Mahindra TUV300 Compact SUV Facelift: This is IT!

Mahindra is all set to launch a facelifted version of the TUV300. The SUV has already arrived at dealership  stockyards and here’s one such example in red. As the spyshots of the facelifted Mahindra TUV300 indicate, the front  and rear ends of the compact SUV show a bunch of changes. The front grille is new and there’s a bumper insert that’s  been added. The profile of the TUV300 is more or less unchanged while the rear shows new, clear lens tail lamps and reverse parking sensors.

On the inside, the dashboard remains visually similar to the outgoing, pre-facelift version and we expect Mahindra to have added a few new features. As for safety features, ABS, twin airbags, seat belt reminder, speed alerts and  reverse parking sensors will be standard across the TUV300 change, making the SUV compliant with Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms. Under the hood, we don’t expect any changes. The 1.5 liter-3 cylinder diesel engine with twin scroll turbochargers is expected to be carried over as is.

This motor is available in two states of tune, 80 Bhp-230 Nm and 100 Bhp-240 Nm. The lower state of tune gets a 5  speed manual gearbox as standard while the higher state of tune gets 5 speed manual and automated manual (AMT) gearbox options. The TUV300 features body-on-ladder construction, and is the only SUV in the sub-4 meter compact SUV segment to offer this layout. It also gets a rear wheel drive layout as standard. It also gets a 7 seat layout, making it the most practical among compact SUVs sold in India.

The TUV300 is aimed at taking on the rough and tumble of India’s hinterland, and will be positioned as a more rugged alternative to front wheel driven, monocoque compact SUVs such as the Maruti Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Tata Nexon and stablemate – the XUV300. The pre-facelift Mahindra TUV300’s prices start from Rs. 8.44 lakhs.

We expect the facelifted model to be slightly pricier in order to account for the changes. Given the fact that Mahindra dealers are selling this SUV at steep discounts, there’s no reason not to believe that the new version will not be getting  similar discounts, making the price increase more or less irrelevant.

The TUV300 has a larger sibling called the TUV300 Plus. The TUV300 Plus offers an additional row of seats, and can seat up to 9 passengers. It gets a much more longer body than the TUV300, and this makes it look more proportionate. The TUV300 Plus is a lot more powerful as well. It is powered by the 2.2 liter-4 cylinder mHawk turbocharged diesel engine with 120 Bhp-280 Nm outputs. A 6 speed manual gearbox drives the rear wheels of this body-on-ladder SUV. Aimed mainly at taxi cab owners, the TUV300 Plus is priced at Rs. 9.92 lakhs, ex-showroom Delhi.

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