Ever since the introduction of the new Mahindra XUV700 in August 2021, this three-row SUV has amassed tremendous buzz around it. So much so that the waiting period for the SUV soars to almost 10 months! Are you one of those who are expecting your XUV700 to arrive in the coming months? Or someone who is looking forward to buying one? Well, you are at the right place. The Mahindra XUV700 Petrol Automatic recently made its way to the CarWale garage and after having spent a few weeks with it, we can now tell you what it is like to live with this new Mahindra SUV. So, read on to know our experience.
The moment you set eyes on the XUV700, it looks and poses like a proper SUV. Open the driver side door, wait, and cherish that welcome retract function of the powered seat greeting you into one of the geeky-looking cabins. Once inside, the dashboard looks neat and premium with soft-touch areas in the right places. Look around and almost everything inside is new and well thought of. The large door handles, bottle holders on all four doors, cupholders on the centre console, a sunglass holder, and even a tray under the armrest to place the key fob.
Step inside the second row and this seven-seater XUV700 gets a bench-type seat with a 60:40 split function. You get a centre armrest with two cupholders and generous legroom, courtesy of a wheelbase of 2,750mm. The middle bench can comfortably accommodate three passengers. However, the third row isn’t very spacious. First, the access to the third-row bench is cumbersome and once seated, the passengers are bound to brush their knees against the front seats. Then, the seats are 50:50 split and not exactly comfortable for long-distance drives.
The Mahindra XUV700 is undoubtedly the most advanced and feature-loaded SUV in its segment. The massive free-standing setup for the infotainment and instrument console looks modern and is touch-based. It comes with a secondary rotary dial that can be used while resting your hand on the centre armrest.
Other noteworthy features include dual-zone climate control, a powered driver seat with memory and welcome retract function, a wireless charger, a massive sunroof, and an amazing 12-speaker stereo system from Sony. Even the third-row passengers won’t feel neglected as they get features like aircon vents with blower controls, cupholders, roof-mounted speakers, and a 12V charging socket.
On the flip side, in our time with the XUV700, we found the infotainment to be slightly slow and glitchy. However, we expect timely software updates to fix the niggles. There are a few misses as well. Mahindra has skipped features like front ventilated seats, auto-dimming IRVM, paddle shifters, and a sliding function for the second-row seats that could have really added to the overall practicality.
The Mahindra XUV700 that we sampled was plonked with a 2.0-litre mStallion petrol engine with an coutput of 197bhp and 380Nm torque. While we drove the one that was mated to a six-speed torque converter automatic transmission, the motor can also be had with a six-speed manual gearbox. The all-wheel-drive configuration is reserved exclusively for the top-spec diesel trims.
Mahindra has not specified the ARAI-certified fuel efficiency figures of the XUV700. However, in our thorough and comprehensive test run, the XUV700 returned 8.5kmpl in the city and 11.05kmpl in the highway loop. We will soon be testing its manual version too. Stay tuned to CarWale to know the real-world mileage figures.
The petrol engine is the most potent powertrain in Mahindra’s line-up. With close to 200 horsepower on tap, cantering in the city is effortless and one would seldom miss the drive modes (Zip, Zap, Zoom, and Custom) that the carmaker offers solely on its diesel derivatives. Out on the highway, the steering feels nimble and the ride quality is absorbent over uneven surfaces. Cruising at three-digit speeds is effortless and with the supremely comfortable seats, the XUV700 can gobble kilometres with utmost ease.
The XUV does not exactly wrap around you. In fact, it feels as sizable to drive as colossal it is to look at. But then there are tons of gizmos that can make up for it. Like the 360-degree surround camera with photo and video recording and the array of level two ADAS features. We did try our hand with the adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, emergency braking, and the lane keep assist functions that come to life post 60kmph. The overall response and functionality of these features were quick and precise. Having said that, we found it a bit too unwieldy to access different ADAS functions’ settings through the instrument cluster which is tricky to operate via buttons on the steering wheel.
At 5’5”, I surely can’t call myself a person of average height. However, there’s one thing regarding the design of the door pads that we found nettling. The upper portion of the front door panels partly intrudes the vision of the driver to the ORVMs. However, this may not be very frequent and problematic since the XUV700 gets a 360-degree camera and a height-adjustable driver seat.
With barely any luggage space with all the three rows up, it’s better to fold them down in case you travel with a maximum of five people. Once nearly flat, the last row frees up tons of baggage space and as you can see above, it can fit three different sized suitcases, a couple of backpacks, and the gang’s anticipated shopping spate from the trip. Run for the driver seat or even the front passenger seat and you are in for a sublime experience.
The Mahindra XUV700 has a fuel tank to hold 60-litres. That’s 10-litres more than the Hyundai Alcazar and Tata Safari. While the petrol version is a fuel guzzler, the diesel variants are expected to fare better with fewer stops at the fuel pump. The second-row seats are adequately comfortable and passengers will enjoy the pampering features along with the panorama sunroof. However, the third-row occupants will find the legroom inadequate and might unfriend you by the end of a long journey.
Mahindra offers the XUV700 with a three year and unlimited-kilometres warranty that can further be extended during the purchase at the dealership level.
When you rewind the ‘XUV’ journey, the XUV500 was the first to kickstart the game for the carmaker back in 2011. Even then, the XUV500 was a step ahead of its rivals and proved to be a decent all-rounder. And that vogue continues to be the same with the new XUV700, having taken the reins from the forerunner.
The Mahindra XUV700 takes the exterior design genes from the XUV500 and looks more striking and impactful. It is brimmed with modern and advanced features and brings in ADAS along with plenty of first-in-segment features to the table. And with assorted powertrain and gearbox options, there’s an XUV700 for everyone!
But then, the XUV700 locks horns with cogent contenders like the Tata Safari, MG Hector, and the Hyundai Alcazar. It even rebuffs the interested buyers with the long waiting list that stretches well over six months. Presently, the XUV700 range starts at Rs 12.95 lakh and goes all the way to 23.79 lakh (ex-showroom).
Photography: Kaustubh Gandhi
Keyword: Living with the Mahindra XUV700