After months of research and deliberation and several test drives later , our Xylo has finally come home! One of the main reasons for the delay was that my sons, both in their early twenties, thought that the Xylo looks were rather uncool and were dead against the purchase. We finally got them to take a test drive and that changed their minds. When our Xylo, a fiery black and mist silver E6, came home , their reaction was "Its a killer!" and now they are clamouring to drive it !
I am a homemaker and I don’t drive.So, this review will be more from a passenger’s perspective. We have driven about 1000 KM and I can give my husband’s feedback on the drivability. It is very positive. He says that the gears were initially hard (normal for a diesel car) but now they have become smoother except for the 3rd gear. The steering is very smooth. According to him it is as easy to drive as an Alto.( Mr.VijayGop , you were right ! ) Given the great fuel efficiency of Xylo, the cost of driving it is roughly the same as Alto too, if you consider the difference in the price of petrol and diesel. The power and pickup is also very good. The Xylo just zooms ahead in the traffic.
The brakes are ok. What has really made him happy is the fact that because of its good suspension and high ground clearance, speed breakers and bad roads are not an issue for Xylo at all. It handles them with consummate ease. Because of the reverse sensors, parking is easy. The comparatively small turning radius makes it easy to take U turns even in narrow roads. In this respect, it scores over the Innova. The limited info DDAS gives warning for seat belt, hand brake, which is useful.
Now comes my feedback.. One of the major reasons why I like the Xylo is that because of its large dimensions and height, it makes me feel that my family is safe in it. The other drivers on the road treat it with due respect .The ride quality is excellent.The space inside is more than adequate. As the E6 is a seven seater, I feel there might be a space constraint for carrying luggage, if more than four people are traveling, as there is not much space at the back. The ski rack cannot be used for carrying heavy objects as the roof might cave in under the weight. The dealer said we could buy a metal grid (costs about Rs 5000) as an accessory, which we can use with the ski rack.
The theatre style seating is very comfortable with lots of legroom and good lumbar support. I have arthritis of the knees and for me the seats of Xylo are ideal. Because of the height ot the seats and the legroom, I can sit for hours and feel no discomfort.. Initially I had some problem getting in and out because of the height but now I am used to it and it is not an issue. In fact , the extra legroom makes it easy to move in and out without straining my knees.The puddle lamps are useful in the dark.The back row is also spacious, not cramped like the Innova. One advantage of the seven seater is that the back row passengers don’t get cut out of the conversation. The air conditioning is very powerful. We keep it at minimum and it is enough. The music system is ok, could be better. I find the interiors of our Xylo good looking and not cheap or tacky, as claimed by some reviewers.
Because of the anniversary celebrations, we got a discount of about Rs sixty thousand for our E6 model. In Bangalore, the price has come upto Rs eight lakhs 53 thousand. If we compare this car with the sedans available at this price, there is no doubt at all about which is a better buy. I can travel with my entire family of five plus two friends in total comfort. The Xylo beats them all in value for money !
Our experience with the Mahindra dealer - Shirish Auto has been good so far. They are knowledgeable about the vehicle and helpful. They were very proactive about arranging for test drives. Our experience with Chevrolet (GM) was bad in this regard. We recieved floor mats and sunfilm as free accessories.The cost for the first paid servicing will be Rs 2000.
I wish to thank all the members of the MouthShut community who helped us to take this informed decision. Your reviews were so detailed and informative ! I specially wish to thank Mazhar.ynt and VijayGop. You were amazingly proactive and cleared my doubts quickly and so well. Also hats off to Mahindra for providing us with this MUV at such a good price!