Mahindra XUV300 AMT First Drive Review

It was in early February 2019 that we had reviewed the Mahindra XUV 300. We reviewed the 1.5 litre diesel engine vehicle mated to a six speed manual transmission.  The XUV 300 also comes with a 1.2 litre petrol engine.

Now the Mahindra XUV300 1.5 litre SUV comes mated to a 6-speed automated manual transmission. Here we shall be writing about the performance of the AMT and not about the vehicle’s exteriors or interiors. The vehicle continues to be feature rich with a whole host of functions like smart sunroof, power windows on all four windows, power ORVMs, a 7 inches touch screen, Blue Sense app with smart watch connectivity, 3 point seat belts for all passengers and adjustable headrests for all three rear passenger, dual zone auto AC, front parking sensors, etc. The exterior features too are equally charismatic.

Built by leading transmission makers Marelli, this 6-speed automated manual transmission comes with a mono stable shifter which essentially toggles between manual and auto mode. The shifter has a centre position and you can gently tap it in the direction you want to activate the mode you prefer.

The moment you start the vehicle you get to see the tyre direction monitoring system or TDMS showing a picture of all four tyres on the multi information display in front of the driver. On the dash are buttons that help you to set the steering mode. There are three modes: Normal, Comfort and Sport. Depending upon the mode you choose, the engine response and your steering wheel feedback too changes.  After choosing the mode, you need to press the button next to it to select it.

Each time you toggle with the help of the mono stable shifter, the information is simultaneously displayed on the multi information display panel for the driver to see. Whether it is the automatic mode or the manual mode or putting the car in reverse, it’s all very clear on the MID.

The AMT also comes with a creep feature. This feature which is basically the crawl feature works for both the forward and reverse movement.   What this feature does is that it ensures a slow and steady movement of the vehicle, whether you are going uphill or downhill.  Normally, for an automatic transmission you expect that when you are going downhill, the vehicle will gain momentum and pick up speed.  If this were to happen, it would be a dangerous bargain for the occupants. Instead, with this creep feature, if you let go of the accelerator pedal, the vehicle begins to move slowly and steadily, whether it is downhill or uphill.  The moment you step on the accelerator pedal, the creep function is automatically disabled.

Thus, with this creep feature, while going downhill you get a slow and steady drive and while going uphill, it prevents any roll back. With the AMT, no compromise has been made on the engine character as it continues to churn out 115hp@3750rpm and a peak torque of 300Nm@1500-2500 rpm. I found the AMT a lot quick on its feet, though an initial burst of power comes a tad late. But once the vehicle gets going, there is no dearth of mid-range power or beyond that. With discs on all four wheels, with ABS and EBD, ESP, hill start assist, corner braking control, etc the vehicle surely is very capable.  The vehicle comes with 7 airbags including one for the knee.

I found the manual mode also quite effective, though the auto mode is the one I prefer because of its nimble character.  Ride and handling too are par excellence. AMTs usually get criticised for their sometimes sloppy output, but the Mahindra XUV300 AMT is a top notch product, calibrated perfectly for a safe and fun drive. It’s for this reason perhaps, why Mahindra & Mahindra insists on telling its customers, “Live Young, Live Free”.