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Nepal Drives

Mahindra have a certain degree of quirkiness to their designs, and they have had both hits and misses in their lineup. We’d say they hit the nail right on the head with the Mahindra XUV 500 and the Scorpio. The Thar has amassed a cult following and even the Scorpio Pik Up looks absolutely amazing. However, there are models like the Mahindra KUV 100 and the Quanto that are difficult to love.

Regardless, Mahindra have always had a certain air of nonconformity to their products. And now there is the new XUV 300: Mahindra’s newest representative for the compact SUV segment. We thus have in front of us a completely non-quirky premium crossover.

Exterior

The XUV 300 adopts a conventional design language that looks classy and sporty, but still has a robust feel to it thanks to the boxy design. The car is solidly built with 68-percent high-strength steel. Thumb down on the door metal and there is very little flex.

Mahindra have had to keep the length of the XUV300 to under-four meters for tax savings, but they have not compromised on the profile design. The floating roofline with the blackened pillars improves the dynamism of the vehicle. The larger wheels give it a robust look and the side cladding and roof rails enhance its crossover appearance.

Much like the grilles seen on the XUV 500, the XUV 300 gets a piano black grille featuring a large Mahindra badge, a chrome strip on the top, and multiple small chrome inserts. Sleek DRLs are integrated in the projector headlight cluster and in a very unique way extend into the bumper, merging with the fog lights. Maybe they haven’t lost their quirkiness completely.

The rear haunches are one of our favorite things about how the XUV 300 looks. They add character to the appeal of the compact XUV 300. The rear has a neat little spoiler with integrated LED HMSL (High Mounted Stop Lamp). The taillights are beautifully styled and sit on either side of the well-sculpted tailgate. A large silver skid plate adds a sporty character to the rear.

Interior

On the inside you do see that a lot of hard plastic is used, but it is of high quality. The dashboard’s styling is functional. It has a ‘beige & black’ theme with silver inserts, while piano black has been used on the center fascia (climate control panel) and air-con vents. While the lower part of the dashboard is beige, the carpets and floor mats are black. Ergonomically, the cabin is well laid out and all controls are easy to find and reach. 

If you and your passenger usually have trouble with the cabin temperature, you are in luck with the XUV 300 because you get a first-in-segment dual zone fully automatic climate control. You also get an option of a sunroof.

On the center console you get a 17.78cm touchscreen infotainment system (not available on the base variant) equipped with Bluetooth, AUX & USB connectivity, and it is compatible with Apple and Android Auto. It also doubles as a reversing camera display. On the instrument console display you get all the information you need. A useful one that comes to mind is the tyre position display for when you park and start out. The instrument console (with speedo and odometer) gets multicolor illumination, which is great.

Although the functionality is limited, you also get a Blue Sense App with Smart watch connectivity.

The leatherette (artificial leather) seats are comfortable and provide adequate support to the thighs and back. All three passengers get adjustable headrest and three-point seat belts, which are cool to have. You can comfortably seat three people in the rear, even with taller individuals out on the front. These rear seats can be split 60:40 for flexible boot space. The boot space, however, is only 257 liters, the smallest in the segment, and the loading lip is also pretty high.

Fun to drive

On our hands we had the 1.5-liter diesel variant, one that claims to have the best in segment torque of 300Nm produced at 1500-2500rpm. These impressive numbers translate well when you’re driving. The unknowing heavy right foot of an unsuspecting driver will catapult you forwards with surprising menace. The engine properly wakes up at around 2,000 rpm and you instantly fall in love with it. And because of the strong torque reserve at the bottom end you will notice that you are not shifting gears too often.

You will also notice that the XUV 300 is geared more towards tarmac driving. Although it isn’t too fazed by unexpected road undulations, the suspension is definitely on the firmer side. Luckily, this makes it a peach for driving on pitched roads and on corners.

