Mahindra is working on yet another mid-life update for the XUV500 SUV. It is worth noting that the company has already brought a cosmetic and features update to the XUV a couple of years back, and this will thus be the second facelift for the first-generation model of the urban SUV. While the company hasn’t revealed any official details yet, the updated model has been spotted with minimal camouflage by a reader of the Team-BHP forum. Thus, we now know what all design changes have been made to the exteriors of the new Mahindra XUV500 2018 facelift.
According to the latest set of images, the new XUV500 2018 gets a significantly reworked front fascia, which includes a wide U-shaped grille with chrome accents, updated headlamps with the LED DRLs placed on the upper edge, and a new front bumper. In our opinion, this new front design sort of spoils the neat and aggressive looks of the XUV.
Meanwhile, the side profile is expected to remain largely unchanged. The only notable difference here would be a new set of alloy wheels. Interestingly, Mahindra designers have made some serious changes to the rear-end of the SUV as well. This includes a new tailgate that tapers off on the edges, large triangular-shaped taillights that replace the vertical units of the preceding model, and a tweaked rear bumper.
On the inside, the dashboard layout would largely remain unchanged. However, a few feature additions are expected to be made. These include an updated touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Mechanically, the new Mahindra XUV500 is expected to come with the same set of engines that are available with the current model. However, there are speculations about the possibility of a higher tuned version of the 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine to be offered on the top-end variants. This retuned engine develops 168 bhp and 350 Nm of torque. The SUV will continue to be available with both manual and automatic gearbox options.