If you want to save on fuel, but not spend too big on monthly car repayments, is a diesel Mahindra XUV300 the perfect all-rounder?
There’s just no getting ahead for South Africans – as soon as we thought Covid had lost most of its bite, we’re hit with a record high in petrol, diesel, and paraffin prices. And while most of us would love to drive a low-cost electric or hybrid vehicle, the cheapest hybrid car in South Africa, the Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XS, will still cost you R425 400. What’s a Saffa to do, then?
Clever South Africans who can afford to do so, will buy a car with a downsized diesel engine, probably lightly used if possible, with low running costs. Is the Mahindra XUV300, in diesel guise, the car to consider in these difficult times? We drove the recently-facelifted XUV 300 in flagship W8 trim, to see if it’s a viable option.
Styling
The XUV300’s look remains somewhat generic but is not offensive in any way, in fact, I quite fancy the L-shaped LED light signature of the “Cheetah”- inspired headlamps that flow into the front fog lamps. It’s almost as though the XUV300 has become a bit sexier with age, and its dimensions more pleasing to the eyes. Mahindra has also bestowed the facelifted model with new 16-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and a full-size spare wheel now hides in the boot. Other design highlights include the floating-effect roof, rear spoiler, black cladding and faux skid plates in the front and rear and 3D-effect LED taillights. The XUV300 has an easygoing and fun demeanour and fits right in with all the trendy Mom’s-Taxi-SUVs in the school parking lot.
Interior style and quality
Thank goodness Mahindra has done away with the impractical white interior – the black leather will be much more durable if you have a family. But while the black looks slick, unfortunately, it also makes the cabin a little dark and dull. But it’s not the end of the world and a small price to pay for better longevity. Overall, build quality is solid and robust, if not premium. A central armrest cubby is useful for storing your face masks and keys and the front passenger benefits from an open storage shelf for a phone or headset.
The central touchscreen, now a little bit bigger, features onboard sat-nav as well as wireless smartphone mirroring, compatible with your Android device and/or an Apple iPhone. Once connected, you can ask the Google Assistant or Siri to read out your Whatsapp Messages, play playlists on your music apps of choice, navigate to a certain address and so forth. When this connection is active, whether the system itself is user-friendly or not isn’t much of an issue. The sound quality is quite good, considering the price and segment, and road/wind noise in the cabin is well-suppressed, probably also due in part to the upmarket tyres with high sidewalls. There are two USB connection points for front passengers, but rear passengers have to go without.
Space and comfort features
The XUV looks compact but the second row is remarkably spacious, and wide enough to seat three adult passengers side-by-side, with sufficient legroom and a three-point safety belt for every passenger who has his/her behind on the supportive leatherette seats.
Comfort is enhanced by thick carpets and tinted windows, but a bigger boot would have made the XUV300 just a little more attractive to buyers. After picking up my husband (with minimal luggage) from the airport, I collected the kids from school, but one of the two school bags had to ride home in the cabin. On the plus side, the full-size spare wheel hiding in the boot instils more confidence on road trips than the previous Marie-biscuit variety did.
Our W8 model also has a sunroof fitted as standard which is a lovely little luxury, but unfortunately, it’s noisy when you have it open in town and is more of a niggle than a delight.
The drive
The XUV300 is built in India and designed for challenging everyday road conditions, just like we have here in SA (except if you’re lucky enough to reside in the Western Cape where potholes aren’t very commonly seen). If you’re the adventurous type, the XUV300 will be up to the task with its pliant suspension that just gobbles up corrugated surfaces. Just remember that it’s not a 4×4 but a front-wheel-driven soft-roader, but the odd sidewalk parking manoeuvre can easily be performed when the Prados and Fortuners have cheated you out of your favourite parking space at your kid’s school.
The 1.5-litre turbodiesel pot (with 86kW and 300 Nm) is an agreeable little engine which doesn’t lack spirit at all. It’s smooth, perky, and works at its most efficiently with the 6-speed manual transmission. There is no automatic gearbox to be had in the range.
Another nice surprise is the Bridgestone Turanza tyres usually reserved for luxury cars. Apart from being especially quiet and eco-conscious, Turanzas are known to perform well in wet conditions too, enhancing overall stability and therefore safety.
