[simonkayar]

I am going to attempt at writing an unbiased review (but might fail miserably due to my love of it) and it is also going to be a long read. You have been warned.

BACKGROUND
During my school days I used to glance upon Safari and it used to take my breath away. Several years later, Scorpio took the spot but my love for SUVs was still the same, blazing away. However, like the poor hero in our bollywood movies who can only ogle at a rich girl, so was I, yearning for a glimpse, but never thinking further. When it was time for my first car, which I cherished a lot, it was from the tried and tested Maruti stable - 'Estilo' which served me well in its 10th year and over a lakh kilometers without giving up even once. By then the SUV craze had shifted to XUV from Scorpio. Then with the economic growth of middle class in India, there was just that hint of a possibility that I might indeed buy one. I also had this crazy dream of traveling throughout the country (all states and union territories on a single car). But 20L for a car? Really?? That is sheer craziness. No elders in my family would forgive me for this financial suicide and so the mind always won over the heart pretty easily.

Standing Tall @ 108000 kms

But what next then. Estilo looked good for another 3-4 years at least, so no real pressure except for the fact that highway runs were not that great. And my dream kept knocking ... Being an avid reader of team-bhp I was always in touch with everything on XUV, right from the pre-launch leaks, when we mocked it being like a predator look-alike till the recent addition of Passive keyless and start-stop button in Automatic and everything in-between. Understood that the face-lifted XUV was much better and that automatic was also launched with a brilliantly mated gearbox. Reading the legendary ownership threads of XUV @ Team BHP, alone can tempt anyone into buying the beast… :-)

To quell my thirst for XUV, I did lend it on couple of trips and once you enjoy the power of the engine, it is not easy to forget it. Like love, the fire of desire kept burning more instead of dying down..

[simonkayar]

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
Coming from a middle class income background and knowing the value of money and the struggle for making it, the mind kept pushing me to sensible (financially) choices but the heart which was set on XUV, kept rejecting them. The only thing that both the mind and heart were in sync was 'no to SEDAN' – can't explain why but it is just not my cup of tea. I love the flexibility that a 7 seater offers. Personally I feel that, the boot space in a sedan (or hatchback for that matter) which remain unused 90% of the time is just poor packaging :-)

Alto K10 Automatic:
Mind: Cheapest, most reliable & fuel efficient automatic
Heart: Is this supposed to be an upgrade from Estilo?

Celerio Automatic
Mind: Buy it, use it for 5 years and then give it to wife and upgrade to an SUV
Heart: So keep Estilo for another 5 years??

i20
Mind: Wife just loves it
Heart: So?

Duster
Mind: Practical, awesome ride quality
Heart: You need a 7 seater and do those interiors excite you for that price

Creta
Mind: The perfect SUV for so many Indians
Heart: Not even close to the feel that I get near an XUV. If planning to spend that money why not on XUV W4. Also 7 seater > 5 seater

Brezza
Mind: Stay with the reliable Maruti brand and also get an SUV
Heart: Is this even a proper 5 seater? (My wife also said the same)

BRV
Mind: Petrol SUV. Honda's reliability. 7 seater + Boot
Heart: It is at max a 6 seater. Doesn't it look like Mobilio facelift. Close to XUV W4 in price. Very low seating.

Baleno
Mind: Hot hatch from Maruti. Spacious 5 seater with lots of boot. Superb mileage
Heart: Small glass areas. Lower seating. What has happened to you?

TUV
Mind: You get SUV for much less. Spacious 5 seater. Can carry 7 if required.
Heart: If you have to deal with Mahindra, do so for an XUV.

After this cold war between the Heart and Mind, the 'Mind' understood that the 'Heart' will always be longing for XUV even if we end up buying some other car. So the 'mind' gave up. My first thought was to extend my budget of 10L and to go in for an XUV W4 at 15L OTR Bangalore. However when my wife accompanied me for the XUV test drive (W10 automatic), she was sold on the extras and looked at me as if I was crazy and said “After all these years of waiting, you must be foolish to buy anything but the top end”. Thanks to her, it was settled immediately. A stretch from 10L to more than double and it was XUV W10 Automatic FWD. The OTR came to 21.5 Lakhs with zero depreciation insurance, 4th and 5th year extended warranty and the following accessories - Side Step, Under body anti-rust coat, teflon coat, Complete floor stitched carpet (good material), after a lot of negotiation. I booked it and you wouldn’t believe that I couldn’t sleep or eat well for the next week in anticipation. So much for middle age and maturity. My wife and daughter made so much fun of me in this period. I added the Maxspider Kagu 3D Mats for another 8.2k after a few days (from hottracks.in Bangalore)

BUYING and DEALER EXPERIENCE

What color:
I guess the XUV looks stunning in all offered colors. In the stockyard, I was able to look at all colors and one moment you think White looks awesome, only to find Silver is classy or that Black is so commanding, purple does this mesmerizing auto color change depending on the light and that Red brings out the real monster. But for me personally Orange had the purple’s light based color change character and also the white's and silver’s lightness to showcase the smoked headlamps. Also wife liked it. So opted for Sunset Orange.