Speaking of corners, the XUV 300 gets the segment-first smart steering system that gives you the option of choosing between Comfort, Normal, and Sport modes. Although there isn’t a huge world of differences between the modes, we definitely noticed that the steering firms up and gives better feedback when put on sport mode. For open stretches and corners we stuck to the sport mode as well. In the city, we chose to try out the other two modes, which worked well, but we ultimately went back to sport mode again.

With a kerb weight of 1,360 kg, the diesel has a power-to-weight ratio of 85 BHP/ ton, is class-leading, and the power is handled well. Till date, all offerings from Mahindra in this segment have been old-school SUVs with body-on-frame constructions. This worked against them because most urban buyers today prefer more modern monocoque-based crossovers.

The XUV300 is the first with a monocoque construction, making it more car-like to drive. The top variant gets a segment-first seven airbags. It is equipped with all-around disc brakes which come as standard, another segment-first. Other segment-firsts include heated ORVMs, smart steering system, and front parking sensors.

Verdict

The XUV 300 is a great car. Although it appears to be a Sangyong Tivoli with its rear end chopped to squeeze into the 4-meter mark, the Mahindra XUV 300 is a completely new car. It uses Mahindra’s own engine and suspension, and all the body panels are new as well.

The performance is tremendously satisfying, and it makes up for the fact that it likes sticking to the tarmac. Further, as Mahindra already have the TUV 300 for more rugged driving, it seems the XUV 300 has purposefully been made for smoother driving.

The little sibling to the XUV 500 does have one factor that will make buyers think twice: the price. Maybe it’s because of the driving fun it offers, or the long list of segment firsts offered; Mahindra have made the XUV 300 a decidedly premium offer.

Take a guided photo tour

In Kathmandu valley and Pokhara

Nepal is undoubtedly a photographer’s delight, a land of eternal fascination. Explore snow-capped mountain peaks, its people, architectural marvels, incredible Himalayan landscapes and extraordinary culture of Nepal while learning from the best photo-mentors. The guided photo-experience takes you to Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Patan and offers the living representation of how the entire Kathmandu Valley would have looked like during the medieval periods. All of these cities have glorious architecture, massive durbar or royal courts, temples built in unique pagoda style—which are believed to be the stairways to the heaven. The itinerary also includes a visit to Pokhara.

The tour is 6 days and 5 nights.
Get in touch with the host Indian Photo Tours team at 9811044788.

Make a Thaili

In Pokhara

If you buy jewelry at a local market, you’ve surely noticed the Thaili, those little colorful pouches local women hold in their hands. Carrying money isn’t the only use of Thaili as mobile phone, camera and keys can also be stored in it. The Women’s Skills Development Organization (WSDO) teaches you how to make one in three hours, for just Rs 1,500, inclusive of all tools and materials. This is a simple process and you can explore your creativity as you get to choose colors of threads you would like to combine. You also get to mingle with the women at WSDO who have been in operation for over three decades.

Call 061534025 for more detail.

Fly Kites

In Lalitpur

As Dashain approaches, many kites will soon be seen in the sky. Under the cozy sunshine, the pure blue sky will be packed with  of different sizes and shapes. To mark the World Tourism Day, Visit Nepal 2020, and to welcome Dashain festival and promote tourism in South Lalitpur, Countryside Camps is hosting the second episode of the traditional Nepali kite flying festival. Fly kites, challenge fellow kite-flyers, cut their cords, and enjoy some yummy food and drinks. There will also be a local cultural dance show. There is no entry fee but you can donate what you want and the proceeds will be used to buy clothes for local children.

The event is from 11 am to 3:30 pm from September 27 to October 3.
Call 9851079005 for more detail.

Nomadic Sounds if a concert featuring "SER O DUO," all the way from Chile. Their performance include composition of other musicians, own compositions, improvisation and approaches to world music. They will be performing songs from different parts of the world.

“Mommy & Baby” is a first of its kind exhibition and fair designed especially for mother and kids to introduce ranges of national and international products. The event will also host multiple fueling station sharing information and services. The entry is free.

The first volume of the month-long Oktoberfest will feature beer, barbecue and live reggae music as well as drinking games. 

