‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. That is a great mantra in life that covers most facets of living - with the exception of automobiles. Cars, just like any consumer entity, need to update, evolve and most importantly, keep people excited. Of course there are exceptions in every case where a car’s lifespan has lasted years, sometimes even decades, only to be felt a little long in the tooth by many - and most of these are usually niche or enthusiast products. Mass market cars on the other hand cannot afford such complacency, which is why even though after its HUGE launch in 2021, even though the Mahindra XUV700 continues to do very well, Mahindra has given it a major update. But has the update made it better, or worse?
The Mahindra XUV700 took suggestions from the Mahindra XUV500 and made it palatable and dare I say it, even good looking! The first big change on the new car, before any sheet metal or any individual component, is the name itself. The 700 has now been dropped, replaced with 7XO, Mahindra’s new SUV nomenclature that we have already seen on the likes of the 3XO. Frankly, both are as random as they get and both will be as memorable as the other, but at least Mahindra is standardising across the range.
Actual changes however are a little more than just skin deep. Starting from the front, the C-shaped LED DRL that became such a characteristic of these higher end Mahindra SUVs - especially the extreme ones on the BE6 - has actually been reined in and become a lot tighter and more compact. The design still exists, and it is still in your face, but it isn't as extreme as it used to be. The headlight too has had some major changes with a dual squared-off LED projector (or simpler LED design on the lower models). What is particularly interesting is that these LED headlights are standard across all models including the entry level variant - a trend you will see more of later too. To be honest, I like the updated design - the grille is nice too, although the older one I suspect would go down in history as more iconic, with the exception of the needless grooves in the grille itself that are going to be a real pain to keep clean.
The wheels are a miss, as with most modern cars, although they do look nicer on the move. Maybe we need to move into an era of simpler, less overly complex wheels again - because who doesn't want a simple set of 5 spokes! That said, there is a silver lining - a big one. The top spec variant, like the one shown here, is now on a set of 19s as compared to 18s on the pre-facelift. That move to a larger wheel just makes the SUV look SOOO much nicer as it fills the wheel wells a lot, lot better. Bigger wheels will always get a ‘Hell Yeah Brother!’ from me, as long as you aren’t talking about a Donk!
Side profile stays identical, as expected from a facelift, and the flush door handles that are electronic have always been retained. The rear end has also gone through a much more minor update as compared to the front. Yes, there are new tail lamp units (that have a really cool honeycomb design in them) and the panel between the tail lamps where the badge sits is also great, and some people will appreciate the lack of a connected tail lamp while some will wish Mahindra made that update. All in all, the handsome looks remain and in my (personal) opinion, the facelift is actually a better looking car.
That is until I draw your attention back to the front bumper and the absolutely out of place, and frankly dismal placement of the square fog lamps that look and feel like the absolute definition of an afterthought. I'm genuinely surprised how Pratap Bose, the chief designer for Mahindra, with his absolute attention to detail and penchant for tying design together really well, has let this happen and frankly, an update with a more integrated fog lamp will make this SUV look a lot LOT better.
Right, let’s talk about screens. There are three of them here. Three of them standard across every model, across every variant! If there was one reason the ‘actual car buying masses’ will buy the XUV 7XO, it is THIS! Yes, some might say it is too much, and I might be a fence sitter on this one here, to be very honest, but for the aam Aadmi who wants something ‘jhatang’ in their car to be proud of - this IS cool. This trend isn't going anywhere and Mahindra has done well to adopt its whole range to the layout, thereby reducing the need to have multiple infotainment options and forcing people to buy a higher variant just to get some tech - this is true democratisation of big multiple screens right here folks!
The screens themselves are really good too - HUGE upgrade from the glitchy stuff that the 700 had. The user interface has had an update too and for a change, Apple CarPlay actually works right from launch. The lack of actual buttons for major controls though is really annoying. Yes, you have a dedicated button to bring up climate control on the screen, but I just want some normal buttons and knobs for my climate control, for volume control and to change track, and the fact that the 700 had those and they have been removed, is just - sigh…
The other big update is the colour palette itself and the quality of materials it brings with it. You get a really premium brown and beige combination on the dashboard and the seats and although I really think Mahindra should do a version with just brown and ditch that beige altogether, I get why some people still love the beige for the airiness it offers. That said, the two tone steering wheel does not work at all - either make it fully black or brown, but in its current form, it looks aftermarket and outright weird. And while I'm at it, I'm also not a fan of the two spoke steering wheel in general.
There are several other important improvements though, like the addition of a rear wireless phone charger, or the addition of the rear cooled seats. Both brilliant add-on options for normal users.
Space is pretty much the same as before, comfortable up front, comfortable in the rear, while the third row is best suited for ultra thin people, children, pocket dogs, etc. Or you could just fold them down and use the extra space in the boot.
This is where Mahindra HAVE used the mantra we spoke about right in the beginning. The engines and gearboxes stay the same - the 2-litre petrol, 4-cylinder turbo and the 2.2-litre diesel, 4-cylinder turbo have been retained with no difference in their output or the way they actually perform. We drove the diesel manual, a variant we assumed not a lot of people go for these days, only to be told that it was still one of the most in-demand options on the SUV primarily because of how good this combination is and because for a lot of people, an SUV this size HAS to be diesel and HAS to be a manual.
It still drives well, it still has decent NVH levels and it still pulls like a train when you flex your right foot a little too much. All while offering decent fuel economy figures and being a great mile muncher. In fact, as I've said in my video, this is one of the best road trip cars money can buy in India today because of all these redeeming features and now one major update will make it even better!
Mahindra is known to make SUVs that are tuned more towards enthusiastic driving as compared to being tuned for comfort. This is mainly because Mahindra traditionally has always had engineers who genuinely have a passion for motoring, for handling, for horsepower and for the automobile in general. But this time around, they have truly outdone themselves. Mahindra partnered with global juggernaut Tenneco and has developed a new suspension that they have called - DAVINCI. Now while I could put you to sleep with the technical details, I will not bore you. Instead, what I can tell you with absolute 100 per cent certainty is that the 7XO is the new and undisputed benchmark in this segment with regards to suspension setup.
It is exponentially more comfortable now, both at slower speeds over things like rumblers and speed breakers, and the odd pothole and bad patch of road that one could hit at higher speeds too. The damping characteristics on the 7XO have been greatly improved, resulting directly in ride quality that feels like it is from a vehicle a fair few notches above what the XUV 7XO is priced at. In fact, it is considerably better than that absolutely ill-tuned adaptive suspension that has been offered on the top spec variant of the XEV 9S, which should be replaced by the one in the 7XO immediately.
The updated suspension has also resulted in better handling. The SUV now feels a lot more stable, a lot more planted and still a lot more playful at higher speeds - especially when you need to make quick lane changes in order to overtake a slow moving trucker in the fast lane or a random animal that decides it wants to play a game of chicken with you.
A follow up to a hit album is tough - especially when the hit album sells as many as the 700 did. But Mahindra have made a better product, period. The armchair enthusiasts who rant on X can say what they want, but it isn't going to change the fact that Mahindra has yet another massive hit on their hands, one that will well and truly be the final nail in the coffin of a certain twin SUVs from their sworn rivals. The XUV 7XO might have a confusing name, but the SUV itself is far from confusing. It is lovely, more mature, better driving and gets more mass attracting tech than ever before. This is something we would totally recommend - especially since it is priced as aggressively as it gets!
