What is it?

A version of the XUV500 with an automatic transmission. Mahindra and its Korean subsidy, SsangYong, have tied up with Aisin AW of Japan for a new gearbox, which now drives the XUV500, the Korando and the Tivoli, and will be used in all the future premium products of both the brands.

The XUV500 is the only option for anyone looking to buy a proper seven-seater with an automatic transmission under Rs 20 lakh. For argument sake, there is also the Scorpio, but if someone is in the market for a big seven-seater automatic SUV for self-drive, the inclination of looking at the Scorpio is going to be negligible.

Visually, this is same as the facelifted model launched in May and the only addition is the automatic badge on the rear. It is a good thing though, at least for the bling loving Indian audience. The XUV500 is big, brawny and everything that most Indians want their SUVs to be. The design in itself evokes extreme opinion, while most vouch by its styling, there are still others who don’t appreciate it much. Irrespective of what side you are on, the fact remains that you would not be able to ignore one on the roads.

How is it on the inside?

Pretty, at least in appearance. Once again, Mahindra hasn’t changed anything here, the instrument cluster now shows the driving mode and the gear console itself for the automatic is different, but that apart there is nothing that can tell this apart from the manual.

It is a modern cabin, Mahindra has put in lot of efforts on the design, trying to make it look contemporary. There are plenty of features; the XUV gets driver side power seat, sunroof, touchscreen music system, cooled glove box, parking assist and plenty of pockets for storage. In terms of space, the first two rows are good, the last row, however, isn’t a nice place for full-sized adults on long drives.

Mahindra needs to work on the built quality though; the car we reviewed had done just 2,000km on the odometer, still there was a lot of rattle in the cabin. Also the fit and finish isn’t up to the mark – gaps in the panels aren’t consistent, the third row doesn’t fold flat and the sunroof closes with a thud. Fortunately, none of the problems are deal breakers, though we certainly expect better from a car that costs well over Rs 15 lakh on road.

How does it drive?

Let us first get the facts right. This is not the same transmission as the one used in the Scorpio. It may have six-speed and the console might look similar, but it is a new unit that debuts in India with the XUV500. It is mated to the same engine – the 2.2-litre four-cylinder mHawk diesel mill producing 140bhp and 330Nm.

The gearbox works pretty well, slot it into D mode, get off the brake and the SUV starts moving almost instantly. Further, there is no lag between throttle input and engine response and neither does it become unnecessarily noisy with rpm. In fact, the vibrations drop significantly once the car is in motion.

The gearbox is tuned nicely. Be gentle on the throttle and the XUV upshifts at 2,000rpm, a little harder press of the accelerator will take the needle to 2,500rpm before selecting the next ratio. Go even harder to see 3,000rpm and if the throttle is fully pressed, it will auto shift at 3,500rpm without much lag, though the engine sounds extremely harsh past 3,000rpm. Also, it is not a lighting quick gearbox by itself, just that the torque convertor uses the engine’s torque spread to its advantage.

Get off the accelerator and the rpm drops straight to 1,500 to save fuel. Now that might help in getting a respectable ARAI rating of 13.86kmpl, but then there is no engine braking, which means you are riding the brakes all the time in a vehicle that weighs close to two tonnes. There is a manual mode with a toggle switch on the gear stick (definitely not the most convenient way of operating). It is downright slow but provide enough engine braking when used for downshifting.

The XUV500 is not the kind of vehicle one would opt for, if driving pleasure is high up in the priority list. This sits at the other end of spectrum, a means of transport requiring one to put minimal efforts for going from one place to another with maximum comfort possible. And from that perspective, the automatic actually makes sense, it also does away the hassle of dealing with the hard and snatchy clutch of the manual XUV.

Out of the highway, it actually performs better than the manual, cruising at 140kmph and beyond is easy. During testing, the automatic managed to reach 100kmph mark in 11.92 seconds – that is quicker than the manual counterpart, as the car weighs just 15 kilograms more.

Why should I buy one?

One, because this is the only proper seven-seater SUV, that appears to be premium and is available with automatic transmission. Also, if you are fixated on buying the XUV for whatever reason, the automatic is the one to choose. It is by far the most livable version of the SUV that we have driven till date. However, at Rs 16.36 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the W10 2WD variant, the XUV500 seems a little expensive, considering the quality and fit and finish.

Where does it fit in?

The only other option in the price range is the Hyundai Creta automatic priced at Rs 13.78 lakh, but that is a five-seater and much smaller than the XUV500.

Pictures: Kapil Angane