MAHINDRA XUV300 1,5 DIESEL W8 MANUAL

Into its fifth month in CAR’S long-term test fleet, the XUV300 has completed 6 367 km. And the Mahindra continues to impress, not only with the CAR team members, but consumers who have put pen to paper for what is arguably the Indian firm’s most polished local offering yet. Case in point: an acquaintance of mine recently bought an XUV300 and has waxed lyrical about his purchase ever since.

There are some aspects of the XUV300 upon which the firm

can improve, though. The stop/ start system, for example, is finicky and takes a fair amount of time to engage. It takes some getting used to. Various CAR team members and I have noted it’s better to switch off this feature altogether by pressing a button sited to the right-hand side of the steering wheel before setting off. At times, the system’s lethargy has left other motorists fuming at the traffic light when the system hasn’t fired up the engine in time. Another small bugbear is that the parcel shelf isn’t attached to the tailgate with strings. It makes loading and unloading large items into the small boot quite problematic, having to hold up the parcel shelf with an elbow, shoulder and the like.

Nitpicking aside, the XUV300 remains a commendable crossover and is certainly a hot contender if you are looking to spend your hard-earned money on a car in this segment.

The interior is as sturdy and comfortable as the day the XUV300 arrived at our offices. Plus, the attractive bodywork continues to turn heads. With another long-distance trip beckoning, I’m looking forward to taking it on a long, economical cruise to my end destination.