[oxyzen]

2024 Mahindra XUV 7OO MX Petrol

Likes:

• Brilliant 2.0 Turbo petrol with lots of torque
• Excellent ride quality over broken patches
• Solid built quality
• Exceptional value for money

Dislikes:

• Big and bulky to navigate through the congested streets.
• Poor choice of gear ratios
• Unreliable electronics

[oxyzen]

The Hunt

My VW Vento was nearly 13 years old, and it was time to consider a new vehicle. Repairs and maintenance had become increasingly frequent, with several unresolved issues. The radiator fan would not turn on when the engine overheats. I spent around 50K replacing almost everything: the temperature sensor, thermostat, water pump, and even the ECU, but nothing fixed the issues. Ultimately I had to use a hack, which is to turn the AC on to start the radiator fan. The ABS sensors continued to fail despite numerous replacements. The lock carrier regularly broke and needed replacement once every 2 yrs. The suspensions were leaking fluids and required replacement. The engine occasionally accelerated on its own, requiring shifting to neutral and waiting a few seconds for it to resolve. Shifting to 3rd gear was problematic specially in cold conditions, sometimes requiring me to shift from 2nd to 4th. Finally, there was oil leakage in the spark plugs that needed the cylinder head to be opened up. Every time I solved one problem, a new one would crop up, and eventually, I got tired of it. To be fair, I purchased the vehicle used for 4L with 35,000 KM in 2018, and it served adequately until 2022. However, the last two years have seen things start to deteriorate.

Test driving the VW Virtus 1.5 GT
The obvious first choice was the VW Virtus GT, considering we already have two Volkswagen Ventos at home. I drive the petrol while my dad owns the diesel. I knew the feel of 250NM torque from the 1.6 TDI, and the idea of having that torque along with higher revs to play with seemed very exciting. However, my visit to the VW showroom left me quite disappointed. Despite my high expectations, the 1.5 TSI did not impress. After driving the Virtus, I found it hard to believe that both the Vento 1.6 TDI and the Virtus GT could produce the same amount of torque. The power delivery between these two cars was vastly different. Everything felt softer and more subdued in the Virtus GT. The steering did not feel as direct as that of the Vento, the suspension was a bit softer (though the ride quality was much better), and most importantly, the power delivery was not immediate. Initially, the throttle response was poor, then the gearbox needed some time to make the downshifts, and finally, there was noticeable turbo lag. Combined, these factors left me feeling quite disappointed. While the Virtus GT isn't a bad car by any means. It is simply more mature and less fun. I was also irked by the digital instrument cluster. Everytime you cross the speed of 80, out goes my tachometer and in comes an ugly speed warning. So I cant even enjoy seeing myself redlining the car? Overall, I wasn't enthusiastic about purchasing one. Perhaps I was spoiled by the 1.6 TDI, or maybe it was my aversion to automatic transmissions, or perhaps the price was simply too high to justify. In comparison, the rental 1.4 TSI Jetta with a 6-speed DSG that I drove in the US was far superior. To make matters worse, the salesperson was not interested in selling the car and to let me test drive one looked like a chore to him. Had he been more persuasive, I might have tried a manual transmission and who knows, I possibly could have ended up purchasing one.

Test driving the XUV3OO 1.5D MT
With the Virtus out of the picture, I went with the tried and tested turbo diesel in the form of XUV 3OO. This test drive was at my hometown & I came in on our beloved 1.6 Tdi. And honestly the 300 did not feel much of a downgrade. The power delivery was almost 90% there compared to the VW and it was way more refined. The gear ratios were perfectly set up and I believe this car would smash any roll on acceleration times. The suspension was also pretty good and the body roll was well within my comfort zone. The only issue with the 300 was the outdated interiors but I was willing to wait for the upcoming facelift. I kept following the news articles related to the launch date of the new 300 but weeks and months passed by. The spy pictures that were coming out were not enticing at all and my wife kept complaining about the miniscule boot. As a result, the purchase was again put on hold.

Test driving the XUV7OO 2.0 MT
In the meantime, my Vento Petrol began experiencing more issues and required frequent repairs, which were becoming increasingly costly. Feeling the pinch of maintenance expenses I made up my mind pull the plug on the 13 year old vehicle. With this decision in mind, I headed back to the Mahindra showroom to test drive the 700. The MX petrol variant was only 3L more expensive on-road than the top-end 300 Diesel. Initially, I was a bit apprehensive about the vehicle's size and its higher seating position. However, there were no complaints on the performance or ride quality. The interior of the AX7L appeared upmarket and well-organized, although I anticipated some compromises with the MX variant. Overall, this vehicle was cheaper than the Virtus GT and offered a more enjoyable driving experience. Since there was no sight of the new 300 launch, I made the decision to finalize my choice on the 700.

