The Mahindra Alturas is the new flagship that will attempt to break into the premium full-size SUV club, this time with the Mahindra logo. We’ve driven it around and come away impressed.
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Saurabh Botre
Quality is not something that merely appears or can be added later. It needs to be brought in step by step, piece by piece, from the outset. A major differential between normal cars and premium ones is simply the use of better quality parts, materials and processes. It’s about making all of those work together to be something greater than the sum of those parts. In automobiles, there are many. Some better than the other. Others with high price tags – some justified, some not. Yet, there are some who learn with each mistake and come out brighter, smoother and better on the other side. With the new Alturas G4, Mahindra have shown that they can do a premium SUV right.
For those wondering, yes, it is a Ssangyong Rexton, in its fourth generation, however, this time, they’ve stuck with their own badge. Their hope is to penetrate the segment that comprises many names but is lead by just two – the Toyota Fortuner, which accounts for two-thirds, and the Ford Endeavour, which has a fifth of the pie, according to a slide from a presentation with a lot of numbers. Truth be told, yes, there are several examples of the Japanese behemoth on the road, and quite a few of the American one as well. So, where does the Alturas fit in?
The latest Rexton made its first appearance at the Seoul Motor Show in March 2017, following it up with its European premiere in September. Now, it’s all ready to be sold here in India, as a CKD (Completely Knocked Down) unit, which will be manufactured in South Korea. The price, thus, should be rather competitive, though it is very well loaded. But, the appeal should begin when you first lay eyes on it. And they haven’t disappointed.
The Mahindra Alturas G4 looks huge, capable, and high off the ground, yes, but, more importantly, it looks modern and premium. Our car was black, so the chrome and metal elements stood out all the more. The vertical-slat front grille wearing the Mahindra logo looks evolved and somewhat aggressive. The projector headlamps with LED daytime lights, with slabs of LED fog-lamps and cornering lamps add to its modern appeal, as do the sharp tail-lamp clusters. The 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels feature 255/60 rubber and the chrome badging across the tail-gate is accompanied by the ‘4WD’ badge that reaffirms its all-road and no-road capabilities. The proportions are generous, yet seem masked well towards the rear with an almost tapering shape that does well to hide the generous room it offers inside.
