Mahindra S201 compact SUV confirmed - Report

Will compete with the top-end variants of the Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Ford EcoSport.

The SsangYong Tivoli was showcased at the Auto Expo 2016, but reports have said that instead, India will get a Mahindra-badged new sub-compact SUV later this decade. In the latest, multiple web reports claim that Dr. Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra & Mahindra, has confirmed this future Mahindra sub-compact SUV (codename: Mahindra S201).

The Mahindra S201 will sit on the SsangYong Tivoli's X100 platform, and perhaps this was the reason why the latter road testing in the country since last year. Mahindra isn't making simply a rebadged version, though. According to a report from ZigWheels, the company has said that the Mahindra S201 will look completely different from the SsangYong Tivoli. Speaking of looks, the company will use its resources at Pininfarina and SsangYong for the vehicle's design.

It's unknown what engine options are planned for the Mahindra S201. Mahindra has a wide portfolio of diesel engines, but not many petrol units. The KUV100's mFALCON G80 61 kW (82 bhp) 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine could make the S201 feel underpowered. A likely petrol option is the new 1.5-litre unit which the company is co-developing with SsangYong.

Also Read: Mahindra TUV500 (TUV300 XL) to pack a 2.2L mHawk engine

Along with the Mahindra S201, a new MPV codenamed 'Mahindra U321' is also in the works. According to a report from Moneycontrol, the U321 MPV will go on sale before the end of next financial year, followed by the S201 SUV in the second half of the year. The S201 will slot between the Mahindra KUV100 and the Mahindra TUV300.

[Source 1: ZigWheels]

[Source 2: moneycontrol]