Mahindra has brought out the facelift for its flagship seven-seat SUV, the XUV500. The SUV is priced between Rs 12.32 lakh for the base W5 and Rs 17.88 lakh for the top-spec W11 (O) AT (ex-showroom, Mumbai). From all the details now released, here are five key points about the facelift to keep in mind:

Refreshed outside
A fairly comprehensive makeover, the updated XUV500 gets a new grille with chrome garnish, a tweaked front bumper, new triangular tail-lamps mounted under the rear windscreen and a restyled tailgate with chrome accents above the license plate housing. Higher-spec trims of the SUV also come with a dual-tone faux skid plate, while the re-profiled headlamps get projector units and LED daytime-running lamps (DRLs). Mahindra is also offering two new exterior paint shades – Mystic Copper and Crimson Red – along with the four that are currently available.

Updated inside
The XUV500’s cabin has been significantly redone, as well. Tan-coloured leather seats with quilted cross-stitching, soft-touch materials on the all-black dash, and a mix of piano black and faux-aluminium trim on the centre console help the model project a more premium air than its predecessor. In terms of equipment, the infotainment system has been updated to function with the new smartwatch app via Bluetooth. A Technopack will also be on offer, connecting to apps such as Gaana.com and BookMyShow, among others.

More power on tap

The party piece of the new XUV500 is under the bonnet. The previously offered 140hp, 2.2-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines will continue, as will the manual and automatic transmissions and 4x4 on the latter engine. However, the highlight here is the four-cylinder, turbo-diesel motor, which now makes 155hp and 360Nm of peak torque – up by 15hp and 30Nm, respectively, as compared to the outgoing model that had the engine in a 140hp/330Nm state of tune. This bump in power is thanks to the new sixth-gen ECU- and acceleration-controlled turbo. The ARAI-certified efficiency figure for the engine in the 155hp tune is 15.4kpl.

Five diesels and a petrol on offer
With five variants to choose from in terms of diesel power, even the base W5 gets kit like two airbags, ABS with EBD, power windows, remote tailgate opening, rear wash/wiper and defogger, follow-me-home headlamps and two airbags. The comparatively higher-spec W7 additionally gets cruise control, automatic climate control and steering-mounted audio controls with a smart key. The W9 trim adds 17-inch alloy wheels, a sunroof, a reversing camera and a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, while the W11 adds an eight-way power adjustable driver’s seat and leather trim on the inside. The top-spec W11 (O) trim is the only one to get AWD and 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels as options.

Mahindra will offer the refreshed XUV500 in only one petrol trim, which comes with a six-speed automatic transmission, 2WD and features on par with the W9 diesel trim.

Very competitive pricing
Surprisingly, prices of the facelift are lower than the pre-facelift model. The previous range began with the W4, which was priced at Rs 12.71 lakh, and was topped by the W10 AT AWD, which retailed at Rs 18.86 lakh. The current range begins at Rs 12.32 lakh with the W5 and goes up to the W11 (O) AT, which costs Rs 17.88 lakh. The price of the petrol G AT trim has also come down by about Rs 13,000 – to Rs 15.43 lakh.

This means that the new XUV500 undercuts its rather wide variety of rivals, which include the likes of the Hyundai Tucson (Rs 17.99-25.44 lakh), Jeep Compass (Rs 15.07-21.85 lakh) and even the Tata Hexa (Rs 12.49-18.06 lakh), by a significant margin.

(All prices ex-showroom, Mumbai)