[mkmandar123]

Hi BHPians!,

I'm excited to share my ownership experience of the Mahindra XUV 3XO after completing 3,000 KM within the first month. I chose this vehicle after a lot of research and a 3-month waiting period, hoping to support the "Make in India" initiative and trusting Mahindra’s reputation. However, my experience has been a mix of highs and lows, and I want to provide a detailed, honest review to help anyone considering this vehicle.

Booking & Delivery:

I booked the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 Petrol Manual variant in June 2024 and received delivery on 19th September after lot of followups and escalations.
The booking process was smooth, but they had mentioned 10 weeks waiting period which was extended to 3-months. I had already sold my old vehicle while booking the 3XO so it was getting really difficult for me to manage without a car. On 19th Sept, I was thrilled to finally get the vehicle, and the initial driving experience was satisfactory with no major issues. Though dealer convinced me to skip PDI saying this will add delay in the process and we need to get approvals from authorities to visit the stockyard for PDI and assured me that PDI will be done thoroughly by their team so I skipped it in the excitement of getting the vehicle (A big mistake!). I recommend you to get PDI done from some expert to avoid any issues as many Mahindra vehicles are having quality control issues.

Breakdown Incident On First Long trip:

Initial 15 days I couldn't use my vehicle that much as I was out of station but when I came back, I decided to go on first trip to my hometown so I went with my family to hometown but while returning, I faced a major breakdown. I was driving at 75 KMPH on cruise control on a 4 lane highway and suddenly got Engine Temperature Warning, I was really confused as the odometer reading was only 611 KM and there was no issue in the vehicle till that time, after almost 10 seconds I pulled over and turned off the ignition and got down to check issue and found that smoke was coming from engine so immediately asked my family to get down, the coolant was leaking with heavy flow so decided to call directly to RSA without wasting more time. Though the RSA had immediately registered my complaint but it took almost 5 hours for towing van to reach my location, I had to wait on the highway in scorching heat with my family which was very disappointing.

Service Centre Experience:

Since it was a Sunday and we reached the service centre around 7 PM, there was no one to attend the vehicle so I had to park vehicle on road in front of service centre and leave (the SC watchman denied entry inside the campus).

In the morning around 8 AM, I got call from Service Advisor asking the problem with the vehicle so I told them the situation and he assured that the issue will get fixed on the same day. At around 10 AM, I personally went to the SC to get details about the issue and they told me that the radiator has a leakage and they are checking and he also mentioned he is checking with authorities if this is manufacturing defect. After 20 minutes they called me near the vehicle and showed the leakage and said it is due to physical damage (I was really surprised by this statement as there was not even a single scratch on the vehicle and I also had captured video of under body as proof when coolant was leaking and there was no damage there). I had a lot of discussion with different authorities (Service Advisor, Supervisor, Service Manager) and everyone was asking me to pay for the repair cost or claim my insurance. I even tried contacting the dealership from where I had purchase my vehicle as the vehicle was just 15 days old but they didn't even bother to get the details of incident and asked me to check with service centre where the vehicle is dropped.

After all this disappointing experience, I decided to leave vehicle at SC only and escalate the issue with Mahindra support so I came back home without any resolution. I sent a mail to Mahindra support and attached Dashcam footage (if this wasn't there then definitely they would have refused to listen) and all the videos that I had captured. After lot of followups and seeing the footage they finally agreed to replace the radiator free of cost on 3rd day (they did not accept that this is manufacturing defect and rather asked me to write a letter to repair this as Goodwill)

Replacement & Quality Concerns:

On the 4th day when they actually started the repair work, I decided to personally go to SC and get it done in my presence. They replaced radiator and and filled the coolant and took around 20KM test drive (I went for test drive to ensure that everything is fine). After the radiator replacement, there was a burning smell coming from engine bay but the SA mentioned that this is due to spilling of coolant while filling and would go away in 2-3 days so I took the delivery of the vehicle and came back home.

