The smallest SUV from Mahindra : KUV100
With the launch of the KUV ‘one double oh’, Mahindra has now achieved an end to end product line up. The company now provides an SUV for the Indian customer in every size one would wish for.
The KUV100, earlier codenamed the S100, is slotted below the TUV 300. In Mahindra speak it is an SUV, but truly speaking the car will be pitted against the highly competitive hatchback segment. And this is the first time, Mahindra has plunged into this segment and tried to compete against the well entrenched names such as the Maruti Swift,Maruti Celerio, Hyundai Grand i10 and the Tata Bolt.
So Mahindra will need to launch a multi pronged attack to make a dent in this product segment. Even if the product is fantastic, the company will need to an advertising blitzkrieg and have a supporting sales and service network. The later two are not difficult for Mahindra, so what needs to be seen is – is the product fantastic?
Interior and Exterior Design
M&M is hoping that the SUV like design will be the differentiator and help it stand out in the crowd. The Renault Kwid, launched recently, has successfully tried this mantra and the cash register at Renault has not stopped ringing.
However, inspite of being a small car the proportions of the Kwid look in rhythm , the KUV100 does not look so. The car has a lot of curves and layers and so many layers in such a small space do not go well together.. I believe. The folds are more pronounced beneath the A pillar and at the rear door which stretch upto the tailgate.The wheel arches being so high over emphasis the smallness of the wheels. The headlights look really good. But the complete package leaves you wishing for more.
But come to the inside of the car and all your doubts vanish. The car is available with 2 options – a bench like front seat which seats 6 people in the car and 2 pilot seats in the front which seats 5.Now, after a long long time we are seeing a bench seat in a car and how does it fare? Not really well. At the most, you can fit in a child in the middle seat. Three adults make it really squishy and not at all possible for long drives. Because of the bench seat the gear lever has been placed on the front console and there is no storage space in the middle.
But the 5 seater is quite spacious. The rear seat offers a lot of leg room and under thigh support is great too. The front and rear seats have been contoured well and give good back support. Seating 3 in the rear seat is quite comfortable thanks to the flat floor.
The rear door handles are mounted on the window like the Chevrolet Beat and hence the rear window has a blacked out space limiting the outside view.
Cabin quality is pretty good by class standards with certain bits like the dashboard top feeling premium, but lower down, plastic quality isn’t as good. The switchgear feels fairly chunky but the small screen with its monochrome display in today’s touchscreen age looks a bit old-fashioned. However, its quite intuitive to use and the steering mounted controls make things easy too.
Engine and Ride quality
The car comes with two engine options from the new range developed by M&M – an 82bhp 1.2 litre three cylinder petrol engine and 77bhp 1.2 litre three cylinder diesel engine both mated with a 5 speed manual transmission. The company has invested Rs. 500 crore to design and develop this all new engine family.
The 1.2 three-cylinder petrol engine is a full-aluminium, lightweight unit with an offset crankshaft and a very stiff aluminium block for better refinement. It gets four-valves per cylinder and twin overhead camshafts to achieve the optimum valve angles and combustion chamber design. The 1.2 diesel also has similar valve gear but comes with a cast-iron block that again has been extensively stiffened for lower noise and vibration.
The KUV100 is available in four trim levels and what makes us happy is that all versions come with ABS as standard. Dual airbags are available as an option from the base variant on, and are a standard fit on the top-spec K8 cars.. Top-spec KUV100 K8s also feature alloy wheels, power windows, power steering, internally adjustable mirrors, audio player with Bluetooth, USB and aux, steering-mounted audio controls and fuel economy-enhancing auto start/stop (Micro Hybrid in Mahindra speak).
