Mahindra XUV300

Unveiling Nampo: Mahindra's innovative presence at South Africa's agricultural show

If you’ve never heard of Nampo, well, then you’re missing out on the biggest agricultural show in the Southern Hemisphere.

When the President and Vice President make an effort to go to Bothaville in the Free State to attend on two separate days, then you know it’s more than just a casual gathering of commercial farmers.

Big in every way

Last year, during the four days of the event, more than 200 aeroplanes and 75 helicopters landed at the little airstrip, making it one of the busiest airspaces in the country, and almost 87 000 people passed through the gates.

That's just a few thousand short of a full FNB Stadium.

Financial institutions and big corporations have permanent structures and there’s apparently a waiting list of many hundreds that want to be there.

It’s more than just an agricultural show with all its ancillary products, it's an impressive gathering of a cross section of all South Africans.

Trying to walk the 40 hectares display area in a day is impossible but when you stroll through there are implements the size of a town house selling for R22-million and you have no idea what it does.

That’s apart from the tractors and other motorised implements that feature some of the most high-tech digital features in the world.

It’s also a showcase of virtually every vehicle manufacturer in the country, looking to expose their products to a captive audience.

Mahindra presence

It’s no surprise, then, that Mahindra was there with their array of vehicles on display.

They’ve even built a permanent structure on the aptly named Mahindra Lane.

While most of us know the marque for their bakkies and SUVs, they are also the world's largest manufacturer of tractors by volume, some of them on display at Nampo.

"Mahindra started its journey in South Africa among the farming community, knowing full well that if it could prove its toughness and value for money to this segment, then the rest would follow," said Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.


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Mahindra XUV300 (2019-2024) Buyer’s Guide

Since being superseded by the more smartly styled XUV 3XO, does the Mahindra XUV300 budget crossover make sense as a used buy? Let’s take a closer look…

It’s not often that an entirely new nameplate gets applied to a facelifted model, but that’s exactly what happened with the replacement for the Mahindra XUV300. Indeed, when the Indian automaker launched a “refreshed XUV300” in South Africa late in 2024, it rebranded its budget crossover the XUV 3XO.

While many will consider the updated model’s exterior styling considerably snappier, the original iteration nevertheless had its virtues. We’ll explore those below – along with a few weaknesses, of course – to help you determine whether the Mahindra XUV300 makes for a value-packed used purchase.

Is the Mahindra XUV300 a smart used purchase?

It’s perhaps unsurprising that the majority of the S201-series XUV300’s direct (sub-4-metre) rivals were likewise sourced from India. Key examples here included the 1st-gen Toyota Urban Cruiser as well as the Suzuki Vitara Brezza on which it was based, along with the Nissan Magnite and Renault Kiger.

Somewhat more polished Indian-built contenders included the Kia Sonet and Hyundai Venue, while the B515-series Ford EcoSport – note some derivatives came from the subcontinent while others were sourced from Romania – was another strong-selling competitor. High-spec W8 derivatives likely pinched a few sales from the larger models such as the SU2-series Hyundai Creta, too.

Crowded segment or not, there was plenty to like about the Mahindra XUV300, from its punchy powertrains and solid build quality (for this decidedly “budget” end of the market, that is) to its comparatively lofty safety credentials (particularly in range-topping W8 guise).

So, if you’re looking for a used small crossover and don’t require oodles of luggage space or an automatic transmission, you’d be remiss if you didn’t test-drive a Mahindra XUV300. We suspect many shoppers would be pleasantly surprised.

 
What is the part replacement and service costs these days? I hear Mahindra despite a SA investment is expensive to service and parts can take some time if not in stock.
 
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