Mahindra & Mahindra will launch its new compact sport utility vehicle christened the TUV 300 on September 10, the SUV maker said in a release today.
The TUV 300 is M&M’s latest attempt at cashing in on the compact SUV gold rush in the Indian passenger vehicle market. The SUV is likely to be powered by a new mHawk80 engine, which is expected to be an updated version of the Quanto's 1.5-litre, three-cylinder diesel motor. This qualifies the TUV300 as a small car, and warrants a lower rate of excise duty, which could help M&M price it competitively.
The TUV 300 is the company's first ground-up attempt at the sub-four-metre SUV segment, after the Quanto failed to get any major traction in terms of sales. However, the company has clarified that the TUV 300 will not replace the Quanto.
The TUV 300 will go head on with the sub-four-metre market leader Ford EcoSport, which is priced from Rs 716,000 (ex-showroom Mumbai).