Having sold my previous car in mid-December 2021, I was on the lookout for a replacement. I began looking for a secondhand car firstly, because I was under the impression that was all I could afford – but while I was scrolling through online car ads, I stumbled across an ad for this particular car – a Mahindra KUV 100 NXT K2+, and thought “hang on a minute!” The ad directed me to the Mahindra South Africa site, where I was able to determine that the car was indeed affordable in my case – there was a costing tool on the site that allowed me to determine what it would cost me in total as well as monthly, depending on what sort of deposit I would pay, as well as how many months I would choose for the HP. In consultation with my budget, this helped me to find a good balance so that I figured I could afford a new car!
My Choice Explained
What made me decide on this car in particular? Well several things. I’d be lying if I said the price didn’t have anything to do with it. At the time I was looking, around November-December 2021 to January 2022, this was the cheapest new car I could find on the market – er, besides the Bajaj Cute, which as even they admit is not really a car, but a “quadricycle”. Still, I felt more confident about the car instead of the quadricycle, and so the Mahindra it was.
The KUV is what is called a “crossover”, which is supposed to be a new class of vehicle which blends characteristics of a pure road-going sedan/hatch with a sports utility vehicle (SUV). There are numerous similar examples these days from Mahindra’s competitors, not the least obvious of which is VW’s T-cross. Given all the options, I’d still stick with the Mahindra since it is definite value for money – without all the hitches and downsides that make VW the rich man’s obsessed fan’s choice. Being used to the Beetle’s modest off-road ability and general toughness, I found the Mahindra’s similarity in those aspects quite attractive.
Another factor that influenced my choice of car was the size of my garage, which was built-onto our house in 1993, and in order to avoid major reconstruction work by adding girders and so on to support the roof corner of the house, meant it was shorter than the average sedan. At a pinch, it could just fit an old-school Beetle, with the front bumper against the back wall of the garage so the door would close. To get from one side of the garage to the other, I had to step over the rear bumper! I wanted none of that buggering about with a new car – I wanted something that would fit neatly inside without any issues like that. The Mahindra’s measurements came in handy, and so at 3,700m, the car would fit snugly inside the 3.970m length of the garage.
This article represents my 1 year review of this car. I will probably write a follow-up article in future and may also carry out a few updates of this one, so you best bookmark it.
Building Up To A New Car
I’m being completely honest when I say the idea that I could actually afford to buy a brand new car off the showroom floor had never even entered my plans until that point. It’s probably rather sad to think that, while rapidly approaching my fiftieth birthday, I had long ago given up on the idea of being able to afford to buy a brand new car off the showroom floor, so it should go without saying that this was a huge step for me! After a lifetime of driving an assortment of second hand vehicles which fell across a spectrum of “very nice” to “absolutely terrible” and “money-pits” (i.e. “collector’s items”), this was to be my first new car. Like, ever.
To start off with, the Mahindra KUV 100 is no student car – but at the time it was the cheapest new car on the market, so as a friend of mine who is sadly no longer with us used to say, “it is what it does”. That said, it’s position as the cheapest new car available places it in what is laughably referred to as “the first-time car buyer’s market”. I wonder what that group’s demographic is nowadays, given my age as just 49? For shame, South Africa! For shame.
My previous car, a 1962 Beetle, sold for the princely sum of R62,000.00 – an unexpected windfall which gave me a good foundation to start from. All I had to do was add to it. Over the next month or so, I listed a number of extra items I had lying around the house on Marketplace, and also by drawing a sum from savings I hadn’t been able to add to for several years, I managed to peak at a nice tidy R82,000.00 for the deposit.
Once the issue of raising the money and sorting out the deposit was more or less sorted out, it was on a Thursday mid-morning (6 January) that I took an Uber to the Kelston Motors branch, which is a local Mahindra dealer.
