Mahindra XUV700
The Mahindra XUV700 marked a radical departure from the brand’s previous SUV attempts when launched in 2021. Pitched as a premium offering taking on stalwarts like Tata Safari and MG Hector, its success holds the key to Mahindra’s ambitions in the fiercely competitive SUV space.
This analysis examines factors making a strong case for the XUV700, alongside chinks in its armor that give pause. We help decode whether it makes sense putting your money down for one now, or better to bide your time.
Mahindra XUV700 Key Specs
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Length x Width x Height | 4,695 mm x 1,890 mm x 1,755 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,750 mm |
| Engine Options | 2.0L Turbo Petrol/ 2.2L Turbo Diesel |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT/AT |
| Price Range | Rs. 13-24 lakh |
Some Alternatives
- Tata Safari
- MG Hector
- Hyundai Alcázar
Reasons Supporting Buying the Mahindra XUV700
The home-grown SUV brings plenty to the table, making it a compelling purchase proposition for Indian buyers.
Striking Exterior Styling Grabs Eyeballs
Mahindra has dialed back the polarizing bling aesthetic of the XUV500 for a more cohesive profile. But the XUV700‘s road presence remains head turning courtesy visual drama from details like the audacious front grille with fangs motif.
Chiseled surfaces, a dual crest grille, squared wheel arches and slim LED tail lamps effect a futuristic look amplified in darker shades. It promises turning heads while masking bulk cleverly.
“It’s still a head turner. You will notice it as it drives by. The face is bold, and its size gives it road presence, but it isn’t shouting for attention like the old XUV500 did.”
Significantly Improved Interiors Versus Predecessors
Gone is the mishmash of textures and colors creating a gaudy cabin ambience of old Mahindra’s. The XUV700 sports a cleaner dual-tone black and beige dashboard layout with better plastics. The caramel leatherette seats and padded surfaces push upmarket luxury.
While large LCD touchscreens and a digital driver’s display plonk it into 2022, some switches and bezels already look their age, hinting at a shelf life. But overall, the welcoming cabin warrants placing the XUV700 a segment above its Mahindra lineage.
Powerful and Modern Petrol and Diesel Engines
Motivation comes from an all-new range of petrol or diesel mills co-developed by Mahindra and Ford. Both engines deliver segment-leading power figures for effortless cruising, with responsive mid-range punch for overtakes or inclines.
The 184 hp 2.0L turbo petrol hits triple digit speeds rapidly, while the 185 hp 2.2L diesel strikes a sweet balance of performance and efficiency, aided by its healthy torque. Their real-world flexibility explains the XUV700’s popularity over hybrid or EV options costing the same.
Composed Ride and Handling Package
While dimensionally similar to the 5-metre Trailblazer, the XUV700′s monocoque construction creates car-like maneuverability belying visual bulk. Light steering, a compliant suspension and cushioned seats make most surface vagaries float by sans discomfort.
Quick direction changes don’t upset its composure, inspiring confidence pushing the chassis or cruising on uneven highways. It emphasizes habitability instead of off-road pretenses like traditional brute body-on-frame ladder SUVs focused chiefly on sedan users in mind.
“Bad sections of road are dealt with casually. It just soaks stuff up and settles right back down. The faster you go, the better it feels.”
Packed With Features Rivaling More Premium Brands
Belying pricing significantly undercutting most rivals, the XUV700 offers feature only seen in luxury SUVs until recently. These include a panoramic sunroof, dual-screen infotainment, 64-color ambient lighting, flush door handles, 360° cameras, drive modes and ADAS tech bringing adaptive cruise control.
While large 17-inch Android tablet-style touchscreens attract eyeballs, their laggy response showcases the car’s Achilles heel in tech refinement. But overall, if seeking sensors and buttons to play with, the XUV700 satiates your inner technophile.
Impressive Safety Credentials
Rather than superficial ticking of regulation mandated boxes, the XUV700 takes passive and active occupant protection seriously. Front, side and curtain airbags, ESP, traction control supplement segment-first tech like auto booster headlamps, drowsiness detection and a driver knee airbag.
The robust base structure and extensive use of high strength steel pay dividends with a stellar 5-star Global NCAP crash test score. This brings immense reassurance for family usage compared to some 4-star rated Korean or Japanese models.
Factors To Be Wary Of Currently
However, the XUV700 isn’t without flaws for an incredibly complex SUV, priced Rs. 3–4 lakh lower than European alternatives. We drill down on caveats for prospective buyers.
Interior Quality Still Trails Premium Brands
While improved, some cheaper plastic parts, typically out of sight, betray the Mahindra‘s origins when occupants brush past them. The rich dashboard gives way to scratchy door handles, exterior mirrors and lower door pads, belying modern luxury expectations where consistency trumps flashy elements.
The all-beige cabin also stains easily from daily wear and tear, needing constant vacuuming to maintain its airy feel. Compared to thrifty hard plastics as seen in Korean or Japanese rivals more adept at hiding aging, the Mahindra feels almost deliberately vulnerable to owners penalizing its aging through neglect.
Third Row Space and Boot Compromised
Usability as a 7-seater sees the XUV700 struggle relative to a similarly sized Toyota Innova Crysta. The back is strictly for kids or short adults for time-bound stints, unlike the Toyota’s generous third row space. Compounding headaches, its already limited boot shrinks to bare-bones expansion, hampering weekend getaways or airport runs.
Mahindra offers the 5-seater option sans third row and the middle seat slides further rewarded through restored luggage room without compromise. But it questions why the brand bothered engineering cramped additional seats if intended solely for occasional use, unlike the Tata Safari’s properly habitable third row.
Engineering Gremlins Plague Early Production
Being among the first batches rolling out of the factory, early XUV700 owners faced teething issues marring the ownership experience. The most well documented involved the SUV not starting intermittently, with instances documented even under 5,000 km.
Mahindra traced the root cause to faulty wiring harnesses, but the brand’s inability to highlight the issue before customer calls underscored lack of durability testing and quality control. While proactive in addressing owner complaints subsequently, it highlights risks rushing incomplete products failing basic reliability criteria to market.
After-Sales Service Setup Trails Rivals
While Mahindra’s sales and support network has expanded nationwide, most new centers cater chiefly to budget-focused models like the Scorpio and Bolero that share simpler engineering. This leaves gaps in their capabilities handling advanced tech seen on the sophistication intensive XUV700.
Frustrated owners regularly complain about exaggerated turnaround times at workshops and technicians taking multiple attempts to resolve petty issues. Such gaps needing attention minus extended downtimes causes people to pay extra at better equipped independent garages for basic service.
Bottomline : Should You Buy the XUV700 Now?
For buyers seeking a premium 7-seater under Rs. 20 lakh: Go ahead, as the XUV700’s all round strengths bridge the expectations gap to luxury 7-seat SUVs costing 20-30% more. Prioritize a 5-seater variant unless occasional 3rd row use for kids or grandparents.
For buyers expecting typical luxury car refinement: Better alternatives exist like a well specked Kia Seltos or Hyundai Creta matching features at 60% of the price point or a pre-owned luxury SUV at the same budget minus compromise on finesse.
The Road Ahead
The XUV700 makes a compelling case, merging aspirational styling, generous features and usable power at an accessible price point. And Mahindra’s responsiveness to owner feedback shows a brand skipping walking before running towards matching international benchmarks.
Once teething complaints get ironed out in subsequent production batches and after-sales infrastructure evolves on par, the XUV700 undeniably signals Indian automotive engineering entering the big leagues, where building global class SUVs gets normalized rather than celebrated as token achievements.
