Mahindra’s new-gen EVs have been in the spotlight for a while now, and though the larger XEV 9e is the one proving to be the more popular choice with buyers, the striking BE 6 is perhaps the one pulling potential customers to showrooms. We’ve already done an in-depth road test of the XEV 9e and came away with the impression that, though pricey, it’s a well-engineered, well-rounded and feature-rich electric SUV. Can the BE 6 keep Mahindra’s flag flying high? We put it through our exhaustive real-world road test to find out.
Mahindra BE 6 exterior design and engineering – 8/10
Concept car-like design demands attention; born EV is based on INGLO platform and gets two battery sizes.
You really have to hand it to Mahindra, as it has gone all guns blazing in the styling department; the BE 6 looks like nothing else on the road. The front end is dominated by sharp lines and bold LED lighting elements, but what’s really unique is the large hood scoop, which efficiently channels airflow to improve aerodynamics. An illuminated ‘BE’ logo takes pride of place on the bonnet, under which sits a 45-litre frunk.
The BE 6’s width is accentuated by the flared wheel arches, which house stylish, aero-efficient 19-inch alloys. There’s gloss-black cladding on the lower half all around the SUV, and while it does look good, it is very prone to scratches. The SUV gets flush-fitting handles on the front doors, the ones for the rear doors are on the C-pillar, and the charging port is placed on the rear left fender. In profile, it’s very much a coupé-SUV thanks to the tapering roofline.
At the back, there’s a split spoiler element on the top of the tailgate and another small spoiler on the boot lid in the interest of aero efficiency. The rear design is comparatively minimalistic, with slim, C-shaped LED lights and Mahindra’s new infinity logo on the tailgate. There’s even a dot-matrix-style LED light bar that spans the width and can display customised text. It’s gimmicky but cool in its own way, and that’s kind of the vibe with the BE 6 on the whole. The SUV’s concept-like looks may not be to everyone’s taste, but it sure grabs eyeballs everywhere. Mahindra offers the BE 6 in eight paint shades, including bright colours like orange and red, in keeping with the SUV’s character. There was even a limited-run, dark Batman Edition on sale recently.
Like the XEV 9e, the BE 6 is a born EV and is underpinned by Mahindra’s INGLO skateboard architecture, which will also form the basis of future Mahindra EVs. The SUV comes with a rear-mounted motor with rear-wheel drive only, but the architecture is capable of supporting a secondary front motor, which will enable all-wheel drive. In terms of dimensions, the BE 6 measures 4,371mm long, 1,907mm wide (same as the 9e) and 1,627mm high, with a 2,775mm wheelbase (common for the INGLO models).
The BE 6 is offered with two battery pack options – 59kWh and 79kWh. The battery’s chemistry is LFP (Lithium Ferrous Phosphate), and it uses BYD’s robust and proven blade cell technology. Both BE 6 versions are powered by the same rear-mounted electric motor producing 380Nm. However, the motor delivers a higher 286hp with the 79kWh battery and 231hp with the 59kWh pack. The ARAI-rated range is 535km for the 59kWh variants and up to 682km for the 79kWh versions.
What’s nice is that Mahindra is offering a lifetime warranty on the battery for first owners. The caveat here is that the ‘lifetime’ is 15 years, before the car needs to be re-registered. And in case of an ownership change, the warranty is 10 years/2,00,000km.
Mahindra BE 6 interior space and comfort – 6/10
Cabin is big on wow factor but has some oddities; front seats are comfy, but the BE 6 falls short on rear headroom and visibility.
The Mahindra BE 6’s out-of-the-box design does pose some challenges, however. Despite featuring doors that open 90 degrees, the low roofline, sharply raked A-pillar and tall ride height may make getting into the cabin cumbersome for taller people. What’s also confusing for first-timers are the fabric door straps instead of conventional door handles, and many will use these to close the doors, which could affect the mechanism’s lifespan.
The interior is just as radical as the exterior, with a squarish, two-spoke steering wheel with the illuminated BE logo. It’s nice to look at, but it feels a bit odd to hold, and what’s annoying is that pressing the haptic touch buttons with a little too much force will activate the horn. Then there’s the twin, free-standing 12.3-inch screen setup that dominates the long dashboard, stretching till the windscreen. A cool detail is the AC vents, which give the effect of one continuous vent that spans the dashboard’s width.
