My Experience with Mahindra: A Purchase I Would Not Repeat due to more than a Year of Ongoing Issues and Unresolved Concerns

After dealing with the same ongoing issue for more than a year, my experience has raised serious concerns for me regarding the level of customer care, urgency, and accountability demonstrated in this case. At times, I was left with the clear impression that my concerns were not being taken seriously and were treated as an inconvenience rather than a legitimate matter requiring resolution.

I am sharing this in good faith to assist others in making informed decisions.

I own a 2023 Mahindra Dusk. Since early in my ownership, I have experienced persistent mechanical concerns, including a knocking sound from the differential, vibrations, and unusual noises from both the front and rear of the vehicle. These issues have continued for nearly two years. Despite multiple inspections across four different branches and approximately one month of combined downtime, no clear fault has been identified.

Although replacing the differential oil reduced one of the noises, this does not address my concern about potential underlying wear or damage that may have occurred prior to the intervention. Requests for a more in-depth or independent assessment were not supported, and I was advised to continue driving the vehicle. Due to work commitments, this has not been a practical solution, leaving the matter unresolved. The withdrawal of a courtesy vehicle during this process further added to the inconvenience.

From my perspective, the handling of this matter did not reflect a strong commitment to fully investigating or resolving ongoing issues, which has significantly impacted my confidence in the support process.

There are also several unresolved issues present since new, including drivetrain-related concerns and smaller persistent faults. The infotainment system has had non-functional backlighting on key buttons (volume, home, back, and power), making night use difficult. The USB ports have never worked, and the steering wheel controls feel unresponsive. Based on my experience with reporting issues, I did not have confidence that continued reporting would lead to effective resolution.

Performance has been one of the most disappointing aspects of my ownership experience. The vehicle feels underpowered, with very slow acceleration from a standstill. It struggles noticeably on moderate inclines, often losing speed significantly without downshifting when expected. Even when attempting to manually intervene, the response is inconsistent and delayed.

The transmission behaviour further affects drivability. It frequently searches between gears at various speeds, which creates an unsettled and uncomfortable driving experience. On multiple occasions, I have also experienced harsh engagement when shifting from park to reverse after the vehicle has been stationary. Overall, the driving experience has not met what I would reasonably expect in terms of responsiveness, refinement, or consistency.

I understand that all vehicles can have issues. However, based on my experience with multiple other brands, I have never encountered a situation requiring this level of time, effort, and patience without a satisfactory resolution. The most concerning aspect for me has been the lack of meaningful follow-through.

When recently asked whether I would purchase the same vehicle again, my answer was no.

For comparison, I briefly used a 2.0L GWM Steed 5 (entry-level single cab) after the courtesy vehicle was withdrawn. In my personal opinion, it delivered noticeably better performance, drivability, and overall feel, despite being a more basic vehicle.

In my view, the overall ownership experience has not met expectations, and I did not feel that sufficient steps were taken to restore confidence in either the vehicle or the brand.

This reflects my personal experience, and others may have different views. I would strongly encourage prospective buyers to do thorough research, compare alternatives, and test drive extensively before making a decision.