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My Mahindra XUV 3XO: Purchasing and ownership experience

29th April 2025, 17:00 by R Patil

The hunt had already started since 2 years , we take a lot of time to finalize on a car. The criteria was pretty simple it needed to be compact and an automatic so that everyone can drive the car at home

BHPian Hawk recently shared this with other enthusiasts:

Hey guys its been a while since i have posted , finally had enough time to compile my 6 months ownership review of the XUV 3XO.

WHY ANOTHER CAR ?

Well the thought about adding another car to the garage had been for a long time, after getting the XUV 700 and our SX4 getting 15 years old and being sent away. The need for a smaller car was there. This need intensified as my college started as daily travelling from public transport was taking too much time and money.

The hunt had already started since 2 years , we take a lot of time to finalize on a car. The criteria was pretty simple it needed to be compact and an automatic so that everyone can drive the car at home.

Cars seen -

TATA PUNCH - A solidly built car , rejected due to AMT and looks too cute.
TATA ALTROZ - A solidly built car again , DCA was pretty good and drives pretty well , was rejected due to the VFM factor.
TATA NEXON - Automatic variants were pricey and had a AMT , the proper automatic costed about 16 lakhs OTR , So rejected due to price.
VW VIRTUS - Very good car , If we were getting a manual this would have been standing in the driveway. Automatic variants were too pricey hence rejected.
CITROEN C3 - Nimble and fun and fun to drive , rejected because of no automatic and Citroen brand.
NISSAN MAGNITE - Rejected due to poor build quality
RENAULT KIGER - Rejected due to poor build quality
MS BREZZA - This was a perfect car for us and we were keen on finalizing it , but i fell sick at that time and plans were shifted ahead . I would say this was lucky as till then XUV 3XO was nearing launch.
HONDA AMAZE - A good and VFM proposition , Rejected due to rubber band effect of CVT and hard steering.
MS CIAZ - Was not available anywhere , so rejected. Was looking forward to it as it was pretty similar to the SX4
MS BALENO - Drove it in goa , didn't like it one bit.
MS FRONX - Same reason as Baleno.
HYUNDAI i20 - CVT had a rubber band effect , even after discounts it was rejected due to safety concerns and FE concerns.

One more issue with Tata was the bad service review of our local dealership and a scam where they replaced original parts with fake ones in their own service center , these things just make you more hesitant about choosing Tata cars.

Also , the Hyundai dealership was weird as they had no i20 for test drive and you had to book on their online portal for a test drive , which was just a nuisance as a person needs to then wait for days for a test drive.

Out of all of them Honda had the best showroom experience followed by Mahindra.

ENTER THE 3XO

The last car i had test driven was the MS Brezza AT . It ticked most of the boxes and was the cheapest proper automatic at that time at 13 Lakh OTR. I fell sick after that and till i recovered the 3XO launch was near. The XUV 300 was never in our mind because of its high price and AMT.

Honestly , i didn't really have much expectation from the 3XO as it was a product which i felt Mahindra took very lightly. Well i was so wrong, the launch day and came and i was blown away by their pricing . A true automatic car under 10 lakhs with more features then the Brezza VXI AT. It was a approx. 3 lakh difference between both the cars OTR. Also , due to the 3XO being under 10 lakhs , the insurance and other things would be cheaper for it.

We went to check it out and sadly they only had a manual variant for test drive. The first time i saw it , it looked quite polarizing but now the looks have grown on me. From the moment i opened the door , i could feel its built quality. The built quality felt so much superior than any of its competitor. The leg room was very good , Unlike the Hyundai venue / Kia sonet.

Went for a drive in the manual , it felt so similar to driving the XUV 700. The suspension setup was very good and the car was gliding. I felt that the clutch travel was too much , except that it felt pretty perfect. Irony is that , I never got to drove the automatic and we still booked it.

We booked the MX2 PRO AT as it made the most sense and it ticked our boxes of Sasti , Sundar and Tikau ( Basically it ticked our boxes of being an automatic , compact and cheap )

The waiting game started , we were told 2 months but it took them approx 5 months to deliver it . Mahindra kept even their sales team in suspense that when the MX2 PRO AT variant will be delivered.

Our experience with Mahindra has been very good till now , from sales to service they have been pretty good at it . Sometimes they haven't been able to solve our problems , but at least they kept trying to rectify the issue. Kudos to Koncept Mahindra.

I think another reason we chose Mahindra again is the trust they have built with us. Whenever the XUV 700 had any issues or recalls, they promptly addressed them. On one occasion, they even came to our house to replace a small rubber part that was under recall. These small gestures really help build trust in a brand, and because of this kind of* service, anyone would be inclined to choose the same brand again. I believe Mahindra has made significant progress in improving its customer support and is now better than even some international players in our market.

