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Mahindra Xylo m-Eagle Test Drive Review

Faisal Khan

Car tested: 2009 Mahindra Xylo E8 m-Eagle CRDe

Price OTR Mumbai: Rs. 9,11,888/-

We had spotted the Mahindra Xylo on the Nashik Highway more than a year ago, although in heavy disguise, it was evident that Mahindra was working extremely hard in developing a MUV which was capable of giving the Toyota Innova a run for its money. Aggressive pricing and some fancy features, sure have the catapulted the Mahindra Xylo amongst the top. But how does this new Mahindra perform compared to the competition? Lets find out in this exhaustive review of the Mahindra Xylo.


Exteriors – The Mahindra Xylo is not the best looking vehicle, having a conventional box shape and a tall stance,  it does not appear rich or attractive, not the kind one would take on their first date, so don’t expect heads to turn wherever u go but the Xylo  is is built for a purpose and it surely fulfills it. The front of the Mahindra Xylo looks decent and the grill gives it a sporty look. The shape of the headlights adds to the appeal as well, the alloys (top version) along with the Bridgestone Dueler A/T give it a tough look but the rear is somewhat typical with a box appearance and is not really impressive. The sides have been gifted with a step so as to comfortably get in and out of the car if you are not on the taller side.


Interiors – It does take some effort to get inside the Xylo, the car is extremely tall and one has to practically jump inside. Once inside, one has a birds eye view of the road and the seating position is comfortable. What really is impressive is the attention to detail. The first and second row of seats of the Mahindra Xylo are equipped with lumbar support, a feature seen primarily in top end cars. The audio system has provisions for SD card, USB  and Aux in, which is quite neat, sound quality is average as well. Cabin space is good all around and the last row is pretty roomy too, but the biggest drawback of the Xylo is that to get into the last row one has to fold the middle row seat, something which cannot be done on the move.

The boot is really small and is just namesake, but once the rear seats are folded, there is more than enough room.

Built Quality – Mahindra is not really known for great built quality but the Xylo has been pretty well built. The car has been put together well and is devoid of any rattling sounds. However, the plastic feels cheap but then one must remember that the Xylo has been built to a price.


On the Move – Once the M Eagle engine is cranked, it starts with a reassuring roar. Surprisingly the engine is pretty silent and is efficient too. It accelerates smoothly and one never feels the lack of power. The gearbox is a bit notchy and needs some effort to slot it into gear. The multi information display on the dash shows the digital speed of the car, along with the gear in which the car is running, which is pretty impressive. It also houses a digital compass and gives information on relative humidity, inside and outside temperatures, average, how many km till you run out of gas, etc etc. The Intellipark Reverse Assist works very well and is a boon while parking. It basically tells you how far an obstacle and is while reversing and when you need to stop.

The steering is pretty light and turns in easily. One thing we did not like is that the car swings while it is in motion. If one turns left, the car will swing to the right and vice versa and if one brakes, the car will tip forward. This kind of body roll makes it scary at high speeds but its only a matter of time when one starts to swing along with the car. The audio system does not lie in the line of sight and can be a distraction to the driver. Once parked, one has to practically jump off the drivers seat. The Xylo is a RWD car but it performs very well off-road.

Ride, Handling and Braking – TThe ride of the Mahindra Xylo is pretty decent. Even on potholes the suspension seems to absorb most of the torture and the Bridgestone Dueler Tyres  do a good job in the event of an off track excursion. The handling suffers due to the bodyroll in the car. Though the car is pretty sharp, one just does not get the confidence to push it to the limit. Braking is not great due to lack of ABS but Mahindra has recently equipped the Xylo with ABS in newer models. Wherever you may go, you are sure to leave your mark under heavy braking.

The Xylo was initially known as the Ingenio, this can be seen in the picture above with some parts have “Ingenio” written over them.

Performance – The 2.5 litre m-hawk engine is pretty fast. Unline the Innova the Xylo seldom feels sluggish. Engine response is very good and it comes as no suprise since Mahindra have been making some awesome diesel engines of late. Obvisouly a practical vehicle like the Xylo is not all about 0 – 100 times and its the in-gear acceleration where the Xylo shines. Turbo lag is quite minimal and the car easily nudges 100kmph whenever needed. However the most suprising bit is the fuel efficiency of the Xylo. The car consistently gave us 11kmpl even under hard driving which is fantastic for a vehicle of this size.

Conclusion – The Xylo may not have the best in class tag but the aggressive pricing and the features it offers are the best value for your money in the segment. It is obvious that the Xylo has been built to a price and it delivers more than money can offer, the Top E8 Version being more than 3 lakhs cheaper than the top end Innova  makes the Xylo extremely value for money and that is where everything starts making sense. Mahindra has done a fantastic job on the Xylo, no wonder the car has beaten Innova in sales.

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Mahindra Xylo Specifications –

Mahindra Xylo Dimensions –

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