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Mahindra is back in the news again, this time about fuel efficiency. You’ve heard about the Indian automaker’s struggles with its U.S. distributor and now we’ve discovered the TR40 truck is EPA-rated at 19/21 city/highway mpg.
Good for a combined 20 mpg, the four-door TR40 is powered by a 2.2-liter turbodiesel engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive is part of the package and the automaker claims the truck has a 5000-pound towing capacity and 2765-pound payload capacity.
With these fuel economy numbers falling far below the claimed 30 mpg on the highway, Mahindra’s success in the U.S. — if it ever arrives on our shores — will depend on price. For comparison, a 2011 Ford Ranger with a 4.0-liter V-6 and four-wheel drive and a five-speed automatic is rated 14/18 mpg city/highway. A four-wheel-drive 2011 Toyota Tacoma with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic gets 18/21 mpg, and a four-wheel-drive 2011 Chevrolet Colorado with a 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine and a four-speed automatic is rated 17/23 mpg.
With the Mahindra’s TR40’s 19-gallon fuel tank, the truck can travel about 361 miles in the city and 399 miles on the highway.
What do you think: With fuel economy at 19/21 mpg, do you think the diesel-powered Mahindra TR40 has a chance in the U.S.?
Source: EPA
Unless they can live up to their hype of economy, ruggedness and relibility, then they should stick to what they do best – export curry and IT geeks.
As much as I’d like to see a diesel powered compact truck with high payload ratings on these shores, I think Manhindra has a long, tough uphill climb at that MPG figure. That little truck would have to be low – priced, trouble free, simple (where’s the 6 speed stick shift?) and good for 250,000 miles + without major overhaul. Oh yes, trouble – free electrically and rust resistant too. I’ll be keeping an eye on the Mahindra, but can’t afford to be an early adopter. If I had to get a long term economical small(ish) pickup tomorrow, it’d be the Toyota Tacoma or Ford F150 with the V6. The cheap version would be a 4 cyl. Tacoma or Ford Ranger. Fuel costs day-to-day would be about the same.
Show me 30+ MPG, manual trans, and prove solid build quality, then I’ll be interested.
IMO they need to stay in India or go to some other 3rd world country. If they come to the USA with that type of mileage, price won’t help them because they are up against established brands. The best they would be able to do, without having superior fuel mileage and efficient build quality, is to sell a few pickups and call it quits. The market is too tough to suffer also rans.