Complete Guide to Buying a Mahindra XUV700

In the last two decades, no carmaker in India has been as adventurous and innovative as Mahindra. Known primarily for making the rugged Bolero, Mahindra stepped into the premium car segment with the Scorpio in 2002 and the XUV500 in 2011. 

But the biggest shift yet has been with the XUV700. Replacing the XUV500, the XUV700 is a culmination of years of R&D investment and sheer ambition that has seen Mahindra enter the premium segment. It’s loaded to the gills with features and equipment, gets world-class safety, and has surprisingly good powertrains, which wholly explains why XUV700 waiting periods are as long as they are. 

If you’re in the market for one car that can do it all, or most of it anyway, here’s an XUV700 buying guide to help decide which is the best XUV700 variant to buy.

Mahindra XUV700 Specifications

Why you should consider the Mahindra XUV700

The Mahindra XUV700 is one of the most car-like SUVs you can buy in India today, making it a versatile choice for families and individuals alike. Here are three reasons why that’s the case. 

Powerful, Refined Engines

The XUV700’s powertrain range is a great example of how it’s better to do a few things well rather than attempt many. There are just two engines on offer, 2.0-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel, though the latter is available in a couple of tunes depending upon the transmission type you choose. As for the transmission, Mahindra has all bases covered with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter. 

The powerful engines translate their might on paper very well to the tarmac as the XUV700’s slowest variant – the diesel automatic – brings up 100 kmph from a standstill in 10 seconds. The XUV700’s top speeds also nudge the 200 kmph mark, given a decent stretch of straight road. These are very good numbers when you consider this is a nearly 2-tonne SUV. 

Adding a bit of character to this performance is the refined and revvy nature of the petrol motor, which can go up to a throaty 6,000 rpm. And while obviously not as refined as the petrol, the XUV700 diesel masks its harshness well, offering a more refined experience than its diesel-powered rivals. 

Balanced Driving Dynamics

The XUV700 offers surprisingly good dynamic ability as it’s quite well-mannered, even by regular car standards. But compared to other offerings in this segment, the XUV700 is miles better when it comes to responsive handling while keeping body roll under control and high-speed ride composure. 

You’d think this is par for the course, given the XUV700 is a monocoque SUV. However, its suspension deserves special credit here as the fully independent unit uses frequency selective dampers that vary the damping rate between high (i.e. comfortable ride) and low (i.e. stable handling) frequency ranges. This allows the XUV700 to strike a better balance between ride comfort and outright handling than any other SUV in its class. 

What further adds to the ease and feel of driving the XUV700 is a well-calibrated steering wheel that weighs up very progressively with a rise in speed. This makes steering the XUV as easy and predictable in the city as on highways. 

Technology and Safety

Over the last two years, the XUV700 has lost some of its bragging rights as rivals have caught up. For instance, it’s no longer the only mid-size SUV that offers level 2 ADAS. As for crash safety, the German twins have pipped it to the title of India’s safest mid-size SUV. 

But if you zoom out a bit, the XUV700’s combination of tech and safety remains unrivalled. For instance, its dual 10.25-inch displays for the infotainment and instrument cluster are usually seen in pricier luxury cars. Other bits that might evoke a similar feeling of awe include a powered driver seat with memory and welcome retract functions, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera with photo and video recording, and an amazing 12-speaker audio system from Sony. 

Add ADAS, a 5-star GNCAP rating, and 7 airbags to this mix and you have a car with a technology and safety package that’s unmatched in this segment.

Why you should not consider the Mahindra XUV700

Despite being the best car from Mahindra yet, there are aspects to the XUV700 that would merit a second look at your decision to buy it. 

Certain Premium Features Missing

As impressive as the XUV700’s tech and equipment list is, it misses out on some features that buyers would consider mainstream at this price point. Chief among them are ventilated front seats or at least a ventilated driver seat. While the XUV700’s dual-zone AC works well, it can’t make up for this vital miss by Mahindra. Other features that are conspicuous by their absence include an auto-dimming IRVM, paddle shifters, ambient lighting, rear sunblinds, and a sliding function for the 2nd-row seat. 

Cramped 3rd Row Seat 

The XUV700’s 3rd-row seat is best suited for kids, strictly speaking. If you’re any larger than adolescents, your knee will brush against the 2nd-row seat which, along with the tight headroom, will make long drives uncomfortable. This lack of space keeps the XUV700 from being recommended as a proper 7-seater, a shame given the 3rd-row seat gets 3-point seatbelts, adjustable headrests, AC blower control, cupholders, and a huge glass area. 

Mahindra XUV700 Variants

Mahindra has gone the Hyundai/Kia way by offering the XUV700 in 30 variants across four trim levels, viz. MX, AX3, AX5, and AX7. There’s also an optional Luxury Pack for the top-end AX7 trim that gets additional features over the AX7 such as wireless charging, 360-degree camera, blind-spot monitoring, passive keyless entry, Sony 3D sound system, and 7 airbags.  

Best Mahindra XUV700 Variant to Buy

Let’s tackle this question by each trim level. The MX, despite its decent feature list, is advisable only if you’re on a strict budget. However, we can’t say the same about the AX3 trim as it’s overpriced for what it offers. The AX5 hits the sweet spot among XUV700 variants as it offers almost all of AX7’s equipment, sans the higher premium. But if you want ADAS and all-wheel drive, the AX7 trim is your only option. As for the question of whether to get the Luxury Pack, the Rs 2 lakh premium over the standard AX7 is hard to justify for the features mentioned in the previous section. 

Given the long XUV700 waiting periods, it might also make sense to choose a variant as per availability. Although the exact timeframe might differ from dealer to dealer, expect a waiting period of 4-5 months for the MX and AX3 variants, 6-7 months for the AX5 variants, and up to 9 months for the AX7 variants. 

Mahindra XUV700 Warranty & Service Cost

The Mahindra XUV700 gets a standard warranty of 3 years/1,00,000 kilometres. You can extend this for another two years or up to 1,50,000 kilometres with Mahindra offering discounted pricing if you get the extended warranty packages within 2 months of buying the XUV700. 

In terms of Mahindra XUV700 service costs, you can expect an annual expense of Rs 7,000 – 8,000 for a service interval of 1 year/10,000 kilometres. 

Summary

The Mahindra XUV700 is one of the most well-rounded cars on the Indian market today. It offers the road presence and comforts of an SUV in a very un-SUV-like package of driving dynamics, features, refinement, and luxury. And despite the slightly premium pricing and initial technology niggles, the Mahindra has solidified its position as one of the best mid-size SUVs you can buy in India. If you don’t believe us, just believe the thousands of people ahead of you in the XUV700 waiting line!