I'd gotten a chance to check out the XUV7OO today morning. Got invited by my contact to the public launch in one of the showrooms (yesterday 01 October, was a special preview for existing M&M auto customers, I was informed).
My observations, from spending time with an AX7L and AX7:
- The vehicle looks well built and well put together. Inside and out.
- Interiors does seem very nice and everything has a sense of good quality about them (hard plastics as a material choice is different from feeling of quality with what's implemented).
- The showrooms have mostly received only AX7 L variant as display and TD vehicles (AT and manual). However, the showroom i went to, has an Electric Blue AX7 (without L pack. See and read some interesting stuff about this one, below).
- Very good visibility of the bonnet, even with the seat height not being at the tallest setting. Good view of the road outside.
- External wing mirrors are large and seems adequate. Good visibility.
- The leather/ leatherette seats are excellently finished and screams premium. Execution leaves nothing to complain (unlike another recent, couple of months prior product launch). It's a bit of creamy white finish, not pure white nor beige. Will be soiled often, all the same. Regular maintenance might be needed.
- The AdrenoX driver MID and infotainment system screen, is tack sharp and beautiful to see. Whatever Mr. Veluchamy had explained in videos, they're all true. Lovely screen.
- The Sony 3D Immersive 12 speakers surround sound system, well I found it to be very nice and great clarity. Found it to be way, way better than the fluff i heard from a premium speaker brand in a Korean mini-SUV offering. And this was just over Radio. However, I recommend AWD variant prospective customers to NOT listen to it. You might start mentally wanting this equipment too.
- Middle row bench seat leatherette finishing just as good/ same as the front seats. The seat base is deep, resulting in great under thigh support. This could also leave you with an impression of lesser leg room in the 2nd row. Then front seats are pushed all the way back. Being 5"8, under thigh support was very good, for me.
- 2nd row arm rest has a very smart and thoughtful implementation of cup-holders. Instead of the horizontal placement in the front of the arm rest, in the XUV7OO, 2 cup holders are placed vertically, which means it sits in centre of the arm rest and 2 adult occupants on either side can also comfortably rest their arms. I found this design very wise.
- Big sunroof is a huge draw, i guess. Well, it's there.
- The roof mounted speakers on AX7 L variant, I assume that if one turns up the volume significantly, it 'might' annoy the driver (as the speaker is right above their head). Again, assumption.
- Clarity at volume is one (good) thing but to hear well, I didn't need to turn up the volume high either. Went up to 6 and then 9 and sounds sufficient at this level and speech and music were just fine, at these levels (hearing Radio). So maybe the roof speaker above driver won't be a problem, as long as incredibly high volumes are reached (contradicting, aren't i?).
- The 3rd row seat wasn't comfortable to enter or sit my 5"8 heavy build. My knees started touching the 2nd row seat back, in its most reclined position. I sense that individuals with medium build and under 5"7 might not be uncomfortable in the 3rd row. It's not an uber spacious place, but try it for yourself if those 2 seats matter.
- Ingress will be a challenge for the senior citizens and small kids. One has to lift their leg considerably, to enter the XUV. I realised this while i was finding it difficult to haul my own heavy torso into the 3rd row. Finding an footing to enter easily, wasn't easy. Partly due to the somewhat-high climb. (not exaggerating it to be THAR level, you get the gist). Do check this for yourself with your family, if you have senior citizen family members.
- Boot space with 3rd row up will allow for a couple of medium size duffle bags. Or if smartly positioned, I'm assuming the smallest airline carry on luggage could fit in (smallest of 7kgs trolley). Possibly, when the rear seats are not reclined. But with the 3rd row seats down, boot space is aplenty for golf bag or airline cabin luggages, etc.
- Steering wheel feels good to hold and leather stitching is nice and tight. Exudes quality. Tactile buttons also seem fine and doesn't give an impression that it might fall/ break off.
- Front seats are very accommodating. The seat retract when driver door is open and back to regular position when seated and door closed, i experienced this for the 1st time and it was great.
- Glove box has damped opening, so it won't drop down quickly, when opened. Plastics are more raw and non-soft touch plastics. But fine, has sufficient space including a tray space for tablets, documents, etc.. I didn't notice any provision for storing cards or pens, which some other vehicles have.