Anant Cars - Bannerghatta Road
Hats off to them for being so patient and polite. I was half expecting some bad moments but "then there were none". Very prompt and helpful. During the test drive I answered my wife's queries, a second before the sales executive could - after all I can't expect them to have 5+ years experience with XUV glued to all minute details reading hundreds of pages from Team BHP :-) To the sales executive's credit, she did explain things well and agreed instantly to my requests for multiple test drives. The entire process including negotiation, exchange of Estilo, sale and delivery went very smooth. They were very cooperative even with the 11 page PDI based on Team BHP's inputs. I asked her if anyone earlier had requested for a PDI. She said there had been instances but none with a print out and ticking boxes :-)

Delivery happened exactly on time, as promised, with the ceremony just out of the world. The car was brilliantly decorated with a bouquet (not that I am a fan) and we were in for a royal treatment. Additionally, they had arranged for a cake cutting for my wife as it was her birthday and added diyas and other small gifts because of Diwali. The in-house pujari also did an extensive pooja, much to the delight of my family. The entire Mahindra crew (more than 20 people) had gathered and clapped as we started the engine and moved on. Such small things make an already grand day memorable for life. All in all, an excellent experience and full marks to Anant Cars, especially to the sales executive Ms. Kalpana.

But unfortunately they managed to dent this feel good factor. A few days after delivery, I realized that the Sun roof's anti-pinch feature was not working (not sure if I checked it properly during PDI) and was planning to note it down for my first service visit. However I found Mahindra's own PDI report in the car which mentions this issue. The inference is that the dealers were 'aware' of it but still went ahead with the delivery. Actually I might have taken the delivery even if they had told me :-) but then such incidents dent the confidence in the brand. I am planning to raise this and hope that necessary corrective actions are taken in future deliveries.

[simonkayar]

REVIEW OF THE BEAST:
I know that there are 3 official reviews for XUV in Team BHP and several legendary threads. But I am still going to do an in-depth review because I just loooooooooooooooooove it… At the time of this writing about 400+ kms have been driven within Bangalore city and 80% of the time it was in bad to terrible traffic conditions. I also took it for one highway trip for about 500 kms.

Engine
Engine for a Car is akin to a CPU for a PC - very important. I fell in love with the engine the very first time I drove it. It is like you are travelling at good speeds and not only you, but everyone else in the cabin too think that you are crawling at 40-50 kmph. That's because the engine is lazily hovering near 2000 RPM and eagerly waiting for your slightest right leg movement to push ahead. It really is a wild cheetah because of this gem of an engine. Even within the city I had never felt the need for more power.

Automatic Transmission
If the engine is like CPU, then Transmission is like RAM - equally important. Unfortunately the clutch and gears in the manual XUV are not the best. Having an A-Star Automatic at home, I know the overall comfort that driving an automatic brings in the crazy Bangalore traffic – so guesed that it was a decent trade-off for the extra money paid and for the perceived 1-2 kms lost in fuel efficiency. It does rev up in the first gear but after that I can hardly make out when it changes gears or what gear it is currently in - very smooth upshifts, no lag whatsoever. In fact the gear shift is neither soon or delayed but spooky perfect as if someone within you is shifting it for you, after reading your mind. You also have raw power at your disposal at any gear.

I had read that on 'D' mode the steering wheel vibrates. However, it vibrates slightly even on neutral and not much difference in 'D' mode : it was not bad though - definitely not an annoying thing. Maybe, Mahindra is constantly working on this. Did try the manual mode for a short duration. It works fine and is pretty easy to operate with your arm rested. The thing is, it still is semi manual and in many cases it did override my selection since either the gear was one less or one more than ideal. Only gripe is that the dead pedal size should have been at least 2 sizes more. With a shoe, it was easier to rest than other footwear. Overall with the automatic, you get the feeling of sitting in a sofa at home, occasionally, even munching a biscuit with your rested hand. Believe me, you will keep patting yourself for buying an automatic every time you hit a traffic scene :-)

Space
One of the main reasons I love SUVs is for the space and flexibility they offer. One day, they are this raw and powerful driver's vehicle ready to pounce on to any terrain. The next day, they can seat the entire extended family in relative comfort to ferry them to a movie. The third day you can help shift your friend's house without breaking a sweat or buy a bicycle and not opt for the paid delivery :-)

The driver and co-passenger get one of the best seats available in a moving vehicle, with superb under thigh and lumbar support, along with loads of leg space and head space.

