Mahindra’s Cheetah-inspired SUV, the XUV500, gets sharper styling and more power.
Refresh, refresh, refresh. Well, the summer is already here and it is time for a refreshing change; at least, it is so for Mahindra, for the company has launched a refreshed XUV500 and it looks quite contemporary. Although the new XUV500 has not really received many technical updates, the Cheetah-inspired design has been restyled. To give us a taste of the new XUV500, Mahindra invited us to their Chakan plant, near Pune, to drive this SUV at their test track. Here is what the experience was like.
First, the major change: styling. Mahindra are smart when it comes to updating their SUVs. Their updates tend to be mild and retain the original identity of the SUV. The new XUV500 is no exception to this. It still looks tall, wide, and dominating; however, once past the massive size, you begin to take in the changes. The entire front end has been revised with the old headlamps now making way for a new unit with conventional-looking daytime running lights (DRL), which are stacked above the headlamps in a straight line unlike the earlier “S” design DRL. The headlamp housing is new and so are the fog-lamp inserts.
The biggest change in the front end, however, is the new grille, which marks a departure from the traditional Mahindra grille with vertical chrome slats. The new grille looks more German, to say the least, and it suits the personality of the new XUV500 quite well.
The side profile of the XUV remains pretty much the same, the new alloy wheels being the only new thing. At the back, you see a new set of tail-lamps with hints from the earlier unit. The tail-lamps now expand horizontally rather than vertically, which makes the tailgate appear sleeker while making the rear end look wider.
