While the TCMPFi model had adequate power, I felt the XUV 3XO AX5 TGDI variant to be on a whole different level.
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I got the delivery of my first car, the Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5 TGDI. The availability of this combo was not known to me till the moment I was in the showroom, booking the AX5 TCMPFI and paying the booking price of Rs 21000 and as fate would have it, another sales guy was asking the manager who was dealing with me whether he should take the booking of an AX5 TGDI.
Immediately I switched the booking to the TGDI and the difference was just 10K extra for the TGDI. Apparently, I found out later that this is luck-based. Some people had booked the TCPMFI and got the TGDI at the same price and then Mahindra informed the showrooms to charge 10K extra for the TGDI. My guess is the first batch AX5 models got the TGDI option since the production usually starts with the top end trims first which get the TGDI engines. Once the initial batches are delivered, AX5 will probably be delivered with TCMPFI only. But it’s only my guess. Anyone aware of this can elaborate.
Likes:
- The TGDI is a gem of an engine. Picks up pace with ease.
- Ride quality is phenomenal. It is on the softer side but is very stable at high speeds.
- 3 point seat-belts at the rear and adjustable headrest for the middle passenger.
- Spacious interiors, comfortable seats and the seats are very well cushioned.
- Comfortable driving position with very comfortable driver’s seat and well positioned driver armrest.
- Interiors like the switches, dashboard, control knobs, roof liner, leather wrapped steering, driver armrest all feel good quality.
- All switches are backlit at night. Glad that Mahindra didn’t cut costs here.
Dislikes:
- Light steering which doesn’t really provide any feel and feedback. Sports mode makes it better. Needs getting used to but it does the job fine.
- There is no option of all black interiors. Thankfully the seat fabrics are black in AX5 variants. The light colours on the doors, roof liner and the dashboard will be a pain to maintain.
- There is no 12V socket at the front on any of the variants apart from the top end trims. This becomes a problem for installing a dash cam. Even though there is an USB port at the front, connecting the dash cam with that USB port keeps the dash cam on even after the car is turned off.
- Apple CarPlay is not available currently. Mahindra appreciates my patience is what they’ve communicated through text and WhatsApp messages.
I booked the car on 29 June and took delivery on 20 July. It could have been delivered on 19th and we were there for the delivery but Microsoft’s Falcon issue spoilt the party. Nevertheless, the delivery took place the next day. The guys at Poddar Mahindra, Guwahati did a commendable job in getting the car delivered to me as quickly as possible. From the posts it seems waiting periods being too long has already made fellow BHPians switch to other cars. This car was allotted to someone who wasn’t ready for the delivery and wanted to postpone, so I got the chance to have it.
Story behind the purchase decision:
We had two cars in the garage. 2010 Ford Figo Petrol Titanium and 2020 BS6 Ford Ecosport Diesel S. Both me and my dad drive regularly and both cars had to be able to take on the highways when required. But lately the Figo had rusting issues in the Catalytic converter and the exhaust system which we used to repair when required but dad was slowly starting to feel not so confident in taking the Figo on the highways in case I took the Ecosport some place.
So we decided that it was time to let go of our beloved Figo that served us with not a single problem in the 14 years that we have had, never left us stranded and was the car I learnt to drive on. This gave me the idea to buy my first car which has been a childhood dream of mine. And so I booked the I20 N-line dual tone N6 on 19 June which I had set my eyes on since Hyundai launched the N-line with the manual transmission.
Even though I had booked the car I was constantly going over the YouTube videos and team-bhp online for both the i20 N-line and XUV3XO reviews. The difference in price between the two cars was coming out to be 40K for me for the TCMPFI and since we tend to keep our cars long for atleast 12-13 years the decision to buy the i20 N-Line didn’t seem convincing enough.
I asked dad if I should change my booking and go for the XUV3XO. He really liked the I20-N line so he didn’t entertain my idea even for a bit. But on 29 June I couldn’t live with the thought of having regrets later and so went and checked out the XUV3XO alone. I remember test driving the XUV300 before we bought the Ecosport in 2020 and I remember it felt the closest to the Ecosport in terms of driving feel as compared to other cars in the segment back then and that was a crucial factor.
