Saar: In its refreshed avatar, the Mahindra XUV500 comes with a host of cosmetic changes, more premium interiors and an upgraded engine.

Mahindra has launched the mid-life update for its flagship product, the XUV500. Prices start at Rs 12.32 lakh and go all the way up to Rs 18.98 lakh (both prices ex-showroom Mumbai). As reported earlier, the nomenclature for variants has changed from ‘W’ suffixed by even numbers to ‘W’ suffixed by odd numbers. Here’s the variant-wise price list:

The variants with automatic transmission are priced Rs 1.2 lakh more than the manual ones. But, before we get to what all is new in the refreshed XUV500, let’s quickly analyse another table. Let’s look at how the prices of the facelift have changed over its predecessor.

The first thing to notice is that almost all variants are now marginally less expensive. That said, the (O) variants were never the part of the variant list before and hence can’t be compared. Only the W11 (O) AWD AT is slightly more expensive than the comparable W10 AWD AT of the predecessor. What is interesting to see here is that the price difference between manual and automatic models of the same variant was lesser before than it is now. That could be down to the recalibration of the automatic transmission to manage more grunt from the engine. Speaking of which, the 2.2-litre petrol-powered engine remains unaltered. It still produces 140PS/320Nm and comes mated only to the 6-speed automatic transmission.

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For diesel lovers, there is good news. The 2.2-litre motor has received an updated variable geometry turbocharger. Thanks to that, the engine now produces 155PS of power and 360Nm of torque. That’s 15PS/30Nm more than before. As before, the engine is available with a 6-speed manual transmission and a 6-speed automatic. Mahindra will offer AWD (all-wheel-drive) with both manual and automatic transmissions but only in the top-spec W11 (O) variants.

As far as changes to the other aspects are concerned, the refreshed Mahindra XUV500 gets a new, chrome-studded, front grille, reprofiled headlamp enclosures which still feature projectors and LED DRLs, new 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels and restyled side skirts. Additionally, the SUV gets a new front bumper with chrome-garnished foglamp housings, new skid plate, a more sporty spoiler at the back and newly designed, triangular split taillamps.

18-inch Diamond Cut Alloy Wheels

New Taillamp Design

Inside the cabin, the XUV500 is now offered with features such as quilted tan leather seats, piano-black inserts on the centre console and tyre-pressure monitoring system. Moreover, the sound system has also been upgraded with Arkamys trickery, the infotainment pairs up with smartwatch app and the sound insulation has been beefed up to make the cabin quieter. Mahindra also said that it has worked on the suspension of the car to make the ride quality better and that the NVH levels have come down, thanks to a more refined turbocharger.

So there you have it. The Mahindra XUV500 officially renews its rivalry with the Tata Hexa and the Jeep Compass.

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