Mahindra is going to launch S201 compact SUV in India anticipating high volumes and it is based on SsangYong’s Tivoli
Mahindra introduced the SsangYong brand to India in October 2012 with Rexton premium SUV but the model didn’t sell well and the stock had to be cleared with heavy discounts. So the Indian manufacturer decided to re-brand the new generation Rexton as Alturas G4 and introduced the premium SUV as a Mahindra product.
The company officially launched the Alturas G4 in India at Rs. 26.5 lakh and Rs. 29.5 lakh (Ex-Showroom). During the launch Managing Director, Pawan Goenka confirmed that they are not planning to bring any new SsangYong branded product to India in short to medium term as it will be tough to establish a new brand in India.
But Mahindra will introduce more re-badged or re-engineered SsangYong models to India. The next launch from the company will be S201 compact SUV, which is based on the SsangYong Tivoli. The company is putting final touches for the compact SUV and it is expected to be introduced in early 2019 in India.
The exterior design of S201 is completely different from Tivoli as the company has given new grille, which is similar to the one of Alturas G4 and the front bumper also gets a new design. The side design is similar to Tivoli but the alloy wheels get a new design and top end models will get 16-inch wheel instead of 15 on lower models.
The rear gets LED tail lamps along with integrated spoiler and a new bumper. The S201 will come with faux skid plates at front and rear for SUV look. The company has also given black plastic cladding running across the body. The interior of S201 is shared with Tivoli to keep cost down and the three-spoke steering wheel is new.
The compact SUV is loaded with features like touchscreen infotainment system, dual zone climate control, sunroof, cruise control, reverse camera with parking sensors and more. The engine lineup includes turbocharged petrol engine and new 1.5 L diesel engine from Marazzo with the manual and AMT transmission.