Fuel consumption
The XUV300 1.5TD is well-known for its light diesel-sipping abilities and has performed exceptionally well in economy runs, making it one of SA’s most fuel-efficient cars. Consumption of 5.1 litres per 100 km on average is the going rate, rising to no more than 6.2 in town while in my care. 17 km per litre of fuel is not to be sneezed at while oil prices keep reaching for the stars.
Safety features
Mahindra takes great pleasure in calling the XUV300 ‘the safest car in Africa’, although it hasn’t exactly been pitted against the Volvo XC40 or BMW X1, for example. This is because it was tested by Global NCAP (or the Global New Car Assessment Programme) a relatively new Governing body that aims to promote the sale of safer cars in developing markets such as India, Latin America and South Africa. However, the XUV300 is the safest car at this price and in its segment, beating a very popular rival from the Toyota and Suzuki stables, namely the Urban Cruiser and Vitara Brezza:
During the tests, the GNCAP submitted the XUV300 to various side- and front-offset crash tests. It awarded the XUV300 a score of 16.42 out of 17 for adult protection, giving it five out of five stars.
The GNCAP also awarded the XUV300 with four stars for child protection, scoring it “Good” or “Adequate” in all areas of occupant protection, cabin intrusion and vehicle body deformation.
– Mahindra South Africa
The XUV300, in W8 trim, has seven airbags in total (other models have two), as well as dynamic cornering brake control and hill-hold assist. All XUV300 models are equipped with ABS brakes with emergency brake force distribution and stability control, ISOFIX child seat anchorage points, and speed-sensitive door locks. And most importantly, the XUV300 tested by Global NCAP was the entry-level W2 variant, not even a mid- or high-spec model.
Pricing
If you’re going to buy a Mahindra, opting for the most expensive model in the range is probably not the best idea. South Africans are still a little unsure about the brand, and depreciation is inevitable, as older Mahindras from other model ranges had build quality issues and other electric niggles. There’s no reason the new XUV300 should give prospective buyers any major reason to worry, however; everything that irritated me in the pre-facelift model has now been eliminated, making the XUV300 an easygoing companion suitable for any occasion.
The XUV300 1.5TD W8 is priced at R336 999, still a smidge less expensive than its lesser-specced Renault Counterpart, the Duster 1.5dCi Zen, at R342 900, which also has significantly less leg- and elbow room on the second row. Other frugal diesel SUVs include the Hyundai Creta 1.5D Executive, priced at a whopping R494 900.
The more affordable diesel in the Mahindra XUV300 range is the 1.5TD W6 variant, at R281 999, with two airbags instead of six, no hill-start assist (or hill-hold), and no rain-sensor, auto-dimming interior mirror, or daytime running lamps, but it still has stability control and as we’ve mentioned before, it was the cheapest model that underwent the safety tests and still managed to score top marks. If you can live with the cloth seats, then the W6 diesel is arguably the better buy.
And, if diesel isn’t your cup of tea, the 1.2-litre turbo-petrol models (with 81 kW and 200 Nm) will do nicely too, especially if you’re mostly driving in the city. The 1.2T W4 SE, at R244 999, is the sweetest deal and offers the best value overall. This variant has ABS, alloy wheels, stability control, two airbags, touchscreen with CarPlay/Android Auto, USB ports, Bluetooth, electric windows, ISOFIX points, and park distance control, to name its most prominent features. Compared to cars like the underpowered Renault Kiger 1.0 Zen auto (R229 900) and largely untested BAIC X24 Fashion(R229 990) as well as the smaller Suzuki Ignis (236 900), you’re getting very good value for money. The poverty-spec XUV300 will cost you R234 999.
Verdict
The XUV300, whichever model you choose, is as impressive in the metal as it is on paper. I must admit that I am just a little concerned after reading less-than-ideal reviews of the aftersales service on Hello Peter, even after Mahindra launched its #GreatValueGreatService aftersales campaign in 2019. So, even though I think the XUV300 is a great compact SUV overall, I would perhaps chat to other Mahindra owners and get a first-hand account of their level of customer satisfaction before making a serious commitment.
Keyword: Mahindra XUV300 (2022) 1.5TD W8 - Your secret weapon against fuel price hikes?