Automobile desk: These days, CNG segment has become one of the fastest growing segments in the Indian car market and every major automobile company is trying to strengthen its hold in this race. In this context, utility vehicle segment giant Mahindra & Mahindra is going to take a big step. The company is all set to launch the CNG version of its very popular compact SUV XUV 3XO. The eco-friendly and economical variant of this vehicle was awaited for a long time, and now the company has released the official teaser of this model, which has intensified the buzz in the auto market.
Mahindra is going to officially unveil this new SUV on October 15. The biggest feature of this upcoming CNG model will be that customers will get factory-fitted CNG kit from the company itself. In the market, this vehicle is going to face direct and tough competition from established vehicles like Maruti Suzuki Brezza S-CNG and Tata Nexon i-CNG, which are already ruling this segment. In such a situation, this new bet of Mahindra is going to make the battle of this class very interesting.
A special glimpse of the look and style of this SUV has been seen in the teaser released. The vehicle is shown in an attractive red color scheme, with a front design that mirrors the styling of its new 'REVX' model. At its front, there is a stunning body-color panel between the headlamps, Mahindra's famous Twin Peaks logo and a premium metal finish around it, which gives it a very strong and muscular look on the road. Additionally, sharp LED daytime running lights and glossy black ORVMs make the styling of this SUV more modern.
The biggest and main attraction of this model will be the panoramic sunroof available in it. Generally, such a big sunroof is not seen in CNG segment vehicles, hence this step of Mahindra will attract those customers who are fond of economical mileage as well as luxury features. However, the company has not yet fully revealed the rest of its interior features and cabin layout, but it is believed that many modern features will be provided as standard in it.
Talking about powertrain and engine, according to reports, Mahindra can provide its powerful 1.2-liter turbo petrol engine in this SUV. This engine has the capacity to generate power of about 110 bhp and peak torque of 200 Nm in petrol mode. However, what will be its power and torque output when switched to CNG mode is yet to be revealed. Apart from this, whether this vehicle will come with manual gearbox or it will also have the option of automatic, and what will be its mileage, all these questions will be answered on October 15 only.
Regarding price and variants, auto market experts believe that Mahindra can launch it in select and value-for-money variants. Currently, the starting ex-showroom price of the petrol M variant of XUV 3XO is around Rs 8.59 lakh, while the price of its AX5 petrol variant is between Rs 10 lakh to Rs 11.88 lakh. The exact prices of the CNG model and the complete list of all its variants will be revealed on the launch day itself, after which it will be decided how tough this vehicle can compete with its rivals.