The Mahindra Marazzo is big and spacious with a pleasing design that gives it a good road presence. It also debuts Mahindra's brand new modular ladder-frame chassis and a BSVI-compliant diesel engine.
While Mahindra has tried to put its best foot forward with the Marazzo, there are still a few things that it could have done to make the Marazzo more appealing.
1) Underequipped lower variants; expensive to upgrade
The Marazzo’s base-spec M2 variant, which costs around Rs 10 lakh (ex-showroom), misses out on features like height-adjustable driver's seat, electrically adjustable ORVMs, rear parking sensors and rear defogger. We consider these features basic at this price point.
Also, at a time when we at least expect the one above the base-spec variant to be loaded with all the features on our basic list, the Marazzo’s M4 variant misses out on features like remote keyless entry option and body-coloured door handles. Seriously Mahindra? A Rs 12 lakh price tag and black door handles?!
It is only the top-spec M8 that can be considered a modern-day car with the kind of features that it gets.
Moreover, the incremental price that every higher variant attracts right from M4 (second to base) to the M8 is on the higher side with respect to the additional features that it packs. Read our variants explained story for more details here.
2) No fully-loaded variant
The top-spec Marazzo M8 variant costs almost Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom pan-India) and it definitely warrants more features than what it packs right now. Features like passive keyless entry with push-button engine start/stop, leather-wrapped steering wheel, telescopic steering, LED headlamps and auto dimming IRVM would have made the ownership experience much more satisfying.
We also expected at least one variant to get safety features such as side and curtain airbags, ESP (electronic stability program) and traction control. Especially since a lot of cars, priced around or lower than the Marazzo, including the Honda City, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Creta, Renault Captur, Ford Freestyle and EcoSport, offer the same.
While Mahindra might have left a more feature-loaded M10 variant for later, we fear it would be way too expensive, given that the M8 costs Rs 13.9 lakh (ex-showroom pan-India), and that’s just the introductory price.
3) Ergonomic issues
The Mahindra Marazzo’s dashboard is functional and the cabin comes with a lot of usable storage spaces and comfortable seats. However, the Marazzo is plagued with ergonomic issues, like its siblings.
The rear door pockets, for instance, are virtually inaccessible when the doors are shut. The front USB charger, which is available from the M4 variant onwards, is placed way too low.
The Marazzo doesn’t get a central lock/unlock button and the driver has to pull the lock on his/her door to unlock all other doors.
The giant aeroplane-inspired handbrake lever might appeal to some, but it brushes against the driver's seat while operating. These are some of the issues that Mahindra should have sorted out before launch.
4) Bigger and more powerful engine
Mahindra’s new 1.5-litre diesel is the most powerful engine for its displacement. The diesel engine’s 123PS of power and healthy 300Nm of torque seem to be enough for everyday city driving and cruising on highways. But things might turn south with full passenger load and luggage, especially while overtaking or picking pace on highways.
5) No petrol or automatic option
If you're in the market for a petrol or automatic MPV, look elsewhere. The Mahindra Marazzo can only be had with a diesel engine coupled to a manual transmission. That said, Mahindra is planning to launch petrol-powered and automatic variants of the Marazzo, but they are a good one and a half year away. To be precise, the carmaker will launch them post the implementation of BSVI emission norms in April 2020. With diesel prices inching closer to petrol and buyers increasingly preferring petrol cars, Mahindra should’ve introduced a petrol engine in the Marazzo right from launch. Needless to say, there is also an increased demand for automatic cars.
Check out: Mahindra Marazzo vs Toyota Innova Crysta: Variants Comparison
Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: CarDekho.
