India's family SUV! 2023 Mahindra XUV700 review: New 7-seat rival to Honda CR-V arrives in Australia

Not long after we received our first taste of the 2023 Mahindra XUV700 in its native India, the all-new mid-size SUV has arrived in Australia, with it on a mission to deliver the brand meaningful local sales by being the cheapest seven-seater on the market.
That's right; the XUV700 undercuts the pricing of other seven-seat family SUVs, including the Honda CR-V, Mitsubishi Outlander and Nissan X-Trail, among others. Point being, in a time when cost-of-living pressures are arguably being felt more than ever, the XUV700 is attempting to play the 'value' card as hard as it can.
So, in this expert review, CarsGuide Journalist Thomas White tests the XUV700 on local roads to see if it has more to offer than just sharp pricing and a long list of standard equipment. After all, if family buyers are going to take Mahindra seriously, it has to be a well-rounded package.
#Mahindra #XUV700 #Review
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Timecodes:
00:00 Intro
00:29 Pricing and features
02:36 Design
03:48 Practicality
06:37 Under the bonnet
07:00 Driving
10:24 Efficiency
10:39 Safety
11:21 Ownership
11:40 Verdict
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Read Tom's full review: carsgui.de/3Po3i0i
Check out our Mahindra XUV700 hub: carsgui.de/3IPmP5S
Find more SUVs: carsgui.de/2o3syZz
Visit our FamilyGuide: carsgui.de/2qpbJia
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[@raymondmumford6255]

Great to see Indian brands like Mahindra bringing new models to Australia. Looks awesome 😎

[@manin4568]

Kyu hag raha hai bhai😅

[@akshatverma1111]

Yes it feels great bro, I hope people from every country buys not only Mahindra but Tata & other Indian brands also. I hope everyone have great experience with Indian brands❤

[@SirAMG63]

@@manin4568 iska ek test drive mar

[@Eltonoconnor]

@@akshatverma1111Tata has leaps to catch up on. Their service here in India itself isn’t that great, and the only thing good for them right now is boasting a 5 star safety on all their cars. But at the expense of a not so well designed engine, skimping out on a lot of features. It should be a good overall balance, and Mahindra seems to be nailing that right atleast outside India.

[@DarkForce852]

​@akshatverma1111 Tata makes hideous vehicles, they need to redesign how their vehicles look and maybe others outside of India will buy it

[@pauladhi7524]

Its not cheap ,its affordable ❤

[@dhruvilkumpavat6037]

Its their way of saying Affordable buddy. 35k is nothing for a country that has every people earn 60 to 70k a year on an avg and still has dual zone ac, Panaromic sunroof, advanced safety tech electronic brake and good sound system. So it is cheap for them. 50k is affordable for them

[@brokenSnake]

​@@dhruvilkumpavat6037buying a car on finance means you can't afford it

[@TheArchmage100]

​@@brokenSnakeSpot on! 😂

[@Goatpio]

​@@dhruvilkumpavat6037bro there is a currency difference also

[@Exploring020]

It achieved an impressive 5-star rating for adult occupant protection and 4 stars for child occupant protection in the Global NCAP crash test.

[@RAGHAVSHARMA-py5uf]

Pls mention the word 'affordable' over 'cheap'. I think you would agree the quality of materials used isn't cheap in any sense. It's just the way ppl perceive.

[@rishchopra21]

i agree

[@carsvelozindia4775]

Not Everyone Do Biased Media Review Like Indian Auto Journalist Do It Has Not The Very Good Quality Material

[@TheSomeone087]

It got 5 star in safety at G-NCAP, so cheap word doesn't suit on this SUV.