- Front driver/ passenger arm rest moves forward and slides back, very useful for driver and front passenger. And its also at a comfortable height (was for me).
- The Intelli Control joystick when rotated, controls and changes the volume level, when the infotainment system is in operation. Like most joysticks, it moves in 5 directions (left, right, front, back and downward press). That's just the joystick movements, I didn't find time to see how these movements translate to navigating the infotainment menu and options within.
I've tried to recollect all I could, possibly in the sequence i experienced, and shared. Didn't toy or play with the MID or Infotainment. Too many people to try those and didn't want to rush anything.
Photos of whatever I could take peacefully and properly. After the unveiling, the visiting prospects/ customers thronged the midnight black vehicle and taking photos became a challenge. Then I switched to the Electric Blue AX7, which i hadn't paid attention to much, until then. (this was the 1st unveiled XUV7OO, by some local politician, a Mahindra company executive and some other folks I didn't care to know of).
TD vehicles outside
The midnight back that was prepped for unveiling
Now, pay attention to this and I hope you'll spot the anomaly. Photos first and if you haven't spotted the anomaly compared to brochure + official XUV7OO website info, the text follows to describe it.
(Hint: note the variant). Then....
I couldn't see if this was Manual or AT and forgot to ask. As I felt the gear stalk ball head, it felt like number inscriptions of a manual. Not 100% sure, of course.
Did you get it or spot the anomaly? If not, well, its an AX7 variant manual WITHOUT L pack (no L badge and no, it didn't fall off). But did you find Luxury pack bits in it? Electronic Parking Brake with auto hold, roof mounter speaker, Sony 3D immersive sound audio option in infotainment, all in an AX7 without L, how? Did you also notice these options were there, but no illumination light for the front passenger side sunshade mirror with sliding cover?
Well, this is because its an older Mahindra TD vehicle, that has reached different showrooms. These models were kitted with some technology pack options to give customers demos of it, in showrooms. The AX7 variant for sale and the Customer deliverable pieces, will NOT be having these 'Luxury' pack options.
While checking out this specific AX7 Electric Blue display piece, in the 2nd row seat came and sat the Mahindra company senior official (who had come for the vehicle launch/ unveiling). While i was questioning the showroom sales person about this specific variant (as it was confusing and I was also somewhere getting irrationally excited the AX7 might actually come with these, in the AWD [hehe]), he interjected and started answering my questions.
He then introduced himself and started engaging with me. He explained these specific pieces were earlier Mahindra TD vehicles (perhaps for the media drives, for the demo purposes, etc.) and are not a representation of variants Customers will be delivered. Tie this together with RavenAvi's post #1398 and it will make sense to us. We then got off the car (to not block others and at this point i was more interested in speaking with him than any options).
We spoke for a good 10-15 minutes and i bounced off this forum's members' thoughts on the product mix and the lack of an AWD with Luxury features, people seeing the AX3 and AX5 products lacking options which they considered critical for the variant, etc. I also cracked the joke of people assuming accountants were sitting on product mix planning and we shared a laugh. He assured me that its not the case and for the company, throwing in different products and features options together and a, sort of, 'give it all', this is not how the variants are planned or arrived at. As is expected, he couldn't comment on any future product mixes or offerings within XUV7OO.
He took all the feedback and inputs i could give and importantly for Mahindra to not 'lose' customers by either disappointing them (post purchase) or not giving enough choice. He acknowledge and he also understood. I even encouraged and asked him to share feedback to the right teams that whilst most people are going to wait between 4-7 months anyway, why not make the time useful and make an industry first program for customers to choose options or customise the vehicle, thereby giving end customers true delight. He seemed very interested & honest in receiving all feedback, thanked me for sharing it all with him and then we went out ways. Through the discussion with me, he never seemed in a hurry to cut short and go, find someone else to engage with, etc. He listened attentively, was actively speaking as well.
In all, an interesting morning and well spent, for me. Spent almost 150 minutes at the showroom, including sneaking out for a breakfast for ~30 minutes.
I strongly feel (and we know from XUV5OO product lifecycle) that there will be newer and interesting variant mixes coming. Only a matter of when and how Mahindra Auto can keep such expecting customers engaged and not 'lose' them.
Became quite a long post. Thanks for reading, enjoyed writing this.