The Mahindra XUV700 remains one of 2021’s best kept secrets
The name is XUV, Mahindra XUV 7 double-O, licence to thrill. My mission is to redefine what an SUV is. I will leave you both shaken and stirred. But in a good way.
Say hello to the new Mahindra XUV700, the latest and best SUV from the giant Indian carmaker. Bigger and more luxurious than the popular XUV500, the XUV700 is suitably cloaked in secrecy ahead of its expected October launch in India.
We sent in several of our best spies to find out more, but only one got out. Just. Before he went away to the great casino in the sky, he did manage to give us some information:
The XUV700 will come with two engine options, but the second is complicated. The first is the m-Stallion 2.0-litre turbo petrol that will give you 140kW and 380 Nm. The 2.2-litre diesel will come with three levels of tune: a 134kW, a 142kw and the big daddy 157kW with 450 Nm torque. We are not sure if the XUV700 will offer all three diesels or just one or two. You will have the choice of a six-speed manual or 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission. The latter is particularly impressive technology and is often found in Koenigsegg and other such flat cars.
The only pics found were heavily camouflaged, but point to a lower stance than the XUV500, L-shaped running lights, flush door handles, 5-spoke alloy wheels, roof rails and an enormous sunroof. The taillights are wraparound, horizontal LEDs.
Inside, apart from the soft-touch materials, the most prominent will be the dual horizontal screens on the dashboard. These will offer the must-have Apple and Android goodies, while you will also get electric seats, a clever steering wheel, voice commands, connected car tech and anti-aircraft missiles that can shoot through the sunroof. Okay, not that. But being 7-double O, there are very strong hints of advanced autonomous driving tech.
There are also rumours that the XUV700 will have some kind of electric drive option, most likely a mild hybrid, so ICE with a small battery and regenerative charging. This would help Mahindra meet the stringent new emissions regulations set to come into effect in India in 2022 and ’23.
There are also rumours that the XUV500 will be rejigged to become the mid-range Mahindra SUV, with 5 seats, but still heavy on the tech like the current Mahindra XUV500. Given that the XUV700 is only set to launch somewhere between July and October in India, it should be a while before we get it here. There are no guarantees, but given the South African love affair with both Mahindra and SUVs, we believe we will get this new big beauty here sooner or later.
