South Africa was the first country outside of India to welcome the Mahindra XUV 3XO, an extensively facelifted version of the XUV 300 compact SUV that was originally developed from the SsangYong Tivoli (nowadays named the KGM Tivoli).
Based on the X100 platform from the former SsangYong company, the XUV 300, first introduced in 2019, underwent modifications to suit Indian roads and market conditions, and interestingly, is broader and taller, yet shorter than the Tivoli to comply with the Indian sub-four-meter regulations.
In 2020, the XUV 300 was tested by Global NCAP in its most basic safety specification for India. It scored five stars for adult occupant protection and four stars for child occupant protection, making it the safest Indian car evaluated by NCAP to that point.
The XUV300 received a makeover and a specification boost in 2022, but the range still lacked derivatives with automatic transmissions. This limited its market appeal, as most contenders in the compact SUV space offered auto versions in their model ranges.
Now rebranded as the 3XO, the newcomer not only features modern looks and advanced tech at a keen price point but is also available with an auto ’box, although (for now) the revamped 3XO range does not include a turbodiesel derivative.
ANGULAR EXTERIOR DESIGN
It may be based on a decade-old chassis, but the 3XO certainly looks modern with its distinctive and striking new front grille with a piano black finish and revised angular design for the LED headlamps, LED DRLs, and LED fog lamps, and drew favourable comments from everyone who saw it for the first time.
Similarly, the rear styling complements the front design with revised angular brake lights and an infinity LED tail lamp stretching across the entire vehicle width. The flagship model’s stylish diamond-cut alloy wheels on 17” rims add to the compact SUV’s confident stance.
The interior has also been completely redesigned to complement the arresting exterior with a blend of premium finishes and modern design elements and equipment. In our AX7L AT model, the soft-touch leatherette dashboard extended to the door trims, with comfortable black leatherette used for the seat upholstery.
Black leatherette trim for the steering wheel, gear knob, and front armrest further enhanced the premium interior feel, but perhaps the most impressive new feature is the expansive floating 10.25” infotainment system with a 360-degree camera that combines with a 10.25” digital cluster. Also new is a great sounding Harman Kardon Premium Audio system and a largest-in-class Skyroof.
On a long trip to the Karoo, the cabin proved spacious enough to comfortably transport four adults. However, fitting all the luggage in the limited space (346 litres) behind the rear seats was challenging. Even so, features like a cooled glove box with illumination and 60:40 split rear seats ensured convenience.
PLEASANT ROAD MANNERS
Powered by the proven mStallion 1.2-litre TCMPFi turbo-petrol engine (as used in its XUV 300 predecessor), now coupled with a six-speed Aisin automatic transmission, the 3XO displayed pleasant road manners. The three-cylinder mill, with a sprightly 82 kW and 200 Nm of torque on tap, never felt lethargic or flat.
Its only drawback is a narrow torque band, necessitating many cog swops, but well-chosen gear ratios for the smooth-changing ’box negated the need to revert to manual shifts when overtaking or negotiating a steep incline. Zoom mode (there are three custom driving modes – Zip, Zap, and Zoom) also helped slightly, but Zip mode proved perfect for everyday driving and good consumption.
However, the turning signal sound was far too loud, and the Level 2 ADAS suite was too intrusive, and kept interfering at inopportune moments. Switching off systems such as lane-keep assist proved challenging, as you have to wade through several menu layers to get to it, and the biggest frustration is that the system resets every time the car is switched off.
Still, despite these minor niggles, the XUV 3XO was a great road companion with eager performance, decent steering and composed handling – even on less-than-perfect road surfaces and on dirt tracks – combined with impressive cabin comfort and more than acceptable fuel consumption.
LAST WORD
The 3XO is an impressive offering from Mahindra in the highly competitive compact SUV market. The flagship model is well-priced compared to rivals such as the Nissan Magnite, Hyundai Venue, Chery Tiggo4 Pro, Suzuki Fronx, Toyota Starlet Cross, and the slightly bigger Citroën C3 Aircross.
The new automatic transmission, combined with the eager little engine and modernised design, makes the X30 a compelling proposition and is highly commendable. However, one wonders whether Mahindra plans to introduce the diesel derivative later (such a model is available overseas with AMT), as this will make the 3XO nearly irresistible.
Report by FERDI DE VOS | Images © RYAN ABBOTT
