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Not cheap: 2019 Mahindra XUV300 W8 1.5 diesel

But well equipped

Pics by Mahindra
Posted: October 1, 2019

Updated on  21 May 2020

The numbers

Price: R324 999 (W8 diesel)
Engine: 1497 cc, four-cylinder turbodiesel
Power: 86 kW at 3750 rpm
Torque: 300 Nm between 1500 and 2500 rpm
Zero to 100 km/h: 12.3 seconds
Maximum speed: 175 km/h
Real life fuel consumption: About 6.4 l/100 km
Tank: 42 litres
Luggage: 257 - 650 litres
Standard tyre: 215/55R17 Bridgestone Turanza
Spare: Full size steel
Turning circle: 10.6 metres                                                                                     Ground clearance: 180 mm
Warranty: 5 years / 150 000 km with roadside assistance
Service plan: 5 years / 90 000 km

Background: Mahindra’s little XUV 300 is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli. Mahindra can do that because it owns the company. The body was shortened by 200 mm in order to catch an Indian tax break favouring vehicles less than four metres long. And its suspension was raised to provide 180 mm ground clearance rather than 167. 

The XUV 300 version also uses different engines; a 1.2-litre turbopetrol and a 1.5 diesel - not  the same 1.5 diesel used in the TUV 300. That one’s a 1493 cc, three-cylinder producing 74 kW and 240 Nm. XUV’s motor displaces 1497 cc, has four cylinders and pumps out 86 kW with 300 Nm of torque.

We have five models here; two use the petrol engine and three are powered by the diesel. Three trim levels, W4, W6 and W8, are spaced R90 000 apart in terms of price but a world apart equipment-wise.

Basic kit consists of a six-speed manual gearbox (the only option at present), two airbags, ABS brakes with EBD and CBC, fabric upholstery, panic braking signalling, automatic door locking, remote central locking, disc brakes all around, LED tail lamps, 16” steel wheels, follow-me lighting, single channel air conditioning, seven-inch touch screen with all sorts of connectivity, satnav, three-way weight-adjustable steering, electric windows and tyre position monitor. This neat little graphic shows you, just before switch-off, how the front wheels are angled. That’s to stop you plunging into the duckpond as you leave.

W8 level increases the airbag count to seven; adds ESP, front and rear fog lamps, front and rear parking sensors, sunroof, automatic dual-zone climate management, cruise control, keyless entry and start, leatherette upholstery (black leather optional on certain W6 and W8 models), reversing camera with guide lines, rear defogger with wash and wipe, hill hold, fancier touch screen, two more speakers, automatically dimming rear view mirror and tyre pressure monitoring. A cargo cover is optional.

Outside features include 17” diamond-cut alloy wheels, chrome trim on the grille, silver coloured skid plates and folding wing mirrors with turn signals.

Petrol engines in most ranges perform more vigorously than optional diesels. XUV 300 is the exception. With five extra kilowatts and 100 Newton-metres more torque, it consistently outruns the petrol motor in all acceleration tests including, marginally, the quarter mile.

The shortened body mentioned earlier looks a little odd but you get used to it although the modification does reduce luggage space to 257 litres. The split seatbacks fold easily but with a step, unless you raise the bi-level baseboard to its top height, to add cargo volume.

Rear-seat passengers have almost half a fist-width of airspace above their heads while leg room is generous although foot space is cramped. Three head restraints, three full belts, an almost flat floor and a fold-down armrest with cupholders, a W8 feature, keep things comfortable. A central dome light with manual switch adds useful lighting after dark.

Built for India, XUV 300 dealt rather well with the nasty washboard ripples on the road out past the veggie farms. We say “rather well” because at certain speeds it hinted at a tendency towards skittishness. It wasn’t serious but we have experienced better. And far worse, of course.

Our only reservations are that clutch pedal travel is too long and there is no place to park a size-13 left trainer. The car is also heavy, around 1400 kg, meaning it’s solidly built but performance suffers.

Back to positives, the car steers and parks easily (three modes, remember) and the rear side windows are decently square, allowing a good view outward. Build quality is excellent for its price and fuel economy is decent too. We could live with one. But preferably the diesel, please. It’s quicker.

Test unit from Mahindra SA press fleet

Read the launch report here

We drove the updated version in 2022



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This is a one-man show, which means that every car reviewed is given my personal evaluation and receives my own seat of the pants judgement - no second hand input here.

Every test car goes through real world driving; on city streets littered with potholes, speed bumps and rumble strips, on freeways and if its profile demands, dirt roads or goat tracks as well. As a result, my test cars do occasionally get dirty. It's all part of the reviewing process.

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