You know, I’ve driven almost every compact SUV that’s hit the Indian roads in the last decade, from the early EcoSport to the Nexon EV and even the Venue N Line. But there’s something different about the Mahindra XUV300 TurboSport. It’s got this raw, unpolished thrill, like that one friend who doesn’t care about manners but always wins the drag race.
First Impressions: Feels Familiar, Yet Fierce
The moment you start the engine, you’ll notice it’s not a regular XUV300. Mahindra has tuned this 1.2-litre turbo petrol engine with what they call an mStallion technology, fancy name yes, but the real question is, does it deliver?
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Well, I’ll say this, the throttle response is sharp, the revs climb fast, and if you’ve got a bit of a wild streak like me, you’ll enjoy every second. But here’s the catch, the gearbox still feels a bit clunky at times, especially when you’re trying to push it through quick shifts in city traffic.
Performance & Handling: Where It Truly Shines
Here’s where things get interesting. Mahindra claims 130 PS of power and 230 Nm of torque. Now, that’s not just a number, you actually feel it. Push the pedal, and there’s an instant surge, unlike the lag you’d find in most small-capacity turbos. I remember testing the Nexon Turbo a while back, it felt refined but a bit too polite. The XUV300 TurboSport, on the other hand, feels almost rebellious. It wants to be pushed. That’s both its charm and its flaw, the steering feedback at higher speeds could’ve been tighter.
Design & Interiors: Subtle on the Outside, Sporty on the Inside
From the outside, Mahindra hasn’t gone overboard. It’s got minor tweaks, a new grille, red accents, and sporty badging. Honestly, if you didn’t know cars, you might miss that it’s a TurboSport. But once you sit inside, the flat-bottom steering, red stitching, and aluminum pedals remind you that this is no soft-roader.
Seats feel firm and supportive, good for long drives, but maybe not ideal for bumper-to-bumper Gurgaon traffic. I took it on a two-hour highway stretch to Jaipur once, and it held the road beautifully, especially in those quick overtakes around 80 to 120 km per hour.
Real Talk: Not All Sunshine
Now, let’s be real. It’s not perfect. Mileage drops the moment you start enjoying that turbo. The infotainment system still feels like it’s from the pre-smartphone era, laggy, and not half as crisp as what you get in a Hyundai. And Mahindra’s after-sales service, well, let’s just say it’s a hit or miss depending on your city. One funny bit, when I took it for the first test drive at a Mahindra showroom, the sales rep told me, “Sir, ye car performance ke liye bani hai, mileage bhool jaiye.” I laughed, but after a week of driving it, he wasn’t wrong.
Verdict: For Those Who Still Love to Drive
If you’re the kind who still enjoys the feeling of control, manual gear, turbo pull, that little bit of unpredictability, the Mahindra XUV300 TurboSport is absolutely worth considering. It’s not the most refined, not the most tech-loaded, but it’s got heart. And in a world where everything’s becoming automated and soulless, that alone is a big win in my book.