It is rough, macho and its new design makes TUV 300, the latest offering from the stables of Mahindra, look like a perfect car. But to find out if its characteristics match its seamless drive one took it around the city, on highways and even on bumpy track.
To start with, the car’s new and refreshing design draws awe from some while others dismiss it by calling it “box-like”. Both the former and the latter groups of people have their share of reasons.
The manufacturer claims to have drawn inspiration from the design of a battle tank. From the outside it does look squarish and a bit compact but it does not gives you a hint of curves. In fact, it is TUV 300’s blandness that makes it score on design. With its bold front five-slat grille with chrome inserts, the car’s front is the highlight. Again, coming back to the squarely game the fog lamps also do their part to respect the geometry. Overall, the front with a big grille, chrome and squares give this one a tough stance.
So, you climb up a bit and enter the cabin of the car. As you insert the keys in the well-lit ignition-hole the car welcomes you each time with a bit of an introductory note. “Welcome to your tough and stylish TUV 300”. A reminder for your safety, to wear seat belt and you are set to roll.
The cabin from the inside does take you back in time by a few years. As you see the old orange light on the central console, a small screen and the info cluster all quite not like 2015 and its ways. There is no touch screen and there is no sleekness. But all that doesn’t really put you off. For each time you are reminded of its toughness. And each time you enjoy the Indianness and its raw brute power coming from the 1500cc two-stage turbocharger engine.
The car has arm rest on the front seats and is quite spacious in the second row. However, it becomes a bit cramped up in the third. Overall, there is enough leg room and elbow space. And, for the head room I doubt if there is any other car offering this much of it. All in all the use of plastic and the comfort of seats, even if not of premium quality, are not disappointing. There is storage space for both front and rear passengers to store bottles, mobiles and charge their cell phones.
As far as my driving experience of the T8 model of the car, which generates around 84 BHP at 3750 revolutions per minute, the answer is it delivers much of what it says. It accelerates fast that pretty much makes you feel like you dominate the game on road. And, so you can sail in a comfortable and easy manner. In fact much of this car takes from its other sibling Thar. With new features, the new version has an added advantage. For example, this one comes with an option of switching on the eco drive mode and eco AC. Put that on, and you feel the difference in the drivability of the car. It no longer runs wild and amok. It rather holds on to the ground and drifts past in a steady and stable manner.
With an average fuel efficiency of around 14.5 km/l, it is not wrong to say, that the best is yet to come from Mahindra. Well, the TUV 300 is a pleasure giving machine as long as you are not caught in a jam. For, a long queue and a long traffic signal with ambling around in the first gear would entail some effort. To conclude, I would say with the given price range of Rs. 6.90 lakh and onwards, the TUV 300 does seem to be quite a nice fit with the given offerings. All you need to find is what exactly you want from it.
