Mahindra is nearing its launch on February next year and talks about their brand and products are all over cyberspace. While it’s being durability tested in Wisconsin, we’ve listed down some key points in some of the internet chatter concerning the Mahindra brand and their TR20 and TR40.
Going through what the people are saying, there truly is a clamor for compact trucks, which most car manufacturers have been neglecting. Right now, only the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon twins are available today that match up to the Mahindra pickups. Some people claim that for a nation that’s been branded the best at making trucks, the American auto manufacturers sure are ignoring a huge segment of truck buyers looking for a utility vehicle that’s more practical than the oversized pickups dominating the market at the moment. The fact is, not everyone who buys trucks is a contractor. A lot of people just prefer the towing capability and utility that sedans and SUVs do not offer and a small pickup like this one will allow them to maneuver and park easier, not to mention get better gas mileage.
Some are in the middle about them having diesel engines. Compared to the $3.69/gallon gasoline, diesel has consistently sold for more than gas and priced at $4.15/gallon on average all over the United States. Although some are concerned about the price of diesel, others prefer the additional torque that diesel engines offer.
Furthermore, a lot of people have voiced out their concerns about Mahindra. Many people are concerned about the TR20 and TR40′s design. People have described it as looking retro or dated and prefer a sleeker design than something that looks like it was built in the 90’s. People also think that the Mahindra trucks are overpriced starting at $22,000 compared to the reliable and trusted Ford Ranger which costs just a little over $16,000. Because Mahindra is not widely recognized and are very new to the US auto market, people are also unsure about whether or not they provide a good After Sales support for their products, which may become a huge issue later on.
Mahindra looks like they are exactly on point about selling compact trucks and offering an alternative to the US market. However, there seems to be a lot of things that they still need to work out before their launch, which is just a few months away.
The cost of fuel is best understood as a per-mile cost. As such, gas vs. diesel here in NJ is really a MPG comparison. Since the two fuels are less than a nickle per gallon apart in cost(gas was seen at $2.29), the higher MPG of the Mahindra or any diesel powered vehicle gives it the advantage and is a substantial savings in weekly operating costs. I’ld like to see a diesel option made available for most if not all US made vehicles. The nationwide savings would be astounding.