There are many sports utility vehicles (SUV) on the Indian roads but auto enthusiasts often find that they are designed more on car-like looks with smooth and curvy edges. Mahindra & Mahindra's (M&M) new SUV, TUV300, however, is a welcome departure from this trend. To give a tough and rugged feel of the vehicle, the TUV300's design was inspired by battle tank, surely a head-turner wherever it goes.
The TUV300 whose price starts at Rs 7.12 lakh (ex-showroom) is a 7-seater vehicle, with ample legrooms inside. Yet, it is a sub-4 metre vehicle that enjoys lower excise duty. TUV300, now available only in diesel version, is powered by a 1.5 litre mHawk 80 diesel engine, specially developed by M&M. With a two-stage turbocharger, the engine delivers 61.5 kW (84Bhp) of maximum power at 3750 rpm and a 230Nm torque at 1500-2250 rpm.
Interestingly, the TUV300 is the first vehicle in this segment to come with a automated manual transmission (AMT) technology for the T6+ variant, making the drive effortless. This feature, which comes at a higher price, will make city drive comfortable as there is no gear to shift and no clutch to press. The TUV300 also comes with an 'Eco mode' option that helps bring down the fuel consumption by lowering the power output. The company claims that the SUV has a certified fuel efficiency figure of 18.49 kmpl under the ideal test conditions.