[@quack431]

​@@carsvelozindia4775It doesnt have bad quality material either

[@carsvelozindia4775]

@@quack431 Not The Very Best In Every Part Compared To Jeep Compass

[@Intentionallyhomeless]

I've got a 2016 XUV500 manual AWD with 68k on the clock and it's been faultless. Tows 2.5T excellent with its 2.2L diesel engine and recently went up to Cape Tribulation in the Daintree then through to Bloomfield (it does have a custom lift kit and snorkel). Hoping for similar from the XUV 700

[@anootoshsarkar686]

No, the 700 won't be a lifter or tow truck...it's more of a luxury Sedan built into the body of a full-sized SUV (has a monocoque construction, not a ladder chasis)

[@Agmhd]

@@anootoshsarkar686I think Mahindra will bring back the good old 2.2L Diesel engine with Awd to oz and it’s already on sale in other Asian and African markets

[@axel3895]

​@anootoshsarkar686 xuv 500 was monocoque as well. What are smoking

[@Intentionallyhomeless]

@@Agmhd yeah i hope so too, it's a very good engine with few issues and decent torque

[@Intentionallyhomeless]

@@axel3895 I thought it, you said it 🤔😂😉

[@CprtFM]

*It's solid build, aggressively designed, proven-robust Engine, top notch must have features & comforts, 7 Air-Bags-other safety features, all those packed within a decent affordable budget price, from an auto giant company from a very *Australia-Friendly country !!!! Great Package!*

[@cooltoys713]

India chaparis are everywhere 😂

[@CprtFM]

@@cooltoys713 Indians have built this highly competitive full-fledged SUV no doubt. Not sure about other places, but it's here in Australia, majority of Africa & Latin America.

[@leenasarkar7808]

​@@CprtFMyou didn't understand what he said .😂..he considered you to be an" Indian emoboi (chapri) boasting about your country progress everywhere"

[@leenasarkar7808]

​@@CprtFMbut that Pakistani can't cope with the fact that other nations can also appreciate Indian products..

[@CprtFM]

@@leenasarkar7808 Really ??? My God...that level of jealousy! As far as I can say, India has done pretty solid works in IT, Education, Mining & now chasing Manufacturing perfections (Apple mfg & now Tesla & Foxconn are coming ?). Pakistan should feel great with such important neighbors.

[@sambhalerao7527]

It's not cheapest, it's affordable.! with superb build quality!!👍

[@jameammarijr.2248]

This person also talks a lot about Renault and Benz as if western brands own everything in this world

[@rmatube]

Should come #UK after success in Australia, would be much better than KIA in quality and looks too.

[@1carusGG]

The thing with Mahindra, bullet proof reliability, relatively affordable servicing and very good products at its price range.

[@uditverma2749]

Sadly you're bit wrong with reliability part. Especially their electricals. Speaking from experience.

[@1carusGG]

@@uditverma2749 Our family owns multiple Mahindra's and we haven't really encountered any of it. The fleet includes 2 XUV 700's, 2 Bloero's, 1 KUV and 1 TUV.

[@uditverma2749]

@@1carusGG happy for you buddy. My family is owning Scorpio DLX since 2004 and XUV 500 from 2015. Mahindra has indeed improved its cars and their electricals, but I still feel there is a great need for further improvement. Electrical failures are the most common problems i hear from the fellow mahindra owners.

[@sulizeme3665]

@@uditverma2749 and let's not forget about the rusting.

[@johankhadka7157]

2 year old scorpio fuel lid switch broken

[@crankthepiston8197]

Its not the cheapest SUV mate, its the most affordable suv out there in the market.

[@Nae395]

Blows crv away by the looks

[@VMRDY]

Both the current and upcoming CR-Vs.

[@Model1822]

@@shaun1900and for everything else

[@Krishna_JG]

If TATA launches the new Safari, it will blow this one away on the looks.

[@destroyedsoul1791]

Stupid tata fanboy. Not everyone thinks stupid safari looks better than this.

[@Mr.Monark]

​@@Krishna_JGGloster too but that won't happen anytime soon

[@joydasgupta9445]

It's a 10/10 car when u compare with features u get at the best price point

[@Yeahitsme101]

​@@shaun1900top speed is 100mph/160kmph that's not a lot in aus but still you can enjoy the riding though .. with all the high inflation, gas prices etc this is good option imo ..

[@joydasgupta9445]

@@shaun1900 Who said it's not good to drive. It has electronic steering so it's as light as a sedan yet has a very responsive 200bhp petrol engine that's way faster than the Fortuner, Honda City, Verna etc..

