I plan to give unbiased opinion despite being a happy owner of Mahindra Xylo E8 with ABS . This is my first car and hadn’t driven a car before except for getting a license, so as a driver my review would be more of information rather than a comparison. As a passenger I have traveled extensively in an innova and would like to compare both.
As a driver
I learnt driving in my my new xylo(god saved the car).The steering was smooth and very sensitive and I had no problems with it as it was reliable and consistent and I had almost total control within two day. I didn’t feel like I was driving a big car. I found the gear shift to be hard and was straining my hands for the first few days but with time I became used to it and able to do it with lesser effort.
The DDAS was particularly of great help because I could know which gear I was in(Remember I was learning to drive). The ddas also showed the real time mileage which was around 9-10 .( which I hope to be correct)
The clutch had a bit longer ply which I plan to adjust in the first service. The break and accelerator were sensitive and responded instantaneously
All the knobs to adjust the seat height, inclination and controls to fold the rear seats lack refinement and were not smooth and easy
Xylo is full of well thought places to hold everything from magazines. Sunglasses, cups and it really adds to the comfort
The wiper is leaving some marks and looks very weak
The AC is very powerful and you feel the chill and need to switch of the Ac every now and then even when You keep it in low
The music system is pretty good but I would be happy with more sound quality. The music system is not DVD compatible which I think is big let down. But You have option for usb and sd card which is great
The reverse assist system is very useful and my friends wonder my skills at parking which I developed so quickly(I kept it a secret)
I think xylo has a very good pickup as I can keep up with almost any other vehicles on the road.
The trip meters, AC meters, Speed control warning, beep alerts for hand brake, door lock, seatbelts etc are also very useful. The DDAS displays warning if we move the car with hand brakes engaged
The view is very clear and I could see the rear mirror, side mirrors, there was no big blind spots
When I turn the car with steering rotated to the extreme left or right I hear a kreeeeeech sound from sides . The technical representative says it to be a normal thing but I wonder.(If you know please comment on it)
The seat is very comfortable, the lumbar support is helpful but not very significant
Iam happy with ride quality, I feel relaxed and there was always a sense of big space and never felt cramped. Although there are some compromises in the fit and finish there is no compromise when it comes to things which really matters.
AS A PASSENGER
To the passenger xylo offers great comfort . Useful snack trays, bottle holders, cup holders, mobile rechargers at both front and 2 nd row seats. Door lights, cabin lights, two AC vents for each row, arm rests, captains seats with lumbars support at 1st and 2nd rows and the flat bed option makes sure my family is pampered.
There is lot of criticism about the xylo’s shape and proportions, even I was not impressed when I first looked at the car, but there is a definite purpose for the shape and size of a xylo. If you want your third row to have enough leg room and head room to accommodate three 6 footers comfortably even in long drive and if you want theatre style seating where each row is in a progressively higher level than previous row and even the third row passengers don’t feel neglected then you cannot have a roof which is sleek, curvy and comes down in the rear .
To me the comfort of my family and friends is