New Mahindra XUV500 - Here's why you should buy it and why you shouldn't

Mahindra has given the XUV500 a facelift to further cement its position as the segment leader. Here are some pointers that tell why you should buy the new Mahindra XUV500 and why you shouldn’t.

Reasons why you should:

The Mahindra XUV500 changed how we Indians, or the international audience for that matter, perceived the brand. The XUV500 came as an ingenious local product with a global design, great build quality, feature rich and filled the gap for a premium SUV between Rs.10 to 20 lakh range. The monocoque SUV ramped up sales like nothing in its size or segment.

Coming to the new XUV500 facelift, the changes are mostly cosmetic as expected. But the changes have made the cheetah more mature. Changes on the exterior include a new grille with chrome inserts similar to the new Scorpio, new blacked out headlamps with bending projector lamps, cool looking light guides (they are not DRLs), new fog lamps (with lots of chrome), new muscular bonnet, new chrome lining on the windows and new alloy wheels. Though the styling is still over the top, it makes the XUV500 look better through the years.

One of the key USPs of the XUV500 is the big list of its features. And the list just got bigger. Electric sunroof, first-in-class logo projection lamps on ORVMs, 6-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, push button Start/ Stop, passive keyless entry, 7" touchscreen infotainment with GPS Navigation, brake energy regeneration system, reverse parking camera, voice messaging system and more.

Inside, the XUV500 gets new black and beige interiors, new beige leather seats, Icy blue theme for the instrument cluster and aluminium pedals. The space in the first and second row seats is abundant.

The XVU500 facelift continues to be powered by the same 2.2-litre m-Hawk engine putting out 140 hp and 330 Nm of torque. But the fuel economy has been improved to 16 kmpl. Another major improvement is the ride quality. With a new suspension setup, the XUV500 feels sportier with better high speed capability, without being stiff.

Reasons why you shouldn’t:

Though the reasons in this list are less, they cannot be ignored. With all three rows of seats in place, the luggage space behind is non-existent. And the third row of seats is suitable for children only. Considering that the XUV500 will be used for mostly long hauls and with all the seats occupied, this is a big drawback.

Though the ride quality and handling has been improved, the XUV500’s clutch still needs to be worked out. With its long travel, the clutch begins to irritate you in city traffic, resulting in temporary knee aches.

The 7-inch infotainment touchscreen system is not easy to use or intuitive, certainly not for the driver. To input a destination for navigation is a task in itself that requires enormous patience.

Considering all the factors, the new XVU500 still holds itself as the best value for money product in that price range and certainly worth your consideration.

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