[@Ravi_choudhary462]

​@@Yeahitsme101 bro , but this car can achieve 200+ kph easily 😊😌

[@Yeahitsme101]

@@Ravi_choudhary462 i don't own that bro Google mentioned top speed 160+ that's why I made a comment , still it says 160+ ask Google why 😅

[@Yeahitsme101]

@@Ravi_choudhary462 yeah just my brain worked a bit 😅, 200 should be easy for 2.0L engine don't why the figures are mentioned low ..

[@Sams_Uncle]

Great review! Mahindra's early engines were JEEP based (during/after WW2), so you can't compare it with Chinese rivals. Mahindra's pretty reliable for engine performance in India.

[@Tommy_shelby717]

Mahindra is not a cheap automaker They own pininfarina

[@TheGreatVivek7]

He doesn’t know anything

[@ankurtyagi77]

You really need to read about Pininfarina.

[@faktiman381]

@@ankurtyagi77 umm they do own pininfarina it was going to be shut down anand bought it

[@ishkaranbrar313]

Pininfarina is only worth 168 million euros. That's cheap by any standards.

[@vickyyadav5723]

@@faktiman381 but see what they design...😊

[@lucky_222]

That "CHEAP" Tag should be Replaced by "AFFORDABLE" for Sure💯

[@p.k.953]

XUV 500 has one of the best design only thing is the paint was not that catchy❤ Mahindra hires famous sports car designers to design their cars which is why they nail the aesthetic part!

[@joydasgupta9445]

It has a 200bhp petrol engine & it's way faster than it's competitors. In global NCAP it got a 5 star let's see it's score in australian NCAP.

[@GowriKumar]

If it continues to stay in Australia, this is going to be my new car in the next couple of years.

[@brokenSnake]

Lol

[@p.k.953]

8:20 XUV 700 was particularly made for the Indian market where the roads are jammed with traffic and driver has to make quick turns to avoid idiot drivers, sweep through gullies, filter through traffic, etc. And for this reason the steering on the XUV series has always been light may it be the predecessor 500 or this new 700 it is just thoughtfully engineered for the Indian roads! The softer suspension is excellent for Indian roads which are more of an off road tbh!

[@Antriksh1000]

Kuch bhi 😂

[@adtalks3172]

😂😂 take some rest.

[@Sodhi.jaspreet]

Calm Down Brother 😂😂

[@vickyyadav5723]

It's not Cheap it's affordable nd worth buying.

[@atharvahpatil]

You guys have used the word, “CHEAP” everywhere and at the price tag this car comes at I think it’s not justifiable. I’m sure if Australia had its own car maker they’d understand :)

[@ishkaranbrar313]

Holden is australia and they have been making V8 cars for long while mahindra is stuck with their underpowered puny 4 cylinders.. And it is the cheapest car in the segment and that's a fact. He only stated that. Andh desh bhakt.

[@atharvahpatil]

@@ishkaranbrar313It is a defunct company, according to Wikipedia, who cares if they made V8 engines or not, they are out of business now! It’s just a fact that Australia currently doesn’t have a car maker, I stated that. The Mahindra Engines beat the Toyota Fortuner which is 2-3x the price of the XUV700 in a drag race, not that drag races are practical but it’s speaks volumes about the engine made by Mahindra, and these days everyone is focused on Electric drivetrains, don’t expect many new high capacity engines especially V8’s (prolly this is the reason Holden went out of business) Mahindra in no way is as good as a German car maker in terms of quality and performance but their ride quality and reliability is comparable to a Toyota, as tested for years here in India, while being more exciting than a Toyota.

[@daakuredpanda5782]

@@atharvahpatil BRO! That is such an amazing reply! Impressed!

[@atharvahpatil]

@@daakuredpanda5782 I mean I saw a few reviews and this was a common theme in all of them. If this was a reaction from a German or Japanese reviewer, I wouldn’t have said a thing because that’s valuable criticism.

[@bibaswanmukherjee7237]

​@@ishkaranbrar313mahindra owns ssangyong and pininfarina... You think a v8 is hard to build😂

[@prasadbhadane608]

I wanna buy this for my parents in India. I am abroad currently. I hope I buy it soon for them! ❤

[@tmw007]

My XUV 500 is still keeping good after 4.5yrs. The service from bayside Holden is pathetic as they didn't have spare oil filter during the last service. The local mechanic does better job with the help of ebay for oil filter change.Hope XUV 700 model below $30,000 will bring much success it seems.

