Mahindra & Mahindra have announced the launch of Genio, the company’s next-generation commercial vehicle we told you about a few days ago. The 1.2 tonne pick-up is meant for transportation needs of small and medium businesses and should give the Tata 207 / Xenon a good run for its money in the Indian market.
Priced at Rs 4.99 lakh (ex-showroom Navi Mumbai for BS3 variant), the Genio looks like a really strong contender in the pick-up truck segment. A BS4 variant of the truck is also available at a slightly higher price.
The Genio is the second product to roll out from Mahindra’s newly made Chakan plant near Pune. The company has supposedly paid special attention to the fit and finish of the new vehicle. Apart from the fresh styling of the vehicle, the interior has also been paid attention to and offers reasonably good ambience for the segment.
The Genio’s diesel CRDe powerplant is good for 75bhp of power and 220 Nm of torque. Mahindra is claiming a top speed of 120km/h which is a decent figure for a vehicle in this class.
The Genio gets a fresh looking face which is unlike any other Mahindra vehicle on the market. We get to see a new iteration of the Mahindra family grille on the Genio for the first time. It’s masculine and angular, but there seems to be a little too much plastic around the frontal area.
Designed for rugged use, the Genio has its oil change interval at 20,000 km. The vehicle features LSPV brakes which adjust the braking pressure depending on the load of the vehicle. Radial tubeless tyres, impact beams, and SLR seat belts are some of the other interesting safety inclusions for a vehicle in this class.
In terms of comfort features, the Genio has an adjustable power steering, which a great feature. The seats, unlike most other vehicles in this segment are semi bucket type, not a bench. The vehicle comes equipped independent front suspension for a more comfortable ride for the passengers. The company has also paid attention to the smoothness of gear shifts and ride quality. The split back glass allow for good ventilation.
In terms of convenience features, the Genio comes with a mobile charging point, a bottle holder, coin holder, etc. The dash board has a wallet case and a mobile case apart from a big glove box. The Genio also has a short turning radius of 6.15 meters. The Genio is available in four colour options – Silver Shine (Metallic), Diamond White, Marvel Granite and Skyline Blue. It is available across 70 dealerships by its launch and from mid February it will be available across Mahindra dealerships pan India.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Pawan Goenka President, Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said, “In keeping with our endeavour of offering first of its kind world class products, we have launched the Genio today. It is also a result of extensive consumer insight which captured the latent and expressed needs of the customer. The Genio is an ideal vehicle for businessmen, traders and SMEs. I am confident that it would be nothing less than a Game Changer for the pickup segment in times to come.”