Nearly a month after its official unveil, Mahindra & Mahindra has launched the KUV100 compact SUV. Previously known by its codename S101, the compact SUV was designed and developed at Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai and will be rolled out from the carmaker’s plant at Chakan, Pune.
Pronounced as KUV ‘one double oh’, the Mahindra KUV100 will be the carmaker’s second model to be based on a monocoque platform after the XUV500. The KUV100 will be powered by Mahindra’s all-new mFalcon family of engines that include a diesel as well as a petrol option, with the latter being a first for the carmaker.
KUV100 is available in seven trims – the K2, K2+, K4, K4+, K6, K6+ and K8. It features a distinct crossover design, unlike the boxy outline of the TUV300, which sets it apart from the competition. It also gets a pillar-mounted door handle, as seen on the Chevrolet Beat.
The KUV100's competitors include established players such as the Maruti Swift and Hyundai Grand i10. We take a look at how it fares against them on paper.
Dimensions
The KUV100 has a length of 3,675mm, width of 1,715mm and a height of 1,655mm. It stands taller than the Swift (1,530mm) and the Grand i10 (1,520mm), and is also the widest among the lot with the Swift at 1,695mm and the Grand i10 at 1,660mm.
However, the Swift is the longest at 3,850mm, almost 175mm more than the KUV100 (3,675mm) and about 85mm more than the Grand i10 at 3765mm. In terms of wheelbase, the Maruti Swift leads with 2,430mm, followed by the Grand i10 measuring 2,425mm, and the KUV100 at 2,385mm.
In terms of ground clearance, the Mahindra ties with the Maruti Swift at 170mm and the Grand i10 measures only slightly lesser at 165mm.
| Dimensions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahindra KUV100 | Maruti Swift | Hyundai Grand i10 | |
| Length | 3675mm | 3850mm | 3765mm |
| Width | 1715mm | 1695mm | 1660mm |
| Height | 1655mm | 1530mm | 1520mm |
| Wheelbase | 2385mm | 2430mm | 2425mm |
| Ground clearance | 170mm | 170mm | 165mm |
Petrol engines
The KUV100 comes equipped with an all-new 1.2-litre three-cylinder motor badged the mFalcon G80. The engine develops 81.8bhp and 11.7kgm of torque. The Swift uses Maruti’s tried and tested 1.2-litre K12 four-cylinder petrol engine. The motor develops 83.14bhp and 11.73kgm of torque making it the most powerful motor of the trio. The Hyundai also uses a 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine that makes 81.86bhp and 11.6kgm of torque. All three cars come with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard with the Grand i10 additionally getting the option of a four-speed automatic unit.
| Petrol Engines | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahindra KUV100 | Maruti Swift | Hyundai Grand i10 | |
| Displacement | 1.2-litre | 1.2-litre | 1.2-litre |
| Power | 81.8bhp | 83.14bhp | 81.86bhp |
| Torque | 11.7kgm | 11.73kgm | 11.6kgm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual/ 4-speed automatic |
Diesel engines
The KUV100 also gets an all-new 1.2-litre mFalcon three-cylinder turbo-diesel motor capable of developing 76.4bhp and 19.37kgm of torque. The Swift is powered by the familiar 1.3-litre DDiS diesel motor that develops 73.97bhp and 19.37kgm of torque. The Grand i10’s engine is a 1.1-litre three-cylinder unit that churns out 70.03bhp and 16.3kgm of torque making it the least powerful of the trio. All three diesel cars come equipped with a five-speed manual gearbox only.
| Diesel Engines | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mahindra KUV100 | Maruti Swift | Hyundai Grand i10 | |
| Displacement | 1.2-litre | 1.3-litre | 1.1-litre |
| Power | 76.4bhp | 73.97bhp | 70.03bhp |
| Torque | 19.37kgm | 19.37kgm | 16.3kgm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual | 5-speed manual |
Safety
In terms of occupant safety, the KUV100 comes equipped with ABS with EBD as standard across all variants, while dual airbags are available as an option. The Maruti Swift gets dual airbags as standard on the top-spec Z trim with ABS offered as standard from the diesel mid-level V-trim onwards. Customers can also go for the option pack available on all trim levels that adds ABS and dual front airbags. The Grand i10 on the other hand only offers dual front airbags and ABS as an add-on option on the top Asta trim.
Nishant Parekh & Jaiveer Mehra