Brilliant package for emerging markets

 

Finally drove the XUV500 after much waiting and chaos at the NBS Showroom in Mumbai. It was late on a weekday evening and was a bit nervous as the home going traffic had filled the streets.

Sat in a strong position, drivers seat offering right amout of lumbar support and enough knee room for my legs which were strained from driving our Ford Fiesta. A quick turn of the chunky key (which opens like a switch blade) and the engine comes to life. Sounded good, nice throaty grunt and quick slip into the gears and we were off. No Diesel lag and no clatter. Gear shifts were smooth though long and the clutch did not feel heavy like the Scorpio. My friend who owns a Scorpio has warned me of that and the seating ergonomics which has given him a slip disc.

The XUV drove well, enough feel and steering felt right. The technology was simple to use and I remember reading somewhere people wanting better quality of the plastics and the buttons/ switchers. After playing over 20 lacs for those cars, I would have that on my wish list too. But at about Rs. 14 lacs on road in Mumbai for the W8 version, I was not complaining at all...I don't want the sun roof or the reversing camera. I would have loved to have a electronic seat adjustment though, but at the price, I don't wanna complain.

As the waiting was heavy, the test drive was shared with a simple looking broker type of a gujrathi gentleman, but when he took the wheel, he was anything but that. Talk about Jykle & Hyde, he turned into a maniac and the company person in the car was very, very scared. So much scared that he offered to sit behind and push me upfront.

But the car never lost control and behaved itself nicely. It found its way between taxi's and buses and given its size, a lot of other small cars gave way nicely to it. Finally, we reached the showroom and got down with all our hairs standing up and the gujrathi gentleman was extremly impressed with the car. I think he booked the car 20 mins before we did and we now hear it has a 5 month waiting. I hope its not an artificially created one and generating more hype than necessary. At the end of the day, having paid the money, M&M should know that. "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush".

Styling, price points, technologyinterior plastics, waiting period