Life takes a full circle

PRO AND CONS

In the last 6 months , i have clocked 6000 KM and there have been no major issues so far.

PROS -

Very good NVH levels
Built like a tank
Fun to drive
VFM
Smooth shifting gear box
Planted ride on high speeds
No body roll

CONS-

A and B pillar block view
Missing features
No height adjustable driver seat
No reverse camera
Fuel efficiency in city
Infotainment screen is useless
Halogen headlight setup not good
No mic present

THE MECHANICAL STUFF

I have driven it for more than 6000 km now and i have now understood the car better.

It drives very well, and the core principles of this car are excellent. The power delivery, ride dynamics, suspension, and handling are all highly commendable. If you're looking for a car that is fun to drive, go for this one without hesitation.

COMFORT
Once you start driving it, you won’t even feel like stopping for breaks—it’s that fun and comfortable to drive. Your rear passengers won’t have any issues either, thanks to the ample legroom and rear seat comfort, which are far better than other cars in its segment. I just wish they had provided a recline option for the rear seats as well so that the seats could offer a bit more recline when needed. I think a little more under thigh support could have been given in the rear seats. Rest i think because of it having more leg room than its competitors , its a pretty comfortable car for its size. The doors open wide enough so entering and exiting the car is easy. I think Mahindra should have given girthier front seats as healthy individuals will find it a little hard , i even saw in the Thar Roxx that the front seats are very narrow. I wouldn't mind more girthier and bigger seats , like those available in the XUV 700.

STEERING
The steering weights up good on high speeds and it is light enough on low speeds. People complaining about it feeling disconnected should first drive it for a few 100 kms to get a idea of its steering. The steering feedback is good and is very similar to the XUV 700. On highways the steering gains some weight unless your driving it in zip mode which makes the steering a little lighter. They should have separated engine modes and steering mode .

All basic audio controls present

BLIND SPOTS
One issue it has, which also plagues the XUV 700, is that the A and B pillars are too thick. When taking a right or left turn at an intersection, you need to be extra cautious to ensure no bike is obscured by them. Additionally, since it lacks front parking sensors or a camera, parking it bonnet-first can be a bit risky as there’s a chance of bumping the bumper. In mall and well defined parking this is not a problem , but when parking in undefined parking spaces you need to be careful about your bonnet. You need to get used to it , in comparisons sedans are easier to park bonnet first because of their sloping bonnet. This is i think more of a issue that will go away as i spend more time with the car.

ASS
One more issue you can get while driving is that you cannot permanently turn off the auto start stop feature , you need to manually turn it off every time you start the car. Its very poorly tuned and it is more of a hassle than a boon in city traffic.

Most irritating feature

MANEUVERABILITY
Turning radius and maneuverability is good ,but i would keep the XUV 700 a much bigger SUV from the same brand above it. The XUV 700 is way more maneuverable in tight spots compared to the 3XO , but the 3XO also doesn't fall short in its tight spot maneuverability.

BREAKING
It gets disk breaks in both the front and rear wheels and they are solid. It breaks very sharply when needed and it gives you more confidence to push the car on the highways. Nothing much to say here , breaks are a 10/10.

NVH LEVELS
The NVH levels when the car is turned on is very low , sometimes you cant even know if the engine is running when the car is stationary , and once music is playing while you are driving there is no engine noise. I daily drive it on the highway and do 80 - 100 Km/h and the engine doesn't whine and chugs along happily. Road noise is also very low. When you are standing outside the car and the engine is running , the MPFI engine has a unique sound which is pretty audible and sound like a trains engine is chugging along. Mahindra turbo engines , if you notice have a unique sound of its own when idle and when accelerating ,which is very different from the other mass market cars engine sound. I feel from what i have noticed , the 3XO offers the best insulation in its class. It even has engine insulation which nowadays even upper segment vehicles skimp on.

Engine insulation

GROUND CLEARENCE
The ground clearance is another positive thing , because of which i have escaped pretty deep potholes and am able to park in places where your everyday hatchbacks and sedans cant park. It goes over any pothole or any huge speed bumper you throw at it so basically just drive it anywhere , good approach and departure angle , It performs effectively under Indian road conditions. Ground clearance 10/10.

BOOTSPACE AND PORTS
Boot space is limited , but its not that less. 60-40 split from the base variant is a welcome feature and quite handy. There are plenty of storage spaces around the car. One thing i feel very irritated is by not giving 2 USB ports in the front. I have a Dash camera installed which takes power from the USB in the front and if i need to charge my phone i need to use the rear Type - C USB port because of which i cant keep my phone properly anywhere , so when i accelerate the phone just flies away or keeps going here and there .Once it got stuck between the center console and passenger seat , it was very tough to get it out .

