Automobile desk: The competition in the sub-compact SUV segment in the Indian automobile market is becoming interesting day by day. To keep itself ahead in this competition, Mahindra & Mahindra seems to be preparing to take a big step. If media reports are to be believed, the company may launch a new version of its popular SUV XUV 3XO in the market on October 15. There is a buzz in the market that this new model could be the company's first factory-fitted CNG avatar, which will directly provide relief to buyers troubled by the rising cost of petrol and diesel.
Ever since Mahindra launched the XUV 3XO at the beginning of this year, this vehicle has received tremendous response from the customers. However, till now the company had given only petrol and diesel engine options in this segment. If the CNG model makes its entry on October 15, it will be the first time in Mahindra's history that a passenger SUV will hit the roads with a factory-fitted CNG kit. This decision is considered very important for Mahindra in order to meet the stringent emission norms and CAFE 3 (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards.
Talking about the technical aspect, the current XUV 3XO has 1.2-litre turbo petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engine options. According to reports, the company can use 1.2-liter turbo MPFI engine in the CNG model. Generally it is seen that after switching to CNG, there is a slight drop in the power and torque output of the vehicle, but due to it being a turbo engine, better performance is expected from 3XO. Initially, it is likely to be offered with a 6-speed manual gearbox, although depending on market demand, the option of an automatic gearbox can also be offered.
With the addition of CNG cylinder in the car, the biggest change will be seen in its boot space and suspension setup. Mahindra engineers will have to make necessary changes to the suspension tuning and ECU to handle the extra weight. Now it will be interesting to see whether the company uses twin-cylinder technology like Tata Motors or gives a traditional big single tank. If a twin-cylinder setup comes, customers will be able to get better space for luggage in the trunk.
If we look at the price front, the current petrol model of XUV 3XO comes at a starting price of Rs 7.79 lakh (ex-showroom). The price of CNG variant may be higher than its standard petrol model by about Rs 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh. If this model hits the Indian market, it will compete directly with the already existing Tata Nexon CNG and Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG. Apart from this, it will also give tough competition to vehicles like Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet. At present, an official statement from the company regarding this launch is awaited.