Mahindra Jeeto minivan launched at Rs 3.45 lakh

A little over two years after it launched the Jeeto mini-truck, which replaced the Gio small commercial vehicle (SCV), Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) today launched the Jeeto minivan at a starting price of Rs 345,000. Emboldened by the success of the Jeeto SCV, which has eaten into Tata Motors’ market share, M&M has used the Jeeto platform to target the passenger transportation sector with the new Jeeto model. The Jeeto minivan will rival the likes of the Tata Ace Magic and Maruti Eeco.

Developed on the Jeeto platform designed for cargo and passenger carriers, the Jeeto minivan passenger carrier is targeted at urban and semi-urban transportation and will cater to last-mile connectivity, contract and stage carriage for tour/travel and intra-city people movement.

The Jeeto minivan is available in two body forms – hard-top and semi-hard-top – and in diesel, petrol and CNG. The vehicle is powered by the m_Dura, a direct injection, BS-IV engine which develops 16hp and torque of 38Nm. Claimed to deliver best-in-class fuel efficiency of 26 kpl, the Jeeto minivan offers lower maintenance cost, carlike driveability, a spacious cabin and well-cushioned seating, according to M&M.

Speaking at the launch of the Jeeto minivan in Mumbai, Rajan Wadhera, president, automotive sector, M&M, said, “The Jeeto brand has already set new benchmarks and the Jeeto minivan will further extend this platform for last-mile passenger transportation. We have identified specific need gaps among customers and I am sure that the Jeeto minivan will provide a more efficient, safe and comfortable mode of transportation. It will also be an ideal option for three-wheeler customers to upgrade.”

In a bid to attract three-wheeler customers, the company has introduced attractive exchange and finance schemes for the Jeeto minivan with significantly low down payment options and a longer tenure for affordable EMIs.   

The minivan comes with a warranty of two years/40,000km (whichever is earlier) in three colours – Sunrise Red, Ultramarine Blue and Diamond White. The vehicle will be launched in a phased manner. In phase 1, the semi-hard-top diesel variant will be launched, followed by the hard-top CNG and diesel variants and the semi-hard-top CNG and petrol variants.

The company already has an installed capacity of 90,000 units for its Jeeto platform. Mahindra’s CV portfolio currently boasts one of the widest ranges of three-wheelers, small, medium and heavy commercial vehicles which under five platforms and 10 brands consist of a total offering of 63 variants.

Speaking with our sister publication Autocar Professional, Wadhera expressed optimism towards government regulations on four-wheeler passenger transport and future of EV. He said, “There is a lack of adequate new-age mobility needs in the urban area. Jeeto is not aimed at replacing three-wheelers; it is a product that we have created and we will let the demand from consumers decide how they see our product. We are optimistic on the target set by the government of achieving an all-electric vehicle fleet by 2030. In Delhi, you already see a lot of e-rickshaws ploughing on the road, as well as the CNG adoption in three-wheelers was brought in by the government. Similarly, with the target set by the government on EVs, I believe it will first come in the commercial vehicle segment, in some geographies which later will be a norm across the country.”