By : RACHNA TYAGI
NASIK :
Mahindra’s XUV 300 (Think Ssangyong Tivoli), has been rebadged as the 3XO, but it is not just a new name that the SUV has received; a lot of work from the engineers and designers has gone into making the 3XO a really outstanding product. New features, new technical specifications, and of course, changes to the design, both, in terms of the exteriors as well as the interiors, really make the 3XO shine. We drove it in Nasik and here’s what we think of it…
The first thing that you will notice about the 3XO is that it has solid road presence and considering ours was in a gorgeous dual tone Citrine Yellow and black, it stood out even more. The muscular design with the long bonnet (despite it being a sub-4m SUV), the R17 diamond cut alloys, the 201mm ground clearance and the front fascia, all add to the 3XO’s allure. The C-shaped headlamps (which also house the fog lamps) on the 3XO, really stand out and the C-shaped design is also seen in the tail lamps, at the rear, set in the black-coloured diamond shaped casing which, in all earnestness, looks swell. Besides, in keeping with the current trend, the 3XO also gets the light bar running across its width which sits just above the Mahindra logo and the SUV’s ‘XUV 3XO’ lettering. The cladding looks clean and well-proportioned without giving out the impression of eating up half of the space on the doors or the fenders as seen on some SUVs these days. We especially liked the little cuts that the designers have introduced in the cladding that runs along the wheel arches. (Watch our interview with Pratap Bose, Chief Design & Creative Officer, Mahindra & Mahindra Limited and Ajay Saran Sharma, Vice President & Head, Mahindra India Design Studio (M.I.D.S), Head, Global Design Program Management, Mahindra Group, to learn more about that quirky touch as well as other aspects of Design on the Mahindra 3XO below:
The diamond design can also be seen on the black roof rails and it looks tremendously stylish, especially when the light hits it. At the rear, the 3XO gets 364-litres of luggage space (Luggage volume upto roof) and the seats get a 60:40 split, making it particularly useful especially if you’re carrying more luggage on those long road trips.
Inside, the gorgeous ivory-coloured leatherette seats instantly give the 3XO a very premium feel. While there is some use of hard plastic inside the 3XO, the soft touch materials on the dash as well as on the door trims add to the interior’s upmarket look and feel. The cooled glove box is adequately sized and there are enough cubby holes for your bottles as well as other knick-knacks. The double stitching on the dash as well as on the seats, the diamond design on the dash and the seats (which continues from the exterior), all enhance the beauty of this compact SUV. Not to mention the piano black finish on the dash which stands out in sharp contrast to the ivory colour that has been used generously throughout the cabin. While the ivory-coloured interiors make the cabin of the 3XO look really roomy, the panoramic sunroof which Mahindra calls the ‘Skyroof,’ further adds to the feeling of space inside. The rear seat’s recline angle and thigh support are good and it gets three headrests and an armrest. With other creature comforts such as cup holders, USB-C charging and a dedicated space to keep your cell phone make the back seat also a pretty comfortable place to be in.
In terms of tech, the 3XO gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Then there are the two 10.25-inch HD screens – an infotainment screen and a digital cluster, a 360-degree camera to look around your SUV and check for strays, for instance. There is also Dual Zone Climate Control, Premium audio with Harman Kardon speakers, USB-C and USB-A charging, as well as wireless charging so that none of your gadgets run out of juice ever!
The 3XO gets three engine options, the 1.2-L mStallion TCMPFi engine, the 1.5-L Turbo Diesel with CRDe, and the 1.2L mStallion TGDi… which we drove. Mated to a 6-speed AT, our AX7 L, turbo-petrol variant, which came strapped with the mStallion TGDi engine puts out a max power of 96kW@5000rpm and 230Nm of torque@ 1500-3750rpm and we sure were impressed with not just the turbo engine’s performance but also its ride and handling. The power delivery was linear, the gear shifts were smooth and the disc brakes (Front and Rear) had enough bite to bring this 3990mm SUV to an immediate halt. We really loved the sporty pedals on the 3XO which really showed how no aspect of design had been overlooked. The MacPherson struts (Fully Independent) in the front and the Twist Beam (Semi-Independent) suspension at the rear did a fine job of gobbling up all the potholes that came in our way, making our ride ever so smooth throughout our time with the SUV. The overall visibility on the 3XO felt good and also noteworthy was the SUV’s ground clearance (201mm) which also played a vital role in ensuring that our ride was a smooth one. While we opted to drive in the ‘Sport’ steering mode, instead of ‘Normal’ or ‘Comfort’ modes, we could sense the characteristic changes in the other modes and were happy to learn that the ‘Smart Steering Mode’ feature is standard across all powertrains. Besides, the 3XO also comes with custom drive modes – Zip, Zap and Zoom – which allows for choosing a mode based on the terrain that we are driving on, whereby it alters the maneuverability experience based on the mode selected. The NVH levels on the 3XO were also very good and overall, driving the sub 4-meter SUV provided us with an extremely sophisticated experience.
When it comes to safety, there are no compromises on the 3XO. From an auto dimming IRVM to six airbags, to TPMS, to an Electronic Parking Brake with Auto Hold, to Level 2 ADAS (1R1V) where the Blind View Monitor relays info onto your HD screen, Mahindra has pulled out all the stops and the best part is that many of these features are on offer on most of the variants… of course, since we were driving the top variant ours came with all the frills.
With the 3XO’s price tag starting at INR 7,49,000 and going up to INR 15.49 Lakh for the top variant (which we drove), we definitely feel that there may well be a suitable engine option, a suitable variant, and a preferred colour way in this compact SUV for all those who’re in the market for one. But hey, don’t just take our word for it! The fact that the Mahindra 3XO received over 50,000 bookings in the first hour when bookings opened, speaks volumes about how so many are already convinced about its capabilities that they’re lining up for one already!