Mahindra has also opted to give the cabin a halo-like loop around the driver for a sportier, driver-centric feel. While this does look cool, it affects practicality, as it doesn’t leave enough space for a second cup holder, and accessing the wireless charger and Type-C ports from the passenger side becomes difficult, too.
There are also more than a few aircraft-inspired elements inside, such as the drive selector, the toggle switches on the roof for certain controls and the unique front seat design. The centre console also houses a rotary knob and buttons, which control some key functions, and a magnetic holder for the unique key fob.
Mahindra has also done a good job with the upholstery, combining grey and black with olive elements throughout. However, the gloss-black panels are scratch magnets, and the overall quality and fit and finish, though good, don’t feel very premium. The seats feature a unique upholstery pattern, and they combine leatherette with recycled fabric materials.
The driver’s seat is electrically adjustable, gets three memory settings and a dedicated ventilation button, and while it is accommodating, the cushioning can feel a tad firm. Meanwhile, the passenger seat doesn’t get memory settings and, rather annoyingly, its ventilation function must be accessed through the touchscreen.
Like at the front, you have to be mindful of your head while entering or exiting the rear seats, thanks to the tapering roofline. This also means that headroom at the rear is tight for taller passengers, and the rear visibility is limited. While you’re not seated in a particularly knees-up position, taller passengers will find under-thigh support lacking, and the thick door pads mean that seating three adults here won’t be comfortable either. But you do get a lot of legroom, and the backrest recline is adjustable. You get an armrest with cup holders, charging ports and quirky AC vents that look cool but don’t allow for directional adjustments.
An optional feature is the BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) system, which allows passengers to dock their mobile phone or tablet on the front seatback and sync it with the front screens to either stream videos or control certain functions of the SUV.
As for storage, there’s a decent-sized glove box, a cooled cubby under the centre armrest and large door bins. Also, unlike the XEV 9e, the BE 6 gets a large space under the centre console, which enhances its practicality.
The boot, at 455 litres, is sizeable and deep, but it has limited height thanks to the low roofline and the motor and the space-saver spare wheel being under its floor.
Mahindra BE 6 features and safety – 9/10
Gets features beyond its price point; ADAS tech is well-calibrated to our conditions.
| Mahindra BE 6 features checklist | |
|---|---|
| Auto LED headlamps | Yes |
| Digital cluster | 12.3-inch |
| Touchscreen | 12.3-inch |
| Head-up display | Yes |
| Memory seat function | Driver |
| Ventilated front seats | Yes |
| Panoramic glassroof | Yes |
| Wireless charger | Yes |
| 360-degree camera | Yes |
| Auto parking | Yes |
| Ambient lighting | Yes |
| Level 2+ ADAS | Yes |
| Airbags | 7 |
Mahindra has also gone above and beyond when it comes to the BE 6’s equipment list. The twin 12.3-inch screens have great resolution and nice graphics, are slick in operation and run Mahindra’s latest MAIA software using a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 processor. There are also different themes to choose from, but the touchscreen has swallowed up too many functions, and the user interface will be confusing initially. For example, accessing the AC controls is a two-step process, as you have to press the shortcut button in the centre console, which will open a sub-menu on the screen, and you then have to tap this sub-menu to control basic functions or open the full system menu. Even to change drive modes, you have to reach out to the leftmost corner (furthest from the driver) of the screen to select the mode you want. It’s things like these that dent the user experience.
Coming to the cameras, there’s a superb 360-degree parking camera that’s high-res and even shows the exact colour of your BE 6. There’s also a Driver and Occupant Monitoring System (DOMS), which includes a wide-angle camera that monitors the driver’s alertness. It can be used for video calls, taking selfies with AI-generated filters, and more. What’s nice is that the outside camera doubles up as a dashcam and the inside camera as a video recorder, and one can even transfer the footage to a mobile phone or hard drive via the USB port in the glove box.
Other cool, noteworthy features are a head-up display that uses augmented reality to display whatever parameters you choose, a fully autonomous self-parking function that’ll park the SUV in a spot regardless of the driver being inside and customisable ambient lighting that extends to the panoramic glass roof. A special mention also goes to the incredible 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system with Dolby Atmos that wouldn’t seem out of place on a proper luxury SUV.
