Mahindra KUV100 [2016-2017]

Summary

KUV stands for Kool Utility Vehicle. This new vehicle is targeting young car buyers with this and hence the Kool tag. The new KUV100 will make an impact on new car buyers as it will be  The new KUV is powered by an The KUV100 is Mahindra’s smallest vehicle for the Indian car market that has been built on an all-new platform. This will be a crossover that is the size of a mid-size hatchback, however it has the advantage of higher ground clearance that makes it a good buy for Indian road conditions.

Further to this, read Mahindra KUV100 Road Test details by our expert.

Exterior

The exterior styling of the KUV100 is compact and it does have a tall stance. The first thing one notices is its high ground clearance that differentiates it from the competition. The new KUV100 does stand out in the crowd. It is an absolutely new design made by the Indian utility manufacturer. The same team that has worked on the XUV500 has taken forward the design to the next stage, making it look more Kooler than for the X-generation.

The thin front grille with pulled back headlamps, the daytime running LEDs meld well with the front styling. The shallow glass in area makes the KUV100 look aggressive. The rear door handle is mounted on the window frame like thd Chevrolet Beat. The small glass area makes the KUV100 look aggressive. The other aspect of this new compact crossover is its small tail lamps that are very car-like. The new KUV100 looks muscular and stylish too.

Interior

The KUV100 is a compact crossover and has been a simple interior design. The new Mahindra steering wheel with an easy to read instrument cluster. The quality of materials used is good and the controls are easy to use. The vertically placed three air-con knobs and the gear lever is mounted on the centre console. The hand brake is like the olden days, it has to be pulled out and twisted.

The KUV100’s basic interiors consists of an in-dash music system with aux, bluetooth and USB connection, a simple three knob system to control the air-con vents, dual airbags and even ABS. Airbags is an optional feature across all the variants. The KUV100 is a five-seater with sufficient space for the two rows and even the boot.

Engine Transmission

The engines on the KUV100 are mFalcon G80, which is the 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 82bhp of power and is a three-cylinder engine. The second one is the mFalcon D75, which is also a 1.2-litre diesel engine that churns about 77bhp of power. These engines will offered with a five-speed manual transmission and an AMT is also on offer. These are new-gen engines that have been developed by Mahindra’s in-house team. This family of engines are developed and shared between Mahindra and Ssangyong. This is a front-wheel drive vehicle and has a monocoque chassis.

This new vehicle and the powertrain both will be made in Mahindra’s Chakan plant facility. Even the AMT is manufactured in the vicinity. It has been developed by Magneti Marelli

Mileage

The 1198 cc Diesel - powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 22 kmpl in city and 25 kmpl on highways, while the Petrol variant offers a mileage of 16 kmpl on urban roads and 18 kmpl and freeways, respectively.

Safety Features

Mahindra is offering the KUV100 with ABS as a standard feature across all its variants. This isn’t optional. While dual airbags are offered as an optional feature across all variants. These aren’t offered across all variants on vehicles on this price.

Verdict

The Mahindra KUV100 is a good product to consider. It is spacious, powerful, fuel-efficient and stays out in the crowd. What makes the KUV100 a good package is styling, Mahindra service network and the affordability.

Competition

The Hyundai Grand i10, Tata Zica and the Maruti Suzuki Celerio are the two competing products with the KUV100. The Grand i10 and the Celerio are very strong in their segment and this makes it difficult for Mahindra to move ahead of them. However, the higher ground clearance and features like daytime running LEDs make the KUV100 a good product to consider.

Pros

1. Styling
2. Ground Clearance
3. Unique product

Cons

1. Interiors too basic