Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. has launched the Jeeto Minivan, a stylish looking comfortable passenger carrier developed on its successful Jeeto platform. The Jeeto Minivan is touted to be suited for urban and semi-urban modes of transportation and will cater to last-mile connectivity, contract and stage carriage for tour/travel and intra-city people movement.
Mr. Veejay Ram Nakra, Senior Vice President, Sales & Marketing (A.D.), Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., making a presentation stated: “Public transport, especially the last-mile passenger transport, needs a revamp. Low-cost shared mobility is still not adequately available in semi-urban, rural and urban areas. It is dominated widely by large 3-wheelers, micro and macro 4-wheelers in some pockets. The existing options lack in some or the other features like power, mileage, safety, weather protection and total economics of ownership. Thus, the Jeeto Minivan, priced competitively at Rs. 3.45 lakhs (ex-showroom Mumbai for BS-IV diesel variant), is available in two body forms, namely, hard top and semi-hard top, robust monocoque integrated chassis and body construction will fill the need gap in the market.”
The Jeeto platform
The Jeeto Minivan is powered by mDura, a direct injection (DI) and BS-IV emission compliant engine from the Mahindra stable. Designed for superior performance with a class-leading power of 11.9 kW (16 hp) and torque of 38 Nm, the vehicle is well suited for all terrains. It can do more trips and delivers best-in-class fuel efficiency of 26 km/l. Further, with its lower maintenance cost, fatigue-free car-like driveability, spacious cabin & well-cushioned seating for comfort and a distinctive exterior styling, it offers much superior value proposition over its competitors.
Speaking at the launch of Jeeto Minivan, Mr. Rajan Wadhera, President, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., said: “The popular Jeeto brand has already set new benchmarks in innovation, performance, safety and comfort, and the launch of Jeeto Minivan will further extend this platform for last-mile passenger transportation. At Mahindra, we have identified specific need gaps amongst the customers, and I am sure that the Jeeto Minivan will provide a more efficient, safe and comfortable mode of transportation to our customers. In fact, the Jeeto Minivan will also be an ideal option for 3-wheeler customers to upgrade, as we enable them to rise by driving positive change in their lives.”
The Jeeto platform was conceptualised to effectively cater to the needs of multiple segments in the passenger and cargo movement categories. It delivers a superior value proposition with its existing and popular Jeeto Minitruck and the newly-introduced Jeeto Minivan. In its endeavour to upgrade the 3-wheeler customers to Jeeto Minivan, the company has introduced attractive exchange and finance schemes with significantly low-down payment options and a longer tenure for affordable EMIs.
Key features of Jeeto Van
The Jeeto Minivan comes with a class-leading warranty of two years/40,000 km, whichever is earlier, which offers complete peace of mind. It also sports the veritable Mahindra DNA of being tough and rugged, making it best suited for all types of terrains. To add to this, the widespread Mahindra network of 1,160 touch-points and over 3,200 dealer trained technicians facilitates easy repair and service. Customers can choose from its three attractive colours of Sunrise Red, Ultramarine Blue and Diamond White. It will be launched in a phased manner.
“In its first phase, the semi hard top diesel variant of the Jeeto Minivan will be launched. Over the next couple of months, the Jeeto Minivan range will be completed with the launch of the hard top CNG and diesel variants and the semi hard top CNG and petrol variants,” informed Mr. Nakra.
The Jeeto Minivan provides the highest level of safety in its category. Apart from robust monocoque integrated chassis and body construction, the cabin has been designed to provide better safety to the driver and co-driver in the event of a crash. In addition, (ELR) seat belt systems, head restraints and bucket seat provide safety against sudden impact. The Jeeto’s unmatched safety is due to its semi-forward design, strong body and superior chassis with larger wheel base of 2250 mm for better balance. It also boasts of a front disc brake and rear drum brake.
Its compact size and smooth steering gives the vehicle an easier manoeuvrability in narrow city lanes and by-lanes. Further, it also boasts of best-in-class pick-up and acceleration for better drivability on busy city roads. Jeeto sports a distinctive and contemporary exterior with an impressive characteristic front grille that lends it a distinguished look. Also, bringing in a touch of exclusivity are the dual tone interiors and a contemporary dashboard and instrument cluster.
Jeeto boasts of car like features such as well-cushioned seating and large cabin space with better headroom and legroom for greater comfort to make the journey more pleasant. The better ergonomics like smooth gear-shift quality further enhance Jeeto’s fatigue-free driving pleasure. The easy entry & exit for passengers and the lockable glove box also add to the convenience.
These total cost of ownership, according to Mr. Nakra, enables the owner/driver of higher earnability. “Our trials suggest that the monetary benefits of owning the Jeeto Minivan will help the driver earn Rs. 4,000 more per month that translates into an income of close to Rs. 1 lakh over 2 years than the competition product,” concluded Mr. Nakra.