Indian carmaker Mahinda has confirmed its plans to introduce its XUV300 compact crossover to the European market next year. The car is mainly going to have to compete against the SsangYong Tivoli, which it is actually based upon.
The front end of the XUV300 shares the design of its senior sibling, the Mahindra XUV500, with similarities extending as far as the radiator grille and the L-shaped DRLs. The rear end is original, but the doors are typical Tivoli.
The cabin content looks identical to that of the pre-facelift Tivoli, with the steering wheel, the instrument panel and the center console constituting the only exceptions. But while the SsangYong Tivoli offers 423 liters (~15 cubic feet) of trunk space, its Indian successor only has 265 liters (~9.4 cu. ft.).
On its domestic market of India, the Mahindra XUV300 offers a choice between an in-house designed turbo diesel engine rated at 117 hp (87 kW) and a turbo gas engine with 110 hp (82 kW). Both come linked to the same six-speed manual gearbox by default, but you may opt for a DCT if you choose the diesel. The front-wheel drive is the same for all versions.
Customers in Europe will not be getting the diesel-powered CUV, though, since it does not comply with the latest emission standards. Instead, the company plans to launch an all-electric version with 300 kilometers (185 miles) of range in 2021.