Mahindra XUV 3XO Review: 3 Reasons To Buy And 3 Reasons To Avoid

If you are a fan of test matches, you know how crucial the Second Innings are. The pressure of outcome of five whole days. The changing pitch conditions. After long hours of defending or chasing a total and surely, many matches results were crucially turned in the second innings. And in the same way, what you see here is the Second Innings of this car - the Mahindra XUV 3XO. 

The 3XO is the XUV300 reincarnated. But it has some major changes to guarantee a newer name and deserves your attention. It's currently competing in the sub-4 metre SUV segment which has seven other (very good) options at this very moment. So let us look at three reasons why you should get the 3XO over them, and three reasons why you are better off. 

Why Should You Buy The 3XO:

1. Space and Features

If you remember, the XUV300 was basically a chopped-off Ssangyong Tivoli to fit under the sub-4 metre mark.  And the Tivoli is a big car, measuring almost as much as some C-SUVs we have in India right now. So that translated to an impressive cabin space for the XUV300. When the 3XO transition happened, this positive trait was carried over. So, what you get is a very spacious cabin, which is decently decked up as well. 

Also Read: Mahindra XUV 3XO T-GDi AT First Drive: Revitalised Sub-4M SUV Guns For The Top

In terms of features, you get (in this range-topping trim) a dual-zone climate control and an electronic handbrake, which isn’t available in any other car in this segment. You also get ADAS, auto-dimming IRVMauto headlamps, and a large panoramic sunroof which was the first one in the segment (the Nexon now offers it too but the 3XO was the first to offer it), apart from the floating touchscreen, drive modes, and a 360-degree camera. 

2. Powertrain And Performance

When you are in a cut-throat segment, you have to offer more. More of everything. Hence, you have not one but two petrol engines, the more expensive one being the direct injection TGDI, apart from a very frugal and punchy diesel. You also have automatic options for both engines, a proper torque converter for the petrol engines, and an AMT for the diesel. 

We start with the TGDI turbo-petrol engine and in one word it is – good. It’s like a pet dog you take out for a stroll. It’s not the most aggressive kind of dog, but a well-trained one. When the XUV300 first came out with this TGDI engine, the ‘Turbosport’ it was called – and it felt a bit gruff as if it wasn’t a well-trained dog back then. Now it is and it drives well be it high-speed cruising or relaxed city drives. 

There’s good urgency right from the beginning and be it city speeds or highway speeds, it never gives any reason to complain. It’s also a high-revving engine, and the automatic gearbox is equally smooth with quick shifts and little to no delays. Even the diesel. As I mentioned earlier, it's very frugal. But this four-cylinder diesel is not only refined but also very torquey. It has a strong grunt and load-carrying capacity which makes it one of the best diesels to own. 

It also carried over one good trait of the XUV300, the ride quality. It is well absorbent on most surfaces and makes for a really good bad road prowler, at least in this segment.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV 3XO Launched At Rs 7.49 Lakh; Gets Level 2 ADAS, Dual-Zone Auto AC

3. Worthy Update?

With this 3XO, the one question I had for what considerably is a major update - is this update worthy of a new nameplate? Let’s start with the design first. It has changed a lot, despite the panels being not very different from the 3OO. The face is now more modern and hip, rather than being mature and squared-off as it was with the 3OO. At the back, the connecting tail lamps are also modern done by almost all manufacturers now and it helps with the stance of the 3XO. 

The cabin has also received updates inspired by its elder sibling, the XUV700. For example, everything from the steering, the driver’s display, the seats, and even the touchscreen is updated. Larger seats also feel more accommodating. A little added depth also increases the boot space capacity, making it more practical than before. At the same time, the 3XO scored 5 stars in the Bharat NCAP crash test. 

Also Read: Mahindra XUV 3XO vs Nexon, Brezza, Sonet And Venue: Dimensions, Engines, Prices Compared

So yes, this is a proper facelift. But does it feel worthy for a new name? Well, I am in two minds now, because I feel the changes could have been deeper, but I also believe that the 3XO nameplate sounds much cooler than the erstwhile 3OO. 

Reasons To Avoid Buying The 3XO 

1. Could Have Had A Snazzier Cabin

Inside the cabin, the all-white cabin will surely get soiled and pretty fast. Our car had just 4000kms on the odometer and the front seats had started turning brown. Now this is a spacious cabin on its own, it doesn’t need a white cabin to make it feel airier. And with a sporty exterior, why does it want an executive interior? Mahindra, give us a black theme cabin with contrast inserts maybe matching the outrageous exterior colours. 

Also Read: Mahindra XUV 3XO Fuel Efficiency Figures Revealed: Diesel-AMT The Most Frugal Option

Also, seat ventilation for the front seats is a huge bummer. You can't miss that in this segment, especially when you have almost everything else. Another thing is you do get wireless smartphone integration here, but I couldn't experience it in the test car that we had with us.

2. Fuel Efficiency 

Now the 3XO has a turbo-petrol engine. With an automatic. So, the mileage that you are to expect of it shouldn't be of the top priority. And it's not the 3XO fault, it's a generally accepted fact. You do get a 120bhp motor which is very potent. Has the convenience of an automatic. Hence, the trade-off would be fuel efficiency – expect high single-digit figures in the city. But if you want more mileage and want the 3XO, getting the diesel would be a wise choice. It has a decently good mileage of around 12-13kmpl in the city and close to 17-18kmpl on the highway. 

Also Read: Mahindra XUV 3XO: Variants Explained

3. It's An Old Wine In A New Bottle

Lastly, the 3XO may be new, but it is essentially an old wine in a new bottle. It is a heavily cosmetized XUV300 with mascara here, some lipstick too, a bit of foundation there, and a lot of concealers as well. Take a look at the centre console for example, it’s the same one from the original 300 that came out over half a decade ago. Sure, it hasn't received a skin-deep change. But the platform isn't too bad, the powertrain too isn't outdated yet. The design is now modern, which is great. But a generation change at this point after being around for almost 7 years would surely take it up a notch.

Conclusion

So, there you have it — the Mahindra XUV3X0. It carries on the strong traits of the 300 which is the spacious cabin, good powertrain choice with superb drivability and even better ride quality. And it's loaded with features and priced on par with the rivals. On the flip side, I believe the changes should have been more skin-deep. Missing basic features like the seat ventilation might not be a deal breaker, but why miss that in the first place? All in all, the 3XO is one of the strongest competitors in the sub4 SUV space. And if you decide to choose it over the seven other options, you surely won't regret it.