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Imagine dropping off a brand-new car at the offices of the Global New Car Assessment Programme (GNCAP) and knowing that you will never see it again.
That is what happens, almost every day, as manufacturers submit a fleet of their latest vehicles to the GNCAP testing facilities. Here the poor cars wait their turn to be smashed, rammed, rolled and dropped as the GNCAP scientists test their real-world dynamic and passive safety levels.
In 2019, it was the turn of the Mahindra XUV300 to be submitted to a series of crash tests. Mahindra provided several entry-level XUV300s with two airbags, ABS brakes and electronic stability programme as standard.
By the end of the testing, the GNCAP announced that it had found a new Safer Choice champion. With a near full score, the XUV300 was officially the safest car ever tested by the GNCAP.
A year later, after a series of homologation tests and a full safety audit, the South African version of the XUV300 was given the same status as the unit tested in India. It became Africa’s Safest Car, as tested by the GNCAP and the Automobile Association.
In April, the latest version of the XUV300 touched down in South Africa with some significant luxury upgrades. The light tan interior of its predecessor was replaced by a dark cloth or, in the luxury W8 model, a leatherette interior.
At the same time, Mahindra upgraded the infotainment from 7” to 9”. The infotainment system features full Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. This is standard on all but the W4 entry-level model.
What hasn’t changed, are the the unique design features of the Mahindra XUV300 that have made it a global success and which have been retained in the upgraded model.
This includes the Cheetah-inspired front headlamps and model-specific daytime running lights, floating roof design with functional roof rails, roof mounted spoiler with high-level brake light and the wide stance with wheels placed at the absolute corners of the vehicle.
Mahindra’s design team has, however, upgraded the wheel design with a new multi-spoke, diamond cut alloy wheels of 16”. These alloy wheels will do duty on all but the entry-level models and all models have a full sized spare wheel.
The XUV300 will continue to offer both a 1.2 turbo-petrol and 1.5 turbo-diesel option, mated to a six-speed transmission. Both engine options deliver some of the best torque figures in their class and are top performers in their respective categories in the SA Fuel Economy Run.
All XUV300 models are sold with a 5-year / 150 000 km mechanical warranty, a standard service plan and a comprehensive roadside assistance programme, supported by the Automobile Association.
The post and content is sponsored, written and provided by Mahindra.
