Mahindra Alfa

The Mahindra Alfa is a three-wheeled, diesel-powered passenger carrier built for efficient urban and semi-urban transportation. Designed to be compact, manoeuvrable, and capable of navigating through congested city streets with ease, the Alfa three-wheeler is considered an optimal choice for operators and computers to travel comfortably. 

Equipped with a powerful diesel powertrain that has the capacity to churn out 9.38hp and 23.5Nm of torque at around 2200rpm, the Mahindra Alfa rickshaw is deemed perfect for challenging fleet operations and tough urban traffic conditions. Constructed with a strong chassis and a durable suspension setup, Mahindra claims the Alfa is perfect for operators.

Fitted with driver productivity and passenger comfort-oriented features such as cushioned seats, a 12V mobile charging socket, provision for speakers and a music system, among others, the Mahindra Alfa is also built on practicality. With tyres sized 4.50 x 10- 8PR, the Alfa can take on challenging terrain and offer maximum traction in wet weather conditions.

Moreover, with a starting price of Rs. 2.88 lakh which goes up to Rs. 2.89 lakh (ex-showroom), the Alfa is considered to be a value-for-money and cost-effective commercial vehicle in the Indian three-wheeler market. 

Mahindra Alfa Performance: 

The Mahindra Alfa is powered by a powerful diesel powertrain that can deliver superior performance. It equips a 597.7cc Greaves Cotton, single-cylinder, water-cooled engine which has the capacity to churn out 9.38hp at 3600rpm and 23.5Nm at around 2200rpm. This top-class engine is paired with a 5-speed manual transmission. 

Additionally, the vehicle comes fitted with a coil spring and hydraulic telescopic shock absorber in the front for ride comfort and rubber compression hydraulic telescopic suspension in the rear for stability and superb ride quality. 

Mahindra Alfa Features: 

The Alfa auto-rickshaw provides ample features to enhance driver productivity and comfort. It even comes with a closed canopy design that safeguards occupants from external conditions. Additionally, the vehicle includes a multi-information analogue display, wider cushioned seats, and dual halogen headlamps for better drivability and comfort.

Mahindra Alfa Variants: 

Mahindra Alfa is a versatile three-wheeled rickshaw that can efficiently carry passengers and improve turnaround times. It is made available in three variants- the DX, Camp, and Comfy to improve fleet operations and meet the different requirements of customers who are seeking profitability through the vehicles’ operations. 

Mahindra Alfa Rivals:

Since the Alfa is a high-performance and affordable three-wheeled passenger carrier in the highly competitive auto-rickshaw segment, it takes on market leaders like the Bajaj Compact RE, Bajaj Maxima Z, Bajaj Maxima X Wide, Piaggio Ape DX, Piaggio Ape City Plus, and Atul Gem Paxx, among others.

Overview

To claim the top leadership in the fast-growing last-mile people carrier auto-rickshaw segment, Mahindra has bought the revamped BS6 popular Alfa-three-wheeler. This cost-effective and thriving segment has some of the most loved auto-rickshaws on sale, and to take on the fierce rivals, the Mahindra Alfa now promises a whole of compelling propositions. Mahindra has refined the powertrain of this auto-rickshaw, complemented with highly robust aggregates, and yet offered at an affordable price tag. Auto-rickshaws are a popular mode of people carrying vehicles across Indian cities, towns, and villages. This little vehicle serves as a model of business/employment/livelihood to a lot of people, thus three-wheelers are truly people carriers as well providing employment opportunities. 

In this price, sensitive vehicle segment what matters to the buyers is not just a lower upfront cost of the vehicle, but also greater mileage, lower maintenance cost and overall value for money product. Mahindra being the key player in the segment understand the customer needs and expectations, and thus, offers tlfa some of the best operating benefits and features to attract now only more traditional buyers but the new, highly demanding customers. In effect, Alfa takes on some of the highly popular rivals in the category that including  Piaggio Ape DX Bajaj Maxima Z TVS King 4S Atul Gem Paxx.  