Once I sat on the driver’s seat of the XUV3XO (the display car), I was immediately sold on the car. It felt premium on the inside, felt way better built as compared to the N-line, wider and interiors felt airy. And again, it felt close to how our Ecosport feels. I liked the looks as well. I called up my dad and told him I am going for this and this time he gave the approval. My mom, dad and sister all chose white. The news about TGDI being available in AX5 was the icing on the cake and I booked the white AX5 TGDI MT XUV3XO on 29 June.
Driving experience:
Next day, took my mom and dad to the showroom and dad immediately liked the driving position and the doors which felt heavier than the N-line though not heavier than the Ecosport, the interiors felt premium, the boot was decent for us and he immediately felt this was the right choice. I had only test driven the TCMPFI engine as that was the only vehicle available for a test drive. I loved the ride quality and the power that the TCMPI had. TCMPFI had adequate power.
But the TGDI feels at a whole different level. I have driven the car with an extremely light foot and have not crossed the 3000 RPM mark. I drove this car for the first time after I took the delivery of my car and was driving it out of the showroom. I was trying to drive with an extremely light foot but the car picks up pace extremely fast. The power delivery is linear, and the gearshift indicator asks for an upshift somewhere around 2300 RPM in lower gears and 2500-2700 RPM for higher gears. In the 5th gear at 2000 RPM, it already reaches 85-87 KMPH mark and so I haven’t really got the chance to drive in 6th gear much till now. The clutch is light and drivability is good as well for a turbo petrol. I don’t need to shift to the first gear unless I come to a complete halt. The clutch is light but the test drive car with the TCMPFI had a lighter clutch, almost featherlight. The 400 odd kms that I have covered with this car, it feels like the drivability at very low speeds is better than the Ecosport Diesel BS6.
The TGDI almost feels like a diesel the way it drives. I haven’t driven on hilly mountain areas yet but I took the XUV3XO to my relative’s house who lives in an apartment which has an elevated entrance. The parking area is on top of a hill. It’s a very uphill slope and a straight climb. I have seen people living in that building stall cars while climbing the slope even though they do it almost daily.
The XUV3XO in first gear required just the slightest of clutch slip to start the climb and then light foot on the accelerator was enough for the climb with 3 people onboard. I didn’t expect this from a turbo petrol and expected a lot of lag. In comparison the Ecosport requires more accelerator input and clutch slipping to stay close to 2000 RPM to make that same climb. On highways, picking up pace is effortless. Any gear, any RPM, a gentle press on the accelerator and the car flies.
Gearshifts are butter smooth although the gear lever is a bit tall and the throws are a bit long but it feels good. The gearbox can easily be operated by keeping the elbow on the front armrest and it gives a very commanding driving position. All gears get engaged with ease. The clutch being light makes driving the MT effortless in traffic. Hope the clutch doesn’t get heavier as time goes by. The odometer reading is now at 487 km and I am trying to keep it under 3K RPM for the first 2000 kms. After the first service is when I probably will like to test the potential of this car and cross the 3K RPM mark. This is a huge upgrade in terms of engine.
The Figo petrol was terribly underpowered (blessing in disguise during my teenage years) and the TGDI is extremely powerful. The steering is light. Very light. I am used to the hydraulic unit on the Ford Figo and that steering is probably a driver’s delight and the Ecosport’s power steering which I felt was on the lighter side but perfect until I drove the XUV3XO. The steering on the 3XO feels even more lighter with not much feel or feedback. By default it starts at comfort mode which is the lightest setting. I like to keep it in sports mode at all times which makes the steering heavier.
Driving the XUV3XO and the Ecosport back to back makes the clutch and steering of the Ecosport feel very heavy. At high speeds the steering becomes heavy but again there’s not much feel and feedback to be honest. Doesn’t feel very responsive. The steering is good in isolation. It’s only when I start comparing with the Fords that it feels unresponsive with not much feel to it. Of all the 3 cars that I have discussed above I would choose the Ecosport’s steering any day for a mixed usage of city and highway.
NVH:
The TGDI engine is very refined and can’t be heard from the inside. Outside though the engine is quite audible. One of my relatives even asked me if it was a diesel (they own a Honda Elevate). At cold start there are minor vibrations on the gear lever and on the A, B, C pedals. Vibrations can’t be felt anywhere else. Once the engine settles down, there are no vibrations that can be felt from the inside.