Almost similar treatment is given to the second row guys as well. Three well built adults can sit with all their shoulders resting without touching each other, without their knees touching the front seat or their heads touching the roof. Absence of floor hump and presence of separate headrest makes the middle guy a friend.

The rear seats can be tilted and with an arm rest and leg space enough for someone to try and sleep on the floor, you have happy passengers. Third row is a nice boot filler - the flexibility to seat 2 more if the need arises or have a massive and perfectly flat boot is how you need to view this.

If you think that 7 adults and their luggage can travel happily over several hundred kms, XUV is not for you. If driven rashly, third row passengers could feel pukish. There are several useful spaces for keeping your bottles and other stuff - All doors are equipped to hold at least 1 litre bottles, The front row has 2 cup holders and a cooled space under arm rest. The twin glove boxes have decent space (even a laptop). There is a tiny, covered place in the dashboard too. The second row has cup holders in the arm rest. Even the third row guys have cubby holes for their bottles.

I did a mini city drive with all 7 seats filled and got very positive feedback from all of them. Also the highway trip that I did was with 6 adults and 1 kid and their luggage. No issues at all with space or power.

Comfort
The driver is a king with everything within reach and ready for his touch :-)

With the electric seat adjustment for height, tilt and reach together with steering wheel tilt and telescopic adjustments, you will definitely find that perfect position. The commanding view of the road, the controls, the resting left leg, blue instrument console and the brilliant steering wheel, all add to this. The ACC is a boon and definitely very helpful compared to the regular AC. It also cools pretty fast but the biggest benefit is that you don't have to keep monitoring the temperature and fiddle with the knobs to increase/decrease airflow. Need to check it in harsher conditions (like chennai). No complaints with the audio system, especially since Bluetooth worked flawlessly. I am not an audiophile and it sounds good to me. The Navigation is spot on, though with a bit of lag in the input, compared to, say Google Maps. The touchscreen is very responsive though and the colors and resolution are very good. Mahindra's Blue sense app also connected first time and you can control the ACC, Audio and get some basic info too (like mileage, alerts, tyre pressure etc). The alert system also adds to the sophistication like a proper voice telling you that one of the doors is open and you need to be careful or that your car is running low on fuel or a gentle reminder to wear your seat belts. The sunroof is a nice touch and operates flawlessly (3 modes - fully open, glassed or slight tilt open for air. The suspension is pretty good too. Over small bumps and potholes at good speeds, it just jumps through (doesn't glide), but on slow speeds you do get sense some jerkiness in the cabin. The NVH handling again is better than average. However at lower speeds (first gear) you hear the engine rev and slight steering wheel vibrations as well. With the ACC and music on, you will just hear the slight hum of the engine like a bee and depending on your likes you might actually enjoy it. On highways, all 5 seats offer such supreme comfort that you will rarely feel tired or exhausted at the end of the journey.

Looks and Build Quality
Even after 5+ years since its launch, the XUV is a looker and the last year's upgrade in my opinion has made it lovable to more people. I guess it is one of the few cars that looks awesome from any angle. My heart used to skip a beat whenever I was near this beauty. See for yourself :-)

The new alloys are much better but still neutral to not antagonize anyone. Paint quality is top-notch and the overall build is pretty solid. Coming from Maruti, I close the doors twice (one with a slight push and realizing that the door is still open, attempting the second one with more strength. Panel gaps are present (see image below)

During PDI, I had to check on a number of XUVs to understand that it was the norm. Nothing alarming but there are enough gaps. The fit and finish of the interiors is pretty good except for one place (see image above). Had read in the official review about the loose part in the automatic gear that was coming out - I even tried to pry it open but it was stuck pretty well. I could see a slight gap but no complaints. However, Mahindra should have held themselves back on the textures. Beige dash and leather seats combined with plenty of glass lightens up the entire cabin.