Variant and colour
The variant and fuel choice was easy. I got almost everything I wanted in the MX. Electrically adjustable ORVM, driver seat height adjustment, telescopic steering, android auto, remote locking, driver armrest, rear AC vents. The next logical choice would have been the AX5 but the premium was not justified for the added features. Another option was the MX diesel, I probably would have selected that had it not come with a lower state of tune. The cost for upgrading from MX petrol to AX3 Diesel was a whopping 4L on road and did not make any sense specially when the performance for both is roughly the same. The 7OO looks best in dark colours but it is not practical in India with the scorching weather and dusty environment. Hence settled for the universal white.

Funding the Purchase
I have never taken a car loan and don't plan to in the future either. So, I had around 15L invested in an arbitrage fund for some time to fund this purchase. That's when I truly grasped the concept of opportunity cost. Every day the market was open, that arbitrage fund would grow by approximately Rs. 500. It made me realize how much we crib about fuel economy. An additional Rs. 500 per month at the petrol station seems trivial compared to the daily opportunity cost. And this is without considering depreciation and maintenance costs. Just because we don’t pay the opportunity cost out of pocket, we do not feel the pinch. Hence “Fuel Economy is overrated and Opportunity cost is underrated”.
During the car registration process, I encountered an unexpected hurdle. I was informed that the Maharashtra government had essentially made the BH series unavailable. Now, if you work in a private company with three or more office locations, you're required to provide an additional transfer letter and salary slips with different state names on them to register under the BH series. This directly contradicts the BH series rules, but it seems these rules are being trifled with. It will give them more money to dig up perfectly fine roads, pay more to the traffic police who will turn a blind eye to the rule-breaking 2 wheelers. Even West Bengal with a lot less road tax is able to maintain roads at much better quality.

Overall cost
Ex Showroom: 14L
RTO: 1.6L
Insurance: 0.4L
Accessories:1L
On Road: 17L

Vento Sale: -1.7L

[oxyzen]

Looks
I am not a big fan of the design language of Mahindra. I feel they are way to quirky for my taste. In a beauty contest the Harrier will make a mockery of the 7OO. But then again, its my personal opinion. However, on the inside the 7OO has taken a very simplistic timeless approach like that of the older VWs. Even without the connected instrument cluster, it does not look basic. Space is not an issue anywhere be it in the front or back. The boot is humongous not that I would ever need that. I don’t believe there is any compromise with MX variant at least on the looks department.




Graduations at 50 RPM is hard to read. Would have preferred a cleaner design with 200RPM graduations.






Humongous Boot


Accessories added
Fog Lamps & Rear Camera from were added right at the dealer. I did not want to do that anywhere else and void my warranty. Ordered 17” AX5 Alloys from Boodmo and got it installed from a nearby tyre shop. Up next was seat covers as I was not comfortable with the fabric that was used on the base seats. Put some leather on the armrest and door trims and that has completely made the car upmarket. I was not too sure about installing a sidestep but I thought it can be a good deterrence to the autos and 2 wheelers and eventually got them installed.


Leather wrapped doorpad added.


Leather wrapped driver armrest.


Stock rims look ugly


Upgraded alloys look infinitely better.


Simple cabin lights. Needed one at the boot as well.

[oxyzen]

Engine (5/5)
It’s quite remarkable to find a vehicle equipped with a 2L Turbo petrol engine for just Rs14 lakhs. Try finding one even with a budget of 30 lakhs. It’s commendable when manufacturers dare to offer such enticing products. Unfortunately, this level of boldness is rare among OEMs. Tata, for instance, ensured the Altroz came with a gutless 1.2NA engine. When they opted to introduce a turbo variant, it delivered reduced power. The Racer’s introduction felt like too little, too late. Maruti remains stubborn, refusing to equip the Swift with the 1.0 Turbo. In fact, they’ve ensured that the new Swift is slower than its predecessor. Hyundai and VW do offer a 1.5 Turbo, but these engines are less powerful and more expensive than Mahindra’s 2.0.
Once you drive this engine, you can tell this is developed for Indian roads. Lots of torque low down in the rev range. However, I think there is a fair bit of turbo lag. In second gear when you press the throttle, the vehicle starts pulling like a locomotive only from 2200 RPM. The fact that it has its peak torque from 1800 RPM confirms the turbo lag. It does take some time for the turbo to spool up and by that time the RPM has reached 2200 from 1800. What is impressive is even when you are off boost, the acceleration is extremely good, and you can easily make the required overtakes without any need for downshifting. Unfortunately, once the turbo spools up, you are already doing silly speeds and it is quite hard to experience that unless you have a long stretch of empty road ahead. But when the turbo kicks in you see all sorts of drama: wheelspin, torque steer and a satisfying push. It is definitely not for the faint hearted in wet conditions. In 3rd gear or above you can experience the torque from 1800 RPM as the revs climb a lot slower in higher gears.
Overall there is absolutely nothing to complain about this engine be it performance or refinement or even efficiency (more on that later). I just wished they had this engine available in a sedan and more specifically in a RWD variant. They have everything they need. A lowered XUV 700 coupe with the same engine, drivetrain and differential from the ScorpioN and they could be competing with the BMWs. Ok, maybe that was a stretch.

