The second generation Mahindra KUV100 could be rebranded into XUV100 upon arrival to inundate a brand new identity to the micro SUV
Mahindra & Mahindra wanted to give a new identity to its flagship SUV and named the SsangYong Rexton G4 based model as Alturas G4. It followed the Marazzo MPV, which did end with the “o” letter to stick by the traditional naming routes from the brand. The Alturas G4 made us convinced that the compact SUV would also carry a distinctive nomenclature.
However, we were surprised to see Mahindra opting for XUV300 instead of the speculated Inferno. Christening a model definitely has a big impact on its sales and appeal. For instance, the Santro nameplate was recently revived to provoke nostalgia among family oriented customers and it has worked to a greater extent for Hyundai.
Thus, Mahindra deciding to use the XUV300 name to keep the lineage intact with the bigger and highly popular XUV500 is a good move on its behalf. After all, the XUV300 is a volume based SUV going up against some of the toughest competitors in the sub 10 lakh space and Mahindra cannot risk branding it. The similarity doesn’t stop with the name as the front fascia with six-slot grille and LED DRLs do stand in line with the XUV500.
This could even make some people wonder whether Mahindra should have went with the XUV700 moniker or not instead for the Alturas G4. Refreshing the domestic lineup is a big priority for Mahindra as well with new safety standards and emission regulations kicking in. The entry-level KUV100 opened up the micro SUV segment and despite having the first mover advantage, it could not post big sales numbers.
With the next generation model expected to arrive in the coming years, Mahindra could rename the micro SUV to XUV100 for more relevance within the range. It could be an important move considering the competition from mooted Tata Hornbill (X445), Concept Future S based Maruti Suzuki small SUV and perhaps one more rival from Hyundai to sit below soon-arriving QXi.
Mahindra’s next big launch is the XUV300 with debut slated for the first half of February 2019 with most powerful engine in its class and several segment-first features. The largest UV maker in the country will most likely introduce the electrified version of the KUV100 micro SUV by the middle of next year with 140 km range.