Cover: Rs 500 with one free beer

The fourth instalment of the Metal Injection concert presented by Tuborg is boasts of a heavy line up consisting of Shadow in Shade; Asphyxiate; Animality; Maranatha and Delirium. 

Tickets:

Rs 300 - Presales
Rs 500 – Door sales
 

South Africa A could add only seven runs to their overnight score as they were bundled out for 186 in the first session of day four. Shardul Thakur knocked over Lutho Sipamla to end South Africa’s second innings. The visitors set a non-threatening a target of 48 runs for the hosts to chase down. Chasing 48, India A lost the wicket of their skipper, Shubman Gill, early on. Lungi Ngidi took two wickets with the new ball including Gill and Ankit Bawne who was promoted up the order. Ricky Bhui was promoted up the order as well as Ruturaj Gaikwad did not open. The wicketkeeper-batsman Srikar Bharat lost his wicket to new ball bowler Dane Piedt. However, Shivam Dube helped his side finish with a flourish. Dube hit two back-to-back sixes to finish off the match and guide India A to an easy win in the first unofficial Test.

Quick questions with Shiva Pariyar, Singer

1)   How would you describe yourself in three words?
A: An honest artist, a good guy, and a responsible family person.

2) What are you most scared of?
A: My past mistakes.

4) In one word, what is music to you?
A: My life.

5) A song you would like to dedicate to your fans?
A: Sangai dubdai chhu timro yaad ma!

6) A person from the music industry you always look up to?
A: Gopal Yonjan.

7) How would someone get your special attention?
A: By being honest.

8) What is one message you would give to your fans?
A: Listen to Nepali songs with your heart.

9) What is your favorite food? 
A: Rice, lentils, pickle, and vegetables.

10) If today was the last day of your life, how would you spend it?
A: I would spend my entire time remembering my daughter. 

On September 7, Saturday, bollywood actress Taapsee Pannu revealed that she is in a relationship. She says that her boyfriend is neither a cricketer nor an actor. Speaking to Pinkvilla in an interview, Taapsee said, “I will get married only when I want to have babies. I want to have kids out of wedlock.”

On September 8, Sunday, Kirstie Alley defended herself from blowback on a prior tweet, wherein she called out Hollywood for refusing to work with President Donald Trump supporters. Alley tweeted, “I refuse to be part of the Hollywood asshats who can’t see that “NOT working with Republicans” is as stupid and nasty as “refusing to do business with gay people”.

On September 9, Monday, 25-year-old “Riverdale” star Camila Mendes revealed to Women’s Health magazine she was sexually assaulted during her freshman year at New York University. Mendes said this experience inspired her to get a tattoo of the phrase “to build a home” in cursive above her rib cage.

On September 10, Tuesday, singer Nick Jonas told ‘Cigar Aficionado’ that he considers the J-Sisters the “Biggest Piece” of the Jonas Brothers’ Puzzle. “I think the biggest piece of the puzzle is those three incredible women who stand by our side. And they stole the show in our video,” he said about the “sucker” music video which has more than 200 million views on Youtube.

On September 11, Wednesday, the 50-year-old actress Jennifer Aniston revealed to the New York Times that she and her closest friends have been doing a “goddess circle” tradition for over three decades. During their ritual, the women sit cross-legged on the floor, pass around a charm and feather-decorated stick and set their intentions. They come together and do this during each other’s major life events.

On September 12, Thursday, Chhichhore, starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor and a strong ensemble cast, continued to remain steady at the box office. The film’s weekday collections are comparable to its opening day collections, amped up by a strong word of mouth, and stand at Rs 61.33 crore.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is faced with a serious selection headache as injuries take their toll on his Red Devils squad. United could be without eight players against Leicester this weekend due to injury and illness, hampering their chances of making a fast start after the international break. High on the list of fitness concerns is summer signing Aaron Wan-Bisska, with the right-back forced to withdraw from the England squad due to a back problem. Wan-Bissaka has been one of United’s better performers so far this season and it remains to be seen if the 21-year-old will be risked as Solskjaer hunts just his second win of the campaign.