The initial feeling when driving the car, is that the petrol engine is good but not special. While the engine responds well to throttle inputs and driveability is fine, it offers little to excite. Power delivery is flat and the build up of revs isn’t particularly urgent either. It’s only post 4,500rpm or so that the engine gets a fresh wind and revs with more vigour. However, it’s unlikely KUV users will really stretch it so much. The engine also sounds thrummy when revved hard though overall refinement levels are quite good. However, the petrol works quite well on part throttle and the KUV can gamely keep up with the flow of urban traffic. The engine comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and we’re glad to report the location of the gearshift, placed on the centre console, falls nicely to hand, the shift action has a short throw and is remarkably crisp. In fact, the gearbox is one of the best bits of the KUV100. To top it off the gearshift knob is also superbly finished. The clutch is light too but could be a touch smoother to engage.
Mahindra’s past experience with diesel engines seems to have helped when developing the new D75 diesel engine that comes across as the more rounded of the mFalcon motors. Like the petrol, the diesel engine is also a three-cylinder, 1.2-litre unit though this one uses a cast iron block and aluminium head. This turbocharged engine makes 76.4bhp at 3,750rpm and a strong 19.37kgm between 1,750-2,250rpm. Also worth highlighting is that the D75 motor offers two drive modes – Power which is the stock mode and Economy – and adjusts fuelling accordingly.
The D75 motor is fairly responsive from the get-go, but like most small-capacity diesel engines comes into its own once the turbo has spooled up which is past 1,900rpm. Post that mark, you can feel greater pulling power at your disposal, but there’s no spike in power delivery and the engine doesn’t rev all that quick either but what you get is a linear and friendly build up of power that many will like. In fact, slipping the diesel KUV100 into Mumbai revealed how easy it is drive. You can ride the nice and flat torque curve and you don’t need to constantly change gears. A small flex of the throttle gives you enough overtaking ability in town. Refinement levels are also good as small-capacity diesels go. You can hear the distinct three-cylinder clatter at idle but noise levels are overall well contained. Gearshifts are superb and the short lever is a joy to operate but once again the clutch could do with a more progressive action.
Mahindra claims a fuel economy of 25.3kpl for the diesel KUV100 when driven in Eco mode. As you switch from Power to Eco, you can feel performance take a serious hit. Not only do responses get duller, the engine also doesn’t rev beyond 3,600rpm in the mode. As you’d have guessed, Eco is not the mode for anyone in a hurry but quite useable in the city.
The mFalcon pair of engines is a great effort by M&M and we were particularly impressed with the user-friendly character of the 1.2 diesel.
As for the suspension, the KUV100 uses a traditional front MacPherson strut and rear torsion beam configuration. The KUV is set to the softer side, especially at the rear which has a gentle pitching motion. Driving it around on the streets of Mumbai the KUV smothers potholes well and deals with speed breakers with far more aplomb than its 170mm ground clearance would suggest. The steering is light, the turning circle is small and the general feeling is of being in a light and nimble hatchback.
At higher speeds though the KUV moves around a fair bit. There’s a bit of body roll around corners and the tall stance doesn’t help here. The steering may not be super quick or bristling with feel but it has a consistency and weights up nicely to give the driver lots of confidence at the helm. The brakes could do with a bit more bite and servo assistance. Also, what we did notice was wind noise around the A-pillar and it’s enough to make you think you’ve left a window open.
Verdict
The styling will surely split opinion amongst potential owners but if you can digest the oddball proportions and styling, the KUV100 actually offers plenty. It’s got road presence which sets it apart in an ocean of conventional hatchbacks, as well as a well turned-out and spacious cabin with plenty of equipment on board. The engines are unexciting but are also up to the job with decent everyday performance and more importantly promise to deliver on fuel economy. It’s an easy car to drive as well and this only helps the small Mahindra’s case.
The KUV doesn’t have any of the go-anywhere characteristics that you’d expect in an SUV and even its 170mm ground clearance is just par for the course, but remember this is an SUV only in marketing speak.
In true Mahindra tradition, pricing is keen with the base petrol K2 starting at Rs 4.42 lakh (ex-showroom, Pune) and the Rs 6.76 lakh diesel K8 topping off the range. Expectation was that the base model of the car would be priced from below the 4 lac mark. These prices put the KUV in the heart of the hatchback segment where competition is the most intense. But its unique positioning as a hatchback-turned-SUV or vice versa could make the KUV100 the disruptive entry in this segment.