[Raghunath Singh]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Just wondering if you are not alone what would be the future of Jeep in India.

future is bright if they get the pricing right

Mods please delete this duplicate post.

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Just wondering if you are not alone what would be the future of Jeep in India.

future is bright if they get the pricing right

[Rada]

When the XUV 700 was announced and the first test drive reviews started coming in from media, I was one of those who decided to go in for an AX5 MT variant without even a TD. It ticked most of my boxes. I was ready with my KYC documents and the down-payment and told the local Mahindra salesperson to inform me as soon as bookings opened.

Like many of you, I assumed the AX5 will have most of the features of the AX7 variant, except ADAS, the fancy SONY audio system and a few other tech features I could comfortably live without.

Then the features list for AX5 was announced and it was a rude shock to know that this was not a mid-variant, but a bare bones version with no Push button start, ACC, Rear parking camera and Cruise control.

So I decided not to go ahead with my booking. After all, my 11-year old Duster is a reliable workhorse and thanks to the pandemic last 18 months, has hardly clocked 85,000 km.

My hopes were rekindled today when it was announced that Mahindra is coming out with a few more variants. But alas, even the variants announced today pertain only to the AX7 version. Nothing at all on the AX3/AX5 versions.

My wait continues...

[muni]

Originally Posted by Rada

When the XUV 700 was announced and the first test drive reviews started coming in from media, I was one of those who decided to go in for an AX5 MT variant without even a TD. It ticked most of my boxes. I was ready with my KYC documents and the down-payment and told the local Mahindra salesperson to inform me as soon as bookings opened.

Like many of you, I assumed the AX5 will have most of the features of the AX7 variant, except ADAS, the fancy SONY audio system and a few other tech features I could comfortably live without.

Then the features list for AX5 was announced and it was a rude shock to know that this was not a mid-variant, but a bare bones version with no Push button start, ACC, Rear parking camera and Cruise control.

So I decided not to go ahead with my booking. After all, my 11-year old Duster is a reliable workhorse and thanks to the pandemic last 18 months, has hardly clocked 85,000 km.

My hopes were rekindled today when it was announced that Mahindra is coming out with a few more variants. But alas, even the variants announced today pertain only to the AX7 version. Nothing at all on the AX3/AX5 versions.

My wait continues...

By the time Mahindra gives you the AX5 with the features you want, the Duster would have aged with the added depreciation and a couple of price revisions would make the AX5 closer to the AX7 ballpark. Worth pondering if you ask me and take the leap of faith .

[Rada]

I hear you.

But somehow, I cannot bring myself to plonk down 18.5 lakhs approx for a variant which lack basic features such as ACC and rear parking camera which are now available even in a car that costs half that much.

Of course, by no means am I discounting the XUV 700’s powerful engines, sorted suspension and excellent road handling characteristics everyone is raving about.

[Venkatesh]

The Mahindra XUV700 gets 2 new fully-loaded variants - the AX7 Luxury with diesel-manual (Rs 19.99 lakh) & diesel-automatic with all-wheel drive (Rs 22.89 lakh).

Here’s the full picture of how the 7-seat XUV700 stacks up against its rivals on the price graph.



Source : Autocar India

[Dark water]

More comprehensive list of variants from Mahindra, though only for the AX7. None the less Mahindra deserves all the praise to have addressed the requirements of most of the customers who found the spread of variants like a jigsaw puzzle.

Mahindra wants to sell the AX7 variant the most, it is evident from the fact that if you enquire about any other variants the sales executive suddenly loses interest in you.

[Manojah]

Anyone having info. on FE figures for the Petrol & Diesel Manual & AT versions?

Any link to a review which has given such figures?

[comfortablynumb]

I am with those who feel disappointed with the AX5 features list. If they were modifying the variants lineup anyway, why not remedy the very obvious AX5 omissions that have been listed in previous posts?

On a lighter note, looking at how many people have "added to cart", I hope the booking feature on M&M's website hasn't been designed and implemented by Infy.

[Geta]

Guys,
please have realistic expectations and be realistic in your comparisons. AX5 in diesel variant comes at a price of Rs 15.59 lacs with a 185 PS engine, 17 inch diamond cut alloy wheels, 4 airbags, panoramic sunroof, 10.25" instrument cluster and 10.25" digital cluster, built in alexa, wireless andriod auto and apple car play, second row armrest with cupholders (as per the brochure), in built navigation, LED headlamps with autobooster etc. It is by no means a "barebones" variant. None of its competitors (Hector and Harrier) come with push start/stop button, cruise control or automatic climate control at this point.

Looks are subjective and I definitely rate XUV700 better looking than Hector and Safari.

If we look at the Harrier, the XM variant costs Rs 15.79 lacs and comes with a 170 PS engine, rear drum brakes, 2 airbags, no sunroof, no alloy wheels, no cruise control, no automatic climate control and no push start/stop button.

The shine variant of MG Hector costs Rs 16.50 lacs and comes with 170 PS engine, 17 inch alloy wheels, 2 airbags, panoramic sunroof, has cruise control but misses out on automatic transmission option, does not have push button start/stop nor automatic climate control. (If you say the petrol Hector has AT, again, its petrol engine is no match for the 7OO's)

Hence I would say, if the AX5 ticks most of your boxes, go ahead and grab it. Or book the AX7 as it is priced very close to the mid variants of its competitors. If you wait for Mahindra to update AX5 with more features for the same price, it is very unlikely to happen.
After all, if Mahindra gives push button start and cruise control in AX5 with all the abovementioned fearures, who will buy the AX7? Then all the investment Mahindra made on the ADAS technology will go down the drain. Though Mahindra might still offer ACC in AX5, may be after a year or so, but that variant will be priced close to the present AX7 prices.

