The Indian-made Mahindra XUV500 is in a class of Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) that has been in production since it was first introduced back in 2011. Interestingly enough and unbeknownst to many, the name “XUV500” is actually pronounced as “Ex-You-Wee Five Double O”. Also, the XUV500 holds the title for being the very first Mahindra vehicle to fully adopt a monocoque chassis construction, thus making it relatively lighter, structurally more rigid, better to drive and more comfortable than its body-on-frame counterparts in the segment.
The Mahindra XUV500 is the Indian carmaker’s flagship offering in the UAE and is sold in several countries all over the globe, including some of the Middle East nations such as the United Arab Emirates. Over the nine or so years that it has remained in production, the XUV500 has gone through three different iterations -- each improving some or the other facet of this compact SUV. In markets such as the UAE, the Mahindra XUV500 goes up against the likes of the Kia Sorento, Peugeot 5008, and Chevrolet Equinox.
Exterior
The Mahindra XUV500 may be classified as a compact SUV, but it isn’t really that compact in size. It measures in at 4.585 meters in length, 1.890 meters in width and 1.785 meters in overall height. The XUV500’s wheelbase stretches to 2.700 meters, while its gross weight can exceed 2.5 tons. As for the way it looks, the XUV500’s exterior design is depicted by many for its eye-catching styling and aggressive styling cues, which Mahindra says have been inspired by the Cheetah. However, over the years, Mahindra has toned down its overly exaggerated styling in order to please a wider audience base. Despite the reduced intensity of its styling, the XUV500 still remains a car that many people like, while several others dislike.
Up front, the XUV500 comes with large headlamps with projector units and sleek LED DRLs, raised clamshell hood, revised mesh grille with peculiar chrome inserts and surrounds, heavily sculpted bumper with upper & lower air intakes, faux skid plate, and L-shaped fog lamp housing. Along the sides, the XUV500 receives 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels, subtle roof rails, muscular front & rear haunches, high ground clearance and vertically-oriented pull-type door handles. The rear gets rakish tail lamps, roof spoiler and aggressively-sculpted tailgate with a chrome bar and dual exhaust pipes.
Interior
The interior design of the Mahindra XUV500 holds plenty of curves, contours and its fair share of flat surfaces as well. The all-black interior looks sporty but can also feel bland. To solve that issue, Mahindra has incorporated a few silver, chrome and piano black trim all over the cabin though their presence doesn’t help much. Considering that the XUV500 is a built to cost vehicle, we expect a decent build quality inside the cabin. The seats are covered with two-tone leather and there’s more than enough to room to go around for everybody.
The XUV500’s equipment list is also impressive, with features like puddle lamps, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers, power-folding door mirrors, quilted leather seats, power sunroof, keyless entry with push-button start, cruise control, power-adjustable driver’s seat, all-round parking sensors with reversing camera, 7.0-inch touch-infotainment display with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, Arkamys premium sound system, LED ambient lighting etc. There are also six airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability program with rollover mitigation, and hill hold & hill-descent control.
Engine and performance
The Mahindra XUV500’s 2.2-liter petrol mill makes 140hp and 320Nm, which drives all four corners through a 6-speed automatic transmission. It can propel the XUV500 to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and to a top speed of 180 km/h.
Verdict
The Mahindra XUV500 comes as a compelling proposition in its segment. While it might not be putting out a vehement grunt from its motor, it still happens to be a pragmatic choice offering seven seats and profusion of equipment. With a sticker price of AED 56,900 for the base (FWD) trim, it undercuts all its rivals by a whopping margin and makes sure you get your money’s worth.