Outside, parked on the grass apron beside the main road, I examined a row of Mahindra KUV 100 NXT’s in varying flavors from K2+ to K8+ in red, white and gray. There was a bright red K2+ #Dare, and I spent what felt like about half an hour examining it – and the others, from the outside. I also didn’t see a plain K2+ outside – the lower model with steel wheel rims and no sound system… just the slightly higher #Dare model. In lovely red! Perhaps there were more in the showroom, I thought. Although I’d been advised to avoid a red car and to pick another color instead, the red really stood out for me – and in any case, the other models beside it were in different colors – but also much higher spec, hence out of my reach. Red it was, then!
The Approach
I had already settled on what make and model car I was after, and so once I decided to visit the sales department, I already knew what I wanted – all I needed was for someone there to advise me on how best to make it happen! I didn’t need to be shown alternative makes or models of vehicle – and in this respect, I got exactly what I wanted!
I entered the branch. Inside, I saw no other Mahindras at all, but a couple of other makes on the showroom floor. Quite excited after viewing the car I wanted on the grass outside, I made a bee-line straight for the receptionist. I asked to see a salesman, and was directed to the office of the head honcho of their sales department – let’s call him “Johan”. I remember arriving at Johan’s office door, all wired and excited like – and a little breathless, and the first thing I said to him after he looked up from his laptop and greeted me was “I want a Mahindra KUV 100 NXT K2+ *gasp* – and I want it now!” Johan took the big excited grin on my face in the humorous, excited spirit it was offered, and invited me to take a seat. Then the negotiations began. Did I have a deposit? How much? I told him I had eighty-two thousand, cash. Exactly what could I afford? I told him I could manage monthly installments around two thousand. And etc.
Then it became apparent that they did not in fact have a Mahindra KUV 100 NXT K2+ in stock. It was the lowest model after all, and the cheapest – it had steel wheels, no radio, and the customary absence of bells and whistles. South Africans are fussy, I was told – they don’t want ‘bare bone cars’. Instead, Johan told me, they had the second lowest model – the K2+ #Dare, which was one step up from that, and it had mag wheels and although it was advertised without a sound system or central locking remote system, the dealership had taken the initiative and fitted both to make it more attractive! He reassured me, he would work it out so that I could afford it.
He certainly lived up to his promise! Johan worked it out so that the payment would be around R1900, over 72 months. To make it affordable, I wouldn’t take the service package, and would have to pay cash for the services, which was fine by me as I could pay for services annually around my birthday month. After all the papers were signed, I was told all that remained was my credit check, and of course – the test drive!
The Test Drive
Johan escorted me outside to the cars I’d been examining earlier, and specifically to the red #Dare I’d looked at. After a quick introduction to all the features of the car, we got in and I was privileged to drive it around the block – which took about ten or fifteen minutes since it was just on rush-hour traffic. I don’t mind telling you, that being used to driving older cars for so many years, this was a complete change and it made me very careful indeed! For starters, the car is much higher than most sedans, almost at 4×4 height, so you sit looking down at pretty much everything on the road! Of course, this improved visibility only adds to the safety aspect of this car.
Collection
By the very next day, I received a phone call and was told I could collect the car! That was fast! Of course, times are tight and everybody wants money, and so the deal was pushed through as quickly as possible. I caught another Uber up there right away. It was a Friday, and it took a little time and a few phone calls to sort out matters like getting the car added onto my house insurance policy etc. Before closing time however, while Johan was about the second last person still at the dealership, I was handed the keys, had a few photos taken – and was finally able to drive my very first new car ever, off the showroom floor!
The Whole Package – What I Got
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION: The KUV 100 K2+ and #Dare I viewed came with the Mahindra Petrol 1.2 L, 3 cyl Engine-NA (Power: 82 hp, Torque: 115 Nm), MFALCON G80 PETROL ENGINE which features: Dual variable valve timing for better fuel efficiency and performance, excellent low-end torque for quick acceleration, max power: 61kW @ 5500rpm, max torque: 115Nm @ 3500-3600rpm, Micro Hybrid technology (engine start/stop) is available, but only in higher models. transmission – 5 speed manual.
BRAKES & WHEELS: ABS+EBD+EDC [Engine Drag Torque Control], rear drum brakes, front disc brakes. Front suspension MacPherson struts, rear suspension torsion bar. Tires: 5x 185/65 R 14 on plain black steel rims with Small Wheel Hub Cap at center for 14 inch Wheel rim. The K2+ #Dare came with mag wheels the same size. This car came fitted with Bridgestone tires, and at the time, I priced replacement tires for the car at R859 each (at Tiger Wheel & Tire) and R852 each (at Fundityres) for reference, which seemed very reasonable compared to other types of car I’d looked at at the time.
FUEL SYSTEM: fuel tank capacity – 35L, sheet metal fuel tank, plastic fuel pump module with in-tank fuel pump, strainer, pressure limiter, rollover valve. Fuel gauge integral for petrol & diesel models.
COMFORTS: Electric power steering (EPS), A/C with air filter, rear underfloor storage, front power sockets, boot has cable release and key operated lock, fuel flap has cable release, instrument LCD screen cluster – twin pod with LCD display has gear shift indicator & electrically actuated HLLD.
INTERIOR: Premium interiors with sporty black theme, piano black inserts, and silver accents, Blue-grey interior theme, spacious boot, underfloor storage bins, console-mounted joystick-like gear shift, Injection Molded Door Trims W/O fabric on door trim Armrest, Molded Map pocket with integrated cup/ bottle and magazine holder [Frt door & Rear Door], Glove box with latch & pen holder, Single DIN Audio non-lidded storage bin, Adjustable air vents at RHS, center, LHS. plus fixed windscreen demister, Coin Holder (UTILITY SPACE FOR DRIVER), Natural colored door handles (interior), scuff plates, roof liner & steering wheel, 5 seats adjustable, cup holders & general storage space”.
DIMENSIONS: Height 1.655m, Length3.700m, Width 1.735m.
COLORS: Twilight gray, lava red, drizzle silver, new pearl white.
NOTES: Although the base model and next model up were advertised as having no sound system, no roof antenna, and no central locking or remote, the car I test-drove and ultimately purchased came with a fitted aftermarket radio/mp3 player with all the bells and whistles, roof antenna, central locking with remote, alarm, and an attractive set of mags. It also has a pair of factory security keys that come fitted with chips inside the fob.
Looking at the list of what came standard in even the base-model car, I considered them all “pros”. Even in the entry level car, bumpers & spoilers were painted to match the body color, and it came with electric power steering, 2 airbags, engine immobilizer, a radio (which I had figured on having to buy separately afterwards anyway, so a bonus). Plus, the model had won the WESBANK FUEL ECONOMY TOUR CLASS A1 in 2019, was the most fuel efficient and most affordable in its class to maintain and repair according to the AA Kinsey Report (2019) – and also had a 4 Star BNCAP safety rating. One of the more interesting features I found was that this car “knows” when it’s in gear – and what gear its in – and it tells you on the little digital display between the rev counter and speedometer. It also gives suggestions for when it’s time to change gears up or down. A great safety feature is that it won’t allow you to start the car in gear – which is always handy if you’re one of those people who parks their car and leaves it in gear – and forgets about it later. Just getting in and turning the ignition key could have some expensive consequences otherwise!
On the list of “cons” I included – well no, I couldn’t find any cons at all. Even the fact that the base models don’t come with that “micro-hybrid” start & stop bullshit was also a “pro”. If there was anything at all I didn’t really feel 100% comfortable with, it was the fuel tank size of just 35 liters. Even Dolly, my old Beetle, had a 40 liter tank (also with a 1200cc engine) – and for comparison, a Citi Golf tank was 45 liters. Would 35 liters be enough? As it turned out, it would be more than adequate for city driving.
New-found Freedom
After not having a working car for a number of months during 2021 (because I’d had to rebuild the Beetle’s engine twice during that year) I’d had to get used to lifts and Ubering around – and it was a sudden glorious relief to have wheels of my own again – and not just wheels, but reliable wheels! This gorgeous new car turned heads everywhere we went – and I have to add, even almost a full year since we got it, it still does!
She’s a lively little beast and takes off like a rocket if you stomp the “go” pedal, but if you drive her nice and relaxed, she lives up to her promised 7 liters per 100km (When I checked, I rated at 7.22L/100km). I only fill her tank once a month, and that’s more than enough for my commute to work and home, as well as shopping on Saturdays and the occasional fun ride, especially since I’m part of a lift club at work and aside from weekends and the odd Tuesday, only drive every other week. She spends every second week in the garage, making the fuel last that much better!
The ride is very smooth and comfortable. Braking is even and controlled and at once gives the driver a sense of safety. “I can do it” the car whispers as you measure the distance to the car in front of you that stopped unexpectedly. The ABS makes it so.
This car is also not afraid of adverse road or weather conditions. As the road I drive to work often floods out during heavy rains, it’s great to have a car that stands higher off the ground and is sure-footed and won’t be troubled by deep water, potholes or other minor obstacles.
Service Costs:
First Service (June 2022)
From the outset I’d been told the first service would be due at 3000 km. I received the car with exactly 50 km on it – being responsible for at least four of those kilometers myself, from the test-drive, after that I enjoyed racking up the rest until I got to just under 3000 km and looked Kelston’s service department up online. I messaged them for a quote, thinking that it would be in the ballpark figure of R3000,00 I was originally told to work on. They called me the next day (Wednesday), and although they never gave me the exact quote, they surprised me by giving me a slot on Friday. That was a lot sooner than I expected – I’d thought they’d only fit me in the following week!
I rolled up there bright and early on Friday morning, and they took delivery of the vehicle with a minimum of fuss and paperwork, and I found out that the service would be about half of what I’d budgeted for! I had scrimped and saved to have R3000,00 handy for the big day – and the service ended up costing just over R1700.
“Cool!” I told the lady, “I’ve got change!”
She laughed with me and took the keys after we checked the body for any dents and scratches before signing the car in. Then I went to sit with the other owners at their in-house coffee bar/lounge and enjoyed a cappuccino while I watched the sun rising into the sky above their wooden deck.
After about half an hour, their driver did the rounds to ask who would be needing a lift to work or home or wherever, and I was again impressed overall by the helpfulness and friendliness off the staff in general. I decided to hang around instead – there are a few shops across the road from Kelston, and I felt like doing a little window shopping at China Town. So off I went! It was just around two hours later, when I was already gradually making my way back again through the shops, that Kelston called me to inform me the car was ready for me.
“That’s great!” I said, and told the gent on the line that I was at China Town and would be there shortly. “Can I send the driver to collect you?” He offered. I declined and thanked him for the offer. Then he asked if they could wash the car for me – which was offered free of charge, and I happily accepted. That would give me time to stop somewhere to treat myself to a breakfast! Or well, brunch.
After brunch, I rolled up at Kelston again, where I waited for the car to be “detailed”. About 45 minutes later, my car appeared in the parking lot outside again, bright, shiny, and looking as new!
Then came the payment. Unfortunately, this is where things came a little off the rails – Kelston banks with ABSA – which is far and away (in my humble opinion) the shittiest, most expensive bank in the whole of South Africa. Unfortunately it’s also the biggest. Neither of the branch’s two card machines would read or accept my Capitec bank card. Oddly enough, this is a problem I’ve experienced mainly with ABSA machines, and for a lot of different reasons (best gone into in an article of its own) I’ve grown to loathe that institution. After about 20 minutes of frustration and fruitless effort, I eventually offered to walk to the shop at the fuel station next door to Kelston to draw the cash from the ATM there. Again I was surprised by the agent’s offer to take me there with a car! I was surprised, but declined anyway, it was just around the corner! The trip there and back, on foot, took me just ten minutes, including the time spent literally slotting my card in, punching in the pin code, and pocketing the cash!
The next service is due in 10,000km or 1 year, and since my birthday month is February and I get an annual birthday bonus check, that’s when I’ll schedule the annual service for in future.
To sum up, as a first service experience, this was by far and away a relaxing and stress-free experience.
Positives: It cost me quite a bit less than expected, so I had enough change to take the “window” out of “window shopping”, which is a bonus. Friendliness and helpfulness of the staff, and availability of transport while waiting for the car were big plusses. Having a coffee bar handy was also nice, even if the coffees on offer were a little pricy, though not more so than you could get anywhere else. Staff were readily available to answer any questions the waiting owners might’ve had, and I witnessed at least two receiving detailed explanations of the state of their vehicles before leaving.
Negatives: The only negative thing about my service experience was the problem I experienced with the ABSA bank card machines.
Second Service (June 2023)
It’s worth noting that in the intervening year between services (2022-2023) I never had to top-up the oil or radiator.
The second service, carried out at just over 7,800km, was very much a repeat of the first. I called on a Monday and was able to book a service for that very next Friday when I had a day off. I was surprised the waiting period was so short.
My delivery of the vehicle went smoothly as before, and I’d already planned to wait for it in their lounge/waiting area. Unfortunately, their little food/coffee counter had closed and been removed in the meantime, so no problem really – I walked to the garage shop next door to buy a coffee and a pie and some nibbles to keep me busy. They did retain a water cooler with a stack of styrofoam cups at the lounge though – but it was rainy and cold, so I wanted a hot drink. Several more would’ve been nice, but it was raining and cold – and I’d also have to pack up my laptop each time I wanted to go to the garage shop again, so I just stayed.
I travelled with my laptop and whatever I thought I needed, and settled down at a table to work on one of my stories while I waited. Their driver did the rounds shortly afterwards and offered to take all those waiting, to wherever they needed to go, and pretty soon I was left in the company of two gents who’d also decided to wait for their vehicles rather than leave and return later.
With the two of them keeping each other busy with fascinating conversation, I focused on my writing and happily typed away the hours. Unfortunately, the closest table to the only power point in the lounge was still further away than my power supply was long; and I’d forgotten to pack an extension lead – this wasn’t a problem however, because one of the nice guys working at the adjoining Kelston office very kindly supplied an extension lead without me even asking for one.
That said, by about 12:30, my car was done, washed and detailed, and this time I was able to “tap” payment without any hitches and head home. Considering the way costs have skyrocketed recently, I was quite surprised that this year’s service cost me only R299 or so extra (at a total of R1,999) which is still affordable compared to many other type and make car services.
Positives: The short waiting period to place a booking was a plus. Staff were friendly and helpful as before. The salesman that originally facilitated the purchase of the car also stopped by in passing for a short chat. The waiting area was comfortable and roomy. Lifts were available via the Kelston driver/bus if required. A power point and lead were available for me to use my laptop. The service only took a few hours, short enough to make waiting feasible. An itemized bill was provided afterward, and the agent explained everything that was done to the vehicle. The cost of the service was still less than I anticipated.
Negatives: The loss of the coffee shop facility was a small disappointment. Although there was a shop essentially three hundred meters walk from the waiting room, it was a cold rainy day. I hope they would at least install a coffee machine of some sort in the meantime?
Summary:
This is an amazing little car – the nicest I’ve ever had! It’s so nice in fact, that I find myself longing to drive it again! It’s comfortable and spacious – as a matter of interest, there’s enough room in the front for the passenger to cross their legs without encroaching on the rear legroom. What also adds a lot of space to the interior is the fact that this car has no “tunnel” on the floor – it’s 100% flat! This leaves so much more room for your feet, and people’s handbags or back packs or shopping. Also, there’s so much headroom in there I could wear a cowboy hat, and I’m 1.80m tall!
