REVIEW | Mahindra XUV 3XO is a nifty package, but not without drawbacks

In years of late, Mahindra has put in the work to present a more sophisticated side.

Though it earned its stripes with hardy workhorses like the Bolero and Pik-Up, the Indian firm has proven that it can offer customers an aspirational premium experience too.

The XUV700, for example, upped the ante considerably over the old XUV500, coming to market with inoffensive styling, a cabin boasting an upmarket veneer, modern driver assistance functions and a capable 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol engine.

In 2024 the Scorpio-N sport-utility vehicle managed to earn a spot in the running for SA Car of the Year. It didn't win, as we know, but the inclusion in itself was still a notable feat for Mahindra.

This year the brand has another model in contention for Car of the Year honours. Mahindra launched its XUV 3XO towards the end of 2024, as a replacement for the XUV300.

The XUV300 was a fair shot. One of its biggest achievements was scoring five stars in the Global NCAP Safer Cars for Africa programme. Picking up where the XUV300 left off, the new XUV 3XO hopes to secure a healthy tranche of the booming compact crossover market.

It is certainly priced right, kicking off at R254,999 for the base model, headlined by a R404,999 range-topper.

Mahindra's grade walk and designations are extremely confusing. The line-up in total features eight different models. Buyers will undoubtedly rate them according to their individual budgets.

As is usually the case with manufacturer test units, Mahindra sought to put its best foot forward by preferring the high-grade AX7L trim. That No 7 is apparently, insignificant: this is not a seven-seater, nor does its automatic gearbox have seven ratios. Anyway, it is possible that customers are unlikely to care about such minutiae.

The 3XO's R404,999 price tag gets you a whole lot of goodies as standard, from a sunroof to LED headlamps, a cooled glove box, adaptive cruise control, semi-autonomous lane-keep assist, six airbags, comprehensive digital infotainment set-up and 360º cameras. A five-year/150,000km warranty and five-year/100,000km service plan are also part of the deal.

Power comes from a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine. It's a pity that the diesel option from the XUV300 was not carried over, but thankfully the new, boosted three-pot makes a strong case for itself with quoted figures of 82kW/200Nm. The Mahindra feels plucky around town and has a surprising amount of grunt at freeway pace. Its six-speed automatic makes for an ideal pairing, with smooth shifts. Our average consumption was 7.6l/100km.

While drive is to the front wheels, ground clearance is sufficient for gravel road driving (201mm). Mahindra confidently claims a water wading depth of 350mm. At 364l, the shallow, narrow luggage compartment may unfortunately limit your holidaying prospects if more than two occupants are involved.

Noise, vibration and harshness levels are decent. Though not on the level of accomplished (but pricier) contenders like the Volkswagen T-Cross, the 3XO still goes about its business with an assured sense of composure.

What we can criticise is the execution of the cabin, which uses piano black trim extensively. Aside from being scratch-prone, the material looks cheap. Certain aspects of the cabin exude an “emerging market” feel. The display of the infotainment system is on the grainy side and the 360º camera system could also use some work. It also has the worst stop-start system possibly ever fitted to a modern car.

The Mahindra 3XO is a definite level up from the former XUV300. But it faces a tough battle in a hotly contested market, with an onslaught led by Chinese options that are similarly rich in specification, with cabins offering smarter ambiences, superior infotainment systems and pricing that is equally competitive.

For the same money as the Mahindra, buyers could consider picks such as the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro or GAC GS3 Emzoom.

There are also more traditional, non-Chinese options, such as the Kia Sonet or Hyundai Venue.

At the Mahindra's price point one could also have products that are larger in dimension, including the Haval Jolion City or Toyota Urban Cruiser.