Handling/Ride
The vehicle handles well with minimal body roll. The turning radius is not alarming either and you can well control it on the narrow streets of Bangalore without sweating much. The ground clearance at 200mm is enough to ride over the bad roads without second thoughts or the small humps. No nervous moments around the corner even at decent speeds. Feels solid and planted even at high speeds. The feedback from the steering wheel is spot on and way better than my erstwhile Estilo. It also weighs up sufficiently on highways. Thankfully mine came with Bridgestone Duellers and the grip is good.

Safety:
With the kind of build the XUV has and topping it with 6 airbags, ESP, ABS, all 4 Disc Brakes and excellent visibility for the driver, I guess you can call it a very safe vehicle. All three mirrors are of decent size and useful. The rear camera aids while parking and can be turned on while the vehicle is running to get a view of the 2 wheeler who comes dangerously close to your bumper :-) I tried braking hard and the beast stops without much fuss. The play is a bit more than Estilo but I got used to it in no time. I guess the brakes have improved dramatically from the initial 2011 batch.

Features:
I challenged my daughter for a game. I would say one new feature of XUV, like “Auto headlamps” and she would say “and”. Then, I would go on with the next feature, say “Cruise”. We played it till she got tired of it. I bet that there would be a feature that you will realize a month after buying this. If there was an award for the car with most features – XUV might win it hands down. Since I opted for W10 nothing was missed out. A sample of the features : touchscreen, navigation, bending headlamps, ACC, steering mounted controls, reverse sensors, reverse camera, auto headlamps, auto wipers, push button start-stop, passive keyless entry, 6 airbags, ESP, hill hold/descent, tilt & telescopic steering, leather upholstery, electric driver seat adjustments, sunroof, reverse camera, hydraulic bonnet, express window up, arm rests, blue sense app, auto fold mirrors, 12V socket in all rows, tilting 2nd row, voice commands, cruise, lounge lighting, tyretronics, puddle lamps, illuminated scuff plates and something like the logo projection which might be unique to the XUV. I am pretty certain I have not covered everything :-)

Mileage:
I will update the mileage regularly in this thread. For now, using tankful to tankful method, in the most terrible traffic conditions in Bangalore that includes just standing in signals for about 20-25 mins a day along with mostly bumper to bumper traffic for about 1.5 hrs, I get 8+ kmpl. This FE was within the first 500 kms of driving and 100% AC (non ECON mode). I am pretty sure that I will end up with 10+ in City over the long run which is absolutely fine with me. Highways, I got 11.5+ kmpl with 6 people and luggage including 20+ hairpin bends and 100% AC. Again this is below 1000 kms of usage, so I think it should settle somewhere around 13.

What They Said
Wife: I feel afraid to park my A-Star next to this Beast. Feels like XUV might eat it overnight
Wife: If the vehicle is not loaded with people, the bounciness is seen more
Co-Workers: Last row is very usable. Second row is very spacious. It has everything we could think of.
Daughter: Just love the space. I want the last row to myself. Enough of 'adjust maadi'.
Friend 1: Does it not auto close the window glass when locked?

[simonkayar]

Other Observations and Photos

1. There is a nifty umbrella holder with water drain on both the front doors. Nice touch !
   
2. The leather seats have perforation
   
3. The steering wheel is very nice to hold with thumb contours
   
4. The side step is sturdy and looks very good
   
5. Sunroof opens in 2 stages (half and full) and closes in 2 stages (full / side open). The opaque part opens automatically but needs to be closed manually.
   
   
6. The front 12V socket has a cover which when left open vibrates a lot.
7. After switching the car off with Stop/Start button, for a few seconds you can still roll up those windows which you had forgotten. Looks to me like a feature but not sure
8. Sometimes when I lock the car using the request sensor on the door handle, the doors lock but the mirrors take few seconds to close. Not sure if others also have observed this.
9. If you mute the stereo (FM) and in muted state if you switch the car off (using Start/Stop button) there is a momentary audio heard (like for a second) before shutting off. It caused a jump to fellow passengers not used to it.

To sum it up...

Pros
+ Engine: One of the best out there
+ Aisin Auto Transmission: Match made in heaven with the Engine
+ Space: Awesome space in first 2 rows. Huge boot or 3rd row
+ Features: Heavily Loaded. I bet you will keep finding new features
+ Looks: One of the best if not the best looking SUV
+ Safety: Tough build, 6 Airbags and ESP
+ Road Presence: Commanding view of the road and Intimidating to puny hatchbacks and sedans
+ Mileage: Supposedly 10+ in City and 14+ on Highways

Cons
- Fit and Finish: If you are looking for top notch fit & finish, this car is not for you
- Quality Control: Sunroof anti-pinch is not working. Looks like the dealer might have known it during sale.
- Engine noise especially when in first gear
- Dead Pedal : Why Mahindra Why. It is defintely smaller for most of us

[GTO]

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

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by simonkayar

To sum it up...

