Mahindra TUV300 Plus Review
Car Tested: Mahindra TUV300 Plus; Road Test No. 987
Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 11.27 – 13.12 lakhs
The TUV300 Plus gets more space and power but nothing else has changed
When Mahindra launched the TUV300 first in 2015, no one expected that the automaker will launch a bigger version of the same car few years down the line. The TUV300 is known to be a VFM people’s carrier but the car has some flaws like its bumpy ride, poor handling and not-so-punchy engine. The Mumbai-based automaker has now launched the TUV300 Plus which is not just a longer version of the car, but also comes with a better engine. Is the TUV300 Plus really a hugely improvised version of the older car? Time to find out.
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With the elongated tail, the TUV looks a bit more proportionate
Exteriors – The TUV300 Plus stands longer than the regular TUV300 at 4440 mm and the rear quarter now looks more proportionate than the older car. However, not much has changed on the styling front and it continues to carry the same design which looks quirky. The 15-inch wheels have been replaced by 16-inchers while there are minor changes at the front, especially for the fog lamp housing. Apart from these, there are no other changes made to the exteriors of the TUV300 Plus.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/29527429457/[/flickr]
The dashboard still comes with the same layout
Interiors – On the inside too, not much has changed. The dashboard continues with the same layout with a black and beige colour theme. Quality of materials used is also very similar to the older car which means there’s no improvement and fit & finish levels are also not up to the mark with a lot of cheap plastics used at many places. The touchscreen is the same as the smaller TUV while the speakers produce decent sound quality. The TUV still lacks on features like a reverse parking camera, electrically folding ORVMs and rear AC vents.
[flickr size=”center” float=”medium”]http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorbeam/44415544922/[/flickr]
The third row isn’t exactly what you’d call comfortable
The front seats offer decent support and comfort but sadly the rear seats still lack kneeroom because the TUV300 Plus has the same wheelbase as the regular car. The third row still has side facing seats which is unfortunate because we expected the vehicle to come with front facing seats. The third row seats are intended to fit in 4 people but honestly making 4 people sit there is quite a task because knee room is seriously limited and shoulder space also gets a bit tight. Getting into the third row also isn’t very easy because the step is set too high. What is also disappointing is that the third row doesn’t get seat belts. There are no AC vents in either of the rear rows but the quarter glass in the third row can be opened. Boot space with the third row folded up is 696-litres.