On the move, there are no vibrations as such. It’s hard to tell that this is a 3 cylinder unit when sat inside and the car is on the move. The 3 cylinder vibrations are felt when the AC compressor turns on and the car is at idle in traffic, otherwise the refinement of this 3 cylinder engine is phenomenal. Definitely more refined than our 4 cylinder NA Petrol Figo.
Also, if one shifts from 4th to 5th gear before 2300 RPM (before the gearshift indicator tells you to upshift), there are a lot of vibrations in the gear lever when it is in the 5th position. Once it crosses 2000 RPM, it doesn’t vibrate anymore. This only happens when the gear lever is at the 5th position. Felt scary at first but once I learnt this behaviour and started shifting a little late, it’s no more of a problem.
Ride Quality:
I remember the ride quality of the XUV300 being a little on the stiffer side. Both the cars that I extensively drove before this- the Ford Figo and the Ecosport, both had stiff suspension so I was used to it and was expecting the ride to be a little stiff on the XUV3XO as well, softer than Ecosport but still stiff and I was pleasantly surprised.
On the XUV3XO, I am not sure what Mahindra did but it is phenomenal. I don’t have to slow down on uneven concrete road surfaces or on slightly bad patches. I have not driven it on the worst of roads till now or places with no roads but it feels brilliant to me. On the highway, the concrete undulations cannot be felt. This is probably the best car in terms of ride quality that we have owned till now. The top speed I have driven till now is 107 kmph and at that speed, the car is extremely stable.
My mom is usually the one who seats at the rear and she is extremely happy with how the car handles bad patches of roads and how smooth and silent the car feels. Sudden bumps taken at high speeds did filter in a bit at times but nothing more than that. I feel at higher speeds the car will feel even better. Will have to test it out. Along with the punchy engine this has become my other favourite aspect of this car. I have watched a video from Autocar where R Velusamy explains that the XUV3XO gets MTV CL technology but only now I understand the impact that this has had.
Fuel efficiency:
When the decision was finalised that I would be buying a car, I knew it had to be fun to drive. All fun to drive diesels except the Altroz were beyond my budget so I was sure that it had to be a turbo petrol. So there was no point in factoring the fuel efficiency more so for the TGDI which has 129 BHP. I was actually surprised with what Mahindra claims. They claim 20.1 kmpl for the MT.
I have been driving with an extremely light foot. By light foot, I mean I take the car to 70-75 kmph and just keep my foot on the accelerator, not really press it as such and MID is showing around 15-17kmpl till now. Adrenox app is showing an average of 12 kmpl which is actually more closer to the actual mileage I feel and is acceptable since the car is brand new. No point in worrying about fuel efficiency with turbo petrols. Rather would enjoy the thrill it brings.
Buying process:
As mentioned in the beginning of this post, I got the car in about 20 days after I booked the car. We needed two cars at home and Figo was already sold by the time I went to check out the XUV3XO. So I requested the sales manager to try for a fast delivery and explained him my situation. I told him that I would need BH registration for the car. He assured me of a fast delivery and I cancelled the booking of the i20 N-Line immediately.
On 10 June the sales executive called me and told me to be ready as there might be a cancellation for the exact variant and colour that I booked. Next day he confirmed me about the cancellation and I went to their stockyard and did a PDI. Overall the delivery experience was smooth except for Microsoft’s CrowdStrike outage that wasted my one day’s leave and postponed the delivery by one day. We went and waited the whole day for the delivery but servers being down made it impossible. But this was out of their control. Overall I can’t thank them enough for delivering me the car so soon.
The post is already long and I have covered the things that seemed the most important to me. The other bits regarding the exterior and interiors have all been reviewed in detail in the official review. Ending with some pictures of my rides. All 3 of them will always have a special place in my heart forever.
Sharing a few photos of the Figo, the car I learnt to drive on and has been with me on the most important occasions. This was also the vehicle I took with me to office on the first day of my work life.
The Figo in 2012. I was in 9th grade.
Figo on the last days with us:
The signature brown interiors:
Few pictures from the delivery day of the 3XO:
All ready.
With our Ecosport which has been a workhorse and will continue to be.
Interiors feel good but I feel it would be difficult to maintain in the long run.
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