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A new upheaval is going to take place tomorrow in the most competitive and popular sub-4-metre compact SUV segment of the Indian automobile market. Indian automobile manufacturer Mahindra & Mahindra, famous for its powerful and muscular vehicles, is going to present the official CNG version of its very successful compact SUV ‘Mahindra XUV 3XO’ to the country tomorrow. This car, which is already making waves in petrol, diesel and all-electric (EV) powertrain options, is now going to add the fourth engine option of CNG. With this, XUV 3XO will join the list of select vehicles in India which offer all four fuel options on a single platform. This launch has become the biggest attraction of the festive season for Indian customers looking for eco-friendly driving and low running costs. From Mahindra dealerships located at Transport Nagar, Gomti Nagar Extension and Kanpur Road in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, to showrooms in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru, customers have already started inquiries and informal pre-booking for this CNG model. The direct objective of this much-awaited offering from Mahindra is to openly challenge the monopoly of Maruti Suzuki Brezza S-CNG and Tata Nexon ICNG in the Indian market.
Traditionally, CNG cars have been considered under-powered and sluggish in the Indian market, with the car’s ability to climb climbs or overtaking reducing when switched to CNG mode. But Mahindra has made preparations to break this stereotype completely. According to leaked technical information and test models, the XUV 3XO CNG will be powered by the company’s tried and tested 1.2-litre turbo-petrol MPFI (Multi-Point Fuel Injection) engine. Calibrating an MPFI engine with a CNG kit is technically and financially easier and cost-effective compared to direct-injection (TGDi). While in petrol mode this turbo engine produces around 110 to 111 bhp of power and 200 Nm of peak torque, while in factory-fitted CNG mode also this SUV will be able to generate around 95 to 100 bhp of power and 170 to 180 Nm of peak torque. This power is much more than the normal naturally aspirated CNG cars in the segment. This simply means that while cruising at 100-120 km/hr on expressways or climbing mountains with full AC on, the driver will not feel even the slightest bit of lag or lack of power.
The biggest criticism of the regular Mahindra XUV 3XO model has been its relatively small luggage boot space. In such a situation, the biggest question facing the CNG model was whether after keeping a big 60 liter CNG cylinder, there would be space left in the trunk of the car to keep a small bag. Sources in the automotive industry and pictures revealed during testing have confirmed that Mahindra has found a solution to this problem. The company is going to use modern ‘Twin-Cylinder CNG Technology’ (Dual Cylinder Setup) in this car. Instead of one large heavy cylinder two smaller cylinders would be fitted horizontally parallel to the bottom of the boot floor, with a strong flat board placed over it. Due to this innovative packaging, the upper boot floor of the car will remain completely flat and empty, which will easily accommodate two to three medium sized suitcases and duffel bags during family trips. Apart from this, the spare wheel (Stepney) will be mounted under-body under the vehicle, thus maintaining the utility of the boot space without any compromise.
One feature that has been highlighted the most in the official teasers and announcements released by Mahindra is its massive panoramic sunroof, which the company calls ‘Skyroof’. The craze for sunroof among Indian car buyers is not hidden from anyone, but till now CNG cars were limited to base or mid variants and were sold with basic features only. Mahindra is going to change this perception completely. The higher variants of the XUV 3XO CNG will not only get a panoramic sunroof, but its interior will also be fully equipped with modern technologies. Inside the cabin, a large 10.25-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system and a 10.25-inch fully digital instrument cluster will be provided in front of the driver, which will support wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. For music lovers, it will be provided with luxury features like Harmon Kardon’s Dolby Atmos surround sound system, dual-zone automatic climate control, wireless smartphone charger, cooled glovebox, rear AC vents and ambient lighting, which till now were seen only in expensive petrol-diesel SUVs.
Amidst the increasing sensitivity towards safety on Indian roads, Mahindra has always been at the forefront in terms of safety. The XUV 3XO has achieved a historic full 5-star safety rating in both the adult and child occupant protection categories in the recent Bharat NCAP crash test. The strong structural chassis and high-strength steel frame remain unchanged in the CNG variant as well. To balance the extra weight of the CNG kit, the company has re-tuned its rear suspension so that the balance of the vehicle remains perfect during cornering and braking. In terms of safety, all variants of this SUV will have 6 airbags, disc brakes on all four wheels, electronic stability control (ESC), hill-hold assist, ISOFIX child seat anchors and roll-over mitigation as standard. At the same time, segment-first Level-2 ADAS technology can also be offered in its top-end CNG trim, which includes automatic emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring and 360-degree surround view camera with high-beam assist. For CNG safety, it will also have inbuilt micro-switch fuel lid, fire-proof wiring harness and gas leakage detection system.
On the mileage and running cost front, the XUV 3XO CNG is expected to deliver a certified mileage of around 26 to 28 km/kg. Compared to petrol rates of over ₹100 per litre, this mileage of CNG will directly reduce the monthly fuel bill by 50 to 60 per cent for daily office goers and those undertaking long journeys. Talking about prices, industry experts estimate that the CNG variants could be around ₹90,000 to ₹1,00,000 costlier than their respective petrol variants. Mahindra is likely to offer it in the recently launched ‘RevX’ or the popular ‘AX5’ and ‘MX’ trims, with prices starting from ₹9.40 lakh, ex-showroom, and going up to ₹13.20 lakh for the top model. The formal booking window will be opened soon after the official unveiling tomorrow and the deliveries to the customers will start from the upcoming holy festival of Diwali and Dhanteras. With this perfect combination of turbo power, panoramic sunroof, 5-star safety and twin-cylinder space, the Mahindra XUV 3XO CNG is definitely going to be a gamechanger in the Indian automobile market.