Mahindra & Mahindra, the utility vehicle maker in India, is planning to launch new variants of the XUV500 and KUV100 SUVs. The competition in the segment is set to intensify in the SUV segment, with Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors planning to launch new models too.
Also read: Mahindra is working on a flagship SUV based on SsangYong LIV-2 concept
The Mumbai-based automaker has been struggling with dwindling sales for the past couple of months. The arrival of Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza and its impressive performance became a serious threat to Mahindra last year.
Maruti Suzuki is also gearing up for the launch of the Ignis, which will be the direct rival of the KUV100, and Tata Motors will launch the Hexa soon as a rival to XUV500. To hold on to its share in the fast-growing segment, Mahindra will bring the new iterations of its popular SUVs, according to ET Auto.
Changes in the new variants will be restricted to features, and no major price increase is expected to be brought about. The XUV500 is expected to get the EcoSense telematics feature that will allow real-time tracking of the vehicle, including fuel economy, and wear and tear of parts. The interiors of the vehicle will get a premium touch with the addition of mood lighting. Safety in the new variant of XUV500 will be bolstered with a safety button, which will be triggered in the event of an accident to place a call to the stored emergency contact number. Existing XUV500 users can also add this feature with a software update.
The new KUV100 variant is expected to get dual colours in line with the recently-launched TUV300 duel colour version. This will also keep it competitive against Maruti Ignis that offers many customization options. The new KUV100 variant is also expected to give the option of bigger alloy wheels and an array of accessories.
The new variants are expected to boost the sales of the company. Mahindra's market share dropped to 29 percent in the April-December period from 36 percent in the same period last fiscal year.
