Mahindra has reportedly started developing the second generation model of its popular SUV, the XUV500. 2018 was a busy year for the company with the development and launching of the Marazzo and the Alturas G4. The company has started 2019 on a high note too with the announcement of XUV300’s launch date, which is set to be on 15th of February, 2019.
After the XUV300, the company will shift its focus towards developing the newer generation of the XUV500, which since long has been a strong seller for the company.
The upcoming SUV will be based on an all new platform. However, the chassis type will continue to be monocoque as most of the other SUVs these days. The design and styling of the SUV is expected to be of top notch, especially now since the company has international expertise in its hand. The upcoming XUV300 is a prime example of Mahindra progress in design and styling. Whether the new XUV500 will grow in size or not is not yet known but we expect a minor bump in size.
The current generation of XUV had a major mid-life facelift a long time back and multiple minor changes over the time since its launch in 2011. The second generation vehicle will be an all new car and will feature different mechanical bits and engine. Talking of engine and transmission, the next-gen Mahindra XUV500 will be powered by a new 2.0-litre diesel engine which will be BSVI compliant. The power out of this engine is expected to be somewhere near 180 Bhp, which is a considerable improvement over the current 155 Bhp produced by the current XUV500’s 2.2-litre diesel engine.
The current generation Mahindra XUV500 is powered by a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine that generates a maximum 155 Bhp of power along with 360 Nm of torque. The diesel engine gets both automatic and manual transmission options to choose from. Mahindra also offers AWD variants with the XUV500, something that is very handy in off road conditions. The other engine option on the Mahindra XUV500 is a 2.2-litre petrol engine that churns out a good 140 Bhp of power along with 320 Nm of torque and is available only with an automatic transmission.
The new XUV500 is expected to arrive at showrooms by the end of 2020, which is still some time away. With the launch of the Tata Harrier scheduled this month, Mahindra has already started to feel the heat and will definitely want to keep up its pace.
Mahindra is also expected offer an electric powertrain on the new XUV500. The new XUV500 could also have a coupe crossover variant, similar to the Aero concept. Meanwhile, Hyundai is also developing a newer version of the Creta which this time around will have a 7 seater twin too. Other potential rivals that will challenge the XUV500 upon its arrival are the Kia SP based SUV, the upcoming MG SUV and the Volkswagen T-Cross among others.
Also Read: Yamaha R15 V3 with dual channel ABS: Coming soon!