Transmission (2.5/5)
Perhaps the only thing they need to improve on is the 6 speed MT. The clutch is pretty good. If you are someone who has driven a VW diesel you will absolutely love the clutch. With the gearbox, there is nothing inherently wrong. The throws are not excessively long, but they are not short either. They are also not super precise, but you won’t slot in the wrong gear either. I also don’t like the fact that it is hard to slot in 1st gear while moving. But the biggest gripe I have with this gearbox are the gear ratios.
Shifting from 2nd to 3rd drops the revs from 2000 RPM to ~1300 RPM. What that means is, for a speed of 35 kmph, you can’t be in 2nd as that’s not economical. Also, you can’t be in 3rd as any reduction in speed would call for a downshift. The 3rd gear is so tall, it can potentially do 130 kmph. Now what purpose does it really serve? What is this, a 4 speed gearbox that you need to have such widely spaced gear ratios? Having a shorter 3rd gear could also improve 0 – 100 timings by approximately half a second not that it matters. However, the biggest advantage could have been is with the drivability. As a petrolhead, not being able to rev to the redline in 3rd gear at legal speeds is really disappointing. The sorry situation does not end there. When you shift from 5th to 6th the revs drop from 2000 to a mere 1800. This would have been fine if this was a 10speed gearbox. But in real world the shift from 5th to 6th is nothing but a waste of driver’s energy.
Free advice for Mahindra: Take the set of 3rd, 4th and 5th gear; make them shorter by 10% and it would have been a more enjoyable car to drive.

Fuel Economy:
Big heavy cars with turbo petrol are very sensitive to driving styles. So the FE numbers that I get may not apply to you. Within city I am consistently getting around 10Kmpl in tankfull. Most of my runs are very short 4-6 kms and there is barely enough time for the engine to warm up. With bumper to bumper traffic I am expecting 8kmpl and if you are able to maintain an average speed of >25kmph, you can get more than 10. On the highways I have got 15kmpl with the MID at some point going upto 17kmpl. The MID does overpredict by around 5-10%. To put things to perspective this vehicle consumes 15%-20% more fuel than my previous VW Vento 1.6 petrol. Not bad considering it weight is 50% more.


First 3 are a mix of city & highway while the last one is completely city.

Ride and Handling (4/5)
The ride quality is absolutely amazing. This vehicle devours broken roads and potholes. In the highways the vehicle is well composed, it does not have any additional movements that’s you expect from top heavy SUVs. Whatever selective frequency damper they have used seems to be working. The 17” alloys with high profile tyres help. I somehow have a feeling that the ride was even better with stock steel rims. Anyway one of the steel rims is reserved for the spare space saver. I have not faced the suspension noise issue as complained by several folks, maybe Mahindra has quietly resolved it. While the overall insulation is great, the underbody insulation is pathetic. There is a ruckus while going over muddy roads with the dirt particles hitting the underbody. Or could the side step be the culprit?
The straight line stability is perfectly fine till 120 kmph. Haven’t driven above that to comment. Body roll is well contained for a car of this size. I do not think there is anything that Mahindra could have done to make the balance between ride and comfort any better. The teams behind the suspension and the engine definitely deserves a raise.

[oxyzen]

The Final Verdict
The Mahindra 700 offers something to everyone. For people who are looking for performance they can buy the MX. For people those who are looking for features and they are willing to pay for it can buy the AX7L. For people looking for fuel economy there is a diesel and for people those who are looking for convenience they can pick the automatic, heck if you if you want to drive off roads you can get the all-wheel drive variant as well. I did not care about features and definitely did not want an automatic and the MX turned out to be the perfect variant.

