2019 Mahindra TUV 300 Plus Review, First Drive

Enchanting –

• Well executed design despite boxy proportions
• Reliable and flexible diesel engine
• Value for money
• Spacious and Feature loaded

Unsatisfying –

• Better stowage area required
• Bench seats only work best in fleet market

Mahindra is charging at the MPV space. It has done it earlier with just one product at a time now it wants to do the modern way and the old fashion way. The Marrazzo is the premium product and the TUV 300 Plus is aimed at the fleet market along with people who still prefer old school boxy profile and other things that the TUV 300 Plus has. Both these cars were launched in the year 2018. The TUV 300 Plus is a silent launch meanwhile the the Marazzo was done with all the firecrackers possible. Is the silent launch worth the money and time? We spend quality time with it to let you know the same.

Styling

The design is of a extended TUV 300 Plus which is not a bad thing. Most people love the design of the TUV 300 and Mahindra said they were inspired by a battle tank, of the old era that is. The swoopy window line removes the monotony of the boxy design which the rest of the MPV has. The grille is typical Mahindra with 6 slots and the headlamp and tail lamp are boxy as well. They work in the night really well too. The wheels fill the arches well and the alloy wheels themselves look good.

Interior

Interior is the same as the impressive TUV300. The plastics are good quality and the build is good enough. There are rough edges at the end point which Mahindra should smoothen out. The stowage area is a bit of odd mix because there is a lot of it, but the design of them doesn’t fit anything that a person carries. Not a proper place for your wallet, mobiles or anything big.

They fit small and soft items which renders it useless to a certain extent. Space in the second row is limited but adequate in leg, shoulder, knee and head room area. The rear seats are two benches. Something that is a hit or a miss because there isn’t legroom for more than two people but the capacity is rated for four.

Features list includes steering mounted controls, climate control, full MID in the display, a very good sound and infotainment system borrowed from the XUV 500. Electric ORVM’s, connectivity options,reverse camera and parking sensors, Eco mode and 16-inch wheel are part of the top-end variant. Safety is taken care of with standard dual airbags, ABS with EBD, there is no Brake assist,

Engine and Gearbox

The 2.2 litre engine makes 120 BHP of power and 280 Nm of torque. As always with Mahindra SUV’s, driveability is excellent with good low and mid range torque and taller gearing which makes it tractable all the time. The engine doesn;t feel stressed a bit like the 1.5 unit, which is also another stellar unit from Mahindra. Engine is smooth and vibrations are bare minimum.

The gearshifts feel smooth but the very tall shift lever makes it a bit difficult at first. Mahindra hasn’t gated the reverse gear which is right beside the first gear. In a hurry, you can engage first or reverse, so be careful. Despite we appreciate a 6-speed on offer, something that makes highway trips so much stress free and fuel economy is far more higher and you do get a geunine 700 km range on highway despite fast cruising.

Ride and Handling

Ride quality is good at slow and high speeds. At medium speeds is when the ladder on frame chassis show its traits and it cannot go fast over bumps and bad roads, because you do get tossed around a bit inside the cabin. Brakes and pedal bite was good, but they could have been a bit more feedback rich if there were rear disc brakes. The steering is easy to use most of the time, we wish the lock ratio was shorter. Body roll is apparent but it is under control thanks to anti-roll bars and independent suspension at the front and multi-link suspension at the rear.

2019 Mahindra TUV 300 Plus Review, Verdict

TUV300 Plus is the MPV which has traditional strengths. Rugged body on frame on chassis, 9-seater layout and has an engine which has been proven over time and gets better here with a 6-speed gearbox. No matter whatever variant you choose, you do get good value for your money. Mahindra offers good reach and sales outlet throughout the country. The proposition does get stronger every time. The pricing is also another strength which makes this vehicle a practical and sensible buy in the market over its expensive rivals.

P4 Rs. 9.74 Lakhs
P6 RS. 10.09 Lakhs
P8 Rs. 11.15 Lakhs