Cheers!

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by comfortablynumb

On a lighter note, looking at how many people have "added to cart", I hope the booking feature on M&M's website hasn't been designed and implemented by Infy.

Honestly, Infy can take it easy here. Mahindra has their own IT company - Tech Mahindra. Rest assured they'll get fried when things go South!

Hope they sort out the AX5 variant- this is one variant which can gobble up Creta and Seltos sales and nullify C segment sedan sales if equipped sensibly.

[84.monsoon]

Originally Posted by nazeer_ahamed

I have updated my booking to AWD with L option. We should really appreaciate Mahindra for listening to the customer preferences.

Originally Posted by a_chelat

Kudos to Mahindra for listening to the market demands.

Don't be under the faintest doubt that all this was just based on M&M listening to customer feedback and responding magically with two new variants in days! There is no way a company can plan, source, market two completely new variants in 5 days! This was all pre-planned to the day. Here is what the internal game plan within M&M XUV 700 team would have been like:

1. Launch on September 30th
2. Get all press and social media coverage as the car that tops out at 19.79 lakhs for Diesel AT - ("wow so much cheaper than Safari!")
3. Introduce fine print about Luxury pack that takes top end pricing to 21.59 lakhs ("Wow, still not bad for all the features one gets! - it is still cheaper than the Safari top end!")
4. Pretend to respond to customer feedback and launch top end AWD with Luxury Pack on October 5th at 22.89 lakhs (Quiet voices, hoarse from all the screaming "Ra-Ra-XUV700" in the last few days go "Now this is more pricey than the Safari, but I guess it is worth it because it has all wheel drive?" By now the social media is tired and confused so less coverage about being the most expensive SUV in the sub-segment of Hector Plus/Alcazar/ Safari/ XU700.
5. Mission accomplished!

[TheProModder]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Just wondering if you are not alone what would be the future of Jeep in India.

They should launch their Renegade in India. It would be perfect for a country like India.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Don't be under the faintest doubt that all this was just based on M&M listening to customer feedback and responding magically with two new variants in days! There is no way a company can plan, source, market two completely new variants in 5 days! This was all pre-planned to the day.

There is no doubt that they would have worked out all possible variants and done the feasibility analysis, costing etc beforehand but they would have decided to differ the announcement for a later date based on the market reaction. But looking at the overwhelming feedback and the demand, they must have acted quickly to announce them right away, which is still remarkable.

[Hayek]

Originally Posted by 84.monsoon

Don't be under the faintest doubt that all this was just based on M&M listening to customer feedback and responding magically with two new variants in day

Agree fully with this. But what a fantastic launch strategy Mahindra has adopted.

Agree with all the points you made, but what you missed is the initial announcement on August 15 - which led with the Petrol MX 5 seater at ₹11.99 lakhs, and ended with the Petrol AX5 5 seater at ₹14.99 lakhs. This created an initial impression that one is getting so much more than say a Skoda Kushaq for nearly ₹ 1 lakh less than the 1 l TSI Style AT.

Then came the launch, which surprised on the downside on features for the AX5, and took the range up to ₹19.79 lakhs (with a footnote of ₹ 21.59 lakhs). And 5 days later, we have prices going to ₹22.89 lakhs.


So mentally, people see fantastic pricing (starts at ₹11.99 lakhs), and see value for what they are buying even if they pay between ₹20 and 23 lakhs ex showroom. And guess how many of the 25,000 units to be sold at these prices will be Petrol MX variants?

But don’t get me wrong - I am not cribbing about this. The XUV700 Petrol AX7L has more features and power for ₹ 20.99 lakhs (bar AWD) than my Tiguan Allspace, which listed at ₹34 lakhs (even if I got it for a lot less). But if M&M had declared the full variant list going to ₹ 22.89 lakhs on day 1, members on our forum would have been cribbing about how over priced it is and calling it Dead on Arrival.

By boiling the frog in terms of pricing (and please note - this is just the beginning), M&M has created a strong perception of value for money which should translate into strong sales in coming months. After that of course, ownership experience will count for more than just price.

A true lesson in marketing which other players would be well advised to learn from.

[Voyager-1]

Mahindra's intent is to take on both the 5-seater and the 7-seater CSUV and SUV segments. XUV700 has all it needs.

It's a very simple strategy to match the AX5 with the features of Creta, Seltos, Astor, Kushaq, Taigun segment. AX5 failed poorly here. Bad strategy. IMHO, Mahindra should have the a top-end version (both with and without AWD) in both 5-seater and 7-seater configurations.

However, AX7 is spec'd well taken on it's 7 seater competitors like Safari, Hector, Alcazar etc...

Originally Posted by Sebring

But suspension, I was hoping to be in the Jeep Compass league. Given, the tech is the same. I took the Jeep on very bad roads and it just soaked up everything, but in the Mahindra I could feel every bump. Suspension is on the softer side and it rocks a lot. I did this back-to-back on some horrible non-existent roads. Maybe it was too extreme for the car. The XUV700 is certainly tuned for smooth roads.

Great observation there. When I was choosing between my Jetta vs XUV500, I drove them through the same bad roads and XUV was bouncy (even though both Jetta and XUV500 have rear independent suspension). Whereas, the Jetta absorbed the bad roads impressively. I feel the same XUV500 trait is being passed on to the XUV700 as well. I wonder what difference the frequency selective damping technology makes in XUV700's ride quality.