Mahindra NuvoSport review, test drive

Less than a year after the launch of its TUV300, Mahindra has brought in another sub-four-metre SUV. We try to find out what’s different.

Published on Apr 04, 2016 12:47:00 PM

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Should I buy one?

As an attempt to breathe life back into a less-than-stellar product – the Quanto – the NuvoSport has done a great job. But then, with a new chassis, new engine and new automatic gearbox, it’s practically an all-new car. Sadly it’s had to retain some of the Quanto’s biggest sore points – most notably the aged, lacklustre cabin and the boxy shape. The bigger question is, where does it fit into the compact SUV class, especially since the TUV300 already exists? The TUV’s marketing focuses on the SUV’s toughness, while the NuvoSport’s is focused on lifestyle, so clearly the latter is positioned slightly higher – something that’s confirmed by its price of Rs 7.35-9.76 lakh (ex-showroom, Thane). This means the NuvoSport is meant to be a stronger rival to the Maruti Vitara Brezza and Ford EcoSport. Sure, it looks unique, it’s got loads of space, and it’s comfy at low speeds, but apart from that, it’s not got enough strengths to really give fight to its modern competition. The TUV300 stood out for being something different – a tough, ladder-frame SUV in a class of car-like monocoques. It was a small niche that the NuvoSport is now also trying to squeeze into. But for the premium, it really doesn’t bring enough extra to the table.

GAVIN D'SOUZA