1 USB port only

BUILD QUALITY
The build quality is very good, and I would even say it's the best in the segment. The doors are heavy and shut with a reassuring thud. The fit and finish inside the cabin are excellent. The touch and feel of the dashboard are impressive and do not resemble those of a car costing ₹10 lakh; instead, it feels like something from segments above. This is because the platform on which the XUV 3XO is built belongs to the Ssangyong Tivoli, a car from the C-segment. This is evident in its build quality, driving dynamics, and overall feel due to its foundation as a C-segment car. The XUV 3XO is essentially a Ssangyong Tivoli with its boot cut to make it fit within the sub-4-metre category (Thanks to weird Indian motor laws) .

The AC vents are so tactical

FEATURES ?

When we talk about the XUV 3XO , on launch pricing the best variants to get were the MX1 MT , MX2 PRO AT , AX5 MT/AT. These variants were really good value propositions and i think if you have the budget get the AX5 as that is the perfect variant to get.

Now , coming back to the MX2 PRO AT. At launch this was the most affordable proper automatic car available in the market at 9.99 Lakh Ex- showroom.

It has all the basic features your armrest , sunshade holders , power windows , infotainment screen , 4 speakers , sunroof etc.

Now , what i personally think is that sunroof was a unnecessary feature to give in this variant , instead of that they could have upgraded the infotainment and given a reverse camera / front parking sensors.

The speakers are a 5/10, and if you're passionate about music, this setup will not satisfy you. It performs decently in bass-heavy songs but falls short for rock and rap music. Hindi songs sound fairly good, while Punjabi songs sound slightly worse, and English songs sound even worse. To improve the system, consider replacing at least the two front component speakers , i don't think it requires dampening that much because NVH levels are pretty good.

Sunroof is just given as a feature to boast about. Useless in North India. It sure is interesting to see that in India you are getting a sunroof right from a car costing 8 Lakh INR and the XUV 3XO gets the award for the most affordable proper automatic car to have a sunroof.

The infotainment screen is also pretty useless , you will need to buy a separate android auto dongle to make it useful. The main problem is that there is only 1 USB terminal in the front because of which if you have to use a dash camera or say you want to charge your phone there are not enough ports. I think Mahindra should at least give one more USB port in the front. You can fiddle around and maybe through head unit emulator try to run android auto in it , that is something i will update about soon if possible. Fingers crossed i don't brick the unit.

One more thing that's really irritating is that if you accidentally leave the headlights on, they switch off when you get out and lock the car, but after a while, they start glowing again. I don’t really understand the point of this feature and behavior of the car.

The AC is powerful and provides excellent cooling even on hot days—no complaints here.

DRINKING ISSUES ?

Kitna deti hai ? is the most asked question always.

The figures are in respect to MX2 PRO PETROL AUTOMATIC

It has a Aisin sourced 6 speed torque converter mated to a 1.2 liter MPFI turbo engine. The 3XO is also available in a TGDI turbo engine format in its upper variants and only the Skoda Kylaq is the other car in this segment offering a TGDI engine.

The main difference between TGDI (Turbocharged Gasoline Direct Injection) and MPFI (Multi-Point Fuel Injection) engines is in how they deliver fuel. A TGDI engine injects fuel directly into the combustion chamber at high pressure, which, combined with a turbocharger, gives better power, fuel efficiency, and overall performance. This setup ensures more precise fuel delivery and improved combustion, especially under higher loads or at higher speeds. On the other hand, an MPFI engine injects fuel into the intake manifold near the intake valves. It’s a simpler and older system that is reliable and easy to maintain but doesn’t match the fuel efficiency and performance of a TGDI engine.

Most cars in the sub-15-lakh price range use an MPFI turbo system. However, thanks to Mahindra's marketing, even regular people have become aware that there are different types of technologies used in turbocharging a car as well.

City -
Enthusiast - 8 - 10 Km/l
Normal - 12 Km/L - 15 Km/l

Inside city

Highway -
Enthusiast - 17 Km/l
Normal - 19 Km/l - 22 Km/l

On the expressway

This engine has very mixed results , it is very good on the highways where we can extract good numbers out of it , but inside the city it has some drinking issues.

My daily commute is of 60 Km , out of which around 10 Km is in the city and rest is the expressway. I drive between 80 - 100 Km/h and get a mixed fuel economy of 19 Km/l + on the MID.