First Service Experience:

When the running was around 800 KM, I went for first servicing as I had to go on a long trip and I wanted to ensure that the vehicle is fit for the long trip as I was having lot of reliability issue after the first breakdown experience.
When I tried to book the service appointment, I found that even after 10 days the previous SC didn't close the job card for previous repair so I was not able to book new service appointment and was very frustrated as even after contacting the SC they took 3 days to close the job card (they stated that there was some technical glitch in the server)

After all this frustrating experience, I again went to the previous SC where the radiator replacement was done for the first service and the experience was again very disappointing. I just asked them to check for coolant level, engine oil level check because of the previous breakdown (also these are standard checks in first service). After waiting for 7 hrs, they finally delivered the vehicle and to my surprise, they didn't even bother to open the engine bay (I have video proof of the same) and they didn't even reset the service due warning coming in instrument cluster. I was very furious after seeing the service due warning in the instrument cluster and immediately called the SA and he mentioned I will guide you on call and you can remove it on your own but I insisted him to come near the vehicle and reset and after 10 mins he came and reset it. This shows how unprofessional the Mahindra staff is.

After getting the delivery of vehicle, we get a link to submit service experience feedback and I submitted poor rating to that I got call from Mahindra support, they asked me the concerns and after explaining everything they escalated it to SC. Next day I got a call from SC stating that due to high number of vehicles at SC, they didn't get enough time to service the vehicle properly and asked me to give good feedback every time (I guess SC guys don't know the purpose of collecting feedback. The feedback should be used to improve services and not just to collect it for the sake of maintaining targets). I suppose that's why the service appointment booking process is there but SC are just doing it for the sake of doing it and not keeping any restriction on number of appointments they accept. This definitely needs to be looked into by Mahindra as this is ruining the customer experience.

Long Trip Performance (Post-Radiator Replacement):

After the radiator replacement, I was very afraid of going on long trips but decided to take a chance and went for the trip. I had following findings after the trips:

Fuel Efficiency: It was better than expected, with the instrument cluster showing higher efficiency than the AdrenoX app, which included idle time during our dinner stop.
Tire Pressure Monitoring: The tire pressure leak detection feature in the app proved very useful.
AC Performance: The AC worked well even during the daytime, mostly kept at 24 degrees.
Headlights: The headlight performance at night was okay, not very good.

Design & Quality Concerns:

After the radiator replacement, I have driven almost 2500 KM so now I'm again gaining confidence in the vehicle but this proves that the first radiator damage was definitely a manufacturing defect which Mahindra refused to accept. I have driven multiple times on the same highway where first vehicle breakdown happened and luckily I haven't faced any issues.

Final Opinion: Should You Buy the XUV 3XO?

I personally did lot of research before purchasing this vehicle and I was expecting some service issues to come based on the various reviews given by other owners of Mahindra vehicles but it was worse than I expected. In my opinion the vehicle is offering really good package at great price for my personal requirements but Mahindra has a lot of scope for improving the customer experience.

Pros:

• Comfortable ride and better than expected fuel efficiency on highway (city fuel efficiency is still bad).
• Useful features in the AdrenoX app (remote monitoring, tire pressure detection).
• Decent AC.

Cons:

• Questionable reliability after the breakdown incident.
• Poor service experience and lack of dealership support.
• Potential design flaws and quality control issues.

Recommendations:

• If you’re considering the XUV 3XO, I highly recommend investing in a dashcam. It was only because of the dashcam footage that I was able to prove my case and avoid a hefty repair bill.
• Be prepared for inconsistent service experiences, and ensure thorough checks during every service visit.

Proofs:

I have added all the proofs and details of the experiences on my Youtube channel.

https://youtu.be/uFaSMonTDIY?si=QHQHouxOy7AhqoOC

https://youtu.be/hsoizmuIeak?si=7iFhRIeLztVWn2r_

https://youtu.be/aImHrPnd6bw?si=uOwmtz98Y1pxSWvG

[ptushar]

Wow. That's a bad experience indeed. It does not give me great confidence in Mahindra support after reading this. I am in the market for a new car and have zeroed in on 3XO and Brezza and was contemplating on whether I should wait for some more time to actually see the Kylaq when it is available in showrooms.

To be honest, everyone in the family had loved the 3XO for it's practicality, space, non-claustrophobic bright interiors, many useful features etc. But such stories about bad service experiences just get me to think. I seriously hope this was an aberration and not the rule.

Now I am thinking I should definitely wait for the Kylaq to hit the showroom and check it out once before I make the final decision.

[PetrolHead2272]

So sorry to hear about your ordeal, hopefully the rest of the ownership is blissful and hassle free.

Originally Posted by mkmandar123

I booked the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 Petrol Manual variant in June 2024 and received delivery on 19th September after lot of followups and escalations.

