Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), one of India’s foremost business houses, with a vast presence spanning across automobiles, financial services, retail, logistics, infrastructure development, software, and tourist resorts launched its new Multi Purpose Vehicle (MPV), the Mahindra Xylo, with much fanfare, earlier this year. Starting off with a teaser campaign, that promised the end of the sedan era, over the ensuing months, the car has pretty much managed to live up to all the hype and curiosity generated around the vehicle. The Time of Your Life campaign has also hit it well with the young Indian populace, who find themselves identifying and relating to the “hot-n-happening” sedan-killing Xylo.
More than anything else, the car has certainly got the top brass at arch rival Toyota Kirloskar thinking, which, till date was resting easy with the super success of its MPV offering in India, the Toyota Innova. Moreover, it is the low price tag of the Mahindra Xylo – starting at INR 624,500 (approximately USD 12,490) for the base model, along with comparable features, and superior looks, that have together pulled the tide in favor of the Xylo.
Specs wise, the Xylo is powered by a robust 2.49 liter mEagle CRDe engine that delivers 112 bhp, allowing the Xylo to take off from 0-60 kilometers per hour (kmph) in just 5.8 seconds. The Xylo clocks an impressive 12 kilometers to the liter, thus coming up trumps on the fuel efficiency front as well. The gearbox is a standard 5-speed manual one, standard across all variants of the Xylo. The steering is of the standard power assisted, rack and pinion type. The front suspension has independent, coil springs, of the double wishbone type with an anti-roll bar while the rear suspension has multi-link coil-springs. The wheels are of the 6.0J X 15 steel and alloy type with the tires being the size 215/75 R15. The front brakes have ventilated discs while the rear brakes have drums. The body of the Xylo is two-box, five-door; it seats 7-8 persons as per the variant, and has a fuel tank capacity of 55 liters. Overall dimensions of the Xylo are 2,760 mm wheel base, 1,850 mm width, 4,520 mm length, 1,895 mm height, 186 mm ground clearance, and a turning circle radius of 5.4 m. The Xylo has a kerb weight of 1,830 kg, along with a gross weight of 2,475 kg, in the 2WD version.
Comfort is central to the Xylo. On the storage space front, the Xylo just seems to be packed with options. There are foldable food trays, cup and even bottle holders. The front seats are flatbed, akin to business class seats in the airlines. The overall seating itself is theatre style, such that no passenger can possibly feel left out of an ongoing conversation.
The Xylo is available in a ravishing range of eye catching colors, hitherto unheard or unseen in the Indian automobile market including Lucky Lilac, Gold Shimmer, Toreador Red, Fiery Black, Mist Silver, Rocky Beige, Java Brown and Mint Green.
The Xylo comes in four variants, E2, E4, E6, and E8. The difference between each is not very significant; through every progressive variant has a few more features than its predecessors. The variants are priced at INR 648,600 (approx. USD 12,972) for the E2, INR 695,600 (approx. USD 13,912) for the E4, INR 765,600 (approx. USD 15,312) for the E6 – with the ski-rack and INR 800,600 (approx. USD 16,012) for the E8. All the above mentioned prices are ex-showroom, Delhi and are subject to change at the sole discretion of the company as well as its dealers.
At a macro level, the company on the whole seems to be going great guns too; with the acquisition of Satyam Computers, it is looking to be a large player on the already well-established Indian IT front. Seemingly, when you have winning offerings like the Xylo on your side, impossible is indeed nothing, ala Adidas!