Mahindra's upcoming S101 (KUV100) seen undergoing pre-launch testing

Mahindra, India's largest utility vehicle manufacturer, is in the midst of a launch spree. Three of its popular models - Scorpio, XUV500 and Thar received substantial face-lifts over the course of the year and the all-new TUV300 was launched recently. Hot on the heels of these launches, Mahindra is getting ready for its next big launch that could potentially be called the KUV100.

Codenamed S101, this diminutive model shared it's development timeline with the TUV300 and the two were often spotted testing together on public roads. Caught testing last evening near Mahindra's Chakan facility where its being produced, the vehicle appears to be in its final legs of testing before the official launch happens sometime next month.

While the TUV300 is a ladder-on-frame construction, the KUV100 is said to have a monocoque body. It’s worth noting here that the XUV500 is the only other Mahindra out there built on a monocoque platform. Looking at the spy shots, it is clear that this upcoming Mahindra belongs to the compact segment measuring less than 4 meters in length. But we are still unsure of where this is going to end up. While its tall nose and raised body height make us think that this could be marketed as a compact and affordable crossover, its footprint that's not much larger than a Hyundai i10 makes us think otherwise.

That said, the styling is unmistakably Mahindra with the grille bearing a strong family resemblance to the ones in Scorpio and XUV500. The LED Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) are also visible in some of these shots. As with all other Mahindras, there are a few interesting cues thrown in to up the glam quotient. We will however reserve our final judgement until the vehicle's expected launch some time next month. All new petrol and diesel engines with displacements less than 1.2 and 1.5 liters respectively are expected to do duty in this smallest Mahindra yet and an Automated Manual Transmission (AMT) is also on the cards.

With Mahindra and Honda slugging it out to becomes India's third largest selling automotive brand behind Maruti-Suzuki and Hyundai, this model could make all the difference for the Indian brand. Bring it on, Mahindra!

Edit: While it was speculated this new Mahindra could be called XUV100, recent developments suggest this could be badged KUV100. We have changed it accordingly in this post.