Never buy the first few batches of a new car. Wait a year or two for the car to settle into the market and the manufacturer to iron out the niggles.

[TheFonz]

For me, the takeaway from this story is that PDI is a must. I have a friend who recently bought an XUV700 and was told the same thing regarding PDI from a Bangalore dealership. I advised against it and asked him to push back and to get Zekardo's professional services to do the detailed PDI. After a week of to and fro, the dealership finally agreed. Although he did face an issue during the first week with the instrument cluster, it's more of a niggle than a major breakdown.

[Turbanator]

Originally Posted by mkmandar123

the coolant was leaking with heavy flow so decided to call directly to RSA....
showed the leakage and said it is due to physical damage

Do you have any pictures where radiator damage is visible either from the time of the incident or at the service centre? Is it possible that something had hit the radiator, like a flying stone? Most radiators are pressure-tested before being cleared, so there has to be either a hit or a defect in manufacturing. Any hit will mostly leave a mark, whereas a leakage from the joint in case of a defect due to manufacturing probably will not have such damage.

Relating to service experience, I believe most auto dealers are working over their capacities, and it's going to get worse. Overall size/ planning and the number of vehicles have simply outpaced the infrastructure. Unfortunately, given the high real estate prices/ rentals, this problem has no immediate solution as well.

Originally Posted by TheFonz

For me, the takeaway from this story is that PDI is a must.

If this is indeed due to a manufacturing defect, it will be impossible to find during PDI unless someone starts taking the car apart and checking individual components. Cooling circuits are closed and the leak won't wait until an X Km. Of course, during normal ageing, things will go bad depending on the overall quality.

[mkmandar123]

Originally Posted by Turbanator

Do you have any pictures where radiator damage is visible either from the time of the incident or at the service centre? Is it possible that something had hit the radiator, like a flying stone? Most radiators are pressure-tested before being cleared, so there has to be either a hit or a defect in manufacturing. Any hit will mostly leave a mark, whereas a leakage from the joint in case of a defect due to manufacturing probably will not have such damage.

Yes, I do have video of the damage. I have added it in my detailed video and the damage was not from front side, it was in the inner side and even if we consider that flying stone has hit the radiator then I feel that the manufacturer should give enough protection under body so that this doesn't happen as small stones will always hit our vehicle.

[DevendraG]

Just from an understanding point of view, would the radiator issue be captured in PDI? I understand the issue cropped up after almost 600 KMS of driving. Even if the engine was turned on during PDI, I doubt it would capture the damage then. I am assuming that you saw no physical damage on/around the radiator at the time of breakdown.

Regardless, I would always prefer PDI before purchasing a car.

Good Luck with your purchase and happy motoring!

[ashkamath]

Thanks for your review. From your narration and images, it appears pretty sure that the said damage to the radiator is a manufacturing defect and not due to any road incident.

The SA should have been smart enough to realise the same and do the appropriate replacement without much drama, which they unfortunately didn't. Had they accepted that it was a manufacturing defect and got it replaced, it would have been a better experience and bolstered your confidence in Mahindra. Manufacturing defects do happen and then , identifying and accepting the same at the earliest is the way, the manufacturer makes good the loss of confidence and reputation from the customer.

I have booked the 3XO in first week of August and now after seeing the initial videos and reviews of Skoda Kylaq have decided to cancel the 3XO booking and go for the Kylaq. I have driven the 1.0 TSI Kushaq Automatic and was amazed at the way the car handled. Hoping similar road dynamics in Kylaq too.

Thanks for your feedback, as it made me take a closer look at the much larger picture of servicing and workshop experience. Not that Skoda is great in service or spares prices, but just hoping that they have learnt their lessons from their earlier follies and course corrected and may provide a better (read affordable) experience.

[mkmandar123]

Originally Posted by PetrolHead2272

Never buy the first few batches of a new car. Wait a year or two for the car to settle into the market and the manufacturer to iron out the niggles.

I completely agree with this point , I was mentally prepared to face minor software glitches in Infotainment and Instrument Cluster as most of the people were facing those and I was even prepared for some other minor issues but I was also expecting those issues to be solved by Mahindra during the first service but I was shocked when they put blame on me for the breakdown. It's completely acceptable to get minor manufacturing defects or issues in any vehicle since it's a complex machine but the way these issues are handled matters a lot. If they had accepted it as manufacturing defect and repaired it without having to escalate then this would have been very positive experience.