Features that I love having in the MX that you won’t get in higher variants.
1. Manual AC: I have never used the automatic climate control either in my old Vento or in my wife’s Altroz. I prefer to keep the temperature at the lowest settings and blower at the lowest speed. Something that climate control tends to override every now and then. The Eco AC works wonders and is perfect for morning / evening drives.
2. The analogue instrument cluster: While the connected displays looks fabulous, I did not like the counter clockwise tachometer. Nor was I able to see the redline when driving at normal speeds was a little bit off. Overall my personal preference is an analogue one. Creta on the other hand has done a brilliant job with the digital cluster. Something Mahindra can take inspiration from.
3. A solid roof: Makes it safer, lighter and cooler.
4. Kerb weight of only 1625kg. Lack of the heavy diesel along with complicated aftertreatment, the automatic transmission with torque converter, rear seats, and lack of features did give me this benefit. The higher variants can go up to 2 tons.

Features I wish I could have had
1. 6 airbags and ESP: I think Mahindra would have done well to include them in all variants.
2. Adjustable driver armrest: I am 5ft8 and the armrest position is barely OK. Any shorter the armrest would have been unusable.
3. Steering telescopic adjustment: As a driver I want all the possible adjustments. Not that the seating position is bad, but I would have liked to explore other positions as well.

Quirks and complaints:
1. Boot security: Coming from sedans I find boots of SUVs to be unsecure. Anyone can open the boot if the car is unlocked. No longer can you leave valuables in the boot, keep the door unlocked & step out for a cup of tea. Also no lights? That’s an easy miss.
2. Blackout of instrument cluster: Happened a few times, comes back on its own. Probably a feature of Mahindra and not a bug.
3. The auto start stop button should not have been there in the base variant. It is nothing but annoyance. The cost saved by this feature is miniscule in the grand scheme of car ownership cost. It will probably cost you more with reduced turbo, battery and starter life. The start stop system should have come with a swich that stays off forever when you turn it off.
4. Lack of a 12V charging socket in the front: How am I supposed to hook up a Dashcam without violating warranty?
5. Another thing the MX should not have had is the flush door handles. Needs extra actions to open the door. Adds nothing else.
6. The low fuel warning is quite annoying with the continuous chimes exacerbated by the start stop functionality. Why could not they prevent the chime during the auto start stop. Also the warning comes on with 15L fuel still in tank. If you put enough thought, you would have the low fuel visual warning with 15L left, a single notification with 10L left and then with 5 L remaining you could annoy the hell of the passengers. These small and minor improvements is what could make a polished experience.
7. In the MID, average speed and average FE are in different menus. The trip information should give me all these information together without the need to switch screens.
8. There is a huge speedo error. It looks like there is an offset of 5kmph. So while travelling at 30 it shows 35. I am not sure if this has been mandated by law.
9. There is error in tachometer as well. After a cold start the tachometer was saying 1050RPM, but as per the OBD tool it was doing 950.

In all, this car has been very satisfying. Fingers crossed for the Mahindra reliability and servicing. I have not taken the extended warranty. The fact they charge the same amount for the MX and the AL7L for the extended warranty makes me think I am not getting a good deal. I will take a relook at the warranty extension before the end of 1yr of ownership.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[HillMan]

Congrats!
Nice pics. This is the first time I am seeing the inside of an MX variant. It is pretty nice.

I have AX5. Realised that the ride quality is very plush at 32-33psi on all 4 wheels. Above 35PSI the ride is bouncy and all road undulations were felt inside. There is a big difference.

[Sharanam]

Thanks for that detailed review of the Petrol XUV700. Planning to buy a petrol automatic AX5. May consider upgrading to the AX7 , given the new discount from Mahindra.
Any recommendations welcome .

[rudra_shiv]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

The Final Verdict
The Mahindra 700 offers something to everyone. For people who are looking for performance they can buy the MX. For people those who are looking for features and they are willing to pay for it can buy the AX7L. For people looking for fuel economy there is a diesel and for people those who are looking for convenience they can pick the automatic, heck if you if you want to drive off roads you can get the all-wheel drive variant as well. I did not care about features and definitely did not want an automatic and the MX turned out to be the perfect variant.

In all, this car has been very satisfying. Fingers crossed for the Mahindra reliability and servicing. I have not taken the extended warranty. The fact they charge the same amount for the MX and the AL7L for the extended warranty makes me think I am not getting a good deal. I will take a relook at the warranty extension before the end of 1yr of ownership.

Welcome to the mStallion Club of Mahindra

It is an adrenaline rush when you drive it a little enthusiastically. ESP should be the must-have safety feature included for an SUV of this size fundamentally.

