Mahindra XUV5OO facelift seen testing near Chennai

Say what you want about their fussy and often overdone design elements but there is no denying the fact Mahindra is one of the most proactive car-makers out there in the country. Be it constant facelifts, regular feature updates or incremental power and torque outputs, the Nashik-based brand has always ensured its lineup is fully geared up to tackle rivals.

The XUV5OO, Mahindra's flagship premium SUV, is due for one such update, it seems. Caught testing in the outskirts of Chennai over the weekend, this partially camouflaged vehicle had no intentions to hide its identity. Look closer and you'll know why. 

From the rear angle shots here, the changes appear to be minimal. The shape and pattern of the taillights, the dual exhaust pipes, the windshield and the bumper are all carried over from the existing model. Having said that, the area around the license plate seems to have changed slightly. The profile has no noticeable changes too. Though there are no pictures to prove, our reader who sent us these spyshots confirmed that the front end has gone under the knife with a new radiator grille being the biggest visible change.

Does that mean the folks at Mahindra are cooking up something under the hood? They could well be, if the recent changes to the Scorpio lineup are any indication. Reports elsewhere indicate the XUV5OO could see a bump in its power and torque outputs, similar to what was done to the Scorpio. The 2.2-liter mHawk engine, that generates 140 horsepower and 330 Nm of peak torque in the XUV5OO currently, might be tuned to produce around 170 horsepower and 400 Nm of torque. That would make the XUV5OO a real quick SUV!

The interiors are unlikely to see significant changes although Mahindra might use this opportunity to add a few features here and there.

The XUV5OO made its debut way back in 2011 with Mahindra giving it a substantial facelift in 2015. A petrol engine was recently added to the lineup. While its time for the second-generation model to take over, these sort of minor facelifts should keep Mahindra's flagship going until the all-new model comes along.