Mahindra XEV 9e vs Volkswagen Beetle

The XEV 9e is Mahindra's first-ever Born Electric Vehicle. We have driven the top-spec Pack 3 variant in this review.

The recently launched Volkswagen Beetle is not your regular car. It’s an icon and is a celebration of the original Beetle which was on sale for more than six decades. It’s the crown jewel in Volkswagen’s history and is a car which gave the German giant recognition worldwide. Originally known as the people’s car, thanks to its reasonable price and low running costs, the new one though is anything but affordable. Priced at Rs 28.7lakh , the new car is more of an expensive accessory which is something you don’t need but rather something you want. At this price you can get many cars which are more practical and are better to drive, but these are not the reasons you buy a car like the Beetle anyway. It is a type of vehicle you will want for its retro appeal and the one which makes you feel special. So does the new Beetle feel special enough to justify its exorbitant price?

It’s a modern take on the classic Volkswagen Beetle ‘The people’s car’. When launched way back in 1938 in Germany, this car was meant to provide a fast, yet affordable means of transportation with running costs mirroring that of a motorcycle. Little did Ferdinand Porsche (who developed the Beetle) know that over time it will turn into such an icon . Volkswagen sold the type 1 Beetle for over six decades till 2002, managing to sell a total of over 21 million units making it the fourth most successful brand in car history.