?