If you’re only driving on the highway and want to extract maximum fuel efficiency, I’ve managed to get a figure of 24 Km/l for the entire stretch. Multiple times, when I drive at around 85 Km/h with the 6th gear engaged, it’s easy to get 20 Km/l+ on a good expressway. At this speed, the engine stays under 2000 RPM, and it’s important to avoid sudden inputs. Let the gearbox shift gears at around 2000 RPM. The minimum RPM for upshifting is 2000, so to get the best fuel efficiency on the expressway, cross 80 Km/h, let the engine reach near 2000 RPM, and then manually upshift to the final gear. From there, you can gain a bit more speed—up to 90 Km/h—to achieve the best efficiency. The engine starts consuming a bit more fuel once you hit triple-digit speeds. From what I’ve noticed, the best efficiency comes when the engine is running at 1800 RPM. If you consistently hit triple-digit speeds, the mileage drops to around 17-18 Km/l on a good highway or expressway.

Night drives

Driving style is different of each person and how much fuel efficiency i get out of the car is my own personal experience , but if you just drive it with a free hand just accept a fuel efficiency of sub 10 Km/l in the city with heavy traffic if you drive in a city like Noida. On a good expressway it will give you about 19 Km/l + . Also if you live in a dusty environment like NCR you should check if you're air filters are choked by the dust if your running is high. Choked air filters result in lower fuel efficiency and i am feeling the hit.

SHOULD YOU BUY A 3XO ?

I have mixed feelings about this because what works for me may not always work for someone else.

In its segment, I believe the XUV 3XO is the best car you can buy right now. However, with the recent price hike and the MX2 PRO variant costing close to ₹12 lakh OTR, here are my thoughts and suggestions.

What can be improved in the MX2 PRO Variant
To cover its shortcomings, here’s how much i think you would need to spend:

Android Auto dongle / Head unit emulator – ₹2,000–3,000 / ₹430
Music system upgrade (only front speakers) – ₹10,000
Rear camera – ₹1,500–2,500
Fog lamps – ₹3,000–4,500
Halogen to LED headlamps – ₹3,000–6,000
These upgrades will refine the variant and make it nearly perfect.

Apart from this, we spent about ₹25,000 on essential accessories like seat covers, a rear bumper guard, a dashcam , etc. Depending on your preferences, this cost can be reduced to ₹20,000 if you’re flexible with color and quality choices.

Wanted everything to vibe with each other

So, considering:

₹11.20 lakh OTR cost
₹25,000 for basic accessories
₹20,000–30,000 extra for practical and feel-good features

A car that costs ₹9.99 lakh ex-showroom will ultimately cost around ₹11.80 lakh OTR with all these add-ons.

Alternative Recommendations

1. Honda Amaze 2025
A well-rounded, value-for-money (VFM) car, perfect for families. The only downside is the low ground clearance, but apart from that, it has all the essential features. The VX CVT variant, priced at ₹11.20 lakh OTR, is the best choice.

2. Honda Elevate
With huge discounts, you can get the V CVT variant for ₹14.5–15 lakh OTR. It offers more space, a segment-above experience, and comes with a refined 4-cylinder engine. If you're considering the XUV 3XO AX5, this is a strong alternative. Be warned though that the NVH levels are way better in the 3XO compared to the Elevate.

3. Mahindra BE 6 (EV)
Yes, it starts at ₹19 lakh OTR in states with zero road tax on EVs, but if you have high running, it's worth the stretch. Mahindra offers a financing plan where EMIs remain the same for all variants, so with a ₹10 lakh down payment, the remaining amount can be treated as what you would have spent on fuel. Plus, you get a well-engineered EV with an unlimited warranty, making it a great deal in tax-free states.

4. VW Virtus
If you need a manual car and all you care about is driving, just get this—no questions asked. Go for the base variant and mod it yourself. There are usually discounts, so you can get it for under ₹13 lakh OTR in Noida.

Cars I Would Not Recommend

1. Hyundai Venue / Kia Sonet
They have a great feature set and premium-looking interiors, but they fall short in legroom and ride quality. The rear space feels cramped, and the pricing for proper automatic variants is ridiculous.

2. Tata Nexon
A good car, but at the end of the day, it’s still a Tata. Some variants feel overpriced for what they offer. The Revotron engine has improved, but NVH levels still need refinement. The service of Tata in my area at least is a dumpster fire of what i have heard.

3. Maruti Suzuki Brezza
A solid car and my second choice after the XUV 3XO, but it's overpriced. The automatic variants, in particular, don’t justify their price, especially when compared to the XUV 3XO, which offers the same features for a lower price. Still , i think this is the most complete sub 4 meter car for a non enthusiast driver.

4. Any Car with an AMT
Stay away from AMTs. In the long run, they become annoying. I’ve driven the Baleno AMT, and it was a nightmare.

Final Verdict

Would I recommend the XUV 3XO? Absolutely! If you're okay with the smaller boot space, this is the most complete sub-4-meter car you can buy right now. It punches well above its weight in areas like driving comfort, ride quality, NVH, and suspension setup. Even with the recent price hike, the compromises are minimal and can be easily fixed with aftermarket modifications. This is a drivers car and it doesn't reek of something made to just print money.

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