Compact MPV has been the go-to cars for Indian middle-class for some time now, however, Mahindra hasn't seen much success in the market. The two sections of the market are dominated by Toyota's Innova, for the relatively upper-middle-class, and the other by Maruti's Ertiga. Mahindra with their Xylo couldn't find much success. So on September 3rd 2018, they tried to re-enter the bazaar with their car The Marazzo. A joint venture of Mahindra group and Italian car-design firm Pininfarina, Marazzo per Anand Mahindra was a "defining moment" for the company. Let's take a close look at the car and what it has to offer.
EXTERIOR
Mahindra with this car decided to move away from its regular bulky models. Marazzo, unlike most Mahindra cars, doesn't generate an overwhelming emotion at the first site. It is a simple car. At a length of 4585 mm and width of 1866 mm, Marzzo looks like friendly mini-MPV, not too large but comfortable for 7 people. Despite introducing simplicity, the Mahindra vehicle doesn't leave style out of the talk. With C-shaped character lines on doors, the signature toothy grills of the company, the 17-inch wheels and carefully placed chrome light make the car almost look like a metropolitan ride. However, the upward sloping window line and huge tail-lamps make the car look unnecessarily heavy, something that acts as a negative in compact-MPVs. Also in terms of weight, the car is heavy. With 52% of its body being made of steel and the front suspension being aluminium-intensive the car commands an enormous weight. Despite the design not being that grand, the vehicle commands a gravity of 1650 Kgs, 400kgs more than its principal competitor Maruti Ertiga.
Interior
The interior possess a sense of understanding as to what kind of audience it is being catered to. The dashboard is simple and clutter free. The texture of plastic, it's fitting and finish is very well done in some areas. The gloss black fascia finish simply adds to the natural beauty. However, on sunny days this might lead to the car heating up. The wide front windscreen provides a panoramic view which makes it easier for the driver to command the vehicle. The rear windscreen with its width makes it easy for a driver to reverse the MPV. The wing mirrors are placed to provide a clear view back. It is the rear view mirror which could have been placed in a better manner. The mirror is so low that at times it blocks the view. The seating arrangement is fairly good. The seats are comfortable. The front seat with lumbar support adjustment and individual armrests provide great comfort. In the seven seating arrangement, the middle row gets captain seats, while the eight-seater gets a bench that slides and reclines in a 40:60 split. Marazzo also has a unique feature in which they provide blower unit running across the length. Units are spread across the front, center and back with the function of diffuse mode which makes gentle blow of air. The rear door is pretty huge as the c-pillar is pushed far back. This results in making ingress and egress easy. Plus the wide space allows easy passage to the third row. The single seat of the second row folds and allows entry to the backseats. Most MPV have had trouble designing the last seats. This one joins the club. The seats are too low so one at points sits with knees high above, the leg space isn't that much and for a long journey sitting back there can be very difficult. The seat also isn't wide enough to accommodate more than 2 people and unlike Innova doesn't provide the backseat recline facility. However, compared to some of its other competition it does a better job. Cabin ergonomics is something the company should have invested more on. Though not really something people focus a lot on in cases of close competition, it can become deciding factor. Also, if a system isn't efficient it creates irritation. To begin with, the dead pedal is far too left. Once when one starts scrutinizing you can notice that the front USB slots are placed way too low and the bottle holders can't be accessed without opening the door. The wheel rim also feels too thin mixed with the new hand brake, said to have been inspired by aircraft, driving can become a bit stressful. Storage is fair. There is a large open cavity on top of the dashboard, the large door bins can easily hold 1.0-litre bottles and there are cupholders in every row. The front and middle row also get USB charging. With all of this space allotted for comfort, the boot becomes tiny with a storage capacity of roughly around 2 soft bags. If more space is required one needs to fold down the third row.
Driving
The car is led by the refined, 1497cc, four-cylinder diesel engine which belongs to the mFalcon engine family. The start-up is pretty smooth. No shaking and vibrations, unlike many fellow MPVs. The engine uses a plastic cam cover, aluminum oil sump, low-friction pistons and an offset crankshaft, to make sure the weight and vibrations are under check and one most compliment that it is something it manages to. It is only above 3500rpm that the motor gets vocal. At city speed to the vehicle does perform. The short gearing helps in response time and the Marzzo manages to even pull at as low as 1000rpm. The car even produces a great torque when the machine speeds up to 1500rpm, it lasts up to 2000 rpm. The vehicle fairs good in traffic and can also perform quick overtaking actions. It is at 3500 rpm where the performance begins to deter. The vehicle starts making noise, it even starts vibrating. At 4400rpm the vehicle touches red line. The car offers an Eco mode. The basic function of this mode is to maximize efficiency. In this mode power is restricted 100hp and has two preset engine maps –one for partial engine load, which would typically be while cruising or in city driving conditions, and the other for full engine load, which provides the desired performance, useful in scenarios like overtaking. The pick-up isn't affected much, 0 to 100kph is around a second slower in Eco mode, and 20-80kph in third gear is 1.4sec slower; and 40-100kph in fourth is almost identical between the two modes. However, everything is not good news. The 1.5-litre torque engine makes it suffocating to halt the vehicle, even more, when you have 7 passengers in it. A larger torquier engine would have produced better results. Also when there are many passengers the car struggles with an incline. Which too would have been solved had there been a bigger engine. That being said driving the car is a light business. Starting from steering wheel to gear lever, nothing feels very heavy.
Should I buy One
Mahindra has produced something way beyond expectations with Marazzo in terms of design and quality. The car as a people mover is spacious, well equipped and comfortable. The engine for a city ride is perfect. It makes the car feel lighter and picking it up at low rpm makes it easier to drive. The car has also been designed in simple style. While not very loud in terms of craft, the car looks good. It looks both tough and mature at the same time, which does add some bonus points. Its ride in its segment should be the most comfortable one. The car could have been better had it focused on a better engine. The 1.5 litres engine is a bit small, especially if you plan on having 7 people for a long journey. Also, the interiors could have been better with some keen but simple tweaks. The starting price of the car, for what it offers, is way too attractive. Overall, if you're looking for an easy-to-drive, plush and spacious seven-seater family car, this MPV is certainly one you can go with.