Indian brand Mahindra isn’t afraid of a bit of colour. The last XUV700 we reviewed was finished in a stunning Electric Blue exterior with sparkling silver wheels and white interior trim, which is the standard factory cabin colour for the flagship AX7L (7-seater).
MAHINDRA XUV700 AX7L BLACK EDITION: Powertrain 2.0-litre turbo-petrol 4-cylinder, 6-speed automatic, FWD Output 149kW/380Nm Efficiency 9.2l/100km (3P-WLTP) Size 4695mm long, 1835kg Price $49,990.
Enter the XUV700 AX7L Black Edition. Self-explanatory. Blacked-out finish is all the rage at the moment of course, but it’s a big change for Mahindra; in fact, “all the rage” for the XUV is usually Rage Red, another look-at-me hue from the paint chart.
Anyway, Black Edition: for an extra $2000 over the $47,990 XUV700 AX7L you get the full blackout treatment including grille, gloss alloy wheels and black-on-black interior.
The cabin is the most significant update, because white has been the one-and-only colour for the AX7L until now, and that isn’t to everybody’s taste. The black interior will actually become standard on all XUV700s at some point next year, which could open the car up to more mainstream family SUV buyers.
The price and 7-seat configuration will continue to do that job, too. As we’ve said previously, the AX7L is a fully-loaded medium-SUV with occasional third-row seating, for the price of a mid-range front-drive 5-seat Toyota RAV4 or Mazda CX-5. The cheapest Mitsubishi Outlander 7-seater is $56,990.
The XUV700 Black Edition ticks a lot of standard-equipment boxes from the top down: there’s a “Skyroof” panoramic glass lid with opening sunroof, fancy-looking twin digital screens, wireless phone projection, a 360-degree camera system and ventilated not-quite-leather seats, which do get quite hot in the summer sun. Because they’re black and not-quite-leather.
The phone projection works well and takes over the cinema-shape infotainment screen nicely, although the car’s operating system doesn’t allow other functions to show through; so if you’re adjusting the climate-control temperature for example, you have to quit out Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to see what temperature you’re setting.
It’s not a full-on attention-to-detail luxury SUV, but for this price it doesn’t have to be. And the fit/finish is good; there’s plenty of hard plastic, but also enough of the soft stuff to create a nice environment for driver and passengers.
There are a few quirks. Only the driver’s seat has power adjustment (with Mercedes-Benz-style controls on the door), and the front-passenger chair is mounted noticeably higher than the driver’s, with seemingly no way to lower it. Why? We truly don’t know.
That same front-passenger chair has a release on the side that allows the rear-seat occupant to slide it forwards; presumably because many car owners/users of XUV-status in India employ drivers and it’s common for the back seat to be more important than the front, even in mainstream SUVs. No wonder this Mahindra is so roomy.
In fact, the whole car is really well packaged for something that’s less than 4.7m long. One-third of the second row can be released for third-row access and while it’s not exactly adult-sized back there (headroom is the most limiting factor), a grown-up can certainly sit in the rearmost row for short journeys. There are even separate air-con controls.
The boot is a decent size and you get something pretty close to a flat load-though with everything folded down. Oddly, Mahindra doesn’t quote boot size by litres, which is a shame… because it’s quite big.
The drive is pretty well-sorted. The throttle is touchy at low speeds, but the 2.0-litre engine is smooth in the mid-range and while a 6-speed automatic might sound a little short on ratios these days, it seldom feels wanting.
It’s a snip thirsty, though. No electrification of any kind for this vehicle and it’s pretty heavy, so you’ll struggle to get the average fuel consumption into single figures; we recorded 10.4l/100km during our week, with a varied mix of motorway and urban driving.
The ride is suitably plush for city driving and the chassis is well-controlled, although dynamically the XUV can feel a bit disconcerting because the steering is ultra-light. It’s not just that it’s short on feel - it has none whatsoever, and it takes a bit of learning to place the car accurately in corners.
The XUV is the first Mahindra to truly compete with mainstream Japanese and Korean SUVs. It still has a few rough edges, but it’s also an immensely likeable and practical 5+2-seater.
It may even go down in history as the start of a new generation of models from the maker: there will be a pure-electric version of the XUV next year (aka XUV.e8) and we’ve already seen the smaller, futuristic-looking BE 6e and XEV 9e EVs. All are starters for New Zealand… colours to be announced.
What are the key statistics for the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition?
Same as the rest of the XUV700 range: a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with 149kW/380Nm, 6-speed automatic and front-drive.
Is the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition efficient?
It's a tad thirsty TBH, likely a combination of that 6-speed gearbox and relatively hefty kerb weight for a medium SUV: just under 1.9 tonnes. The official fuel consumption figure is 9.2l/100km, but we were in the 10s during our week.
Is the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition good to drive?
For the most part, yes. The engine and gearbox are smooth and punchy in the midrange, although the throttle is a touchy at low speed. It rides well, though, and the handling is good - once you get to grips with the weirdly light steering.
Is the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition practical?
It's really spacious for a vehicle of medium-SUV exterior dimensions and the provision of third-row seating is a standout feature in this class. It's a good cargo-carrier, too: big boot and the seats fold pretty close to flat for long items.
What do we like about the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition?
It looks different to other medium SUVs, the powertrain is smooth for the most part, the ride is family friendly and it's very practical. It's also great value given the equipment and versatility.
What don’t we like about the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition?
The go-pedal is touchy at low speed, it's quite thirsty for a car of this size and the faux-leather upholstery gets pretty hot and sticky in the summer heat.
What kind of person would the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition suit?
Somebody who wants an occasional 7-seater but doesn't want to step up to traditional 7-seat SUV size - or price. Or somebody who needs a medium SUV and just wants to be a bit different.