We like
Still affordable despite $4k hike, looks good, well equipped, decent powertrain performance, comfy ride, responsive steering, tight turning circle, good brakes, quiet interior on cruise, minimal intrusive ADAS

Room for improvement
No ANCAP rating, thirsty, turbo lag off the line when booted, grumbly engine under load, front seats too high, torque steer under hard acceleration, no paddle shift, tiny boot

Overview

 

We reviewed a version of this model a few months ago finding it more or less to our liking underlined on paper (or screen) by what you get for the dosh.

 

And it’s plenty with the Black Edition XUV700, as you’d expect, getting the black treatment including a lustrous black duco, gloss black 18-inch alloys, black mirror caps, black grille and a black leather interior among other black stuff. Minor interior kit upgrades include memory front seats and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

 

It’s built up from the AX7L top of the range model that goes for $39,990 drive away with the Black Edition adding $4000 to that at $43,990 d/a.

 

The model competes against other front-wheel drive petrol contenders in the medium SUV segment from all points of the compass.

 

At the money, you are well under the kick-off point for the segment leader, Toyota’s base model FWD RAV4 at a snip under $40k plus costs but directly competing with a range of mid-spec established players like the Mitsubishi Outlander (including a Black Edition), Mazda CX5 and lower spec’ AWD Subaru Forester, none of which include on road costs.

 

So it’s something of a challenge for Mahindra, a brand that has been fighting for a foot-hold here for quite a few years.

 

That may change with some new metal filtering through and deals like this although it doesn’t address the fickle prejudice of some Aussie buyers about car names like Mahindra and Ssangyong. Given what some incoming Chinese brands are called they (buyers) will have to lighten up.

 

All XUV700s including the test model share the same chassis and underpinnings built around a 150kW/380Nm 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine driving the front axle through an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission.

 

It’s suspended on a strut front and multi-link rear suspension, rolls on 18-inch alloys and is fuelled by a 60-litre tank with a claimed combined fuel economy of 8.3 litres/100km on 91 RON regular unleaded.

 

The large for segment medium size XUV700 is 4695 mm long, 1890mm wide and 1755mm high on a 2750mm wheelbase with 196 mm ground clearance. It weighs 1835kg and 1500 kg braked.

 

In terms of kit, the test model misses out on little with: 18-inch alloy wheels, driver’s side electric seat adjustment, dual-zone climate control (with ventilation outlets to all three seating rows and third-row fan controller), front seat heaters a, ventilation, LED headlights, DRLs and tail-lights, a panoramic tilt and slide sunroof and synthetic leather upholstery.

 

There’s even a chilled centre-console bin you don’t usually see this far down the food chain.

 

Two 26cm screens provide instrumentation and infotainment details as already mentioned the latter including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, Bluetooth connectivity, AM/FM (but no DAB) radio, a 12-speaker Sony-branded sound system, and a couple of screens for G-force and, oddly, a lap timer.

 

The model features a full complement of airbags (including full third-row curtain and a driver’s knee airbag) and the usual electronic traction and stability chassis control and comes with a range of ADAS features.

 

Warranty coverage is a decent seven years/150,000km but nowhere near some that offer up to10 years/250,000km.

 

Driving Impressions

 

It smells funny inside, a bit like coconut husk wadding – but you get used to it. What isn’t as easy to get used to is the high front seats that perch you high up in the vehicle and there’s no up/down adjustment.

 

It would have been preferable to lose the seat’s heating/ventilating and make the seat more adjustable…...

 

Funny enough, there’s adequate headroom with the large sunroof overhead although smallish door apertures make access/egress a tad restricted.

 

Setting the car up how you want is relatively easy through a combination of buttons and screen menus.

 

Seats are in three rows with the first two providing decent room and the third a kid zone with a tiny load space behind. Seat folding is easy and effective offering a flat floor and one touch operation.

 

The interior looks pretty good with two screens on the dash and an array of surrounding conventional switches/buttons with a D-cut wheel and faux black leather upholstery.

 

No paddle shift is provided although a manual shift mode is available on the selector stick.

 

This mode doesn’t really need to be used as the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine delivers plenty of get-go across a wide speed range enabled by the smooth six-speed auto.

 

But torque steer rears its ugly head when mildly provoked making the front-drive XUV700 wriggle a bit in its lane, exacerbated on a slippery road.

 

This is no doubt a limiting factor in the relatively low towing capability of the XUV700 at 1500kg braked.

 

Boot it off the line and there’s a pause for the engine/turbo to spool up. But if you ease it away the delivery is more linear with strong acceleration to get you ahead of the pack.

 

The engine can be a touch grumbly when working but once a cruise velocity is attained it’s quiet as a mouse. Mahindra claims 8.3 litres/100km but we could only achieve 9.5 and the readout is in kms/litre instead of litres/100km … a bit of arithmetic required there.

 

The steering has a small turning circle with initial lightness but it firms up above walking pace offering up quick response and a well weighted feel in your hands and no bump deflection.

 

Other dynamics are impressive, in particular the ride quality which is calibrated a little on the sporty side as evident cornering fast and flat while still offering suppleness to smooth rough roads. No complaints about road noise intrusion, the brakes or tyre grip.

 

This was a quick road test in the city and on rural back roads and we wouldn’t even entertain taking it off road. It was a good thing to drive across most applications and looks good in the sexy black livery.

 

The engineering and manufacturing side of things appears up with the likes of the Koreans in fit and finish, functionality, paint, styling and general drive feel while the exterior styling has elements of Renault about the front and a generic medium SUV rear end.

 

The Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition is a flash version of the Indian manufacturer’s existing medium SUV designed for sealed roads carrying seven passengers with minimal luggage.