2018 Mahindra Marazzo review, road test

A spacious and contemporary MPV that slots right between the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and Toyota Innova Crysta.

Published on Oct 03, 2018 02:41:00 PM

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It’s an easy-to-drive car with light controls and a smooth engine.

Interior design and colour theme are contemporary and modern. Quality of some textured bits is very good.

Space isn’t too bad for adults. An Innova-like reclining function would be nice.

The Marazzo gets a double-wishbone front suspension with a stabiliser bar, and a twist beam setup at the rear. That, coupled with 240mm of suspension travel, has done wonders for the way it tackles the rough. It does, however, jiggle a bit at low speeds, with a lumpiness typical of a ladder-frame chassis. However, true to the Mahindra ladder-frame DNA, the Marazzo feels indestructible over bad and broken roads. Road shocks rarely filter through and lateral rocking movements are very well controlled. Some vertical movement or pitching can be experienced at high speeds, but it doesn’t feel excessive at any point.

With all seats up, the 190-litre boot is good for a couple of soft bags only.

The electric power steering (EPS) is light and with a small 5.25m turning radius (an Ertiga’s is 5.2m), this nearly 4.6m-long car feels quite nimble to manoeuvre through traffic, and is easy to park. The EPS weights up consistently as speeds build and offers ample feel when turning into corners. Push the Marazzo hard on winding hilly roads and its handling remains safe and predictable. The grip from the tyres and the overall mechanical grip is so good that this MPV feels confident around corners and elicits a sense of stability and a planted feel that’s quite unlike what you get from Mahindra’s SUVs. Yes, it is a tall car, so body roll is inevitable, but never does it feel nervous. Braking is another area where the Marazzo performs well. The pedal has a spongy feel because the bite point is further down the travel range. However, the all-wheel disc brakes bring this MPV to a halt briskly.