Quality, bargain Mahindra XUV700 is the dirt road king
My test of this darkened Mahindra XUV Seven Double Oh was banging on pretty normally until the freeway snarled up. So I took the long way home. It went on pretty average from there too. Until I swept onto my favourite dirt backroads to the north of the city.
It’s still a privilege to drive those good old rural roads, while they last. Slowly but surely they’re being tarred. The price of progress, I suppose. But Cape secondary roads also have the tendency to shake the very worst out of test cars. Another reason why I like them. The dirt roads, that is. Not that I don’t like test cars, of course.
XUV700 makes a mockery of dirt driving
But I digress. Back to the point. Knowing the road well, I kinda naturally, grit my teeth at the point where the tarmac ends. Brace up for the imminent shake, rattle and roll. But you know what? That hardly happened with the Mahindra XUV700. There seemed barely a difference on that rough, long last scraped strip.
So I pushed a bit, looking for my rough road fix. No real difference. To be frank, I’ve very seldom experienced a car so pliant, so smooth on the dirt. Not even the better bakkies. They all have some quirk or other. So is this the dust devil? I’d certainly say so. I even stopped for this quick on location shoot. This one must be different.
Done with my little dirt detour, back on schedule, I settled into the tar trip home to ponder the rest of this impressive SUV. A quantum shift forward over the Mahindras of yore, we’ve enjoyed watching the brand progress from humble beginnings. And XUV700 totally rewrites the story of this solid Indian brand
R28K Black Edition adds XUV700 drama
This Black Edition adds further drama and twenty-eight grand to the premium AX7L 7-seater model to take it to a R627K asking price. For that you get exclusive Napoli Black paint,
black 18-inch alloys and black faux leather versus the regular grey trim leatherette. For the rest, read regular XUV700.
Which means a strong presence and authentic SUV stance behind the Mahindra butterfly badge and bold DRL headlamps. Promises strong vehicle dynamics. Proved even stronger on the dirt. We’re not too sure about those plasticky door handles. They jab you in the side if you’re not paying attention.
Climb aboard. The cabin literally takes your breath away in a complete break with the past. You’d be forgiven for believing that you’re sitting in an early Merc GLE. No, really. Even the logic of Mahindra’s new Mercedes-like super screen twin digital cluster dash harks to pre-MBUX GLEs. Never mind, it looks, feels, touches, and works just like a Merc.
Skyroof contributes to big cabin feel
Highly customisable, CarPlay, Auto and Sony immersive 12-speaker 3D sound infotainment brings wireless charging. The touchy-feely stuff is backed by real buttons. Thank you! The driver’s seat sits a bit high and lacks a little adjustability and its little tight to access. But its broad and tall Skyroof dimensions make XUV700 cavernous inside.
Mahindra’s 147 kW 380 Nm 2 litre mStallion GDi 2 turbo petrol turns the front wheels through a six-speed automatic. It’s very heavy though, spinning the scales up to an EV-like almost two tonnes to steel a little speed. And agility.
And then that all-independent multi-link suspension with frequency selective damping. Mahindra promises superior ride comfort and strong dynamics. The best place to prove that is on good dirt roads, that are rough enough to shake your teeth out and take control of the car for you.
Mahindra keeps making magnificent progress
Not in the Mahindra XUV700, however. If it’s that good there, just imagine how well it will deal with any other surface? Its pricing remains sharp as ever, yet Mahindra has made magnificent progress in every possible motoring facet. Especially in the dirt. – Michele Lupini
ROAD TESTED: Mahindra XUV700 2.0T AX7 L Black
Engine: 149 kW 380 Nm 2-litre turbo petrol I4
Drive: 6-speed Auto FWD
TESTED:
0-60 km/h: 4.30 sec
0-100 km/h: 9.04 sec
0-120 km/h: 12.16 sec
0-160 km/h: 21.49 sec
400m: 15.0 s @ 160 km/h
80-120 km/h: 5.84 sec
120-160 km/h: 9.32 sec
CLAIMED:
VMax: 190 km/h
Fuel: 8.7 l/100 km
CO2: 195 g/km
Range: 675 km
Warranty/Service: 5y 150K/5y 100K km
LIST PRICE: R627K
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