Why the KUV100 Is a Crucial Product for Mahindra and Mahindra
The Mahindra TUV300 arrived last year, and now it is the S101 - christened KUV100. Mahindra has been very smart about the positioning of the KUV100. The car is in fact just that - a car - in the guise of a subcompact SUV.
Flashback to the 2012 Delhi Auto Expo, when Ford took the covers off its EcoSport subcompact SUV. The car was so well received; I even deemed it my best of show that year! The king of the SUV hill, Mahindra and Mahindra was rattled, and had to double back and offer its own subcompact. This was achieved by chopping the rear off the Xylo and rushing the Quanto to market. The car did reasonably well, but once the EcoSport came to market in 2013, it was all over for Mahindra. The Renault Duster that had arrived a year earlier had already eroded Mahindra's market share, and post 2013, the company has struggled as rivals launched one compact SUV after another.
Mahindra accelerated its development of new platform vehicles, and we are now starting to see the fruit of that labour. The TUV300 arrived last year, and now it is the S101 - christened KUV100. Now I must clarify that Mahindra has been very smart about the positioning of the KUV100. The car is in fact just that - a car - in the guise of a subcompact SUV. And that is the smart part. The reason SUVs, and compacts in particular have done so well is because they are immensely aspirational. This holds true for every class of car buyer. The 'cross' models of cars like the Etios Liva and i20 have proved this amply. And so the KUV100 has great appeal for buyers desperate to step into the SUV realm.
There is also an inherent love and loyalty for the Mahindra brand in India. A number of buyers are always happy when Mahindra offers an option at a certain price point or segment - and immediately gravitate towards it - in spite of what critics say (XUV, TUV, new Scorpio, Xylo... the list is endless!). The KUV100 has more to prove, as it represents the modern Mahindra. It also comes with the company's first indigenously built petrol engine (1.2 litre, 82 bhp mFalcon G80). There is also a greater expectation now of better quality materials and fit/finish from Mahindra, as we have seen incremental improvements with each of the past few products - Scorpio, XUV500 facelift, TUV300.
So as we await the launch of the KUV100, here is what I think will stand out and work for Mahindra: Lots of variants - each with at least optional if not standard safety features like dual airbags and ABS. Engines that promise power and efficiency, along with many creature comforts and gadgets at the top end. And of course the trump card Mahindra also saves up for any launch - killer pricing that will undercut not just the 'cross' brigade, but many hatchbacks too. Let us see if I am correct - 24 hours from now.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
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