At Mahindra and Mahindra’s launch of XUV 3XO in Nashik, Auto and Farm Sector CEO Rajesh Jejurikar didn’t leave the audience in any doubt about the company’s ambition. “We want to be in the top two positions in terms of sales in the ‘compact monocoque’ SUV segment with this vehicle,” he declared. Constructed in the ‘monocoque’ style – which integrates body and chassis into a single, sturdy unit – SUVs like the XUV 3XO, below four metres in length, constitute India’s fastest-growing segment of vehicles.
The outgoing XUV 300, which the 3XO replaces, was well behind segment leaders like Tata Nexon and Maruti-Suzuki Brezza selling about 14-16,000 units per month. At around 4,000 units (sold monthly), it was behind even the Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet. So why are Jejurikar and other senior company executives so enthusiastic about the 3XO?
There could be two reasons. First, it was at this very plant at Nashik that Mahindra reinvented itself almost a quarter-century ago with the iconic Scorpio. Despite some occasional setbacks such as the KUV 100 and Marazzo, the company is in a position of strength when it comes to its line-up today, which comprises best-sellers like the Scorpio/Scorpio-N, Thar and XUV 700. Little wonder then that even in a booming stock market, the company scrip has been outperforming.
The second reason is the 3XO itself. While still retaining some of the underpinnings of the Ssangyong Tivoli, which had been cut down into a sub-4-metre vehicle, the 3XO has been thoroughly redesigned. These include a couple of segment-leading features. Like a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, new to its segment and quite a remarkable engineering achievement given the weight of a sunroof, with the heavy glass and motor at the top of the vehicle. It also sports Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), which use both a camera and ultrasonic sensors. In comparison, the Sonet and Venue feature Level 1 (camera-only) ADAS.
Unbeatable exterior
But there is also the elephant, or rather in the case of the 3XO, the ‘manta ray’ in the room—the car’s looks, or rather the front-end of the car. As you might have seen in the pictures above, the front fascia is very wide and bracketed in by Daytime Running Lights (DRLs). These lights give a unique look to the vehicle, and the XUV 3XO’s exterior has quickly become the main topic of discussion. Just as an aside, the rear is much simpler, with a connected light bar joining the taillights.
Why, though? Bose’s reply was simple: “We are all talking about it.” To be fair, looks have never precluded a vehicle from being a sales success in India. The original Hyundai Santro and Maruti WagonR were not pretty by any stretch of the imagination and the exterior of the second-generation Hyundai Creta launched in 2020, before the facelift earlier this year, was quite polarising. Why do I compare the XUV 3XO’s looks to a manta ray? Well, just look at the ocean fish with its mouth agape, its flaps channelling small creatures into its mouth; you will probably understand my point.
Mahindra has knocked it out of the park in terms of value proposition as well. Prices for the base model, which features a slightly tuned down engine, start at Rs 7.49 lakh. It is at the top-end, the AX7L variant, where company executives say that the value proposition is better than vehicles ranked a segment above (Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos). The AX7L variant offers a similar set of features but with slightly more powerful engines. It is also a whole lot cheaper at Rs 13.99 lakh. Bose told me that there is a growing class of buyers in India who “wants it all in a smaller package. This person could own a larger XUV 700 but won’t take that to a crowded market or on the school run. But they want all the toys, ADAS, branded audio and a powerful turbocharged engine, which is what the 3XO offers”.
All things aside, the proof of the pudding, when it comes to cars at least, is in the driving. And I got a chance to drive the top-spec AX7 Diesel, with a 117PS engine and six-speed manual gearbox (it also has a six-speed AMT) as well as the AX7L turbo-petrol (TGDi) with a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission and ADAS functionality. One can quickly make out that Mahindra has worked on several things from the older 300. The 3XO feels stiffer, and that panoramic sunroof, which meant a lot more weight up top, was not noticeable around corners or at speed.
The vehicle also felt well-dampened, leading to better audio since the doors didn’t vibrate. Given that these were pre-production vehicles, there were a few issues, such as with Mahindra’s Adrenox Connect software. I managed to hook it up to the Android device I was using but the in-built navigation system refused to work. The licences for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay were also not finalised (although they are due in a week).
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A great package
The diesel motor had a bit of grunt and was more than adequate for the size of this vehicle. The car, however, did have a habit of rolling back on inclines. I was also eager to try the petrol motor, which at 130PS, is the most powerful on offer in this segment (the Sonet and Venue come with 120PS motors). There is noticeable turbo-lag, which is the term we use to describe the amount of time it takes a turbocharger to spool up. I wish the XUV 3XO came with steering-mounted paddles that would make downshifting when you needed power a bit easier. Because when I tried the ‘Adaptive Cruise Control’ function on the Mumbai-Nashik highway, once the vehicle slowed down and had to speed up again, it often found itself in a higher gear and thus took time to get going as the turbocharger kicked in after around 2,000 revs per minute. The other ADAS functions, particularly blind-side warnings, worked well as it is a really useful feature in cities. Thankfully, I didn’t experience the ‘Automatic Emergency Braking’ function of the car.
Now, this car isn’t perfect—few are. The loading lip for luggage at the rear, for instance, is quite high. And when you are taking the baggage out, you must lift it up and over the lip, which can be a little inconvenient. The side profile of the 3XO, which hasn’t changed much from the 300, is also not the most appealing, but that is a subjective thing. As for features, I think the move to Level 2 ADAS is a smart one by Mahindra and will likely force other manufacturers to do so too. I’ve written in past columns that I am not a fan of sunroofs. You just need to stand outside in the middle of the day right now anywhere in India (God bless reporters on election duty) to understand why I say that. The fabric curtain that Mahindra uses to cut the sunlight isn’t thick enough. It may not be a bad idea to put some heavy tinting on the sunroof panels – which incidentally, you are allowed to do.
One obvious question remains unanswered, though. “Why 3XO?” According to Bose, the term is borrowed from ‘CXO’, so called C-Suite executive officers, that is, top-management of a company, and this is a car designed to appeal to those who aspire for such roles.
All in all, the 3XO is a great package by Mahindra, and should easily see a substantial jump in sales, particularly as this segment grows. Production is all set to be ramped up to almost 9,000-10,000 units per month according to Bose. And with its talked-about looks and class-leading features, buyers will surely flock to Mahindra showrooms. The 3XO, however, won’t be the manufacturer’s big launch this year. Tucked away in a corner of the Nashik factory was the prototype of a vehicle ‘with two more doors’ – the Thar 5-Door – which is just a few months away from being launched.
@kushanmitra is an automotive journalist based in New Delhi. Views are personal.
(Edited by Zoya Bhatti)