Team-BHP - Mahindra XUV700 Review

Had a chance to look at XUV700 at the dealer stockyard in person. Earlier today, we also test drove Harrier. Below are my observations between them.

XUV700
Pros:

Looks pretty good with certain colors. They had two colors in their stock.
Once onboard, you feel you are pampered with technology.
Very refreshing design.
Every element (Steering Wheel, Seat Cushions, etc..) feels premium.

Cons:

Head Unit stopped working. Even restarting the car couple of times went in vain. The SA said it's a pre-production version and will be fixed during the production version.
Tailgate feels flimsy. Looks like everyone (around 20/30 folks) knew about this aspect and were checking the same and had a similar opinion.
Last seat is strictly for kids. We were 5+2 inside the car. Don't compare this to Innova's last seats.
Personal opinion of my family after the Harrier TD earlier the day was that Tata felt built better and felt secured inside.

Verdict:
We were apprehensive about spot booking M&M car that is high tech-oriented in its first year. As other Bhpians say, it's always better to buy M&M cars from the second batch. As of today (probably up until Jan next year), Harrier/Safari seems to be a better bet. But, come second/third batch of XUV700 with niggles sorted it looks like a value product at that space.

Updated Tata Safari:
1. Safari XT now gets an air purifier
2. Some variants also get wireless charging, wireless Android Auto, Apple CarPlay
3. Mid- and high-spec Safari prices up by Rs 7,000-Rs 12,000

Updated Tata Safari prices:
Prices for the XT and XT+ variants have increased by Rs 7,000, while the higher XZ, XZA, XZ+ and XZA+ have seen a mark-up of Rs 12,000. As such, the standard Safari is now priced at Rs 14.99 lakh-Rs 22.14 lakh, with the Gold edition coming in at Rs 21.90 lakh-Rs 23.18 lakh (all-prices, ex-showroom, Delhi).

UPDATED TATA SAFARI PRICES (EX-SHOWROOM, DELHI)
Variant Price
XE Rs 14.99 lakh
XM. Rs 16.54 lakh
XMA Rs 17.81 lakh
XT Rs 18.06 lakh (up by Rs 7,000)
XT+ Rs 18.86 lakh (up by Rs 7,000)
XTA+ Rs 20.09 lakh
XZ Rs 19.81 lakh (up by Rs 12,000)
XZA Rs 21.08 lakh (up by Rs 12,000)
XZ+ Rs 20.50 lakh (6-seat) / Rs 20.65 lakh (7-seat) (up by Rs 12,000)
XZA+ Rs 21.78 lakh (6-seat) / Rs 21.93 lakh (7-seat) (up by Rs 12,000)
XZ+ Adventure Rs 20.71 lakh (6-seat) / Rs 20.86 lakh (7-seat) (up by Rs 12,000)
XZA+ Adventure Rs 21.99 lakh (6-seat) / Rs 22.14 lakh (7-seat) (up by Rs 12,000)
XZ+ Gold Rs 21.90 (6-seat) / Rs 21.90 (7-seat)
XZA+ Gold Rs 23.18 (6-seat) / Rs 23.18 (7-seat)

Courtesy: Autocarindia.com

Quote:

Originally Posted by shashi792 (Post 5160064)

[*] Last seat is strictly for kids. We were 5+2 inside the car. Don't compare this to Innova's last seats.[*] Personal opinion of my family after the Harrier TD earlier the day was that Tata felt built better and felt secured inside.

1. Rear seat comparison should be made to its competitors which are Safari, Hector Plus and Alcazar. That's what helps.
2. What did your family consider when deciding that Harrier is a better build car? Just curious did you check sheet metal thickness? Or is it just the infinite numbers of articles showing Tata cars being the safest playing on the mind?

Note from Support: Quote trimmed. Typos fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpmmachine (Post 5158510)

The 3rd-row seat which was important for me is good.
I can feel the reduction in height of XUV700 as I had XUV500 in past and in the 3rd row I Can sit easily..

