Indiacar.com - Mahindra XYLO- More substance than style

The Xylo is Mahindra’s most important model since the Scorpio and the company’s first crack at the MPV market. More importantly, it promises to be the first serious alternative to the invincible Toyota Innova. So does it live up to the expectations set…AutoCar (Feb. ’09) finds out…

Styling & Interiors
This MPV has been designed inside-out and it shows. The interiors were first freezed upon and the exteriors were designed around it. This has resulted in a mish-mash of a design that’s a bit odd.

The trademark M7M grillelooks out of place under the drooping bonnet and the skyscraper proportions don’t do the Xylo’s looks any favours either. To be fair, there are lots of interesting styling elements like the angular front lights and shapely ones at the rear as well but they look far better in isolation. The Xylo’s upright A-pillar gives it more of an SUV stance and it lacks the sleekness of the longer and distinctly ‘monospace’ Innova. The idea was to save on length and use as little road space as possible and in this regard the Xylo makes good use of its vertical shape.

Walk up to the Xylo and things get immediately better. The impressive level of fit and finish is the best on a Mahindra yet. The panel gaps are pretty consistent and the overall paint job has superb gloss to make the wide array of colours stand out. The doors shut snugly but don’t feel as solid but that’s because they have been fashioned out of weight-saving ‘tailored-blank’ steel sheets.

Plonk yourself on any of the seats and the immediate impression is of massive auditorium space says AutoCar (Feb. ’09). Be in doubt, this is the most spacious MPV by far in every dimension and the huge windows with their low sills simply heighten the feeling of vastness. Seats are comfortable with excellent thigh and leg support.

On the top-of-the-line E8 version, there are individual or ‘captain’ seats for second row passengers and can be joined to form a flat bed, airline style. The rear bench and second row seats can be flipped for additional luggage space and the generous spring loading makes it easy to operate the seats.
The big surprise is the third row which has the best access and comfort among all MPV’s. A neat touch is a small recess on the inside of the rear door frame which acts as a grab handle. And with individual air con vents, an armrest, cabin lights, cupholders and butterfly opening rear windows, it’s far from economy class at the back.

It’s easy to get comfortable behind the wheel as well. There’s plenty of legroom, both the seat and steering are adjustable and there’s lumbar support adjustment too. Plus the visibility from the driver’s seat is fantastic - a boon in city traffic.

The dash is futuristic with a large central console that houses the Mahindra’s Digital Drive Assist System (DDAS). This system combines a trip computer, weather station and a ‘gear selected’ display. The display can also be programmed by your dealer to show a picture of your God with a choice of over forty!

In fact, it’s the features and equipment list of the Xylo that makes it truly special. You get all sorts of niceties like armrests that can be stopped at three different angles for greater comfort, a tray for the middle row passengers that neatly folds down into the front seats, parking sensors, dual air con, rear wash/wipe, alloy wheels, DDAS, parking sensors, electrical mirrors, keyless entry with imobiliser, central locking, power windows, power steering, front and rear among others. And there is a battery saver that automatically switches the electrical off if it detects that the vehicle has been parked for some time. What’s missing though is the safety kit. There are no airbags or ABS; quiet shocking since the Xylo is otherwise fully loaded.

Another letdown is the overall fit and finish of the interiors – which feels a generation behind the Innova.

Engine & Performance
The Xylo uses the tried-and-tested CRDe engine that debuted in the Scorpio in 2005 but it’s been rebadged the mEagle in the latest Mahindra. Along with the new name, there are some hardware upgrades such as hydraulic valve adjusters, an automatic belt tensioner and a recalibrated ECU to help adjust for the smaller swept volume. Power is down marginally to 112bhp and so is torque by 4kgm. However the torque curve has been flattened and it’s the way that power is delivered and not how much that’s important.

The Xylo doesn’t have the immediate response or the linear power delivery of the Innova but instead there’s a wave-like surge that rapidly builds up says AutoCar (Feb. ’09). This is not a free-revving diesel and it sounds rough and strained when extended so it’s best to keep it in the mid-range. The Xylo is remarkably quick for its size and clocked 0-100kph comfortably below 15 seconds said AutoCar testers.

Despite the least favourable power-to-weight ratio, the Xylo is significantly quicker than the Innova (17.5 seconds) and pips the Scorpio mHawk too. The gearbox is a carryover from the Scorpio and though it has been improved over the years – it still baulks and needs you to be precise while slotting gears.

Noise levels are closer to those found on diesel salon cars and there is little or no resonance from the cabin either. At high speeds, however, there is an irritating wind noise around the rear windows.

Fuel efficiency is critical for MPV’s especially since many of them will eventually find their way into the taxi market. The Xylo returned a figure of 10kmpl in the city and around 13.3kmpl on the highway, which is about the norm for a large people mover.

On the Road
The Xylo has an unduly high centre of gravity and the soft suspension does the handling no favours. At low speeds the ride is terrific but turn some corners and the rear springs feel like marshmellows says AutoCar (Feb. ’09) testers. There is lot of body roll and the rocking motion can be quite disconcerting. The brakes are not grabby but more bite and feel are needed from the pedal on highways. The saving grace, however, is the steering. It’s well-weighted and provides enough feedback, a big change from the video-game-like feel the Scorpio has says AutoCar (Feb. ’09).

Verdict
It’s the Innova that the Zylo be will up against. The innova is better put together and has a rock solid reputation in the market but the Mahindra MPV has enough arsenal to give Toyota a hard time.

It’s supremely comfortable, pretty refined and has a long equipment list that makes the Innova look Spartan. But the Xylo’s main weapon is the staggering price. Feature-to-feature, the new Mahindra is nearly Rs. 2 lakh cheaper than its Japanese rival and that alone is reason enough for Toyota to be worried. Very worried…signs off AutoCar (Feb. ’09).