Mahindra Maxximo Mini Van Diesel

Overview

I recently had a chance to go take a look at the 2024 Mahindra Maxximo Mini Van Diesel, and man, it’s a lot more capable than I expected. Clearly, this little van is tailor made for baby boomers and other small business people or anyone with lots of cargo to toil with but no need for a huge, lumbering automobile. It’s not flashy per se, but it’s practical and, sometimes, that’s all you need, right? Just something that works, works well without any fuss.

Design & Look

Now, let’s go ahead and talk about the design. The Maxximo Mini Van isn’t the sort of thing you’re going to win any beauty contests with, now, but when is the last time you walked into your office, and saw an attractive mini van pulling into the curb? It looks really functional, no nonsense. It’s all about making as much space as possible, and a boxy shape, upright stance, and high roof are just a start. But, it’s small enough to dash from one tight city lane to the next. And the face? You’ve got these roundyyish headlightss and a simple grille, and it feels like the face of a reasonably friendly and approachable sort of character. It’s almost like it’s yelling come on, let’s get to work.

If I had to describe it, I’d liken it to the Maruti Eeco’s robust sibling. But while the Eeco is a bit more streamlined, the Maxximo Mini Van just seems a bit more solid, a bit tougher (if you will), dare I say. It doesn’t need to win any style points, but honestly it really doesn’t have to. The boxy design just makes sense for what it’s built to do: They carry loads and compress through city traffic.

Engine & Performance

Under the hood right now it features a 909cc two cylinder diesel engine making around 17 horses and 38 Nm of torque. Yeah, I know, those numbers aren’t going to get your heart racing, for its size it’s actually rather nippy though. With just enough pull to handle a decent load around town without straining, I found it’s ok. When you are fully loaded, the low end torque really helps, it just gets moving without too much drama. The DockLock isn’t going to break any speed records, but for city use and those slow moving traffic congestion, it’s exactly what you need.

Notwithstanding, in case you contrast it with the more seasoned Maruti Suzuki Omni, the standard for this fragment for ages, the Maxximo appears to be significantly more qualified. Every time you hit in uphill, the Omni used to run out of breath. But the Maxximo? It’s a bit heavier, it doesn’t give up as easily. The bigger plus of the diesel engine’s efficiency, however, is this: Running costs are kept low, it’s very important if you’re using this as a business vehicle.

Features

Overall features wise, it’s pretty basic, but in a good way. It’s very straightforward, and you carry a ton of headroom (seriously, anyone could fit in here comfortably), comfortable seats with decent support, you get a straightforward instrument cluster… Insides wise, I actually really like how simple everything is. No fancy stuff to hinder your experiment—just a simple, easy to clean interior. There are a few storage pockets here and there, enough room for whatever you want to store but, no, no luxury touches here.

What I did start noticing, however, was the suspension setup. For a small commercial vehicle, it’s surprisingly comfortable. Thanks to the leaf spring suspension at the rear, it doesn’t get too bouncy even on bad roads. That keeps things pretty steady, which matters a lot if you’re driving it all around delivering things throughout the day. I expected to feel like I was in a washing machine over a few rough patches, but it did a hell of a lot better than that. You don’t get that in this segment usually.

Ride & Handling

If you ask me, speaking of the ride, this thing is nimble! It has a great 4 metre turning radius for a van. What that means is you don’t feel the dread of driving a bus and you can easily squeeze in crowded markets or make u turns in tight spots. Parking and maneuvering are breeze due to the steering being pretty light. Given that it is available in a smaller size than some of its bigwigs such as Tata Ace or even Maruti Eeco, the Maxximo feels, no doubt, more city friendly. It’s just easier to zip around in. And if you do a lot of urban driving, that’s a huge plus.

The one thing that’s a little bit of a downer is the noise inside the cabin. In the diesel engines you know, you get a sort of clatter as they reach higher revs. Sure, it’s not unbearable, but it’s certainly there, constantly reminding you that you’re in a utility vehicle. After all, that’s a small compromise for something built for what it’s built to do. After all, you’re not exactly anticipating pin drop silence, are you?

Pricing & Rivals

But here’s where I really get off on the price. The Maxximo Mini Van is, very much a super affordable, reliable, practical workhorse and your disposable income won’t be emptying. The Maxximo goes up against the Maruti Eeco and Tata Magic, but I prefer that the Maxximo feels a bit sturdier and has better ride quality. Sure, the Eeco has a slightly stronger petrol engine, but the Maxximo has a diesel, which offers you better torque and mileage (which is what you actually want when you’re hauling a lot).

After all, it’s a Mahindra, so you know it’s going to last. Mahindra has a reputation for producing tough, no nonsense vehicles, and the Maxximo fits the bill. Don’t expect fancy features or high end finishes, but if you’re looking for a solid van that isn’t going to start falling apart after a few years you can’t go past it.

That’s my take on the 2024 Mahindra Maxximo Mini Van Diesel. Not fast or pretty, but a worked hard little van that does the job. What do you think? Is that what you’re looking for or are you leaning toward something a little nicer?”