Indeed well summed up...!!! Your signature says it too

The XUV is one of the most sensible 7 seaters you can buy today and the W10 is loaded to the gills.

Anant Cars is without doubt amongst the best M&M dealers at Bangalore today and am glad you purchased it from them.

My recommendation - Opt for that extended warranty and drive safe...!!!

[simonkayar]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

Indeed well summed up...!!! Your signature says it too
My recommendation - Opt for that extended warranty and drive safe...!!!

Thanks. Yup. Took the max extended warranty that was available :-)

[Omkar]

Hearty congratulations on the recent achievement!

Originally Posted by simonkayar

After this cold war between the Heart and Mind, the 'Mind' understood that the 'Heart' will always be longing for XUV even if we end up buying some other car.

Awesome conversation between mind and heart . It's always a good feeling to go with your heart.

A stretch from 10L to more than double and it was XUV W10 Automatic FWD

Whoa! Didn't expect that when you were considering options like Alto K10, Celerio, i20 and Baleno!

I am planning to raise this and hope that necessary corrective actions are taken in future deliveries.

Please update the thread whenever that happens. As you mentioned that small things are important, these things do make or break the reputation and name of particular dealerships.

Well to sum it up, a very well put together ownership review. Enjoyed reading it!

The pros do outweigh the number of cons by quite a margin and you must be a happy customer for sure!
Once again congratulations on the purchase, and wish you many more happy miles with the Cheetah.

[gkveda]

Originally Posted by simonkayar

Alto K10 Automatic:
Mind: Cheapest, most reliable & fuel efficient automatic
Heart: Is this supposed to be an upgrade from Estilo?

After this cold war between the Heart and Mind, the 'Mind' understood that the 'Heart' will always be longing for XUV

Double Congratulations !!
First, for your new purchase of what your heart wanted making her win and
Second, Winning your heart by making her win.

I am 100% sure you will cherish your experience in SUV. Looking forward for a ownership review after your 1 Lakh Kilometer journey with your heart winning beauty

But, after reading the conversation between your mind and heart, honestly felt, this is NOT a cold war. This is ACTUALLY a world war between heart and mind (that most of the humans today are facing!! )

All the best for your XUV Journey !

[Highh5]

Great Choice and Review. XUV 500 really gives a run for the money for the features it provides. Would love to see regular updates on this thread.

[simonkayar]

Thanks Omkar, gkveda and Highh5.

Update @ 3000 kms

• The mileage in city is still in 8+ kmpl and highways is at 11+ kmpl. Both are with 100% AC and in city daily commute involves 15-20 minutes at Silk Board Signal (Bangaloreans will appreaciate this)
• Whenever I open the vehicle, I can't stop the smile that automatically comes across my face :-)
  
• When you press the clutch with your hands on the gear lever, you can feel some mechanism with a small vibration/sound. Not sure if others also have experienced this
  
• As expected Sunroof usage is very limited. Mostly to awe new passengers and during hill station trips I guess
  
• The auto headlamps lights up as soon as I enter my basement parking and switch off when I come out. It feels like magic.
  
• Thinking of adding few accessories like read nudge guard (I personally don't like it but might be required considering couple of occasions where 2 wheeler riders came too close for comfort and the cleaning guy is having trouble cleaning the top of the car :-) ). Also thinking of rouf rails (The coimbatore based guys who make customized rails, unlike the ones by Mahindra which projects too much outside)
  
• Seeing too many sunset orange XUVs in Bangalore. Not sure if I have started observing now or they were there earlier too
  
• Navigation system is not to my liking. Not very useful and no match for Google Maps. Would be happy if the new Android Auto (meant for XUV 2017) is provided as an update to us
  
• Have a gym bag with the following inside the car now - XUV cover, 12V Air pump, Tubeless tyre punture kit and few other cleaning stuff.
  

Did couple of trips. Will update shortly.

[Aniket6]

Originally Posted by simonkayar

Update @ 3000 kms

Hey, congratulations on the XUV and lovely write up. You sure are enjoying your XUV just as I am. This truly is a magical vehicle.

