Cars And Motorcycles

I must say that Indian car manufacturers have truly come of age. Gone are the days when we use to look at big car companies overseas for top class SUV’s. I am feeling proud to say that Mahindra, Tata and now Force has come up with some SUV’s in recently that are truly world class. I have recently tested Mahindra XUV500 and Force One and liked them both. They are a good competition for each other. Below is a small comparison between these two SUV’s.

Force One

Force One

To start with it’s important that we talk about its Engine first. It’s a 2.2 FMTECH CRDi, 4 Cylinder In-Line 16v DOHC, 2149 cc power plant which is produced by force under license from Daimler AG, Germany. Its excellent power to weight ration enables it to cruise effortlessly at a top speed of 160 kmph. This 2.2 FMTECH CRDi mill generates a peak power of 141 Ps @ 3800 RPM and a peak torque: 321Nm @ 1600-2400rpm. It comes with a 5 speed manual transmission that is smooth to operate. Its G32/5 Synchromesh Overdrive Gearbox uses an advanced Dual mass Fly Wheel (DMFW) technology for sporty drive and low vibrations.

Force One

Force One

The upholstery is top of the line with leather wrap steering wheel and Chrome Bezeled gear knob. Power steering is a delight and allows total control on the SUV at high speeds. It comes with a tilt and collapsible steering and has a turning radius of just 6 meters. Its multi information display allows you to know the distance travelled, average speed, trip wise fuel consumption, service over due warning, over speeding warning distance to empty etc.  Its ultrasonic rear parking assist system helps you to park the vehicle at any place with an ease and its three way adjustable driver seat with sliding reclining and height adjustment provide great support to you during long drives.

Force One

Force One

The best part is its huge boot that allows you to store decent amount of language even without folding the third row. If you fold its third row then it has the best in class storage space. Also it boost of huge leg room in second row though I found the third row a little cramped.  To make your drive more comfortable it comes with a double wishbone coil spring that improve both ride quality and comfort. You can control your audio system, cruise control and access Bluetooth from the steering wheel itself. It sports a JVC 2 Din Audio System with USB, AUX in port, Bluetooth connectivity etc.  Force One is available in four metallic and one solid white.

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XUV 500

XUV500

XUV 500 sports the same mHawk140, Direct injection diesel 5th generation Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) power plant propels the Scorpio. It’s a 2179cc mill that generates 140 bhps @ 3750rpm and a torque of 330 Nm@ 166-2800rpm. XUV 500 is a stunning looking SUV that can put some premium SUV to shame and is a global SUV in true sense. Its aggressive and masculine look can beat hell out of many premium SUVs. Apart from it, it’s loaded with features, style and comfort.

XUV 500

XUV 500

XUV 500

It has good legroom and 8 way adjustable seats that make the journey pleasant and comfortable. It comes with steering mounted controls and cool box, Electronic Stability Program, ABS, and Electronic Brake-Force Distribution system.  This vehicle is designed and developed entirely in-house by Mahindra, at the world class research and development facility, Mahindra Research Valley, Chennai. XUV500 is India’s first indigenously developed monocoque SUV where vehicle body and the platform are integrated into a single unit to allow it unparallel performance.

XUV 500

XUV 500

The Dual Mass flywheel (DMF) technology is used to cut down the engine noise, shuddering and roughness and the gears are smooth and easy to shift. Its off-road capabilities have been enhanced by distributing power between the front and rear wheels efficiently and XUV 500 transits effortlessly from 2WD to AWD mode without any driver intervention. It comes with 6-inch LCD touch screen infotainment system with DVD player, CD/MP3, FM, Bluesense technology, full iPod connectivity and 6 speakers which is a first in its class. Apart from this the steering wheel comes with Voice Commands, Cruise and Audio Controls and Smart Rain and Light sensors which activate the wipers and headlamps automatically whenever needed.

XUV 500

XUV 500

Apart of this there are features that you can never ever thought will be available in an Indian SUV so early. I can write about many such features here but to sum it up I must say that this SUV is a true stunner from the stable of Mahindra and all ready to give serious competition to its foreign competitors. It comes in seven attractive colors Pearly White, Volcano Black, Amazon Green, Moondust Silver, Tuscan Red, Opulent Purple and Dark Silver.

Verdict

XUV500 wins the battle but not without a fight as Force one is a decent package and has the price advantage on its side. The Mercedes engine is good and performs well. But yes looks wise Force One is dated and XUV wins hands down. Overall both are good SUVs but if I have to choose a winner then it’s going to be undoubtedly XUV 500

Technical Specifications, Photos and Details Curtsey Force One and Mahindra XUV500

Technical Specification XUV 500

Technical Specifications Force One