XUV 500

Mahindra XUV500

The Mahindra XUV 500 is a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) produced by the Indian automobile company Mahindra & Mahindra  and was launched in September 2011 and by June 2012 the XUV 500 was available in 19 cities in India.Its logo is may your lives be full of stories.

The XUV500 was designed and developed at Mahindra's design and vehicle build center in Chennai, and is manufactured in Mahindra's Chakan plant in Pune, India. The XUV500 is powered by a 2.2 litre (2179 cc) "mHawk" diesel engine similar to the one in the Mahindra Scorpio. It develops 140 bhp (104 kW; 142 PS) @ 3750 rpm and torque of 330 N·m (243 lb·ft) @1600-2800 rpm and is mated to a new 6-speed manual gearbox developed by Ricardo.

The XUV500 is launched in two versions sharing the same engine; the W6 in two-wheel drive only and the W8 which can be specified in two- or four-wheel drive. The W6 includes a 6-inch monochrome infotainment display, ABS with electronic brake-force Distribution (EBD), disc brakes on all wheels. The W8 adds GPS navigation, a touch screen, Electronic stability program (ESP) with rollover mitigation, Hill Hold and Hill Descent control, alloy wheels, and leather upholstery.

 Despite discs on all four wheels, ABS and ESP, the brakes feel spongy, offering insufficient feel, and just when you’re convinced there’s no way the car will stop on time, the wheels lock up. Under hard braking, the car actually changes lanes, unless you’re thoroughly in control of the steering wheel. So yes, the brakes need a lot of work.

There  are many rivals to the Mahindra XUV  500 such as the FORCE f1,tata Safari and Renauilt duster. But while the XUV is a mixed bag from Mahindra, its Rs 13-15 lakh price range shows up the daftness of Rs 18 lakh+ SUVs like the Endeavour, X-Trail and Captiva whose manufacturers insist on importing / assembling SUVs rather than making them here and bringing costs down. While not ideal, the XUV is the only SUV in its category at this price point.The XUV 500 is like no Mahindra before it. The goal posts have moved, there are big improvements.