Mahindra salvo: Xylo MPV first drive

Mahindra Xylo MPV is not very pretty, but tough, durable, spacious and fuel-frugal.

A SURVEY of the best-selling models in the first semester of 2015 indicates that Asian utility vehicles (AUVs) like the Toyota Innova and Isuzu Crosswind have retained their marketability over the years.

Diesel-fed and with seven seats, AUVs are ideal for small businesses and for use as mega-taxicabs as well as family carriers. Since diesel fuel costs at least P5 less per liter than gasoline, and an AUV is more reliable when driving through a flash flood than a passenger sedan while costing less than a sport utility vehicle (SUV), the AUV—now reclassified as a multipurpose vehicle (MPV)—is here to stay.
Small wonder that Mahindra, a $16.9 billion multinational group doing business in over 100 countries and the leading utility vehicle manufacturer in India, recently entered the MPV segment with the Xylo.
Asianbrands Motors Corp., the local importer and distributor of Mahinda vehicles, got a lot of media exposure last month when it bagged the contract to provide 1,470 Mahindra Enforcer Patrol Jeeps to the Philippine National Police’s official fleet of vehicles.

When a losing bidder for the contract complained through the news media, Asianbrands Motors president Felix Mabilog Jr. proved that the Mahindra jeep complied with all the stringent specifications and hurdled all the validation tests.

Biggest lure

Chrome trim and a chrome insignia make the Mahindra Xylo tailgate look more upscale.

Aside from that, Mahindra quoted the lowest price per unit.  A low price point—only P850,000—compared to other MPVs is also the Xylo’s biggest lure. For that price, you get a tough, spacious and fuel-efficient (13 kilometers per liter), diesel-fed seven-seater MPV whose durability and resilience have been tried and tested over the years in India, where monsoon rains create floods more monstrous than our country’s.
Moreover, the Xylo provides an unexpected degree of riding comfort on the road that Mahindra engineers further improved in the 2015 model, which is now being sold here by Asianbrands Motors. Mahindra drew from its expertise in producing tractors, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles, industrial equipment, information technology and steel to offer to emerging markets a reliable MPV that can tackle their challenging road, terrain and weather conditions.
Sure, the Xylo won’t win any awards for aesthetic design and refined style, but those things don’t really matter in a workhorse that can or will be driven daily, fair or foul weather, fully loaded with passengers or cargo on short or long trips on rough secondary roads as well as smoothly paved ones.

Robust

Mahindra Xylo packs a 2.2 liter CRDi Variable Geometry Turbo diesel engine.

The Xylo, a 4×2 vehicle, is powered by a robust 2.2-liter, four-stroke, four-cylinder common rail direct injection (CRDI) intercooler diesel mHawk engine with variable geometry turbo (VGT) delivering 120 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 280 Newton-meters max torque between 1800-2800 rpm. The gearbox is a rather notchy five-speed manual transmission with rack and pinion power-assisted steering and a 5.4-meter turning radius.

The Xylo was first launched in 2009 to compete with the Toyota Innova and underwent a facelift in 2012 aside from getting a new engine, the 2.2-liter mHawk powerplant from the Scorpio. Since the Xylo is tall and heavy, it has a high center of gravity and thus tends to wallow during quick direction changes and sideway movements. Mahindra revised the mechanical components and altered the front anti-roll bar and dampers to improve body control and stability in 2012.

Updated
For 2015, the Xylo was updated again with the suspension heavily reworked up front and dampers recalibrated, new, more pliant shock absorbers and larger chassis bump stops to minimize pitching and body roll.  As a result, the 2015 Xylo is more stable and more composed on the road.

Adequate stopping power is provided by ventilated discs in front and drum brakes at the rear, hydraulic type with vacuum-assisted servo while the 15-inch alloy wheels are shod with 215/75R15 tubeless tires.

The suspension system is made up of independent coil springs with a beefier antiroll bar in front  and multilink coil springs at the rear.  The suspension is tuned for a better, more comfy ride, especially at the rear.  In fact, the Xylo is known in India for its mellow ride despite some handling problems when caroming through corners because of its high center of gravity.

Airbags and antilock braking system are standard safety features.

Fog lamps, mud flaps, side step board and roof rails are standard, ditto power windows, air-conditioner with rear air vents, rear wiper and washer and central locking doors with alarm and keyless entry.

Leather seats

Inside the Mahindra Xylo: beige leather, a plain dashboard, 5-speed manual gearshift.

Meanwhile, chrome trim on the hood and tailgate plus beige leather seats give the Xylo a more premium look.  The 2Din audio system has CD, MP3, SD card and USB ready with six speakers.

The driver’s seat is height adjustable with lumbar support and together with the front seat, fully reclines flatbed-style.  The front and second row seats have foldable armrests while table tops that fold at the back of the front seats offer laptop space.

The third row 60:40 split seat is flexible and can be positioned facing front or side facing.  It can also be stowed to increase luggage space.

The Mahindra Xylo’s roomy 3rd row seat can split-fold 60/40.

I sat in the second row seat for a while and found that since it is higher than the front seats, theater-style, you get a panoramic view of the road and surroundings.  Riding comfort is top quality in all the seats.

Summing up, the 2015 Mahindra Xylo at P850,000 is a steal if you are looking for a sturdy, reliable, spacious and comfortable diesel MPV that can be driven hard every day for business purposes or as a family carrier.

Mahindra Xylo’s back seat occupants get armrests and fold-away table tops.