[@VMRDY]

Below $30k? Do you mean below $40k?

[@mallutornado]

My XUV 500 is gonna turn 9 in a couple of months. It was a joy to drive all these years. Now thinking of buying a small electric car. Would have kept the Mahindra if I could. Bangalore, India

[@BaljitMander2]

We bought Scorpio in 2004 and drive from 453000 km still working fine . But government not allowing us to drive anymore. So we cut the body and drive in farmland

[@balisingh143]

Does it hv adrenox phone app? Like the one avail in indiA?

[@daakuredpanda5782]

Indian products have always been built to a price due to the nature of the market. But, they have always been tough and reliable while cutting costs in refinement. Just coz something costs less money, does not mean its not well built. *Cheap* does imply that. Affordable is more suitable.

[@qwertyuiop2994]

Best part is that you have great under thigh support for back seats

[@indiaexplorelife]

i dont why xuv700 is cheaper in australia than india. i bought the same car ax7l for approx 30 lakhs inr whereas it is available in aus for 21 lakhs inr itself. the difference is huge

[@vidhanchandrasahu1185]

What....but why ?

[@Rohit-cj6eb]

Vo 21 lakh sayad 2-3 mahine mai hi kamalete hai

[@Jovi1109]

Tom! Mate would you clarify when did the Renault koleos first launch vs when the xuv500 launched? I’m inspired by the head lights.

[@kaye_07]

If you're wondering who copied who, the answer is no one! 😅 Both companies have a working relationship and that's why Mahindra headlights look like that.. :)

[@Jovi1109]

I bet Tom knows that cause he is a auto journalist! Every car runs on four wheels does it not? How hard can it be? Btw I realised it super easy commenting on someone else’s work.

[@animeking4607]

Mahindra brand is so good I have driven the smaller version of this SUV 300 Its power is amazing It cost about 16250 dollars

[@anupamsingh8499]

Proud owner of XUV700. From india.

[@yadupandey]

Koi puch rha h Kia Tumhari pass Kia h fake rich😂

[@vitaminprotein2309]

well once the first service is done the mileage increases to 5.5 litres per 100 km or so for the indian going version and since nothing major is different it should be similar

[@ashkrish7537]

Affordable no cheap. :)

[@ShivKamalUpadhaya]

I searched this car few days back on my chrome browser and now am getting bombarded with Australian reviews of this car, there goes my data safety.

[@grahamreinbott172]

Looks very nice

[@malhaar707]

Hi Tom I drive Mitsubishi Outlander Exceed tourer, and am looking to change to PHEV with same trim level. Main reason for swapping is because petrol version is a bit sluggish, tight 3rd row seating, and fuel economy is not good. However, price difference is huge. The XUV700 looks nice, can save money when I sell mine, and buy this affordable. What do you think?

[@tomskellern6128]

Where did you shoot this video?

[@nagaprasad2254]

I think the most important criterion to not classify a product as cheap in your country is the price. Looks like the norm is lower the price , cheaper the product. No wonder you are surprised to see a good product at the right price.

[@manusugunamadan803]

Please do a comparison test with other midsize SUVs

[@shomnath3385]

Nice review

[@user-hu4if6xw8p]

Wow, it looks amazing. Greatest car ever.

[@johnjohnjohn353]

Thank you for another great review. I’ve ordered one in Adelaide, awaiting delivery. You reckon the car requires PPF, especially the black colour? The sales team was quite insistent on it.

[@Newelixir27]

Did you get it yet?

[@johnjohnjohn353]

@@Newelixir27Hi there, I ended up cancelling the order due to some personal reasons. They said it had already arrived at the pre delivery centre this week though and were about to deliver it.

[@Newelixir27]

@@johnjohnjohn353 oh...okay

[@muralisaripalli164]

The base model in india is MX and costs half of the base model in Australia

[@vidhanchandrasahu1185]

So which one you like... this one or scorpion?

