Mahindra KUV100 NXT Hatchback First Drive Review
Many auto critics have been bashing Indian car makers. Its true. Indian car makers are their easiest and soft target. The claim! Sorry, the big claim! We have driven on a race track in XYZ in Europe or somewhere in North America and what not! The problem is not in the bashing! The problem is when their balls freeze to use the same terms when a foreign maker screws up a product. Why? Oh no! No foreign junkies. I personally do not believe in bragging. What it is leading to is pulling away buyers from a car that doesn’t deserve so much of a hard time. There are so many cars that have different awards, but in the real world, no one cares about them. If you have a product that isn’t value for money, that missing out on features, that missing out on space or something else, you do not have a chance to sustain numbers for too long. I have lived in this world, and was worried that I will too have to be a part of this scenario.
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Mahindra KUV100 NXT Overview
There has been one vehicle, which was good but had some issues. A vehicle for the youth. Called as Kool Utility Vehicle. Is this what it is? When it was launched, what it promised was trendy design — not for those who are looking at a subtle design. It also promised to be spacious, comfortable and powerful. But then it did lack the quality, it did miss out on the features and more importantly ease of driving. The KUV had a super hard clutch and this was disappointing if you drive more often in the city. Mahindra seems to have heard the feedback and worked on it. Not once but twice. Check for Mahindra KUV100 NXT price in Hyderabad .
Mahindra KUV100 NXT Design
At exteriors, the majority of the design elements remain unchanged, yet the muscularity and aggressiveness is a notch above. The most obvious change can be seen in headlight cluster which now features dual chambers for low and high beam along with restyled indicators and DRLs. The revamped front bumpers make way for distinctive air dam and revised fog lamps, while the grille too gets nice chrome treatment. The contrasting silver skid plate at the bottom is well defined and gives the car a more rugged look.
Further solidifying KUV100’s look is the inclusion of 15-inch sporty diamond cut alloy wheels and new ORVMs with integrated turn indicators. The door handles at the back are now black in colour and looks nothing like before. Other visible changes at the back are in the form of restyled bumper, new integrated spoiler and revised tailgate with new creases running across. The tail lights get a clear lens covering while the dual tone colour scheme makes the car more palatable to senses.
Mahindra KUV100 NXT Cabin
The inside of KUV100 features a great deal of refinements. The dashboard is similar to the earlier version, however, the cabin is not much darker, thanks to the fabrics and light coloured plastics. And it looks all the good with all those textures on the dashboard, piano black inserts and silver accents giving it a touch of premiumness. To know more details on Mahindra KUV100 NXT check Lanetalab
The most evident change inside is the addition of new 7-inch touchscreen infotainment which can be availed in the mid and top variants. The system host plenty of tech including connectivity options for USB, Bluetooth and Aux-In. The intuitive touchscreen infotainment can also be voice controlled along with full-fledged GPS navigation and facility of image and video playback. Another interesting aspect of the infotainment is the new driver information display that keeps you updated on vital stats of the vehicle such as mileage, distance to empty and visuals for the rear parking sensors. The decibels are amplified by 4-speakers with 2 tweeters.
Coming to the seating and comfort, the 6-seat configuration has now been made standard. This configuration is perfect for a family of four with two grandparents. The car is equipped with air conditioner with new electronic temperature control panel that sits below right below the infotainment. The vehicle gets a joystick gear lever and electric power steering with tilt functionality. Other features include driver seat height adjuster, cooled glove box, follow-me home headlamps, internally adjustable ORVMs, front and rear armrest and cup holder, remote keyless entry while from the same remote key, the tailgate can also be opened.
Mahindra KUV100 NXT Performance
1.2-litre petrol and diesel engines power the KUV100 NXT. These new engines are three-cylinder ones and they are the same when they were launched on the micro SUV. The petrol engine has decent power and is good enough for daily usage. However, it has some amount of vibrations at low engine speeds, which means it will miss out on the refinement. These are felt the most when you are waiting on a red light. There has been some improvements in the NVH of the petrol engine and it seems a tad better than before.
The diesel engine was always good, but the biggest let down was its hard clutch. From all the product presentations we have gone through it doesn’t say a word about it. No other reviewer would have noticed this, but your clutch has now become a lot lighter. Before driving in traffic meant your clutch becoming hard and making it difficult to drive on a daily basis. This issue has been taken care of. The company claims to have reduced the diesel clatter too with better insulation. We aren’t certain of that. When you begin to drive this engine, you will not feel at any point that this is just a 1.2-litre engine. It is peppy and it has the punch even at low engine speeds. This makes it drivable too.
Mahindra KUV100 NXT tail lampKitna deti hai? Our favourite question. The petrol engine returns about 11-12km/l in the city and out on the highway it goes up to 15km/l. On the other hand, the diesel engine will return close to 15km/l in the city and the number jumps up to 19km/l on the highway. These are the real world figures.
Mahindra KUV100 NXT Riding
Now, the suspension of the Mahindra KUV100 NXT is well-suited to our roads and the ride quality at low speeds is comfortable enough but as the speeds increase, there is a lot of vertical movement for passengers and it gets pretty annoying. The steering feels heavy and doesn’t really inspire confidence at high speeds. Even on the handling front, the KUV100 hates being driven aggressively and is more suited to cruising. The brakes felt very spongy and the feeling is very scary when you stomp the brake pedal at high speeds because there is just no confidence. Mahindra has also improved the approach and departure angles of the car, meaning you can tackle bad roads easily. However, don’t expect the KUV100 to tackle hard-core off-roads.
Mahindra KUV100 NXT Safety
The disc upfront and drum at the rear provides the needed braking force to the car. The braking mechanism is further supplemented by anti-lock braking system with electronic brakeforce distribution. Further, the car’s safety quotient is strengthened by dual front airbags which are available across the trims, save the base K2 variant. Other safety features include ISOFIX child seat mounts, rear parking sensors, child safety locks, speed sensing auto door locks, anti-theft security, automatic hazard warning lamps among others.
Mahindra KUV100 NXT Price in Hyderabad
Mahindra KUV100 NXT On Road Price is 5,65,725/- and Ex-showroom Price is 4,79,144/- in Hyderabad. Mahindra KUV100 NXT comes in 6 colours, namely Flamboyant Red,Fiery Orange,Dazzling Silver,Midnight Black,Pearl White,Designer Grey. Mahindra KUV100 NXT comes with FWD with 1198 CC Displacement and 3 Cylinders with Maximum Power 82 bhp@5500 rpm and Peak Torque 115 Nm@3500-3600 rpm DRIVE TRAIN FWD and reaches 100 KMPH at N/A . Mahindra KUV100 NXT comes with Manual Transmission with FWD .
Mahindra KUV100 NXT Bottomline
The Mahindra KUV100 NXT feels like a very confused product in the segment it is positioned in. While it is definitely practical and easy to drive, which our folks will appreciate, the styling is quirky even now and the driving dynamics of the car are nothing to write about. Mahindra is positioning this as a compact SUV but we all know that it sure isn’t one. Competing with some of the top-selling cars in India, the KUV100 NXT faces some tough rivalry and the only reasons why you should consider one are the 6-seater configuration (albeit not too comfortable) and the easy-to-drive nature.
Mahindra KUV100 NXT is available in five different variants- K2, K2+, K4+, K6+ and K8 to select from. In terms of pricing, KUV100 is competitively priced with its base variant K2 tagged at Rs. 4.51 lakh and the top range trim K8 5STR available at Rs. 7.56 lakh,ex-showroom, Delhi. Mahindra KUV100 falls altogether in a new segment but it can be compared to the likes of Maruti Ignis, Hyundai Grand i10 and Maruti Swift taking price and practicality in mind.
The Mahindra KUV100 NXT, introduced in 2017, is a compact SUV that blends SUV-like aesthetics with hatchback dimensions. Designed to cater to urban drivers seeking a higher driving position and spacious interiors, the KUV100 NXT offers a unique proposition in its segment.
Exterior Design: The KUV100 NXT showcases a bold front fascia with a prominent grille and wraparound headlamps featuring LED DRLs. Its SUV-inspired design is further accentuated by pronounced wheel arches, body cladding, and roof rails. At 3,700 mm in length, it maintains a compact footprint suitable for city driving.
Interior Comfort: Inside, the KUV100 NXT offers a spacious cabin with ample headroom, knee-room, and shoulder-room for both front and rear passengers. The cabin features a 6-seater configuration with a front bench seat, though the central seat may be less comfortable for taller individuals due to limited legroom. The dashboard is equipped with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, offering features like BlueSense connectivity, GPS navigation, and parking sensors.
Performance: The KUV100 NXT is powered by Mahindra’s mFalcon engine family, offering both petrol and diesel options. The petrol variant is equipped with a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine producing 83 PS and 115 Nm of torque, while the diesel variant delivers 78 PS and 190 Nm. Both engines are mated to a five-speed manual transmission. On the road, the petrol engine performs adequately for city commutes but may require downshifting for swift overtakes or highway driving. The diesel variant offers better torque delivery, making it more suitable for longer drives.
Ride and Handling: The KUV100 NXT features a soft suspension setup, providing a comfortable ride over uneven surfaces at low speeds. However, this softness leads to noticeable body roll and a floaty ride at higher speeds, which can affect stability during sharp cornering. The steering is light but lacks precision, requiring multiple turns from lock to lock, which can be cumbersome in tight parking situations.
Features and Safety: The KUV100 NXT comes equipped with features such as electrically foldable door mirrors, under-seat storage, climate control, height-adjustable driver’s seat, rear parking sensors, mood lighting, and selectable drive modes like ‘Eco’ and ‘Power’. Safety features include dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, collapsible steering column, child safety locks, speed-sensing auto door locks, auto hazard warning lamps, anti-theft alarm, and ISOFIX rear child seat mounts.
Ownership Feedback: Owners appreciate the KUV100 NXT’s spacious interiors and SUV-like styling. However, some have reported concerns regarding ergonomics, such as offset pedals and dashboard design affecting driver comfort. Driving dynamics, including steering feedback and ride stability at higher speeds, have also been points of discussion among users.
Conclusion: The Mahindra KUV100 NXT positions itself as a compact SUV offering a blend of style, space, and practicality. It’s well-suited for urban environments, providing a higher driving position and ample interior space. Prospective buyers should consider test-driving the vehicle to assess its comfort and handling characteristics, ensuring it aligns with their specific requirements and preferences.
For a more in-depth visual review, you might find this first drive video helpful:
