The upcoming Mahindra S101 compact SUV will be available with petrol and diesel engine options and will be available only in a two-wheel drive avatar.
Cited to be a major game changer for Mahindra in the years to come, the compact SUV space will see three new offerings coming from the Indian auto giant including the S101/102, U301 and the updated Quanto that will be launched later this year. The three products have been targeted across different sub-segments within the compact SUV space ensuring that Mahindra will be able to compete with every offering launched in any price bracket in the future. Spotted this time by our reader Cibhi Sp is the S101 (codename) that will be the most affordable compact SUV to come from the Indian automaker.
Set to compete against the Ford EcoSport as well as upcoming Maruti YBA and Tata Nexon sub 4-metre SUV, the Mahindra S101 will primarily rival the hatchback turned crossovers including the Volkswagen Cross Polo, Toyota Etios Cross, Fiat Avventura, Hyundai i20 Cross and the likes. Based on a monocoque chassis, the S101 will have the ride, handling and agility of a car while the butch dimensions and tall stance lend the appeal of an SUV. Recent reports also suggest that the new S101 could be offered as a 5-seater as well with the 6-seater spotted previously.
In terms of engines, Mahindra will be employing the newly developed 1.2-litre petrol motor under the hood along with the 1.5-litre 3-cylinder diesel engine from the Quanto with 100 PS on offer and will be the most powerful in its class. Both the mills will come paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox as standard while the diesel could also be offered with an AMT unit later in the timeline. Unlike the company’s other SUVs though, Mahindra will offer the S101 in front wheel drive (FWD) guise, but with a ground clearance of a healthy 200 mm, the S101 will be able to tackle most roads with ease.
