evo India – July 2019

HE COMPACT SUV SEGMENT IS

extremely competitive and with

the entry of new contenders

like the Hyundai Venue, the

action is only getting hotter. There was one

thing missing in the XUV300’s arsenal to take

the competition on. There was no automatic

gearbox. Well, now Mahindra has addressed

that with an AMT for the diesel.

The XUV300’s AMT (sourced from Magneti

Marelli) is a very refined unit and we didn’t

feel any jerks whatsoever. The gearbox

has a very smooth shifting action and even

drives through stop and go traffic smoothly,

something that’s not the case with most

AMTs on the market. The gear lever too is

simple to use and slots in easily into the

desired position. The XUV300 AMT is great for

driving at a measured pace. But the moment

you give it the beans, it comes across as

lethargic and lazy to quickly shift into the right

gear. Shift times are slow and even in manual

Driven

T

• Smooth, jerk free operation - Sluggish, creep function takes long to act evo rating (^) ;;;;2
  Engine
  1497cc, In-line 4-cyl, turbo-diesel
  Power
  115bhp @ 3750rpm
  Torque
  300Nm @ 1500-2500rpm
  0-100kmph
  NA
  Top speed
  NA
  Transmission
  6-speed AMT
  Price
  `12.5 lakh (expected)
  Specification
  62 http://www.evoIndia.com | July 2019
  Test location: Nashik
  Photography: Te j a s B h a g a t
  Mahindra XUV300 AMT
  Mahindra’s baby XUV gets a much needed automatic variant to take on the challenge from the competition
  mode there is a certain delay before the gear
  shift actually happens. That said, the AMT
  does allow the engine to rev up to the redline
  unlike some other AMTs that cut power.
  However, there is one annoying flaw. In stop-
  go traffic, the XUV300 AMT’s creep function
  takes a while to get the car to move and you
  end up depressing the accelerator to get a
  move on, thus adding to the effort required,
  particularly on inclines.
  All being said, the XUV300 AMT combines
  the versatility of being a fun-to-drive car
  overall along with the added practicality
  that the AMT gearbox offers. It could be a
  good option for someone looking for a great
  handling car with an AMT gearbox. It returned
  a respectable 12kmpl when driven with a
  lead foot. However, in a highly competitive
  segment, what remains to be seen is the
  pricing and that will eventually make or break
  the XUV300 AMT’s chances in the market. L
  Afzal Rawuther (@afzalrawuther)