Mahindra’s chief design officer, Pratap Bose, has teased a new SUV on his social media handles, which is expected to break cover next year. Posting a picture of a SUV under the cover, Bose wrote “All is calm… See you next year!”
XUV500 to return next year?
While there are no details available as of now, the silhouette of the car was visible which has sparked the speculations of the XUV500’s return, which the company discontinued after the launch of its spiritual successor, the XUV 700.
As per reports, the company is expected to bring the ‘XUV500’ name back next year, slotting it in to fill the void in its XUV range. The teased car appears to be a mid-size SUV – something that Mahindra’s PV line-up is lacking currently.
The new XUV500 is expected to share XUV700’s W601 platform, though, it would be smaller in size as compared to the company’s flagship SUV. On the powertrain front, the upcoming mid-size SUV is expected to get the same 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel engines of the XUV300 but with increased power and torque.
In what comes as a surprise, Mahindra won’t be participating in the upcoming Auto Expo 2023 – the country’s largest auto show.
In 2022, SUVs have been a hot topic in India. The segment has witnessed a robust growth in the country as the paradigm is proactively shifting from hatchbacks to SUVs.
As per data sourced from Jato Dynamic India, SUVs are estimated to account for 42 percent of passenger vehicle sales at the end of CY2022 and the addition of XUV500 will further boost the numbers next year while also giving fierce competition to the likes of Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, and Maruti Suzuki’s Grand Vitara.
