When announced for SA, the XUV700 piqued much local interest, including ours. Now handed the keys, we finally tested Mahindra’s flagship SUV…
Nearly a year ago, Mahindra South Africa confirmed that the XUV700 was heading to local shores, with the Indian automaker saying its flagship SUV would unleash a new era for the brand. To no surprise, the announcement was met with interest. The firm has been going from strength to strength over the past five years. In 2022, the firm recorded a sales growth of 78 per cent, which made it the fastest-growing manufacturer in SA. It’s a commendable achievement. In addition, when local bookings for the 2022 Indian Car of the Year opened at the start of November 2022, the company received a record 1 100 pre-orders in two weeks (with deliveries scheduled to kick off in December). Then, in mid-November, the XUV700 officially touched down in SA and, in December, was announced as a semi-finalist in the 2023 South African Car of the Year awards (SA COTY). The XUV700 was off to a good start.
However, unfortunately for the XUV700, it didn’t make the cut as an SA COTY finalist. Fast forward three months; following the launch of the Scorpio-N, we were handed the keys to an XUV700 test unit. Should it have been included as a finalist? Or, instead, is it good enough to beat its rivals?
Viewed from the front, the XUV700 (tested here in range-topping AX7 L guise; R559 999) looks dashing. The brand’s new ‘Twin Peaks’ logo adorns the grille, which features chrome-finished vertical slats. The C-shaped front-lamp clusters house automatic LED lights and striking daytime-running units of similar lighting tech and sequential indicators. The rear features arrow-shaped LED taillamps. The 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels — wrapped in 235/60 rubber — add to the eye-catching looks.
Press on the flush driver’s door handle; it electrically pops out, thanks to the keyless entry system. Although it initially seemed like a neat feature, we would have preferred traditional door handles. Once stepping inside, the dual-screen cluster housing a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment display and digital instrument binnacle immediately drew our attention. It dominates the dashboard. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are present, which, in this top-tier model, relays tunes over a 12-speaker 3D sound system from Sony.
Further included are wireless smartphone charging and dual-zone climate control. The company’s Skyroof panoramic sunroof, which Mahindra says is one of the largest in the industry, adds ambience to the leatherette-trimmed cabin. The steering wheel and gear lever are wrapped in leather.
Safety items include several driver assistance systems, such as adaptive cruise control, pilot assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and automatic emergency braking. The top-spec variant also gains an additional (knee) airbag from the mid-tier model, bringing the total number to seven. Tyre pressure monitoring is a welcome inclusion.
Dialling in the six-way electrically adjustable driver’s pew provided a commanding view of the road ahead. So, on to the road we go. How did it fare?
One engine option is available locally. The powertrain is of the petrol variety. The mStallion 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit produces 149 kW and 380 Nm, available from 5 000 r/min and 1 750 r/min to 3 000 r/min, respectively. A six-speed automatic transmission sends power and torque exclusively to the front axle. The outputs were sufficient, with the self-shifter seamlessly selecting gears. According to Mahindra, the gearbox was remapped to “perfectly match” the power profile of the engine at SA cruising speeds. And the XUV700 was an admirable highway cruiser.
The handling felt light, which, with the surround-view camera system, made it a fuss-free affair when manoeuvring the seven-seater in town and tight parking spaces. However, we would have liked it to be sharper, especially when travelling on the long road at higher speeds. The XUV700 measures 4 695 mm bow to stern, 1 890 mm in width, and 1 755 mm in height. Owing to its dimensions, body lean was present in the corners. With the South Eastern blowing, wind gusts were also felt.
The verdict
4/5
Suppose you’re looking for a seven-seater SUV with many standard convenience and safety features, a spacious interior, and a sufficiently powerful powertrain. In that case, the XUV700 is a good value proposition, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a rival family SUV offering all of this at the XUV700’s price point. We’d go for the mid-spec AX7, priced at R524 999.
