Johannesburg – I’ve been intrigued by the Mahindra KUV100 ever since it was announced earlier this year. Why? Because it adopted somewhat of a unique concept by positioning itself as an affordable and quirky little crossover. It was originally aimed at the Indian market, but Mahindra thought that bringing it to South Africa would be worth a shot. And that meant I was able to give it a whirl.
What is it?
The KUV100 is an Indian subcompact crossover available in both three-cylinder petrol and turbodiesel variants, facing up against the likes of the Toyota Etios Cross. What makes it different to this sort of model, however, is the fact that it is available with a turbodiesel engine. The KUV100 sports a unique interior and exterior design, crossover-like interior space and an admirable implementation of standard features.
The exterior
The styling of this compact crossover is questionable, as it adopts some strange proportions – including those tiny 14-inch wheels. The design is quite functional, however, as it’s equipped with anti-scuff padding along the sideskirts, bumpers and wheel arches, and makes use of a generous approach and departure angle thanks to the short overhangs and 170 mm ground clearance. Roof racks are also installed as standard, in case you have any desires to go out into the wild.
Head- and taillamps, meanwhile, are large and imposing. And if you wish to render your KUV100 even more rugged-looking, you have the option of fitting it with a set of bull-bars, side-steps, bicycle racks and durable floormats.
The interior
The KUV100’s cabin is peculiar, especially for the driver. There’s no centre console and the gear-shifter is positioned next to the steering wheel, lending it the feeling of a commercial vehicle. The trim, though, is quite appealing thanks to the piano black inserts against the grey upholstery and the chunky buttons used for the audio and climate controls.
At first glance, the interior packaging looks good, especially regarding headroom. But rear legroom and boot space is surprisingly minimal. The fact that the seats are positioned rather high doesn’t work in its favour either, but most occupants will nevertheless not feel claustrophobic in this cabin. This is largely due to the fact that there is no driveline or transmission tunnel taking up interior space which, for a car with this short of a wheelbase, makes a notable difference.
Due to South African safety regulations, we were sadly unable to get the front bench seat, which I felt would have benefited its sale tactics by advertising it as a six-seater. Fortunately, though, this space is replaced with an assortment of storage compartments, although none have lids or covers (meaning all of your possessions will be visible).
The equipment
The K6+ trim is the mid-level option and considering that, it is quite generous. It has an effective six-speaker sound system with Bluetooth functionality through the Mahindra Blue Sense app, multi-function steering wheel and a cooled glove compartment. The KUV100 is also filled with safety features such as ABD, EBD, CBC (corner braking control) and a digital immobiliser.
The powertrain
Driving the 1 155 kg KUV100 is a 1,2-litre three-cylinder turbodiesel engine by mFalcon delivering 57 kW and 190 N.m of torque to the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission. Mahindra claims the little crossover will achieve an average fuel consumption of 4,4 L/100 km, which might be hard to measure when you consider that there is no average fuel consumption reading in the dash.
The drive
The first thing you notice about the KUV100’s driving experience is the positioning of the gear shifter and how much of a difference this makes to the drive. Although it looks fairly rough, the shifting process is smooth and efficient. The travel time your hand endures from the steering wheel to the shifter is drastically reduced and this makes for an interactive and pleasurable experience, working well alongside the punchy turbodiesel engine.
The mFalcon D75 isn’t the most modern example of a turbodiesel engine, but it works well in this example. The torque delivery is satisfying and works with the short wheelbase to provide a lively and dynamic feeling in specific areas. This is let down, however, by the tall body, which makes it unstable at high speeds and offers constant wind noise. Whistling noises also creep through the doors, which points to concerns regarding the build quality.
The NVH is slightly muddled because, although the wind noise is apparent, the road- and engine-noise is comparatively minimal. Additionally, the comfort levels are high thanks to the generous suspension travel provided by the front McPherson struts and rear twist beam axle. The KUV100 also holds up on rough gravel surfaces (although not as well as a true compact crossover like the Renault Duster) but when it comes to sharp cornering on both grippy and loose surfaces, you need to muster a bit more confidence than what you would in its competitors.
Summary
I think the KUV100 should be a serious contender in the South African market. Whether it will outsell models such as the Etios Cross, though, is another question altogether. But this compact crossover might have a little more to offer for less. It’s easy to drive, conveniently packaged and generously specced, which are three key aspects that consumers in this market are looking for.
Having driven the petrol as well, I’d say that the diesel is the one to have in K6+ trim. The K8 trim is filled with gimmicky features for this segment, such as puddle-spotting door lights, LED daytime runnings lights, and stop-start technology. And will cost you R10 000 more.
