Mahindra XUV500 Crossover Facelift could gain Automatic and Hybrid variants

It is well established that the flagship XUV500 crossover from Mahindra will go under the knife next year, to emerge nattier than before. First launched in 2011, the XUV500 rewrote buying preferences in India, almost single-handedly annihilating the D-Segment luxury sedan category. By the end of next year, the XUV500 would have turned 4, a time that is ripe for a mid career makeover. Along with the facelift, the XUV500 is likely to gain an AISIN sourced automatic gearbox. An even bigger mechanical change in the form of a diesel hybrid option could also make it to the Indian car market next year.

Apart from gaining mechanical changes and feature additions, the facelifted XUV500 crossover is likely to be more refined than before, with engineering changes aplenty. Mahindra showcased a diesel hybrid version of the XUV500 crossover at the 2014 Indian Auto Expo. Back then, the Indian automaker claimed that the XUV500 Diesel Hybrid is about 18 % more fuel efficient than the non-hybrid model. 18 % fuel efficiency will make the XUV500 deliver about 18 Kmpl of mileage under the ARAI cycle of fuel efficiency testing. Currently, the XUV500 comes with a 15.1 Kmpl ARAI certified fuel efficiency figure.

Presently, the crossover uses a 2.2 liter turbo diesel engine that makes 140 Bhp-330 Nm. A six speed manual gearbox is standard, with front and all wheel drive options served up as options. Although the exact time line of the XUV500 Facelift and Automatic variant launches are unknown, the festive season of next year is our bet considering how Mahindra prefers to line up its big launches of the year during the high demand festive season that spans the months of August and October. Knowing Mahindra’s preference for offering sharply priced products, the facelifted XUV500’s price is expected to be similar to that of the outgoing model.

Via IndianAutosBlog