- Debuts BlueSense Plus connected car technology

- 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine now gets an AMT transmission

Mahindra has launched the XUV300 petrol with the Auto Shift transmission at a starting price of Rs 9.95 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai). The AMT transmission will be available in W6, W8 and W8 (O) trims while the top-spec W8 (O) will also be equipped with Mahindra’s new BlueSense Plus connected technology. The bookings for the XUV300 AutoShift have commenced and deliveries are slated to begin from mid-February.

Visually, the XUV300 receives no changes and will carry forward the same design of the current generation XUV300. However, it will see an addition of new dual-tone Red and Aquamarine colours on all W8 (O) AutoShift variants. The mid-specs W6, W8, and W8 (O) variants will be offered in a new Galaxy Grey exterior colour shade. An electric sunroof will also be an added feature on the W6 in both manual and automatic variants.

The talking point of the Mahindra XUV300 is the new Auto Shift transmission which is now available with the 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine. Earlier, this AMT transmission was limited to the diesel version only. The key features of this new gearbox are auto and manual mode, hill start assist, kick-down shifts, adaptive pedal response, and tap-to-switch. It also features advanced ‘creep’ function which aids a relaxed drive in city congestions and tight parking spots.

Mahindra has also debuted the BlueSense Plus connected car tech with the Mahindra XUV300. It is equipped with remote vehicle controls, location-based services, geofencing, vehicle information alerts, and in-car controls. This connected car technology will be available for both Android and iOS users.

With the addition of the AMT transmission to the petrol drivetrain, the XUV300 is now competent enough to rival the Maruti Suzuki Brezza, Ford EcoSport, Toyota Urban Cruiser, Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite, Hyundai Venue, and the Kia Sonet.