LOOKS AND STYLING The immensely successful Bolero from the Mahindra line-up was flat and boxy, and took considerable time for its looks to grow on you. A utilitarian vehicle need not sport a design as classy as BMW as its purpose is not that. It needs to ferry you around town and over long distances in comfort. Regardless of all that, the XYLO does look a little out of proportion. The high ground clearance coupled with the long wheelbase didn’ t go down well with me. The bean shaped bonnet and large wells proved to be an eye sore. With design penned down by a team of Indian designers with some help from the Italians at the initial stages, its shape has been drafted to make it aerodynamically favourable, which helps the stability and fuel economy departments. The grille looks to have been inspired by the one on the Scorpio but doesn’ t blend with the tall front profile. The chunky rear looks pleasing when compared to the rest of the car.
INTERIORS From the moment you step into the car till you exit, you’ ll find how much Mahindra has worked on getting three things right- Space, Comfort, and Convenience. The XYLO offers acres of space, so much so that you could conduct a golf tournament in there. Ingress and egress will take little muscle flexing, the large doors, entry area and aptly positioned seats aiding the cause. The driver’ s seat and steering can be adjusted for height, which will please shorter drivers. A notable debutant on the XYLO is the DDAS( Dynamic Drive Assist System) which mounts centrally on the dashboard and displays all kinds of information including cabin and outside temperatures, average speed, fuel average and direction which keeps passengers informed. The middle row seats offer a comfortable vehicle for the cost-conscious Indian buyer. Rather than hosting a conventional bench, it makes use of two bucket seats whose tall and wide dimensions offer ample comfort to a 6-footer like me. Behind the front seats, flight trays are offered which come in handy if you’ re a car-diner. What’ s even better is the option of flat bed front seats-You can fold the front seat and connect it to the one behind it to form a bed; a boon during long distance travelling. The third row seats don’ t offer the same space or comfort understandably as it is meant only for the kids in the family. The good thing is the ease with which you can transport yourself there.
BEHIND THE WHEEL Once you get behind the wheel, you feel much like you are piloting an SUV- You sit higher up and have perfect road clearance. The rear view mirrors incorporate the Intelli- park reverse assist makes reversing easier by displaying the distance of the car from an obstruction. The steering wheel seems to be the perfect size and the square gear knob is easy to reach. The addition of a dead pedal will nurse your left leg on a long distance journey. ENGINE AND GEARBOX Turn the keys and you bring to life a brand new 2.5- liter CRDe mEagle engine. This engine is from the Mahindra’ s NEF line of engines and boasts of a battery of technological lineaments. The hydraulic lash adjusters, Auto Belt tensioners and a larger capacity air filter smoothens operation and promises lower service costs. A 5-speed gearbox complements the engine which is muted during idling; Though there’ s not much cabin noise, the engine gets a little noisy when you try and play Schumacher.
THE DRIVE After a brief couple of laps around Mahindra’ s test facility, surprisingly, I felt I was driving a car of much smaller dimensions. You understand what Mahindra has attempted, cruising at 60 kmph- MPV size, sedan characteristics. I felt the engine has been tuned to strike the best balance between city and highway driving. The engine does not set your heart racing as it coaxes out 112bhp and 240 Nm of torque. Those stats for a vehicle tipping the scales at close to 3 tonnes are just about adequate. Perfect to ferry you back and forth from work.
RIDE AND HANDLING The XYLO scores high on handling and ride quality. The steering gives quality feedback and body roll at high speeds is much lesser compared to its competition. The Independent Coil spring setup at the front and the multi-link suspension at the rear perform mighty well in keeping road shocks and vibration at bay. The ride in the third row felt quite bumpy, as is the case with any other vehicle of this size.
VERDICT I tested the top of the line XYLO with all the bells and whistles which costs approximately 8.6 lakh INR( On road Chennai) At that price you get features which are not available with the rest of the competition. The base version come at around 7.10 lakh INR equipped with power steering, power windows, central locking, flat bed front seats and immobilizer.
The XYLO offer an option for buyers looking at cars like the SX4, Fiesta and Verna with more space, comfort and features. The era of sedans might in all probability be over. wheels
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