The Mahindra XUV500 has been silently launched in a
new W3 entry-level grade. The W3 grade replaces the W5 grade (INR 12.85 lakh*)
and is priced at INR 12.28 lakh*. As a result, the flagship Mahindra SUV's
entry-price has gone down by INR 57,474*.
The W3 grade is devoid of many features offered in
the higher grades. On the outside, LED DRLs, fog lamps and alloy wheels have
been given a miss. Also, the front grille carries a new grey finish instead of
chrome. The 17-inch steel wheels don't come with hub-caps. B- and C-pillar
applique and rear wiper and washer are also excluded. All this makes the SUV
look very basic. That impression is even stronger on the inside. The interior
comes entirely in black, without any soft-touch materials.
The Mahindra XUV500 W3 comes equipped with features
like projector headlights, power windows for front and rear seats, electrically
adjustable ORVMs, central locking, and front and rear air conditioning. Talking
about mechanicals, it is available with only the 2.2-litre mHawk 4-Cylinder
Turbocharged diesel engine producing 157 PS of maximum power at
3750 rpm and 360 Nm of peak torque at 1750-2800rpm. This engine comes mated to
a 6-Speed manual gearbox. Engine start-stop (mild-hybrid system) is included in
this entry-level configuration.
With the introduction of the W3 grade, the Mahindra
XUV500 has become more affordable compared to the Tata Harrier, which costs INR
12.71 lakh* in the base XE variant.