Mahindra TUV300 And BS6 Mahindra XUV500 & Mahindra Marazzo BS6

Mahindra TUV300

Mahindra is testing another facelift for the TUV300. Images of its test mule of the facelift recently surfaced on the internet which hints that the compact SUV will receive another round of updates. Mahindra has also been spotted testing a facelift of the larger TUV300 Plus.

As seen in the images, a majority of the changes are to the front of the compact SUV with a revised grille, new headlamps and a new front bumper with a more trapezoidal air dam and rectangular fog lamps – a move away from the squared-out design of the current TUV300. A closer look at the headlamp in our excusive image reveals that the LED DRL has moved to the upper edge of the unit. Interestingly, it continues to sport simple halogen headlamps.

The styling changes are quite in line with the updated TUV300 Plus being tested. The sides and rear reveal little change from the current model. This indicates that the facelift is being readied with the upcoming pedestrian crash-test safety norms in mind, slated to come into effect from October 2020.

There are no details as to the changes inside the cabin – though we could expect Mahindra to continue to offer the compact SUV as a seven-seater with two side-facing jump seats in the boot. The facelift may also bring some changes in the form of new trim finishes and come with an updated equipment list.

Mahindra last year confirmed that it would be upgrading the 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel engine of the TUV300 to meet BS6 emission norms; though at the time, it did not provide a hint as to how it would affect performance. It would be safe to expect the BS6-compliant diesel mill to continue to deliver within the 100hp region.

Expect Mahindra to reveal the new TUV300 facelift in coming months; a debut at the upcoming Auto Expo is also a possibility. When it launches, the prices are likely to be higher than the current BS4 model as expected from the shift to BS6 norms.

Regarding competition, the TUV300 sits a niche of its own, being a ladder-frame model in a segment dominated by monocoque compact SUVs like the Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza, the Hyundai Venue, Ford EcoSport and Mahindra’s own XUV300.

Mahindra Marazzo BS6

Mahindra is gearing up to launch the BS6-compliant Marazzo MPV. In BS6 form, the Mahindra Marazzo will be sold with an upgraded version of the current 1.5-litre diesel engine that features a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system with a rear-mounted urea tank to help reduce NOx emissions – all to meet the new emission regulations. The engine will also come with a DPF (diesel particulate filter). The power output for the BS6-compliant 1,497cc four-cylinder diesel engine is expected to be the same as the BS4 version; this means the engine will churn out around 100hp in Eco mode and 123hp in power mode. The MPV will continue to be sold with a 6-speed manual gearbox. Earlier, the company also confirmed the inclusion of an automatic gearbox-equipped variant for its upgraded MPV and we expect the Marazzo automatic to arrive sometime later this year.  For more on Mahindra's BS6 diesel strategy and plans, click here.

Apart from the engine tweaks for BS6 compliance, the Marazzo will also see a variant re-jig. According to sources, the top-spec M8 variant will be given a miss. The BS6 Mahindra Marazzo range will start with the entry-level M2 trim and will see new variants like the M4+ and M6+ – the latter being the new top-spec trim. Details on equipment changes are still unknown; however, we expect some features of the M8 to carry over to the new M6+ trim upon launch. All variants of the BS6-ready Marazzo will be available in both seven- and eight-seater configurations.

In the Indian market, the Marazzo currently sees stiff competition from the likes of the popular Maruti Suzuki Ertiga at the lower-end and the Toyota Innova Crysta on the higher side. The MPV will soon see a price hike too, due to this BS6 upgrade. However, post April 1, 2020, the Ertiga will be a petrol-only model and the BS6-compliant Innova Crysta will be more expensive (especially in diesel form), thus creating a sweet spot for the updated Marazzo.

By ditching the current top-spec M8 trim, the company aims to create a smaller price bracket than the current Rs 9.99-14.77 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India) for its MPV, with the new top-spec M6+ variant being seen as more value than the M8. This would further help Mahindra generate more sales.

BS6 Mahindra XUV500

As with the rest of the industry, Mahindra is gearing up to introduce BS6-compliant versions of its models, like the current-gen XUV500. The BS6-compliant SUV will be available in showrooms in the coming weeks and will continue to be powered by the same 2.2-litre diesel engine, albeit with the addition of an SCR system and a DPF that upgrade it to meet the stricter emission norms. Power in the updated 2.2-litre engine is expected to be the same, at 155hp, as its BS4 counterpart.

At launch, the BS6-compliant XUV500 will most likely be sold in four variants – W5, W7, W9 and W11 – and will be front-wheel-drive only. As far as gearbox choices go, the XUV500 BS6 will be retailed with a sole 6-speed manual transmission, which means the automatic version will not be on sale post April 1, 2020. In its BS4-compliant guise, the SUV comes with diesel-automatic (Rs 15.32-18.55 lakh) and AWD (Rs 18.45 lakh) options.

The XUV500 was earlier available with a 2.2-litre petrol-automatic powertrain, but was discontinued in mid-2019.

Apart from the above mentioned changes, there won’t be much to differentiate the BS4 XUV500 from the BS6 version, though the latter will be pricier than the former. The XUV500 has been on sale since 2011 and the BS6 upgrade to the current-generation SUV is a stop-gap measure to help the company continue selling the model. Mahindra has already begun road testing the second-gen XUV500 that is expected to reach Mahindra showrooms sometime later this year.