Apart from these standout features, the BE 6 Pack Three also gets ventilated front seats, wireless smartphone integration, onboard apps, dual-zone auto climate control, an electronic parking brake, laminated glass that is said to block UV rays, and more.
Besides the DOMS and 360-degree camera, headlining safety features include seven airbags, traction control, and a Level 2 camera- and radar-based ADAS suite. Mahindra has said the ADAS has been tuned to suit Indian road conditions, and during our test drive, these features worked effectively. The lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control functions worked particularly well, and thankfully, we didn’t get to experience the autonomous emergency braking, which points to a well-calibrated system. And to top it all off, the BE 6 has received a 5-star crash safety rating for adult and child occupants from Bharat NCAP.
Mahindra BE 6 performance and refinement – 10/10
Well-calibrated powertrain is potent, progressive and effortless; cabin is well-insulated from road, tyre and motor noise.
We tested the BE 6 Pack Three variant, and as mentioned earlier, it has a 286hp, 380Nm electric motor powering the rear wheels. While Mahindra claims a 0-100kph time of 6.7 seconds, we managed it in 7.14 seconds, which isn’t too far off. Interestingly, we got the fastest time in the Everyday drive mode and not the top Race mode, as the Boost function is not offered in Race mode.
Speaking of drive modes, apart from Race and Everyday, there’s a Range mode, which focuses on maximum efficiency, and as such, top speed in this mode is capped at 130kph. But even in this most docile mode, power delivery is strong, and you can easily keep up with fast-moving traffic. Everyday mode is ideal for regular usage, with a good balance between performance and efficiency, while Race mode shifts that balance to performance.
| Mahindra BE 6 specs, acceleration, braking, noise levels | |
|---|---|
| Motor type and setup | Permanent Magnet Synchronous |
| Power (hp) | 286 |
| Torque (Nm) | 380 |
| Weight (kg) | 2,115 |
| Power to weight | 135.22hp per tonne |
| Torque to weight | 179.67Nm per tonne |
| Transmission | 1-speed automatic, AWD |
| 0-20kph (seconds) | 1.37 |
| 0-40kph (seconds) | 2.69 |
| 0-60kph (seconds) | 4 |
| 0-80kph (seconds) | 5.38 |
| 0-100kph (seconds) | 7.14 |
| 0-120kph (seconds) | 9.48 |
| 0-140kph (seconds) | 12.57 |
| 1/4 mile time | 15.36 |
| 20-80kph in kickdown (seconds) | 4.03 |
| 40-100kph in kickdown (seconds) | 4.46 |
| Braking: 80-0kph | 26.81m, 2.71s |
| Sound at idle: AC off (dB) | 36.3 |
| Sound at idle: AC at half (dB) | 47 |
| Sound at idle: AC at full (dB) | 57.2 |
| Sound at 50kph (dB) | 60.5 |
| Sound at 80kph (dB) | 64.9 |
Being an EV, the BE 6 accelerates in a smooth and effortless manner, and that’s down to the calibration of the powertrain. It won’t dump all its output in one big chunk, and instead, feeds it in a progressive manner. While that doesn’t allow for aggressive launches from a standstill, it means that the average driver won’t be overwhelmed, which is necessary in a car that has this much performance. Mahindra has also done a great job with the BE 6’s refinement. Road and tyre noise is well-isolated, and even the electric motor’s whine is barely audible inside.
The BE 6 also gets four levels of regenerative braking. In Level 0, the SUV rolls freely, while each step up increases deceleration, culminating in Level 3 for the strongest effect – all delivered in a smooth, intuitive manner. There’s also a dedicated one-pedal mode for more assertive regeneration, capable of bringing the vehicle to a full stop without touching the brake pedal.
Braking duties are handled by an advanced brake-by-wire system paired with an integrated electronic booster. This setup can transition between regenerative and traditional friction braking (via front and rear discs) in mere milliseconds, depending on pedal input. The result is a brake pedal that feels natural, with consistent, confidence-inspiring stopping power.
