A brand new era of city-friendly soft-roaders are flipping the script on the ‘low cost and cheerful’ tagline.
Whereas that saying has generally been used prior to now with a unfavorable connotation to diplomatically describe – or deride – vehicles for which the one redeeming function is their price ticket, it’s now a professional and literal description for the most recent vary of high-riding tiny tots together with these two, the Mahindra XUV 3X0 and Hyundai Venue.
Sure, they’re low cost, and among the many most reasonably priced new vehicles on sale in Australia immediately. And, sure, they’re cheerful, with a way of fashion about them, in addition to a surprisingly pleasant quantity of kit for the cash, which makes them satisfying to personal and drive.
Each are supreme first vehicles for younger drivers, small households, inner-city urbanites and even empty-nesters within the midst of downsizing.
However which one matches the literal interpretation of being low cost and cheerful the very best? Let’s discover out…
How a lot?
The Mahindra XUV 3X0 is the most recent child crossover to reach within the kindergarten class of SUVs, and is accessible in two mannequin grades – the entry-level AX5L and the range-topping AX7L.
When it was launched in July, the XUV 3X0 was essentially the most reasonably priced mild SUV in Australia with a beginning worth of $23,490 drive-away. However that was a honeymoon deal which expired on the finish of August.
However even now with its common pricing in place, which sees the AX5L value $23,990 drive-away and the AX7L priced at $26,990 drive-away, the XUV 3X0 stays some of the accessible new vehicles obtainable immediately.
The Hyundai Venue is a full era older than the Mahindra, having first launched in Australia in 2019, however was up to date late final 12 months.
It’s supplied in three mannequin grades, beginning at $22,750 earlier than on-road prices for the eponymous entry-level variant with a handbook transmission, and taking a big leap up in worth for the mid-spec Lively at $27,000 plus on-roads, whereas topping out at $29,500 plus on-roads for the flagship Elite additionally fitted with an automated transmission as commonplace.
To see how the Mahindra XUV 3XO traces up towards different small SUVs, try our comparability software
What do you get?
Often at this finish of the market, you get the fundamentals and never far more. However Mahindra bucks that development with a beneficiant degree of ordinary gear, even within the base AX5L type.
Mahindra 3XO gear highlights:
- 16-inch alloy wheels
- Computerized LED highlights
- Keyless entry with push-button begin
- Black fabric upholstery
- Energy home windows
- Sunroof
- Local weather management air-con with a cooled glovebox
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment show
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Bluetooth connectivity
- DAB+ digital radio
- 6-speaker audio system
3XO AX7L provides:
- Bigger 17-inch wheels
- Contrasting two-tone paint with black roof
- Entrance LED fog lights
- Black artificial leather-based trim
- Bigger ‘Sky Roof’ sunroof
- Harmon Kardon premium audio with amplifier and sub woofer
The Hyundai Venue matches the Mahindra for the essential facilities, however misses out on a whole lot of the 3X0’s little luxuries and conveniences.
Hyundai Venue comes gear highlights:
- 15-inch alloy wheels
- Keyless entry
- Material trim
- Energy home windows
- Air-conditioning
- 4.2-inch TFT instrument cluster
- 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment show
- Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Wi-fi cellphone charger
- Bluetooth connectivity
- 4-speaker audio system
Venue Lively provides:
- Bigger 17-inch alloy wheels
- Six-speed automated transmission
- LED headlights and daytime operating lights
- Energy folding exterior mirrors
- Entrance and rear parking sensors
- Premium inside trim
- 6-speaker audio system
Venue Elite provides:
- Sensible Key distant
- Bluelink related providers
- Embedded satellite tv for pc navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- Rear privateness glass
- Local weather management air-conditioning
- Chrome exterior highlights
- Non-compulsory two-tone exterior
To see how the Mahindra XUV 3XO traces up towards different small SUVs, try our comparability software
Are they secure?
The Mahindra XUV 3X0 has but to be examined by ANCAP, whereas the Venue has a four-star ranking from Australia’s unbiased auto security physique.
However that doesn’t inform the entire story, because the Hyundai’s rating dates again to 2019 when it was first launched below much less stringent protocols than immediately.
Both manner, each come commonplace with important security gear corresponding to autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, plus lane retaining help and 6 airbags.
However the Mahindra goes a couple of steps additional than the Hyundai with extra superior driver aids and crash avoidance methods, together with adaptive cruise management with cease and go performance, blind spot monitoring (which is simply obtainable within the top-spec Venue Elite), site visitors signal recognition and a 360-degree reverse parking show.
