Mahindra KUV100 to have 3+3 seating

Indian SUV major, Mahindra unveiled their Kool Utility Vehicle – the KUV100 in Mumbai some days ago. The compact-SUV-crossover is targeted at first time buyers who are looking at an urban crossover with the trademark Mahindra styling. But the revolutionary feature about the KUV100 is likely to be its seating. It is learned that passengers in the KUV100 will be seated three abreast in the first and the second row. Now that should surely throw the competition in a tizzy. This also indicates that the KUV100 is wide enough to accommodate three people even in the front row. What’s more, by virtue of being able to seat six passengers, the KUV100 would indeed go one-up against the rest of the competitor offerings in its class. No other car in the segment offers this six-person seating option.

Mahindra also unveiled the new, mFalcon family of engines along with the KUV100. Comprising of a diesel engine along with an all-new petrol motor, the latter being the first time, Mahindra has built one; the mFalcon engine family will eventually include four other engines, taking the tally to six in total. The 1.2 litre petrol engine makes about 82 bhp of power and called the mFalcon G80. The diesel too is 1.2 litres in displacement but develops 77 bhp and is called as the mFalcon D75. The company has already started accepting bookings on the KUV100 and buyers shall be able to choose between seven colour options in total.

Mahindra is  focusing big on the safety kit of the KUV100. The manufacturer will be offering Anti-lock Brakes (ABS) as standard across the entire model range. Air-bags will be offered as standard on the higher variants, while being optional on the lower-spec ones. The unique, three + three seating configuration together with key safety features as standard in a stylish, sub-four metre package is expected to be a hit amongst buyers when the car is launched on 15^th January next year.

Meanwhile, the company is also working on another follow-up to the compact-SUV segment. The upcoming compact-SUV is internally named as the S105 and indicates that it will be pegged below the KUV100 (internally known as the S101). It is expected that Mahindra shall be upping their exports and expanding their product portfolio in key markets like Australia in the coming year.