Mahindra is working on a host of new SUVs for India and is expected to launch as many as three models in 2024
Mahindra is planning to launch 3 SUVs in the year 2024 and this news only gets more interesting because of the products that are being planned for the launch. Each of them is highly anticipated in their own segment and may cause a storm upon its release.
1.Mahindra Thar 5-door:
The Mahindra Thar 5-door version was spotted again in the North carrying out some tests and even this time it was completely camouflaged. What could be seen clearly was the new headlamp setup and this time it gets the LED headlights in a circular setup and round LED DRLs surrounding it. Apart from this, visually the 5-door version will be longer, 2 additional doors, and a metal hard top.
The interiors will feature a new cabin design as it now accommodates more number of passengers and will be feature-rich and premium. It will have a bigger 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment unit that supports Android Auto and Apple Carplay, dual-zone climate control with rear AC vents, and will be equipped with a sunroof as well.
Mahindra is known for its safe vehicles and the 5-door Thar will be no different. Apart from a rigid body-on-frame chassis, it will come with up to 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, TPMS, traction control, hill hold and hill descent controls. The engines are suspected to remain the same, which means it will be a 2-litre petrol unit and the 2.2-litre oil burner mated to either a 6-speed manual and the 6-speed torque converter, and we believe it will be available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive options.
2.Mahindra XUV300 Facelift:
The XUV300 has not had a proper update since its launch in 2019 and this means the upcoming launch of the facelift is an important one for the model and Mahindra. The test mules were spotted in numerous occasions all around the country and every time there seems to be some improvement in the vehicle and that’s a good thing. We expect the exterior to take inspiration from the range of BE electric vehicles as it will become the basic design language of all Mahindra vehicles. The headlight and the DRL design seem to be closely related to the ones on the XUV700 and the rear design is also updated and may feature a connected LED light bar to enhance the visual aesthetics.
The interior is where the XUV300 feels the most outdated and in desperate need of upgrade and this time based on the spy shots there seems to be some. There is a larger touchscreen infotainment unit which appears to be freestanding below which the central air cons are located and below them, you have the HVAC controls. The button layout and the rotary knob design looks like the previous model but hopefully it will be changed or rearranged to give a fresh look. The Steering and the gear selector knob seem to be lifted straight out of the XUV700 which means the new model might be available with a more premium torque converter as the automatic gearbox option rather than the AMT that was available before.
There will be no changes in the engine department and that’s a good thing since both the 1.2-litre turbo petrol unit and the 1.5-litre diesel engine are powerhouses and excel in the performance department. If anything, it might need a more fuel-efficient petrol engine to serve the urban commutes as the turbo petrol unit is not known for good mileage figures.
The XUV300 was one of the safest cars in India and the facelift is expected to continue the trend with a strong monocoque design available with 6 airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, traction control, hill hold, TPMS, and the facelift is rumoured to get ADAS functionalities as well.
3. Mahindra XUV.e8:
The Mahindra XUV.e8 test mule was recently spotted and although its exterior was completely camouflaged it did give away some important information and the interiors were also visible. The exterior will remain close to the concept that was showcased last year and although its design is based on the XUV700, there will be few changes on the production model to differentiate it from the donor vehicle. The production units will have copper-themed accents as seen on the XUV400 EV to highlight the vehicle as a complete EV.
The interiors were seen for the first time on the recent spy shots, and they remain similar to the concept units that had 3 large screens on the dashboard from the driver to the passenger. The right screen will serve as the fully digital instrument cluster, while the left screen will be the entertainment unit and provide some information to the passenger while the centre screen will serve as the main infotainment unit. It will be equipped with a 2-spoke steering wheel and will come with drive modes as well.
Mahindra has confirmed that there will be 2 battery options and the INGLO platform will support both rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive configurations. The battery packs will be 60kWh and 80kWh units which will have power outputs of 230PS and 350PS respectively. The overall drivable range should be around 450-500 kms.