Mahindra XUV500 Petrol And Diesel-Auto AWD Variants Axed

• The base variant of the XUV500 is now pricier by Rs 8,000.
• The petrol variant was powered by a 2.2-litre four-cylinder engine.
• Diesel-automatic can now be had in front-wheel drive variants only.
• The next generation Mahindra XUV500 is expected to launch by mid-2020.

Mahindra has silently axed the petrol variant of the XUV500. Along with that, the carmaker has axed the W11 diesel-AT AWD variant and has increased the prices of the remaining variants. The XUV500 range now starts from Rs 12.31 lakh (ex-showroom). 

Have a look at the table below for the new prices of the XUV500. 

All prices ex-showroom Delhi.

The petrol variant of the XUV500 was powered by a 2.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit that could only be had with an automatic transmission. It dished out 140PS of power and 320Nm of torque, making the XUV500 one of the most powerful petrol-powered SUVs in its class. Here’s how the XUV500 petrol fared against its closest competitor, the MG Hector. 

On the other hand, the diesel variant of the XUV is powered by a 2.2-litre diesel engine that develops 155PS and 360Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual and automatic transmissions. It must be mentioned that the XUV500 was one of the few mid-size SUVs that came with a fully loaded top-spec variant with both an automatic transmission and an all-wheel drive system. The discontinuation of the AWD AT variant means that you can only have the 6-speed automatic in two-wheel drive variants from now on. 

Apart from that, Mahindra has started testing the next-gen XUV500, which is expected to come with revamped looks inside-out. The manufacturer could pack in features like dual-zone climate control, a powered tailgate, a panoramic sunroof and ventilated seats to make it a more attractive package. Expected powertrain options for the 2020 XUV500 to include BS6-compliant 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engines. The next-gen XUV500 could hit our roads by mid 2020.