Nevertheless, the range-topping Venue Elite is provided with Hyundai’s Bluelink related providers, which incorporates automated collision notification and emergency SOS name capabilities, in addition to distant automobile standing and notifications if the home windows or doorways are left open or the alarm is triggered.
To see how the Mahindra XUV 3XO traces up towards different small SUVs, try our comparability software
What are they like inside?
In each of those vehicles, you get much more than you’d count on at this finish of the market, not simply by way of options but additionally in model, spaciousness and practicality.
Each place roughly the identical footprint on the street, measuring 3990mm and 4040mm in size for the XUV3X0 and Venue respectively.
However the Mahindra is fractionally wider than the Hyundai (1821 versus 1770mm) and rides on a barely longer wheelbase (2600 versus 2520mm), which implies the entrance and rear axles are pushed additional to every finish of the automotive to liberate just a little more room contained in the cabin.
They’re each nonetheless small vehicles although, making them ideally suited to urbanites or empty-nesters that solely sometimes want the rear seats, or younger households with babies.
The Mahindra is deceptively extra roomy within the again with an honest quantity of rear legroom, and it has the added comfort of air vents on the again of the centre console plus a fold-down centre armrest, neither of which function within the Hyundai.
For these up entrance, each mild SUVs present fairly snug seats with loads of adjustment, glorious ahead imaginative and prescient and an array of small-item storage areas.
The Mahindra’s dashboard structure traces up all the key controls in a vertical stack within the centre, whereas the Hyundai has a extra horizontal aesthetic that appears simply as fashionable regardless of being near the top of its lifecycle, nevertheless it doesn’t current as properly with low cost, scratchy plastics.
As for cargo house, the Mahindra supplies just a little greater than the Hyundai with 364 litres of boot capability in comparison with 355L.
To see how the Mahindra XUV 3XO traces up towards different small SUVs, try our comparability software
What’s below the bonnet?
Right here’s the place the Hyundai is basically beginning to present its age, particularly alongside the Mahindra.
All three Venue variants share the identical powertrain – a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated 4 cylinder petrol engine that produces 90kW of energy and 151Nm of torque, driving the entrance wheels by way of both a six-speed handbook transmission (within the entry-level mannequin solely) or a six-speed torque-converter automated.
And, regardless that the Venue weighs much less (between 1140kg for the bottom handbook and 1255kg for the flagship Elite auto) than the XUV 3X0 (which suggestions the scales at 1392kg for the AX5L and 1410kg for the AX7L), it consumes extra gas with a claimed common of seven.0L/100km (handbook) and seven.2L/100km (auto).
That’s as a result of the Mahindra makes use of a extra fashionable, smaller-capacity turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine that produces barely much less peak energy at 82kW however considerably extra torque, with 200Nm obtainable over a broad 1500-3550rpm.
As such, the XUV 3X0 feels each extra easy and zippier to drive, whereas consuming much less gas with a claimed common of 6.5L/100km.
To see how the Mahindra XUV 3XO traces up towards different small SUVs, try our comparability software
Price of possession
Each Mahindra and Hyundai now cowl their automobiles with a seven-year guarantee, nonetheless, Mahindra’s is restricted to 150,000km whereas Hyundai’s has no mileage restrict.
Nevertheless, Hyundai’s aftersales assure is conditional on the automobile being serviced on time by its authorised vendor community. In any other case, it falls again to the corporate’s commonplace five-year guarantee.
Each producers embrace free roadside help and capped-price service plans.
The XUV 3XO’s upkeep program extends for the primary six years or 85,000km and prices $1994 over that timeframe, whereas the Venue comes with a lifetime capped-price service scheme and prices $2448 over the identical six-year interval.
To see how the Mahindra XUV 3XO traces up towards different small SUVs try our comparability software
CarExpert’s Decide
Each of those little tackers punch effectively above their weight and are glorious metropolis and suburban runabouts as a result of every of them is deceptively sensible, simple to drive, comparatively low cost to run and loaded with extra gear than you’d count on for his or her worth tags.
However the newer Mahindra XUV 3XO highlights simply how far metropolis SUVs have are available a brief time period, providing the next degree of security gear, a extra fashionable drivetrain, and higher inside packaging.
Plus, it comes loaded with a degree of ordinary gear – even within the base mannequin – that amplifies its worth for cash past examine. Sure, it’s certainly low cost and cheerful.