Sitting in the third row comfortably.
Although some YouTubers state that the 3rd-row seat in xuv700 is not enough while same YouTubers were saying Alcazar has enough space but I practically found it to be the opposite. XUV700 3rd row has enough space to accommodate 5"10' comfortably.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shashi792 (Post 5160064)

Last seat is strictly for kids. We were 5+2 inside the car.

Am really surprised at such contrasting views of third row unless third row occupants are almost 6 ft tall. Going by rpmmachines's pictures the space looks decent for anyone around 5.6 - 5.7 tall.

Any thoughts?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScorpWarp (Post 5160116)

Our thoughts on this were based on Harrier (for middle row space against XUV700) and Innova. Both of which we TDed within a few day's time span.

If you have your middle row seat at an almost L position, then probably we could have the adult sit for short rides. We had the middle seats at a slightly tilted position which was comfortable seating positing for adults sitting in the middle row.

Kids (aged 4 and 8) were pretty comfortable. Last Saturday, we test drove Innova (Top end Automatic). In terms of seat comfort comparison and space, I think Innova is hands down the winner.

Quote:

Originally Posted by drsachin (Post 5160035)

Noted sir, I got your point.
My fluidic Verna SX opt has the same mechanism as you say.
But I am not sure if it feels more premium or more practical to use. .....
And if it did result in lowering cost of the vehicle then I think Mahindra had done a great job in cheaping out in those areas which will not result in any great difference.

Having a flippy key or a proper concealed key might be personal choice, cost cutting measure etc. but in such a premium vehicle if I have to take out the key fob to lock and unlock the car is certainly not premium.
This is like Maruti key with integrated buttons which we can covert to flippy key in 700-1000 bucks.
I have a ciaz alpha and believe me passive key less entry by pressing the request sensor on handle and auto dimming IRVM now feel must have and super convenient.
The absence of these two things is going to haunt many present users of these features who are interested in XUV700.
I don't know what were product guys smoking while deciding the feature set of XUV700.

Quote:

Originally Posted by shashi792 (Post 5160132)

If you have your middle row seat at an almost L position, then probably we could have the adult sit for short rides. We had the middle seats at a slightly tilted position which was comfortable seating positing for adults sitting in the middle row.

Without recline, both rows would be uncomfortable. :)

Based on all reviews, it seems that the Innova is the best and Safari has better space than XUV. Am looking for a usable third row. To give a frame of reference, I am tempted to upgrade from a (hardly used) BR-V. We aren't a tall family. Except my son, who is 5'10", all of us are 5'6". My son and his friend can manage couple of hours in the BR-V's third row. But we do slide the middle row forward to make space for the third row occupants. The XUV seems to have missed a trick with a fixed second row.

I would have to wait for the test drive I guess.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScorpWarp (Post 5160151)

Without recline both rows would be uncomfortable :)
Based on all reviews in seems innova has best , safari has better space than Xuv. Am looking for usable third row. To give a frame of reference - am tempted to upgrade from (hardly used) brv, we arent a tall family, except my son who is 5.10 all of us are 5.6. My son and his friend manage a couple of hours in Brv third row. But we do slide the middle row forward to make space for third-row occupants. Xuv seems to have missed a trick with a fixed second row.
I would have to wait for the test drive I guess.

Yes. I would suggest TDing with your family. You can calculate the actual usable space. According to the SA, they expect 8K bookings from Bangalore in the first week itself. He also said that concerning the chip shortage, Mahindra has chips to manufacture 30K vehicles for now (unconfirmed). So, he thinks the bookings from the first week across India itself is enough to meet that 30K mark. Then the deliveries will slow down a bit and they expect 5-6 Months waiting time for this.

On a lighter note: My family member were asking the SA as to why Mahindra cannot launch a 5 door Thar as Thar look so rugged compared to the XUV 700 :).

Quote:

Originally Posted by RavenAvi (Post 5159267)

A brief walkaround of the AX7 MT petrol (normal, without an option pack)

The same reviewer has now posted a detailed walkaround of the AX7 MT petrol in Midnight Black, dealership edition - the starting variant of the 7OO's AX7 series.

