Kenya is increasingly becoming a country of many firsts. For a while now, Kenya has played host to some high level summits where discussions of a global scale were held. Besides being a tourism hub in many sectors, many products and devices have been launched in Kenya for the first time either for the African or International market.
Yesterday, India’s leading SUV manufacturer-Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd-opened its regional office in Nairobi at a colourful event that saw Dr. Pawan Goenka, Executive Director, M&M Ltd visit Kenya for the first time. The office is the first one in East and Central Africa although the company has been in operation in Kenya since 2012.
Mahindra is a $16.9 billion multinational group that is known for taking the lead in manufacture of tractors, utility vehicles, IT, financial services and vacation ownership. However, yesterday the group was launching the Automatic variant of the New Age XUV500 in Kenya. Again, Kenya becomes the first country in Africa where this vehicle has been launched. The New Age XUV500 is an upgrade of the XUV500 first launched in 2011. Since then, a staggering 150,000 units of the cheetah-inspired SUV have already been sold.
Key features
- Fully Automatic Gearbox
- Optimized gear ratios (with 2 overdrive gears) with 6 speed automatic transmission for better fuel efficiency
- Automatic transmission with AWD
- Intelligent adaptation to terrains and altitudes
- Easy cruising in City – The automatic gearbox is capable of providing brisk acceleration and smooth delivery of torque across all 6 gears
- Minimum Service – In the XUV500 the Automatic Transmission Fluid is filled for life, ensuring service cost is kept to a minimum.
There will be two variants of the New Age XUV500-W8 FWD and W10 AWD.
This New Age XUV500 is the only in SUV in its class to offer a 2nd generation 6-speed automatic transmission with AWD as an option. It promises to completely enhance the driving experience making it easy to cruise city roads as well as other tough terrain. The following features make this sophisticated yet classy car stand out.
Style
XUV500 is Mahindra’s first in a series of next generation global SUVs. It has a cheetah-inspired design that gives it a sleek look. The New Age XUV500 has included new exteriors which is an upgrade from the former version. It has stylish fog lamps with chrome bezel and new illuminated scuff plates that make it stand out even in dimly lit environments. The new muscular bonnet portrays it as a strong car that is able to take on road challenges such as races. The icy blue mood lighting lounge theme lights up the car giving the driver and the passengers a truly warm feeling.
Technology
It’s no doubt that the company has invested heavily in the advanced technology of this new vehicle. It has a 6-speed automatic transmission. With 6 gears, the XUV500 has a higher number of gear ratios than a conventional 5 speed automatic which enables the driveline to deliver the best fuel efficiency. The gear ratios in the 6 speed transmission are optimized to ensure that the engine uses the minimum amount of fuel. 6-way power adjustable driver’s seat, an electric sunroof with anti-pinch, 7’’ touch screen infotainment system are some of the features that show the sophistication in the technology employed. On top of that, it is also installed with a tyre pressure monitoring system. The Mahindra blue sense technology enables you to play music or make calls from the comfort of your seat without really touching your phone.
Safety
The vehicle is installed with 6 airbags and has an electronic stability program with rolling over mitigation which reduces the chances of an accident as well as keeping you safe in case the accident actually happens.
Comfort and Convenience
The interiors are as mind blowing as the exteriors. The seven-seater vehicle has plush new beige leather seats that give it an elegant look. The reverse parking camera with dynamic assist makes it all easy even for the amateurish driver to park. It also has fully automatic temperature control so you will not whine about driving in the cold or other acute temperatures. The static bending projector headlamps will enhance your picnic experience. If you are all about racing, the car has a racing-inspired twin exhaust.
Considering all these features plus other technical nitty-gritty that I did not point out, this car is not that pricey. The Automatic starts at an attractive price of Ksh. 3.45 M for the W8FWD variant and Ksh. 3.8M if you want the W10 AWD.
