Mahindra Quanto C8 - Design Review

Recent times have seen the advent of new segments in the Indian car market, thanks to the entry of premium yet VFM MPVs like the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Nissan Evalia and compact crossovers like the Renault Duster and the upcoming Ford EcoSport. Since it already has enough vehicles to take on the aforementioned vehicles, Mahindra has spawned yet another segment - that of the compact-SUV - which will help the carmaker increase its already high market share. Enter the Quanto – a sub-4-meter SUV that promises to be yet another value-for-money offering from Mahindra. But before we talk about the features and mechanicals of the Quanto, let’s talk about the design. After all, it is based on the Xylo – a vehicle that has been repeatedly ridiculed for its ungainly appearance.  

The front end of the Quanto is a mixed bag of bits from the Xylo's timeline. The headlights come from the Xylo's facelift model which came out in early 2012; the slats on the grille are similar to the current model, but gets an upper lip that is reminiscent of the grille on the older Xylo; and the bumpers and fog lamps are an evolution of the current design, albeit without the fins on either ends. The bonnet isn’t exactly similar to the Xylo’s either and gets more prominent creases. Unlike the Xylo, the Quanto gets a roof-mounted antenna for the radio. 

The side profile is similar in appearance to the Xylo as far as the engine-bay, doors and side steps are concerned. The Quanto borrows its alloy wheels from the Xylo E9, however, they are shod with smaller 205-65 section rubber (215-75 on the Xylo) and therefore the wheel-wells not only look malnourished as compared to the muscular face, the Quanto appears significantly shorter than the Xylo. Adding to this effect are the door handles that are mounted relatively low. What makes the Quanto look more disproportionate is the tail, which appears too small when compared to the large doors. There is a tiny quarter glass and a fat D-pillar, but they don’t really help in adding much substance to the abrupt tail end of the side profile. 

The tailgate doesn't take any inspiration from the Xylo - apart from the rear step. The adjoining bumper isn’t as chunky as on the Xylo, since that would have made the tailgate look too bulky. The taillights are a big departure from the design seen on other Mahindra SUVs. These are squarish, wrap-around type and are stacked below a XUV500-like slatted plastic appliqué – looks like this is a new design element that could be seen on all future Mahindra utility vehicles. 

The Quanto is based on the Ingenio platform, which is the basis for the Xylo and the Genio. The Quanto therefore has the same width and wheelbase as that of the Xylo. However the height is lower by 75mm. Add to it the sub-4-meter length and the Quanto looks disproportionate. It doesn’t look any better than the Xylo – but we are glad that most of its design inspiration comes from the Xylo’s facelift model and not the first-generation design that we detested. The Quanto can pass off as a Suzuki Wagon R on steroids, save for the tailgate mounted spare wheel gives it the much-needed compact-SUV stance.

Also Read:

Mahindra Quanto User Experience Review

Mahindra Quanto Performance Review