Apr 28, 2010 04:54 PM
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I booked a test drive on the Mahindra Xylo, a car which has interested me for a while now, with the Mahindra store at Chowpatty, next to Wilson College, Mumbai. The car was waiting for me as I arrived, even though I was 10 minutes early. Good start, I say.
They say the looks of a car can be judged by the first impression it creates. The first impression the Xylo creates can be summed up in one word, huge. The Xylo has to be the biggest, tallest thing on Indian roads at the moment. It is daunting and definitely a head turner for its muscle. I like what I see.
The front of the XYLO bears the now famous Mahindra Grill, slightly modified from the scorpio with two chrome strips for effect. I have always liked the muscle it lends to the overall look. The side mirrors are quite wide and nice. The engine compartment is tight, and quite neat by Mahindra standards. It’s amazing to see how many parts are fitting into a place like this on the XYLO. Well done to M & M on this front. The lower end version comes with standard tubeless tires, 15 inches with lots of rubber width, while the higher end version comes with company fitted cool alloys.
All in all, quite a good looking car, which is what sparked my interest in the first place. Drive and performance
Now for the drive quality , this is the single most important factor which can swing your decision. People even bought the Baleno coz’ it drove well. The drivers’ cabin feels like you are mounted on horseback, and makes other cars look like the lowly infantry. This is definitely the highest drive on Indian roads. Special mention must be made to the driver’s seat, which cushion you and assimilate your body to give you a feeling of power and security, as though you were in the cockpit of a spacecraft. And as soon as you crank up the engine, the power of the Mahindra beast under its hood makes your pulse skip. The gear stick is also well designed and easy to use. And apart from the slight body roll issue, which is tolerable and not as big a deal as people are making out of it, this really is a joy to drive.
And now for the details , which have always been M&M’s strong point. The A/C on this vehicle is outstanding, and cranking it up to high will actually make it freeze inside. The rear A/C vent is also sensibly placed near the top for complete cooling, unlike near the feet in some other cars. However, the door knob plastics and lunch trays are a problem, but they can be easily fixed either by you now, or by Mahindra in the next version.
The inbuilt stereo has AUX + USB support with four speakers and a woofer, which serve the purpose well. And there are nice touches like a vanity mirror and cup holders which are quite useful. The seats are where the Xylo really kills its competition. The seats are extremely comfortable, and the last row folds down effortlessly for some really great boot space.
The Price: The best part about the Xylo, though is its price point. The base version costs just 6.25 Lacs, whil the fully loaded one costs 7.9 L (ex-showroom Delhi). It is definitely a sedan killer, and people with sizable families must prefer this over the other lowly sedans in the market.
All factors included, it’s a neat, big car. A few tweaks with respect to the interiors and a solution to the body roll issues and it might just be possible to have the’ Time of your life’ in there.