Btw. MX had an optional E variant that had ESP. Unfortunately the 2021/2022 early birds did not get these optional packs, and neither Mahindra's brochure was clear enough to state that AX5 P was not offered with ESP.

My review of the AX5 is penned down here:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...on-xuv700.html (Mahindra XUV700 (aka Rudra) Initial Ownership Report | Journey from an Eon to the XUV700)

[Pythonista]

Nice car and a nice review.

Just a question - do you feel the need for the larger infotainment system with its additional features? Or are you content with the correct touchscreen?

Wishing you many more happy miles,
Pythonista

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by HillMan

Congrats!
Nice pics. This is the first time I am seeing the inside of an MX variant. It is pretty nice.

Adding some aftermarket leather wrap makes the interior upmarket. The stock MX may not look this appealing.

Originally Posted by HillMan

I have AX5. Realised that the ride quality is very plush at 32-33psi on all 4 wheels. Above 35PSI the ride is bouncy and all road undulations were felt inside. There is a big difference.

I keep mine at 33 PSI. No complaints.

Originally Posted by Sharanam

Planning to buy a petrol automatic AX5. May consider upgrading to the AX7 , given the new discount from Mahindra.
Any recommendations welcome .

AX7 & AX7L are the variants I see most often on the roads. I think with the recent price cuts, it looks a lot more compelling against AX5. One thing is for sure while the 18" wheels look good, the ride will be better on the 17" AX5.

Originally Posted by rudra_shiv

It is an adrenaline rush when you drive it a little enthusiastically.

Absolutely. Just wished it has shorter gear ratios.

Originally Posted by Pythonista

Just a question - do you feel the need for the larger infotainment system with its additional features? Or are you content with the correct touchscreen?

It would not have hurt to have a larger touchscreen. But there are many more higher priority requirements than size of the touchscreen. Like having Apple carplay, a better processor for faster startup as I am unable to use the reverse camera immediately after starting, probably a wider aspect ratio would have been nicer and most importantly improvements in android auto but that's mostly on Google.

[prajosh]

Congratulations on your new car and thanks for a detailed review. Regarding speedometer, is it a possibility that it's calibrated for higher wheel size of AX7L?

Also, from where did you get seat cover etc done? Really good job. I am also looking for my Altis.

[Switch]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

3. Steering telescopic adjustment: As a driver I want all the possible adjustments. Not that the seating position is bad, but I would have liked to explore other positions as well.

That option is only available in the top spec version of the vehicle i.e. AX7L. Having done PDI of my AX7 yesterday I was so disappointed as I took it for granted after TDing the AX7L that at least this small feature would be there in the AX7 variant. I mean come on Mahindra how can this be superseded with a sunroof which now comes right from AX5S. I believe Skoda offers this right from the base variant of Kushaq. Still scratching my head

[HillMan]

Originally Posted by oxyzen

Adding some aftermarket leather wrap makes the interior upmarket. The stock MX may not look this appealing.

Agree! Your guy has done a pretty neat job. Like the arm rests as well.

Overall finish has come out real well.

[oxyzen]

Originally Posted by prajosh

Congratulations on your new car and thanks for a detailed review. Regarding speedometer, is it a possibility that it's calibrated for higher wheel size of AX7L?

Also, from where did you get seat cover etc done? Really good job. I am also looking for my Altis.

The 17" wheels come with high profile tyres. So the outside diameter is same. There should not be any need to calibrate speedometer.

I got the work done from Car Cupid Baner. They are the only reputed player near my area.

Originally Posted by Switch

That option is only available in the top spec version of the vehicle i.e. AX7L. Having done PDI of my AX7 yesterday I was so disappointed as I took it for granted after TDing the AX7L that at least this small feature would be there in the AX7 variant. I mean come on Mahindra how can this be superseded with a sunroof which now comes right from AX5S. I believe Skoda offers this right from the base variant of Kushaq. Still scratching my head

Mahindra's strategy with the variants is to make people buy the top spec one. And they have been very successful with that. 90% people fall for the connected screen. So upgrade from MX to AX3 is simple despite an increased OTR price increase of of 2.5L. AX3-AX5 is Value for money anyone would pick the AX5 in that comparison. And then they made sure AX5 does not have cruise control (In the older versions) so that people have to upgrade to AX7 and finally you mentioned the telescopic steering and voila you got the AX7L.

Originally Posted by HillMan

Agree! Your guy has done a pretty neat job. Like the arm rests as well.
Overall finish has come out real well.

Yes, it came out very well. They were eager to do a lot more but I was not keen on that. I prefer to keep it clean and simple.