Mahindra NuvoSport review, road test

Read the Mahindra NuvoSport review, road test from Autocar India; Less than a year after the launch of its TUV300, Mahindra has launched another sub-four-metre SUV. We find out what's different.

Published on May 10, 2016 12:15:00 PM

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Rear looks identical to Quanto, but black cladding and accents give it some much-needed relief.

Heavy dose of black cladding helps disguise the slab-sided profile.

The new chassis has helped dynamics a little bit, but you can’t cheat physics – this is still a tall, heavy, boxy, ladder-frame SUV, and it comes with the associated shortcomings. There is, as you’d expect, a lot of body roll and the steering feels rubbery and inconsistent. It turns in quite sharply, but it’s just not an enjoyable experience moving all that mass around. Of course, this isn’t a hot hatchback, but the simple fact is, monocoque SUV rivals just require less effort to drive and are sharper handlers too.

Ride quality is much better than the Quanto thanks to the new chassis, but the setup is still tuned on the soft side. So, while it can iron out smaller bumps and potholes really well, larger bumps create a bigger upset. The major issue is, as you pick up the pace, you’ll feel a lot of movement inside the cabin; in fact, hit a rough patch at highway speeds and your passengers will be tossed around quite a lot. The advantage is, it can tackle rough roads effortlessly.