1. Consider getting a dashcam for your car.

2. I am no audiophile either, but recently upgraded my ICE with HU intact as the stock speakers were pretty bad. The upgrade has worked wonders and now enjoying the car even more.

[vdm295]

Well, first let me congratulate you on acquiring the beast & that colour just looks perfect on it.
Just loved the conversation between the heart & the mind & was glad the heart won over the mind.
Looking forward to the regular updates on this thread & hope you enjoy this SUV for many more miles to come.

[simonkayar]

Originally Posted by vdm295

Well, first let me congratulate you on acquiring the beast & that colour just looks perfect on it.
Just loved the conversation between the heart & the mind & was glad the heart won over the mind.
Looking forward to the regular updates on this thread & hope you enjoy this SUV for many more miles to come.

Thank you ! Yes. The plan is to keep this thread active always :-)

Trip 001: Bangalore to Yercaud
Dates: Nov 13 – Nov 14, 2016
Route:
Home->Krishnagiri->Thoppur->Kadayampatti->Danishpet->Kanavaipudur->Yercaud
Yercaud->Salem->Krishnagiri->Home
Distance: ~500
Mileage: ~ 12kmpl
Cost: 7800 (GRT) + 2500 (Fuel) + 4400 (Food) = 14700 Rs.

Demonetisation was upon us and the last thing on anyone’s mind was travel. But with the new cheetah at home we were itching to go somewhere, at least a road drive. We decided that if we get some cash (100 rupee notes in a mile long queue at ATM), we would go. But at 11.30 suddenly we all fell to the consensus and the plan was made. This is exactly the kind of flexibility that I had craved for in the pre-XUV era. Had earlier in the day checked and found that GRT Nature Trails (the erstwhile Sky Roca) was available for as little as 3000+ per room. What with MakeMyTrip offering some bonus deduction and the result was an economical trip as well. We had just filled the huge tummy of XUV (70 litres) full owing to the possibility of using the old 500/1000 rupee notes at the petrol bunk. Also Modi had waived all toll on national highway too. So all was set for the next day trip.

Nov 13th – Sunday
I couldn’t sleep post 5.40 A.M inspite of only sleeping past 12 the previous night. However it was 9.30 ish when we eventually left. I took the internal begur-electronic city road and we were zooming along pretty soon. As were reached Salem, the MapMyIndia navigation system suggested a detour and we took the same. In one case I went past a railway crossing (Danishpet) and within minutes the road became too narrow. Thankfully we asked a thaatha (elderly person) and he directed us back and it was supposed to be a left at the railway junction. After a few more minutes we reached a point where we had to take a right and enter a winding narrow road. It was actually too narrow and a bit scary. Later we understood that it is not the usual Salem-Yercaud route but it was adventurous and we loved it.


But as the hunger grew, the patience was slowly giving way to desperateness as we were not sure how far GRT would be from this new route (it was at 20th hairpin bend in Salem-Yercaud route). Adding to this, there was no signal. Thankfully we soon merged with a bigger and better road and once we reached the main junction of Yercaud, we climbed down the other route and reached GRT by 2.30.

The place was pretty good. They were very cordial and did the checkin procedure pretty quick along with a welcome drink which brought back life to the tired party. The rooms we got did not have awesome views but neverthless the quality inside was pretty good. We ordered food and it was 3.30 by the time we got it. After 30 minutes break we went to the roof top terrace.


We then went to visit the Ladies, Gents and Children’s seat. We could see GRT from there and understood we were perched on a valley.


Nov 14th – Monday
Woke up by 6.30 or so and and checked out the terrace garden again. It was completely covered in mist and was shifting up as we were seeing it.

The breakfast was also pretty good. We then left for Pagoda point which was actually some stone structures built by ancient Chinese.

The view was also very nice. Next was Shevaroy temple which was pretty interesting. It was dug out of a rock (cave temple) and one had to really bend their head to reach inside.

We then climbed down the proper Salem-Yercaud route and it was rather boring compared to our adventurous route. Food at Dharmapuri, Tea at Krishnagiri and back home.

[sawnilrules]

Hey Congratulations on the beast. I am sure you are enjoying every bit of the Cheetah.

A quick question, is KESSY with engine Start/Stop a new addition to the AT variant of the XUV? When I had inquired about the XUV500 with a dealership in Mumbai, I remember I was told that XUV in the AT variant does not come with start stop button or key-less entry/exit. What's more funny is that I had called up the company owned dealer in Mumbai

Gosh, I am surprised with the level of training these guys get about the product that they are selling.