2012 Mahindra Quanto Compact SUV launches later today; Price expected to be between INR 5-6 lakhs

At noon today, Mahindra will unveil its most exciting product for this year, the 2012 Quanto compact SUV. The Quanto is a sub-4 meters SUV, making it one of the smallest SUVs in the country this side of the Premier Rio. That said, the Quanto comes with 7 seats, in a 2+3+2 layout, with the last two seats being foldable side facing ones placed in the boot of the SUV. That makes the Quanto a genuine five seater that can squeeze in two more adults at the back when pushed towards it. The Quanto will be available with a single engine option, in the form of the mCR1000 turbo diesel engine.

2012 Mahindra Quanto Compact SUV Front Render

Like the Quanto itself, this engine is another big step up for Mahindra, as the turbo diesel unit represents the first three cylinder diesel engine for the automaker. This 1.5 Liter, 3 cylinder engine is a downsized version of Mahindra’s flagship 2.2 Liter mHawk turbo diesel engine, with the key difference being that this engine gets a twin turbochargers. The Quanto’s 1.5 Liter mCR1000 engine will pump out a peak power of 100 Bhp and a peak torque of 240 Nm, making it the most powerful compact SUV in India, and by a long shot at that. Mahindra claims an ARAI certified fuel economy figure of 17 Kmpl.

2012 Mahindra Quanto Compact SUV Profile Render

The Quanto is built on a body-on-ladder chassis borrowed from the Xylo MPV and shortened suitably to make it fit under the 4 meter length. The Quanto will come in four variants, C2, C4, C6 and C8. The top end variant will get ABS, EBD and twin Airbags, along with 15 inch alloy wheels. The Quanto is expected to be priced between INR 5 to 6 lakhs for the base variant, which pits the compact SUV straight at the B+ segment hatchbacks of India like the Maruti Suzuki Swift, the Ford Figo and the Hyundai i20. Mahindra will be hoping that the higher ground clearance, the high driving position and the muscular road presence of the Quanto will help boost sales.

2012 Mahindra Quanto Compact SUV Rear Render

The Compact SUV class currently has a single player, in the form of the Premier Rio, which is an also-ran given that the SUV has Chinese underpinnings, stuff that the average Indian car buyer hasn’t come to trust with his/her hard earned money just as yet. So, the Quanto in essence is the first big splash in this segment, with the Ford EcoSport crossover all set to follow in early 2013. Click here to check out the uncamouflaged images of the Quanto. Watch this space for technical specifications, pricing and other details of the Quanto straight from the launch today, which begins at 12 noon.