Mahindra BE 6 range – 9/10
Has a commendable real-world range of 449km on a combined city and highway cycle.
| Mahindra BE 6 range, regenerative braking, battery economy | |
|---|---|
| Battery capacity (kWh) | 79 (tested) |
| Battery economy in city (km/kWh) | 5.55 |
| Battery economy on highway (km/kWh) | 5.81 |
| Average battery economy (km/kWh) | 5.68 |
| Range (km) | 449 (combined) |
| Regenerative braking Level 1 (80-20kph) | 299.47m/21.23s |
| Regenerative braking Level 2 (80-20kph) | 190.02m/13.64s |
| Regenerative braking Level 3 (80-20kph) | 122.11m/8.8s |
The ARAI-rated range for the BE 6 with the 59kWh battery is 535km, and that for the 79kWh version is up to 682km. For our real-world range test, we kept the BE 6 in its most efficient ‘Range’ drive mode, with the regenerative braking set to Level 1 on the highway and Level 3 in the city. In our city test cycle, the Mahindra BE 6 delivered an efficiency of 5.55km/kWh, which translates to a real-world range of 439km. It’s worth noting, however, that the high idle time in the city, combined with high ambient temperatures touching 40deg C, resulted in a higher energy consumption.
On the highway, it was slightly more efficient at 5.81km/kWh, translating to a range of 459km. Combined, the BE 6’s 79kWh version has an efficiency of 5.68km/kWh, giving it a real-world range of 449km, which is impressive. Contributing to its efficiency are its aerodynamic shape, aero-optimised wheels and low rolling resistance tyres.
Mahindra BE 6 ride comfort and handling – 9/10
Semi-adaptive dampers give it great ride and handling balance; feels tough over broken roads and composed around bends.
| Mahindra BE 6 chassis, tyres, suspension, steering, brakes | |
|---|---|
| Construction | 5-door monocoque |
| Tyres | 245/55 R19 |
| Spare tyre | 135/80 R18 |
| Front suspension | Independent, MacPherson strut, semi-active dampers |
| Rear suspension | Independent, multi-link, semi-active dampers |
| Steering type | Rack and pinion |
| Turning circle | 5m |
| Front brakes | Disc |
| Rear brakes | Disc |
| Anti-lock braking system | Yes |
The BE 6 really impresses with its ride and handling balance. Key to this is the suspension setup, which features semi-adaptive dampers that adjust stiffness as per the drive mode you select. In ‘Range’ mode, the setup is supple and absorbent, while ‘Race’ mode tightens things up for a sportier, more engaging feel. Over broken roads and potholes, the BE 6 feels like a true Mahindra, as it deals with the rough stuff with great composure and irons out road imperfections with ease. Even at highway speeds, it feels solid, with barely any vertical or side-to-side movement.
What really helps the BE 6’s handling is the steering. Thanks to a variable gear ratio, the steering feels quick, precise and responsive. What’s nice is that it remains light at low speeds, which aids manoeuvrability, and then builds up weight progressively as you pick up the pace. Also, given that it is RWD, the front end feels sharp and very willing to change directions. This, along with a low centre of gravity and semi-adaptive dampers, means body roll around bends is very well-contained, and it feels confidence-inspiring.
What’s also commendable is that despite its size, the BE 6 is easy to drive in city traffic thanks to its tight 5-metre turning radius. In conclusion, then, the Mahindra BE 6 stands out for its polished road manners and is on par with SUVs priced two to three times higher.
Mahindra BE 6 price and verdict – 9/10
Has ergonomic foibles but is striking and feature-rich, with brilliant performance and driving dynamics.
The Mahindra BE 6 is an SUV you simply can’t ignore. Sure, it does have its shortcomings. For instance, the cabin could be roomier at the rear; there are many ergonomic issues, and the UI/UX of the infotainment system needs more refinement to become easier to live with.
However, it gets a lot right, too, and it aces it. Its styling is polarising, but it has an undeniable road presence. It’s packed with features far beyond its price range, offers serious performance and delivers a superb driving experience. A respectable real-world range of 449km also enables intra-city travel and takes away range anxiety.
Priced from Rs 18.90 lakh to Rs 26.90 lakh (ex-showroom, excluding charger), it also comes across as a good value considering all that it offers. All in, Mahindra has ensured this electric SUV really stands out from the crowd while delivering a thrilling experience, and if that’s something you’re after, the BE 6 fits the bill perfectly.
Also see:
Tata Harrier EV road test review
Mahindra XEV 9e road test review