The seatbelts are height-adjustable too, and so is the driver’s seat, and also the steering wheel – even though the spec sheet appears not to mention that. I found that out by accident, just by checking under the column to see if it was.
The instruments are clear, plainly visible and easy to read. The gear lever is in a weird (some might think) spot – but let me tell you, it’s actually a very comfortable position for it! Gears change smooth and clearly. The instrument panel tells you when it wants you to change up or down to the next gear, and it helped me adjust my driving style from a 1962 bug to a 2022 modern car!
The aircon is effective, the air controls easy to work out and adjust, and it makes a huge difference on a hot day. I’ve got lazy and although I’m used to manual wind-up windows since the last four cars I owned had them, I still miss not having electric windows, but it’s okay, I’ll live.
Keeping the inside clean is simple and easy since the carpets come out like an off-roaders, and can be shaken out and put back in a few moments. They’re secured with velcro, so its easy and quick.
The lights are bright and effective – and the headlights are adjustable from a control on the dash (I love playing with that!!) and the controls for lights, wipers etc. are the same as those on Japanese vehicles: indicators and lights on the right, wiper control on the left.
The trunk space is a little small if you’re used to a bigger car, say a Citi Golf or similar, but I haven’t had any issues. I still fit my monthly groceries (for two humans and 3 cats) in without any problems. What doesn’t fit in the boot itself fits equally well on the back seat or rear footwells.
As for quality, I have no complaints – there have been no breakages, or silly things like knobs falling off, fragile plastic fittings etc. The car has already done over 8000km and still looks exactly like it did when I got it. Well, perhaps it could use another wash. Soon. Before one of my colleagues draws “Was my asb” (“wash me please”) in the dust on the back window!
After thirty-odd years of driving and loving old cars, I seem to have really made a clean break with my past. It may sound like a cliché’, but in this short time I’ve grown to love this new, modern car!
Let me just add that this car, like everything new, appears to be heavily computerized! For example, I once stalled at a stop and had to restart the car. The A/C stopped working for the rest of the trip and I couldn’t figure out why, but when I stopped again, I turned the car off and on again, and everything was fine! Weird, you might say, but well, everything is like that these days, innit? In any case, it only ever happened that one time.
Also, as at October 2023, I still haven’t had to top up any fluids (water, oil) in the vehicle.
Lastly, in terms of affordability, I have to relate the following experience.
While helping a friend shop for a car in July 2022 – just 6 months after I bought the car, I took a colleague to the same agency and the same salesman who had assisted me. She was looking for the same car, or even the model under mine, and we were absolutely shocked to learn that in order to buy the same car on the same terms, my colleague would’ve had to put down a deposit of over R120, 000! That’s just about an extra R40,000! I was absolutely shocked! 
Looks like I bought the car at the last minute, otherwise I’d never have made it. I’d probably have had to suck it up and buy another second-hand nightmare bucket filled with somebody else’s problems.
Conclusion:
Having owned and driven a wide variety of different vehicles over my lifetime, including various VW’s, an Audi, and some Japanese cars, this is the first Mahindra I’ve ever driven or owned. Honestly I expected some quality and reliability issues, but have been pleasantly surprised – and can report that I have no regrets or buyer’s remorse whatsoever!
This car makes me want to drive – and I don’t mean at warp speed!
The Mahindra KUV 100 NXT K2+ #Dare scores a FIVE STAR rating on the Tinamometer.
Kelston Mahindra (Buffelsfontein Road Branch) also scores a FIVE STAR rating on the Tinamometer for their excellent service, consideration and affordability.
This article represents my gradual, incrementally updated review of this car – I will likely do follow-up additions at regular intervals in future! Stay tuned!
Cheers! 
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All material copyright © Christina Engela, 2022