Mahindra KUV100 1.2 K6+ #DARE Test Review

The KUV100 is the baby of the local Mahindra range and comes in among A segment cars yet still showing a bit of Crossover/SUV styling. It is very much a tall and narrow stance and the ideal size for a small city car.

The typical toughness of Mahindra products is well known and this little baby shows the same traits as it's bigger brothers.

There are only 2 engine options in the range, 1.2l 3 cylinder petrol or diesel, all with 5 speed manual gearboxes driving the front wheels. Talking of the gearbox, the placing of the gear lever high up on the fascia places it very conveniently to hand and also frees up some extra space at the bottom between the seats. As expected, shifts are light and easy as are all the controls on the car.

The range is differentiated only by specification levels and its good to see that all models have 2 airbags as standard. Recently, the #DARE models were added to the range to provide a bit of extra appeal to younger buyers.

The test car was in middle level K6+ spec plus #Dare. This adds items like 14" alloy wheels, Graphics and an infotainment touchscreen system that folds out from the system when the transmission is turned on. A strange feature of the test car was that when reverse gear was engaged, the screen went blank with the word camera at the top but no rearward picture was apparent.

Mahindra have also added a stop/start function on this model which I couldn't disable quickly enough. Besides the fact that I generally dislike stop/start with a manual gearbox, this system constantly stalled the engine. Worse was the fact that while I always applaud manufacturers for fitting auto-lock on pull-off, when the car stalled it immediately unlocked all the doors and then relocked when you pulled away. Those few moments of being unlocked could be disastrous.

The little engine provides 61kW and 115Nm and this is where I feel that the KUV is best suited to urban driving. The very low torque makes highway cruising an exercise that requires constant use of the gearbox. Inclines or overtaking require planning and lots of downshifting.

Overall, the KUV100 is an example where I would actually choose the most basic model without extras and know that I'm getting a tough and reliable vehicle at a very affordable price in the market segment.

The KUV100 is priced from R158 999 with the test car at R207 999. K6+ models and upwards include a 3 year/50 000km service plan

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