It's a long video but quite detailed and is worth watching till the end.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaneuzlBrx4

Notable - the door handles are manually operated in this MT variant, but they are equipped with auto pop-in/pop-out sensors in the AT variant, as seen in the official test drive reviews earlier in August.

No puddle lamps under ORVMs.

Just 2 rear parking sensors.

Spare tyre is in a steel rim.

2 grab handles in the boot door.

Sony branded speaker system.

Umbrella holder in front door pocket.

Only tilt adjustment in steering wheel.

Wireless charging pad provided.

Wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay equipped.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PraNeel (Post 5160150)

I am sorry but I think I am missing out something.

I know I have similar passive keyless entry in my Verna where I don't need to take out the key from the pocket but just press the request sensor on the handle to lock or unlock. This is super convinent and must have feature for me in a premium segment car. Only when the remote battery dies, does one require to take out the physical key.

So you mean their is no proper keyless entry or similar mechanism in XUV700 ?

May be we should wait to actually know how Mahindra has Integrated these new kind of locking system to pass any comment.

Quote:

Originally Posted by akg7091 (Post 5158112)

The Noida dealer seems to not care at all. I have visited Koncept twice, once on Aug 16th and again a week ago. I have not received even a single call back from anybody at Koncept. Also registered on the Mahindra website and all I received was an automated SMS with the name and number of a sales guy ( who doesn't answer his phone or call back - called thrice in past 6 weeks )
If this is how M&M plans on getting new customers then good luck to them

To the fellow BHPians from NCR - any recommendations for a Mahindra dealer ? Koncept obviously seems useless !

Many thanks and God bless

It's the same story with Hyundai dealers in Noida, if you enquire about Creta. They are like -"Verna dekhlo sir, Creta to nahi mil payegi".

The sales guy at Koncept Mahindra asked me to buy Bolero Neo and forget about XUV 700 rl:

I would suggest you to check with dealers in Delhi, specially in Patparganj industrial area near Anand Vihar. I got a great response from Hyundai, Kia, MG and Mahindra dealers.

According to all the hearsays and rumours, M&M should be revealing prices and details of more variants by today or tomorrow. Going by that I think it's time now that we try and assess which is going to be the most VFM variant for one final time before all details get officially announced.

My personal preference is going to be for Petrol AT since daily office drives are not going to be common, and I am ready to see FEs of around 10 kmph (My next car is anyway going to be electric 😉). So my first choice currently seems to be for the AX5 Petrol AT (said to be available only in 5 seater version), which might cost around ₹16.3 lakhs (₹1,30,000 more than petrol MT AX5) ex-showroom. Going by all what our fellow TBHP members have said, accessories like reverse camera and a rear bumper guard also become a necessity. The rear structure maybe good for bigger crashes but a small thud might be enough to make a dent which is surely not going to give any peace of mind (especially since I've had way more accidents at my rear than front and my Ecosport's rear spare wheel has really helped). This is common in rainy regions like Kerala where our more equipped brakes may be able to decelerate safely while others may not be able to.

Since many dealers are saying that there would not be issues regarding waiting period for the first 30k or so bookings, what booking period can one expect if we book instantly ? Any guesses ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheVegabond (Post 5160269)

Will check with Shiva in Patparganj. Checked with Koncept Noida yesterday and they are least interested even with 5 confirmed bookings. The car is selling itself and these guys don't want to work at all

Anyone from Jalandhar or nearby area Hoshiarpur interested in booking?
As per the dealer, they will get the prices by today or tomorrow. They are least interested.
Mahindra shall make the online system failproof with an option to upload the documents at the time of booking so that they may not take the advantage of virtual waiting periods for fat profits.
Dealers want us to book offline for 51K so that they can earn much more in case of cancellations.
Anyone reading from Mahindra shall take care of this. Mahindra is improving continuously, hope they will take care of all this.