The Alfa passenger is available in three variants Alfa DX, Alfa Comfy and Alfa Champ in different gross weights at attractive price points to choose from. Like its BS4 predecessor, the all-new BS6 Alfa continues to drive the key benefits of higher mileage, a comfortable passenger cabin with a wide seat, adequate head and leg room for the passenger, and easier to get in and out and effortless to drive. Not only the lower price tag, but Mahindra ensures the Alfa is cheaper to maintain with a higher warranty, durability, and productivity for a peaceful ownership experience. Let's find out more.

Exterior and Interior 

Alfa looks quite stylish among its peers with appealing body angels, attractive front facia and overall strong road presence. The built quality is highly robust, powerful and tough. It comes with a 4-bolt wheel mounting with a strong body with a superstructure. The attractive back dashboard and mudguard match the overall body of the vehicle. 

Taking into account the needs of the customers and what they expect from their vehicle, the Alfa is easy to navigate through traffic, narrow lanes, or even challenging terrain. Its nicely structured body with plastic skirting helps protect it from any bruises or scratches; this is vital to save money on expensive repairs. 

In terms of comfort, Alfa scores high with comfortable seats for both the driver and passenger; the vibrations are less, the passenger cabin is highly spacious with a lot of head, leg and shoulder room. Also, the driver cabin is quite refreshing with easy-to-driver functions. Alfa gets appealing dual-tone seats in red and black. This auto-rickshaw can start by push-button start, and the driver has an independent mobile charging point for his convenience and provision for bottle holders. 

Performance

Besides this look and feel, the Alfa gets quite enhanced performance elements to help the customer run them effortlessly and earn good revenues. These vehicles are a source of livelihood for the owner, hence spending less on maintenance and higher mileage every single liter of fuel counts for them. 

The Alfa DX, Alfa Comfy and Alfa Champ share the powertrain comprising a 4-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled diesel engine with 436 cc displacement. The power is 7.5 hp at a peak torque of 18 Nm. It is tuned with a constant Mesh 4- speed gearbox. The clutch is a weight type. The Alfa front suspension is an anti-dive leading link with helical spring and hydraulic shock absorber; the rear is an independent swinging arm and hydraulic shock absorber with a rubber spring. The brakes are dual circuit internal expanding type with hydraulic, while the parking brake is mechanical on the rear wheel.

Also, the powerful motor enables an easy engine start even in the cold season. Another key performance highlights are excellent mileage and segment-leading pickup; a snorkel exhaust ensures the engine remains well maintained for a longer duration. The DX variant's starting system is the self-ignition key type with a push-button start and on the Champ model is the self-ignition key type. 

This popular three-wheeler dimension includes the wheelbase of 2005 mm, wheel track of 1250 mm, a turning radius of 3500 mm, and ground clearance of 175 m common in both variants. The width, length and height: DX model is 1480mm, 2990 mm, 1905 mm. Champ: 1452 mm, 2978 mm, 1866 mm. The GVW of DX is 800 kg and Champ is 780 kg; both models can carry a driver plus three passengers comfortably. 

Verdict

The three-wheeler passenger carrier is one of a large segment yet highly competitive. With its superior quality, value for money and reliable Alfa models, Mahindra is offering compelling products in the segment. Despite competition from rivals, Alfa has gained a considerable market share and a loyal customer base. Mahindra Alfa is a promising auto-rickshaw to take on India's last-mile transportation needs. Alfa has all the key attributes of performance, ensures profit and is pocket-friendly to operate. 

Mahindra Alfa certainly has what it takes to perform in this competitive last-mile people carrier segment  Given the highly price-sensitive customers in this segment for an easy ownership experience, a 24-months warranty is standard for this auto rickshaw. So what are you waiting for? Check everything on this auto and its rival before you visit the dealership!