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New Mahindra XUV500 To Re-Launch As Hyundai Creta Rival: Does This Mean The End Of Cheetah?
Mahindra will be revamping its entire product line-up with SUVs in the country. The company is looking to offer a premium product at various price brackets. Mahindra already announced that the current XUV500 will be temporarily discontinued.
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However, according to the report from Autocar India, the XUV500 will be back in the year 2024. Mahindra will re-launch the XUV500 with an all-new platform. The new XUV500 will be using a heavily modified Ssangyong Tivoli (XUV300) platform.
However, Tivoli's platform is old and has to be re-engineered to bring it to modern standards. Mahindra will be using its learning from the development of the upcoming XUV700 to modify the platform of Tivoli.
Also, the new XUV500 under development is internally codenamed S301. It will have a smaller footprint than the outgoing model of the XUV500. The S301 is expected to be 4.2-4.3 metres long — around 300mm less than the current XUV500.
The new form factor of the S301 will now place it in the mid-size SUV segment. This will place it against some of the popular models sold in the country, the Hyundai Creta, the Kia Seltos and the upcoming MG Astor.
The report does not clearly state that if the company will retain the XUV500 nameplate for the S301 SUV. However, the company could name the new SUV the XUV400, which will be placed between the XUV300 and the upcoming XUV700. If this happens, the XUV500 nameplate could be retired for good.
Speaking about the engine options on the S301 SUV, it could be offered with a pair of 1.5-litre diesel and petrol turbocharged units. Both these units will comply with the upcoming stricter BS6 Phase II emission norms that will come into effect in 2023.
The turbo-petrol engine is expected to produce a maximum of over 160bhp. The engines will be offered with manual and automatic transmission options. It could also be offered with a four-wheel transfer case.
The S301 will feature an all-new interior and exterior design. While the exterior design will be all-new, the interiors of the S301 is expected to be inspired by the upcoming XUV700.
Features that are expected to on the new XUV500 or the XUV400 or the S301 include all-around LED lighting, electric sunroof, multiple-zone climate control, steering mounted controls, power-operated seats with ventilation, a fully digital instrument cluster and a large infotainment touchscreen unit that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
It could also come with a 360-degree parking camera for enhanced protection. Mahindra will be providing the Level 1 ADAS autonomous technology with automatic parking, lane-change assist and more on the upcoming XUV700. Whether it makes its way to the S301 remains to be seen.
Thoughts About The New Mahindra XUV500 To Re-Launch As Hyundai Crea Rival
The Mahindra XUV500 is one of the iconic SUVs launched in the Indian market. However, it has been in production for 10 years now and needs a major overhaul. The company is yet to confirm if the XUV500 will retain its nameplate when it is re-launched in two years. Mahindra will discontinue the current-gen XUV500 from its line-up this year.