[vamsi.vadrevu]

I'm sorry to hear about your experience @mkmandar123. I hope you face no further issues in future!

Reading about all these service experience stories, I've come to the conclusion that the service experience is not brand specific. It is service center specific. If the owner of the service center is a crook, there's nothing the brand can do. (Unless it is Maruti, who take serious action on service center complaints). But even Maruti service has been deteriorating for a while (about 10 years).

The best we can do is learn as much as we can about our vehicle, and do pre-travel checks.

I usually perform fluid checks and tire pressure checks before any drive that can last more than 2 hours.

I'm however unsure if we'd be able to catch a radiator leak though! Unless you regularly check the levels, you're unlikely to find a slow leak. This case seems to be a manufacturing defect which Mahindra should have replaced immediately without any further questions.

This poor QC is prevalent in Indian manufacturers. The Koreans and Germans are better and Japanese seem to be the best at QC. If QC is bad, manufacturer should compensate for it with a "no questions asked replacement policy".

However this is unlikely to happen. Brands aren't interested in building trust. They just want to make a quick buck. Looking at all these factors, buying anything other than Maruti and Toyota seems like a gamble in India. With the poor service conditions and general lack of technical knowledge amongst the service technicians. Lately, I've come to the realisation that reliability is the ultimate luxury

No matter how many features our cars come with, reliability is the one thing that should never be compromised upon.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by PetrolHead2272

Never buy the first few batches of a new car. Wait a year or two for the car to settle into the market and the manufacturer to iron out the niggles.

Sorry to hear the OP's ordeal and seriously hope the Mahindra team has seen this thread and made some real efforts to get the service experience sorted out fast and quick.

I don't agree that one should buy a newly launched model a year after its launch. If everybody thinks similar then there will be no sales of that model or any existing issue being reported. The car manufacturers advertise that their car models are treated to some real life harsh testings before the roll out from the factory. If the owners are facing issues immediately after purchase why is the OEM not held liable for lack of quality. Is there not any forum where the OEM will compensate for the ordeal faced by owners due to quality issues in the car?

Service centres overflowing with cars is nothing new and as a mod said its going to get worse. What is the solution for this?

[Nithesh_M]

I rate Mahindra ASS on par with Skodas especially in tier 2 and lower cities like mine. They only value their internal ratings or feedback calls and nothing more.

The local dealer here doesn't even wash a car during the service citing some unnamed Mahindra policy or water shortage etc



I've seen the callous attitude of how they treat government vehicles. Even if officers come and report the poor quality of service, they act like its not their job.

[Sudarshan42]

This is worrying. While I'm not immediately in the market for a new car, and realize that this is only one customer account amidst many other happy customers, such fundamental QC issues make me wonder which manufacturer can we trust to deliver a fault-free and relatively pain-free experience?

Maruti, Toyota, Honda, Hyundai and Kia come to mind. Mahindra and Tata, though they produce stellar products that are better than most offerings from the Japs or Koreans, still have such a long way to go in terms of both QA/QC and service experiences. When the EV variants of Hyundai's existing products come out, I'm pretty sure I would be swayed towards those than our homegrown ones. Sad and unfortunate reality.

[gopalnt]

If the car has a manufacturing defect for which the dealer cannot be blamed for, why are dealers refusing to accept them? The manufacturer has given warranty and the dealer is not going to spend from their pocket for replacement. What is the loss the dealer is going to face? Or is there any direct/indirect mandate given by manufacturer to the dealers to do so?

[ptushar]

I own a Tata and a Hyundai. And I can say with some degree of confidence that I have found Tata service to be better than the Hyundai at times. Not that Hyundai was bad at all, but just that Tata was better. But have never faced any issues with either.

If the damage to the Radiator was from the inside then how were they saying that this is due to damage by the OP? These are exactly scenarios where the dealers and service advisor's job becomes so so important. If they had handled this professionally instead of trying to save a few bucks, this entire episode would have been written differently by the OP. We all understand that any product as complex as a modern car can have issues. But if the client faces problems while getting these resolved then it leaves a lot to be desired from the manufacturer.

I hope Mahindra look into such matters seriously and do something to ensure customer confidence. They have great products but such negative publicity won't help their cause.