Mahindra to take on Toyota Fortuner with rebadged new-gen SsangYong Rexton SUV

Mahindra has already showcased the rebadged SsangYong Rexton at the Auto Expo 2018 and it features slightly different detailing.

Mahindra SUV — Anand Mahindra, Chairman of Mahindra Group, walks towards the Ssangyong Motor's G4 Rexton displayed with Mahindra badging at the Auto Show 2018.REUTERS/Saumya Khandelwal

Mahindra & Mahindra is an ace player when it comes to Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) in India. Having said that, the SUV specialist has never forayed into the premium utility vehicle category -- above Rs 30 lakh. It is currently dominated by Toyota Fortuner and Ford Endeavour in India. But Mahindra is planning to give a stiff competition to them soon.

The Mumbai-based auto company led by Anand Mahindra will soon bring a flagship seven-seat SUV. Mahindra had showcased the upcoming SUV -- without a name -- at the Auto Expo 2018. The model in question is a rebadged new generation SsangYong Rexton and India launch is expected during the upcoming festive season. For the uninitiated, SsangYong is a South Korean car company owned by Mahindra.

Mahindra 7-seat SUV's launch is expected during the festive season.IBT Media/ Ken Sunny

Soon after the unveiling at the Auto Expo, the SUV was spotted on public roads, indicating that testing was in full swing. Multiple reports had previously claimed the SUV would be called either XUV700 or simply Mahindra Rexton. However, International Business Times, India learns that Mahindra will be using a new alphanumeric name for the new SUV.

New Mahindra SUV- a closer look

Mahindra has tweaked some of the details of the SsangYong Rexton to make it in line with the design language of the former. These include toothy-grille upfront with a chrome finish and obviously, Mahindra logo right at the center. In addition, Mahindra has worked on the suspension, ride height and handling package of the new SUV to make it better suited for Indian road conditions.

Mahindra SUV comes with typical boxy silhouette with a modern take. The angular bumpers and the newly designed wrap-around headlamps look modern while the black body claddings accentuate the off-road stance. The prominent character lines on the side and the thick C-pillars cannot go unnoticed.

The Mahindra SUV will feature premium dual-tone dashboard with black and brown finish inside the cabin. Premium features like 9.2-inch HD touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a 7.0-inch LCD instrument cluster, cooled seats, Nappa leather upholstery, a smart tailgate, and others are also expected.

It is likely to draw power from a 2.2-litre diesel engine that develops 187hp of power and 420Nm of torque mated to a seven-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox. Mahindra is expected to price the new SUV in the range of Rs 28 to Rs 35 lakh.