By: Report: P.Tharyan; Photography: Afsar Baig
Jun 18 2019
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”.
