Mahindra KUV100

Still maintain its like a grand i10 on stilts,

Even the gear lever position is like a i10.

Seems the Indians like copying from the koreans.

You are the *only* one man

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"Mahindra is comparing the KUV100 to the following rivals - Toyota Etios Cross, Renault Sandero Stepway, Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10, Chery J2,Tata Bolt and the Ford Figo.

Most of those cars have huge brand equity, perceived better build quality and an established dealer network.

The one area the Mahindra truly shines is its price - it'll set you back a smidgen under R150 000 for the entry level petrol derivative which has aircon, electric windows, ABS and driver/passenger airbags as standard.

The drive might have started out a bit 'awks', but at the end of the launch I had warmed to the diesel model in K6+ spec. Its price, equipment level and overall drive left a good impression. Let's hope the automaker's teenage years are a lot better than mine.

Overall, the diesel engine and gearbox are adequate but the glaring packaging mistakes (read: pedal placement, clutch and wind noise) are a concern. Whether Rand-conscious South Africans will be interested in the KUV100 remains to be seen. Even if you're not sold on the KUV100, there's more Mahindras on the way."

Prices

1.2 K4+ Petrol - R 149 995
1.2 K6+ Petrol - R 169 995
1.2 K6+ TDiesel - R 187 995
1.2 K8 Petrol - R 179 995
1.2 K8 TDiesel -R 197 995

*Three-year or 100 000 km warranty on all models, and a three-year or 50 000 km service plan on the K6+ and K8 derivatives (optional for K4+).

http://www.wheels24.co.za/NewModels/we-drive-mahindras-kuv100-in-sa-20160606

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Meet the fong kong Land Rover : Mahindra KUV100

You get what you pay for in budget KUV

Johannesburg - Where South African hatchback sales have dropped in recent years, the compact crossover market is becoming very populated as buyers prefer the slightly higher driving positions and implied extra utility of these vehicles.

Into this competitive sector comes the new front-wheel-drive Mahindra KUV100 (pronounced one double-oh), available in 1.2 petrol and 1.2 turbodiesel guises. As per usual from this Indian brand, the pricetags are appealing with the entry-level KUV100 1.2 K4+ model selling for R149 995.

For that you get standard items like electric windows, air conditioning, manual central locking, ABS brakes, a pair of front airbags, and three-year/100 000km warranty.

Add to that a ‘command’ driving position (thanks to the raised 170mm ground clearance) and a cabin that can comfortably hold four adults, and it seems like a value-for-money buy against compact crossover rivals like the Toyota Etios Cross 1.5 Xs (R186 100) and Renault Sandero Stepway 66kW turbo (R187 900).

You get what you pay for

The old adage that you get what you pay for applies here, however, as Mahindra still has some catching up to do in terms of refinement. The normally-aspirated 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is quite vocal, getting ever more buzzy as the driver revs it harder in search of some performance. There’s also a fair amount of wind noise and the gearbox makes a noticeable whine.

The petrol car’s capable of freeway cruising at the 120km/h limit (and slightly more) on the flat and downhill sections, but its modest 61kW and 115Nm feel more at home in city driving. Its quoted fuel consumption is 5.9 litres per 100km.

The KUV100 1.2 turbodiesel, with 57kW and a gutsier 190Nm, is the far better vehicle in terms of both performance and refinement if you can afford the R187 995 starting pricetag. That generous torque figure makes for much more relaxed forward progress and some useful overtaking acceleration, and the engine’s a lot quieter than the petrol too.

In theory the diesel’s the economy choice with its factory-quoted 4.4 litres per 100km consumption, but in reality any open-road driving is likely to raise that figure considerably because at 120km/h the engine’s revving at a very high (for a diesel) 3300rpm. It’s clear the car was geared for Indian driving conditions where speeds tend to be much slower. For South Africa it’s under-geared and could do with a longer fifth or even a sixth gear to improve fuel consumption.

The diesel’s gearshifter felt very notchy and imprecise in the car I drove at the media launch, in contrast to the petrol version where the transmission snicked smoothly.

These various mechanical quirks reveal a third-worldness still permeates the budget-focused Indian brand, which needs to be addressed if Mahindra wishes to be taken more seriously in a market such as ours where consumers have become spoilt with first-world products.

Attractive, spacious cabin

Mahindra got the memo when it comes to modernised cabins, however, and the KUV100’s passenger quarters are attractively styled and seem to be of a reasonable quality. The dash is made of hard plastic but it’s nicely textured, while the more expensive variants get decorative piano-black and silver surfaces to smarten-up the fascia.

The boot, which carries a full-sized spare wheel, is a modest 243 litres in size but expands to 473 litres with the back seats folded. There’s lots of practical clutter space in the cabin including a large bin between the front seats, as well as a rear underfloor storage nook.

The pricier K6+ and K8 versions of the KUV100 lay on extra features like a a two-year/50 000km service plan (optional on the baseline K4+), cooled glovebox, rear defogger, remote central locking, follow-me-home headlamps and an audio system among others. The sound deck has a small screen but it’s easy to use, and it has Bluetooth, aux and USB connectivity and steering wheel controls for the audio and telephone. Daytime running lights and a fuel saving stop-start system are found in the top-of-the range K8-badged models.

In all derivatives the steering column has height-adjustment only, not reach, and also no seat-height adjustment so I battled to find a comfortable driving position. There’s also no fuel consumption indicator, just a distance-to-empty display for the 35-litre fuel tank.

In its exterior styling this mini Mahindra follows the Nissan Juke school of thinking with its striking out-of-the-box design, and employs contrasting bumpers and protective body cladding to give it an SUV look.

The front-wheel-drive KUV100 makes a good account of itself on dirt roads, where the high-profile 14-inch tyres nicely smooth out the bumps. It has a good ride quality overall and feels reasonably nimble in normal driving, though the elevated ride height does somewhat muzzle driver confidence in fast corners.

MAHINDRA KUV 100 PRICES:

K4+ 1.2 petrol - R149 995

K6 + 1.2 petrol - R169 995

K6+ 1.2 diesel - R187 995

K8 1.2 petrol - R179 995

K8 1.2 diesel - R197 995

http://www.iol.co.za/motoring/latest-launches/you-get-what-you-pay-for-in-budget-kuv-2033118


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fong kong is part of China(This is the country called the PRC)

India is also a country.

India is not located inside the PRC.

Just a note for OP.
 
fong kong is part of China(This is the country called the PRC)

India is also a country.

India is not located inside the PRC.

Just a note for OP.

Hong Kong is part of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC), fong kong is a township originated slang name for knock off (aka fake) items

#MyBBFactPolice
 
If you look at it long enough, it starts to look like an X1 :D
 
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