Plush New Mahindra XUV5OO W11-O

Exterior Design and Features of Plush New XUV5OO

The facelifted Plush New XUV500 has retained its handsome looks with subtle yet significant changes both outside and inside. The exterior changes are quite evident with the new front grille with chrome inserts, new Day-time Running Lights (DRLs), projector headlamps and attractive fog-lamp bezels.

The vehicle now sits on bigger 235/60 R18 tubeless tyres cast on diamond-cut alloys. For variants below W11 (O), the tyres provided are 235/65 R17. The side profile gets smarter with stylish side cladding at the bottom with chrome lining. As you move to the rear, a lot has changed. The tailgate gets a new design which is a lot flatter than the curvy one in the predecessor.  The new split tail-lamps too have been redesigned.  Twin exhausts add to the sporty look of the vehicle.

Interior Design and Features of Plush New XUV5OO

The plushness of the XUV 5OO is more than evident when we get inside the vehicle. The tan leather seats give the vehicle a premium look.  While the second row seats can be folded 60:40, the third row seats can be folded 50:50. The centre console area now has a new piano black finish that gives the dash area an upmarket look and feel. The dashboard and door trims now have a soft-touch, faux leather material with fine stitch lines. The vehicle comes with an electric sunroof with anti-pinch.  The driver’s seat is 6-way power-adjustable.

The SUV has ample storage space, charging points and even a cool-box at the arm rest zone. The glove box has two separate cavities with lids for storage. The vehicle also comes with Fully Automatic Temperature Control , passive keyless entry and push-button start, Reverse Parking Camera With Dynamic Assist, tyre pressure monitoring system, smart rain sensing wipers, intelligent light sensing headlamps and brake energy regeneration.

For entertainment, the XUV has an 18cm touchscreen infotainment system which in essence is a hi-tech infotainment system with GPS-navigation. Clubbed with an advanced Arkamys sound system, it ensures a decent acoustic experience. The Driver Information System diligently reports vital information about the car such as Distance To Empty (DTE), service alerts, tyre pressure and others while controlling the cabin temperature. With Android Auto one can control several systems like music, navigation, calls and messaging of your Android device through the infotainment system.  Convenience features include power windows, lane changing indicator, tinted solar reflecting glass, rear demister, wash and wipe and follow me home headlamps.

 As night creeps in, you realise the Plush XUV 5OO is quite colourful with its mood lighting inside and a few other features like the sporty twin pod cluster icy-blue lounge illuminated scuff plates. As for the reading lights within the cabin, they are as bright as morning sunlight.  Not to be missed are the logo projection lamps on ORVMs .

Safety and Performance of the Plush New XUV5OO

Now coming to performance, we got the W11 (O) petrol manual transmission variant for a drive. Mind you, this new Plush XUV 5OO has several variants like the W5, W7, W9, W11, W11(O). While the W7, W9 and W11 have options of a manual 6-speed synchromesh transmission or an automatic 6-speed transmission, the W 11 also has an option of a W11 (O) AT. All these are powered by a 2179cc mHawk diesel engine which is a 6^th generation electronically controlled variable geometry turbocharger (eVGT). There is a sole petrol variant of the Plush XUV 5OO i.e. the G AT powered by a mHawk 4 cylinder 2.2 litre turbocharger engine. Both power and torque have been marginally increased in this new facelifted XUV.

The W11 variant and the W11(O) is different in the sense that in the latter, one has an option of an all-wheel drive which in essence means you can drive on different terrains and the traction to the wheels are controlled automatically. The driving dynamics of the vehicle has really not changed in the new Plush XUV 5OO. Though the power and torque have been marginally pushed up, one can make out that the vehicle is a wee bit faster than its predecessor. The steering can be adjusted for both rake and reach. The ride and handling too continues to be decent and despite the massive girth and height of the vehicle, body roll is well under control. As for braking, with discs on all four wheels, braking is a lot prompt and definite. Safety features include ABS with EBD, dual airbags for driver and passenger plus side and curtain airbags. It also comes with ESP with rollover mitigation, hill hold and hill descent control. It is the comfort quotient of the vehicle that has really sky rocketed, while driving dynamics remain top notch.

Verdict

The Plush New XUV500 is a lot more sophisticated than its predecessor. In terms of looks, though the body shell remains practically the same, a few smart design changes have made the vehicle look fresh and inviting. True to its Plush word, the new XUV5OO has become a lot more chic and slick!