Road Test: Mahindra KUV 100

Mahindra is usually known for its tough and agricultural workhorses. Having grown locally by a mammoth  26% in 2018,  the Indian company has, with the release of the KUV100 made a move for the compact SUV market. Unlike some of its competitors, the little KUV is crammed with safety features and a pleasing interior.  I cruise around for a week and see if the little car is worth the R200 000 asking price.

First impressions

Unbeknownst to most, Mahindra is one of the biggest car manufacturers in the world and the largest producer of tractors worldwide.  So, when a company with this kind of resources decides to build a car it’s a serious endeavour.  Lest we forget Ferrucio Lamborghini!

The KUV100 looks dinky from most angles, yes, but it has a certain cuteness to it and the 2018 model is much more attractive than the previous iteration. The new car has a redesigned grille, new bumpers, LED daytime running lights and new lights at the rear.  It also has a cheeky new little spoiler.  It’s “pinch your cheeks” kind of cute, but from the front, also quite good looking.  The angular yet flowing lines makes most do a double take, and unlike their distinctively boxy bakkies, the KUV leaves questions about its humble origins.

Column mounted shifter feels good, but the handbrake does not

Interior

Inside the multi-fabric seats are firm and supportive, the controls all fall to hand and the dashboard looks like the new Megane dash, and that’s not a bad thing.

Quality materials abound and one can see that they have deliberately tried to one-up the competition with interior feel and equipment. Blue tooth and USB were fitted to our test unit and 7″infotainment screen, which seems small compared to say a Renault Kwids screen.  My only real gripe when it comes to the interior was the archaic “taxi style” hand brake.  Easy enough to use when parking but not fun if, like me, you follow the K53 system to the tee and use the hand brake at every stop sign. The dash-mounted gear lever is ergonomic and for space saving purposes great as the entire centre part of the car is now storage.  Speaking of storage, the KUV has a handy little pocket under the seat too. The boot holds 243 litres and increases to a healthy 473 when the seats are folded.

On the Road

With its 57kw 3 cylinder diesel engine pulls easily but can need some manhandling when going up hill with passengers, even though it does have 190Nm. That’s to be expected though but for zipping around town its fun to drive and frugal.   The diesel version comes with a clever stop-start system, and unlike some other brands is quite intuitive and easy to use. Just depress the clutch fully and the car will start. If you don’t get it right the first time, you can try again and off you go. Very clever stuff. Fuel consumption around the 6l/100 mark was achieved.  KUV100 rides quite high and with 170mm of ground clearance, it’s easy to negotiate bumps and pavements.  I can feel however that the extra suspension travel would mean that sudden swerving or changes of direction would need some planning or at least practice to get used to all that travel.

Verdict

For the money, there are many options in this market, but the KUV100 is a distinctive car with a lot to prove.  Interior better than most other cars in this segment and funky SUV looks makes this a worthwhile car to look at.  With a starting price of R134 999 up to the range-topping K8 Diesel valued at R219 999, South Africans are now spoilt with even more choice. Having said that if your not a Mahindra fan yet, stay tuned because I do think these companies cars are just going to get better and better.