Of late, Mahindra seems to have gotten a wand which simply cannot produce a bad product with its whoosh. After the onslaught of XUV700, Thar, and Scorpio N, the Indian carmaker worked up the magic on the ageing XUV300. What’s reborn out of it is the new XUV 3XO which is heavily updated to carry a new name. It’s now the newest yet the oldest contestant in the sub-four metre SUV segment dominated by the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Brezza (in its second generation), Kia Sonet (received a major facelift recently), Tata Nexon (heavily updated with a second major facelift), and Hyundai Venue (facelift arrived less than two years ago). So here are three reasons why you should put your money on the new 3XO and three reasons why you shouldn’t.
With the comprehensive styling changes on the outside – which in fact makes it look like a new car rather than a facelift of the ageing XUV300 – the cabin of the 3XO has also received many bells and trinkets from the more expensive Mahindra models. First up is the touchscreen which at 10.25 inches and has the same interface seen on the XUV700. It is paired with an all-digital driver’s display with navigation projection, which is configurable through the new steering-mounted controls.
It also has a large panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, wireless charging pad, fast charging USB Type-C ports, wireless smartphone integration, Harman Kardon music system, and Level 2 ADAS hardware. Most of these features are already being offered by the rivals, as the sub-4 metre SUV segment has become more premium and advanced.
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One of the few offerings in the sub-4 metre segment to offer a diesel, the 3XO also has a choice of two petrol engines. And all engines have a choice of automatic as well making a total of six choices in terms of powertrain. The 1.5-diesel is a frugal one with 115bhp and 300Nm and can be had with a six-speed manual or with an AMT. With the standard 1.2-petrol which makes 110bhp and 200Nm, you get a choice of the same six-speed manual or a torque converter automatic. Then there’s the 1.2-litre direct-injection petrol engine punching out 130bhp and 230Nm. It has the same six-speed manual and torque converter automatic as the gearbox choices.
Where the diesel is frugal it also has a torquey nature making it a good mile muncher as well. If you need a comfortable runabout, the standard 1.2-litre petrol won’t disappoint. But the T-GDI engine is for the ones who enjoy spending time behind the wheel. With this update, it has also become more refined than before with the punchy nature enhanced further. We wish the diesel also came with a proper automatic gearbox instead of a (not-so-bad) AMT.
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With the longest wheelbase in its class, the 3XO does feel a lot more spacious on the inside compared to its rivals. The second row offers ample legroom and decent headroom as well despite the large panoramic sunroof. Even the seats are large and comfortable offering good support in all the right places.
In terms of creature comfort, the long feature list is also backed up by safety hardware. There are six airbags (as standard), all-four-disc brakes, TPMS, 360-degree camera, blind spot monitor, 60:40 split seats, rear AC vents, 3-point seat belts for all passengers, and a cooled glove box.
The XUV300 had a compromised boot space owing to it conforming itself under the sub-4 metre mark. And the same continues with the 3XO. Even the cabin makes use of white leatherette upholstery which is prone to getting dirty easily. Lastly features such as paddle shifters for automatic along with powered and ventilated seats were expected at its price point but are a sore missed.
Although the T-GDi petrol engine is a quick and peppy motor it isn’t one of the lightest on your pocket. Sure, the claimed figures for the T-GDi powertrain is around 18 kmpl, expect the real-world mileage to be half of that. So, if you want frugality from your 3XO, you still have a choice of the diesel iteration.
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There are comprehensive changes done both inside and out, the 3XO is admittedly an old wine in a new bottle. The newer packaging gives you modern and more aggressive styling while the cabin gets all the new features. But the basic platform and body shell haven’t undergone any changes since the first XUV300 came out in 2019, almost five years ago. The cabin still carries over similar elements and plastic quality can still leave you wanting for more.
So the Mahindra XUV3XO is a big leap over the ageing XUV300. It has all the latest features while it capitalizes on its previous strong traits – powertrains, space, and driving comfort. Agreeably, the few missing features aren’t a deal breaker, the 3XO has a big task at its hand to take down segment-dominant cars like Brezza, Sonet and Nexon to take the top spot in the sub-four metre segment.
Unarguably, it has the potential, but the 3XO needed a bit more changes under the skin to make an impactful connection amongst the buyers, further helped by its more successful and highly favoured elder siblings. With a strong initial impression (recorded 50,000 bookings within an hour of the bookings announcement and surpassing 10,000-unit sales), whether or not will it manage to continue its popularity amongst the buyers, remains to be seen.
