As the big designs became more and more successful, in 2015 Mahindra decided to launch its NBA player. Big, muscular and at the same time very capable. That was the Mahindra TUV300, where TUV stands for Tough Utility Vehicle. And in 2016 the Mahindra TUV300 also got the option of a more powerful engine, namely the mHawk100 engine. It offers plenty of space, a new and improved more powerful engine and the option of an automated manual transmission, and it also got a power boost. It seems like Mahindra has hit the jackpot. Now, with a vehicle under four meters, this is arguably one of the, if not the only, rear-wheel drive compact SUV with a ladder frame chassis. Mahindra shouted: “Let the games begin!” So ​​what does the new Mahindra TUV300 have to offer? Read our detailed review of our Mahindra TUV300 and the 100 hp TUV300.

Also read: 2017 Ford Ecosport coming next year

Mahindra TUV300 Price

Model	Price (on the road, New Delhi)
T4	INR 8.1 lakh
T4+	INR 8.51 lakh
T6	INR 8.85 lakh
T6+	INR 9.13 lakh
T6+ AMT	INR 9.94 lakh
T8	INR 9.81 lakh
T8 mHawk100	INR 9.95 lakh
T8 AMT	10.61 lakh INR
T8 mHawk100 AMT	10.71 lakh INR

Mahindra has priced it to compete with other cars. Starting from INR 800,000 to INR 110,000 (on-road, New Delhi). This car seems like a bargain. The build quality of the body itself is far better than some cars in this price range. The only thing you could wish for more would be a tank. The new engine, though a bit noisy, is not a bore like its older brother. The rear-wheel drive gives the vehicle a nice boost. And the capacity to carry 5+2 passengers is exactly what you are looking for.

Design of the Mahindra TUV300

Big, tall, boxy, muscular – like a bodybuilder who wants to be an Olympic champion, yet still quite compact. It’s not every day that you see such a muscular compact SUV. The boxy nature can give people an attitude that they either love or hate. But the practicality is evident everywhere. The top of the hood and roof is flat, almost like a soldier’s.

The side profile is also angular. The third row has a smaller glass area as it is less than 4 metres. But the styling treatment compensates for the boxy shape to some extent. It is a tall vehicle and it seems to have smaller tyres. The D-pillar is black and the tail lamps are small. The rear-mounted spare wheel gives it an SUV look. The TUV300 is as tall as any other SUV but its shorter length makes its proportions look a bit vague. However, the ruggedness quotient is high compared to other compact SUVs.

Also read: Comparison between Maruti Vitara Brezza, Ford Ecosport and Mahindra TUV300

Mahindra TUV300 – Interior

Upon entering, the cabin feels spacious with the beige interior and the slight black that gives the dashboard a two-tone tone also gives it a sleek touch. The plastic seems well finished but is not soft-touch plastic considering the price. The steering wheel mounted controls are for the music system and that’s about it. The small screen for the music system is not very big but provides all the information you need. The gear knob is a bit high and gets in the way a bit when controlling the air conditioning when you are in 1st or 3rd gear.

Moving up to the back, the front and rear seats don’t have much room to stretch your legs, but considering the upright posture, the rear seats are well elevated so your legs fall further and you don’t have to stretch out, making it very comfortable even for long tours, not to mention daily commuting. The width is not big, so two gluttons and a slim model can sit in the second row. The third row is for kids or if you have Tyrion Lannister as a family member. Surprisingly, there is ample space in the bottle holders in the back, that is, in the fifth door. I could take a supply of port wine from Goa.

100 hp Mahindra TUV300 – additional functions?

None, if you compare it with the regular TUV300. The 100 bhp Mahindra TUV300 has the same features that were available on the 80 bhp variant. What is additional is power and torque.

Also read: Tata Nexon coming in 2017

Mahindra TUV300 engine and performance

Mahindra offers the TUV300 with a 1.5-litre diesel engine. However, it comes in two power outputs. The first is the mHawk80 which produces around 84bhp while the second engine is the mHawk100 which produces almost 100bhp. Both come with a five-speed manual transmission and the powerful engine also has an AMT option. The powerful engine is only available in the top-of-the-range T8 variant which produces 100bhp. This is an improvement over the 80bhp version.

The engine performance is good and the vibrations at low rpm are very low. At high rpm the engine gets noisy. The engine has good power. The torque is adequate at almost any rpm. The thrust that you get from a diesel engine seems to be missing from the 80 hp engine. The 100 hp engine is a bit faster but nothing to speak of. The 100 hp engine is better suited to the AMT version and has fixed many of the issues that the 80 hp version had.

The gear lever on the Mahindra TUV300 is high but can be easily jammed. The clutch pedal is also light and makes driving easier. The AMT is a little sluggish in shifting but is good enough for city driving. There were problems with this gearbox but these have now been resolved.

100 HP difference in performance of the Mahindra TUV300?

With the 100 hp engine, the TUV300 will have even more power. And it will be easier to drive in the city. The TUV300 with the mHawk 100 will have much more power on the highway as well. The 100 hp Mahindra TUV300 will be powerful and our pick of the two.

Driving and handling of the Mahindra TUV300

The Mahindra TUV300 has a small turning circle. It turns easily in small spaces. The airy feel in the cabin was also a major point in the SUV’s feel-good factor. However, what we didn’t like was the fact that this vehicle rolls a lot above 60 kmph. The ride is quite smooth and better than previous generation Mahindra vehicles. However, the SUV feels a bit twitchy and nervous on bad road sections, especially when driving fast. Mahindra’s ladder frame design is to blame for this, but it isn’t very bad either. The handling of the Mahindra TUV300 is not very impressive, it rolls noticeably if you push it too hard. The steering wheel is hydraulic yet light enough to maneuver easily in the city. It is a joy to drive in the city.

Mahindra TUV300 Colors

The Mahindra TUV300 gets the new dual paint finish of Silver and Black. Now you also have the option of having the hood and roof painted black. Why? Because Sadda m-Hak!!! This is in addition to the existing 7 shades of

• Verve Blue
• Dynamite Red
• Melted Orange
• Glacier white
• Majestic Silver
• Strong black
• Bronze green.

Also read: Honda WRV price and review

Mahindra TUV300 mileage

The Mahindra TUV300 has an ARAI certified fuel consumption of 18.49 km/l. In practice, the mHawk80 consumes 11 km/l in the city and about 14 km/l on the highway.

Mahindra TUV300 mileage
Condition	Mileage
City	12km/l
Highway	14km/l
ARAI	18.49km/l

Mahindra TUV300 Dimensions

length	3995mm
Width	1835mm
Height	1839mm
wheelbase	2680mm
Trunk	384 liters

Motor	1,493 cc
Performance	84 hp, 100 hp
Torque	230Nm, 240Nm
transmission	5-speed manual transmission, AMT

Key Features of Mahindra TUV300:

Dual airbags

ABS with EBD

Manual air conditioning

Electrical ORVM adjustment

Cornering light

Tilt steering

Reversing sensors

Height adjustment of the driver’s seat

Seven seats

Bluetooth audio

Mahindra TUV300 even gets steering control