Mahindra XUV 3XO CNG First Drive Review: ZNGAAT Power!

Is the new Mahindra XUV 3XO ZNG just another addition to the subcompact CNG SUV segment or does it do things differently? We got our hands on one to find out.

CNG today is the second most popular fuel in India after petrol, beating diesel. And for Mahindra, a brand that has built its legacy on diesel engines, CNG is the way to access more customers at an affordable price point. That's exactly why this 3XO CNG gets all the more important. And Mahindra is bringing the alternative fuel to its subcompact SUV with some zing. What is zing, you ask? It’s the Mahindra XUV 3XO with ZNG (read as Zing). Yes, you can read that again. Is the XUV 3XO just another addition to the segment or does it do things with some true zing? We got our hands on one to find out.

What Is ZNG?

Mahindra seems to love adding suffixes (read: Roxx, Lifestyler, OG) to its cars and the ZNG appears more of the same. The name draws inspiration from GenZ, as Mahindra says, its target buyer. The idea is to attract younger, zestier buyers towards the XUV 3XO, who want performance but also want lower running costs.

CNG Powertrain

Mahindra is bringing the factory fitted CNG to the XUV 3XO. You get twin cylinders under the body - 30 litres each, that promise a fuel efficiency of 24.7 km per kg. Lower emissions, lower running cost, but the same old XUV3XO.

But the big play is the powertrain. The 1.2 Litre mStallion turbo petrol engine is exactly the same unit that you see on the lower variants of the XUV 3XO. It produces 111 bhp and 200 Nm of peak torque, paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. That's exactly the same spec you get on the petrol version as you now do on the CNG. That’s the highest torque output in the segment for a CNG subcompact SUV.

Performance and CNG don’t exactly go hand-in-hand, and this is where Mahindra does things differently. This is not a de-tuned engine. There’s a 10 bar injection system that ensures higher combustion and efficiency, and the turbocharger has been optimised to work on petrol and CNG fuels. The engine’s internals have been revised to handle the additional stress and load coming from the drier fuel option.

CNG Performance

If you thought that CNGs are dull, boring, and definitely something you don't want to drive, I think the 3XO CNG will change your opinion about things. It's still low on traction at the lower end of the power band. You still struggle in single-digit speeds and you better stick to the first gear when you are crawling in bumper to bumper traffic. However, when you're on open roads and on the highways, I think the mid-range will surely impress you. That's where the big difference lies. It likes being revved. You can do higher speeds and you can sustain higher speeds very well. It is enjoyable that way. I never thought I'll say that about a CNG.

0-100 kmph comes up in a claimed 11.8 seconds, which makes the XUV 3XO CNG impressively quick. It can also switch from petrol to CNG and back on the fly, and the shift is seamless without any drop in performance. The engine runs noticeably smoother in the petrol mode, especially at crawling speeds, but mid-range performance is identical. Mahindra has done a good job in containing NVH levels, and nothing really translates to the cabin.

Ride Quality

The 3XO has always been a very comfortable car when it comes to ride quality, and I'm happy to report that it stays with the CNG as well. Weight has gone up by 100 kilos with the twin cylinder tanks at the back and yet the suspension has been retuned to ensure all of the components, all the reinforcements are factored in. The result is a sublime suspension. This goes flat out over everything.

Safety

The XUV 3XO CNG gets additional reinforcements around the cylinder for safety. It also gets CNG-specific safety measures including gas-leak detection. Other safety features include six airbags, Electronic Stability Control and ISOFIX anchor mounts as standard.

Styling & Cabin

There are no styling changes to the SUV, barring the ZNG badging. The LED DRLs, projector headlamps, and LED taillights are carried over. The 16-inch alloys also stay the same. The CNG nozzle stays hidden behind the fuel filler cap.

The CNG switch has been neatly integrated on the right side of the steering wheel. The instrument console shows real-time fuel consumption data for CNG, and the SUV automatically switches to petrol when CNG runs low. It all happens without any noticeable huff and puff sounds creeping into the cabin.

The cabin itself has been carried over from the petrol version. You can get either fabric or black leatherette upholstery, depending on the variant. The top-spec RevX A brings features such as a digital instrument console, a touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging, dual-zone climate control, and a panoramic sunroof. The 360-degree camera is relegated to the top petrol and diesel versions, while ventilated seats continue to be a miss. The boot capacity has been trimmed from 346 litres to 270 litres on the CNG, but it remains usable with the under-body CNG kit in place.  

Verdict

Mahindra has done a good job with the XUV 3XO CNG. The performance is right there, and it tells you something about the product. You don't have to compromise on performance or enjoyability which has been the 3XO's cornerstone with the CNG version. That stays very relevant and I'm very happy with what they are offering, especially at the price point. Prices start from ₹9.99 lakh, going up to ₹12.27 lakh (ex-showroom) across four variants. You still miss on a handful of features, which the Tata Nexon Turbo CNG does a better job at. Meanwhile, the Maruti Suzuki Brezza CNG is the more tried and tested option for buyers already. So, it’s not going to be an easy ask of Mahindra for customers to try out the XUV 3XO ZNG. But the first impressions certainly favour the 3XO, in keeping the powertrain intact. New segment benchmark? Perhaps a three-way battle is in order to find a new winner.