[@guneetkochar7083]

There's a difference between the 'cheapest' car and the 'most affordable' car! Use your words wisley! good video, great car tho!

[@vaibhavsingla8944]

As an indian we already love this car in India❤❤

[@rahulns2114]

Stop adding chringe as an indian comment. Everywhere.

[@ishkaranbrar313]

​@@rahulns2114These chapri's are everywhere making all of us look bad.

[@user16020]

@vaibhavsingla8944 Nobody. asked.

[@ananths8828]

i hope the launch in canada. its a lovely car. i tested it.

[@manin4568]

Planning for an bmw x1 basic... But thinking about xuv500 due to price to options ratio

[@adhvaitchauhan8449]

50% of the price on any German car is purely charged because of the name (Audi, bmw, merc etc). Besides, if you want a long lasting engine life, Mahindra wins every day of the week.

[@manin4568]

@@adhvaitchauhan8449 true though 👍

[@user-toshiaomaxwell..]

Hey bro i'm from india ,you should chech out 2024 Mahindra bolero ,you will love it

[@sandeepraja123]

this is a steal price for australians , the price of AX7 L is 56k australian dollar equivalent in India , which is its home market and the waiting times are extremely high

[@Pyjamarama11]

Just traded my Pik Up for the Scorpio ..... N woot woot !! ps: looks like you drove around Jacobs Well .... nice drive

[@pawankadam8040]

I booked one yesterday 😍

[@techunboxingpro3295]

It was the safest car pick for India by NCAP

[@adwaithk]

India 🇮🇳🔥❤️

[@Infruxzing]

Mate that is an awesome ride

[@williamkavanagh8805]

Looks great

[@adarshdhaka]

Comes with ADAS and thats in the pilot mode you can leave your hand from the steering wheel!! Get that tesla vibe

[@NikhilSharma-hn8ef]

This car have a BoSS level Engine ❤️

[@johngeorge3277]

Increse length up to 4735mm (Innova)

[@paragdubey9522]

Indian Homegrown Automakers aren't Cheap.... They Lead the World around. These are Big Brands.. You should do your homework before calling Indian Brands Cheap!!!! It's affordable compared to the Competition. Video was good. Please consider the rest.

[@sleepingman23]

please make a video on Mahindra Thar🙏🙏

[@lrdnalrd]

the only problem could be the car's little heavy for the tyre..

[@24638]

I think more than hald of this video viewers are from india because it's an XUV 700.

[@TECHanLIFE]

Indian automakers have arrived on the global stage

[@adarsh8731]

India will not survive 7-8 years more There will be a revolutionary movement for sure

[@MrT7461]

Mahindra is known for it's durability

[@loquino]

drop 5k from the top model and it will sell like hot cakes

[@laxmanhw143]

Thank you XUV 7OO coming in my life 💖❤️ I am so happy 😊 I love you so much ❤️💖

[@ankitaankit1933]

Those digital dashboard looks similar to mersedes because it is same. And also you find many design Mahindra Renault sangyounh. Imy uncle works at Mahindra design engineer also Renault.

[@tttphhh6688]

I think this guy likes chinese more.Suddenly he will realize his chinese car is not made of metal but paper😂😂😂😂

[@Rav01508]

Japanese and South Korean passenger vehicle manufacturers contribute 88% of total exports from India. -Despite three decades of presence, Indian passenger vehicle makers export contribution is limited to a mere 2%

[@Rav01508]

Indians 🇮🇳 are proud of their Indian-origin CEOs working for foreign Multinational Corporation. Chinese 🇨🇳 are proud of their 145 Multinational Corporation on the Fortune500 list A tale of 2 very distinct people with totally different mindsets 👉Countries with the highest number of companies on the Fortune500 list 2022: 1. China (145) 2. USA (124) 3. Japan (47) 4. Germany (28) 5. France (25) 6. UK (18) 7. South Korea (16) 8. Switzerland (14) 9. Canada (12) 10. Netherlands (11) 29. India* (7)👈 *Mostly state owned monopolies and not private companies

[@Rav01508]

Countries that lead the world in 44 critical technology* sectors: 1. China = 37 2. USA = 7 3. UK = 0 4. Germany = 0 5. