The SUV could be positioned below the XUV300 to compete against the likes of Tata Punch and the upcoming Hyundai Exter in the micro SUV segment
Mahindra & Mahindra appears to be working on a brand new SUV for the domestic market and it has been spotted testing for the first time. The spy images shown here were caught in Tamil Nadu and it could be of a new sub-four-metre SUV. The homegrown SUV specialist was the first to enter the micro SUV segment with the KUV 100 but it was not successful.
However, Tata Motors took advantage of the untapped potential in the volume space and introduced the Punch in late 2021. The Tata Punch has been well-received amongst consumers and is currently the second best-selling car for the brand and one of the top-selling SUVs in the country. The Tata Punch will get a direct rival in the form of Hyundai Exter in the coming months.
It looks like Mahindra could join the fray with a micro SUV of its own. The prototype seems to be in its initial stages of testing and it could be pitched as the next-generation KUV NXT or could be branded new altogether. The shortened version of SsangYong Tivoli’s X100 is used in the existing XUV300 compact SUV. It is yet unknown whether the same architecture will be found in the upcoming micro SUV or not.
If Mahindra positions it below the XUV300 and slightly above the KUV 100, which is almost discontinued now, it could be dubbed the XUV 200? It is too early to judge at the moment and even the test mule does not give away the details of which brand it belongs to. Although wearing dummy lights at the front and rear, it looks to have a wider stance than the KUV 100.
We do expect the micro SUV to take its design inspiration from the crop of EV concepts showcased by Mahindra in the recent past. Despite being draped in heavy camouflage, the rear profile indicates the presence of an integrated spoiler with high mounted stop lamp with E20 fuel sticker on the windshield, vertically positioning tail lamps and horizontal reflectors on the chunky bumper with the provision for numberplate.
You could also see a wide air intake, a swooping bonnet with creases at the front, tall pillars, a raked front windshield, etc. It could be powered by a 1.2L NA petrol engine and could feature an electric powertrain in the future. Expect the market launch to happen sometime in the second half of next year.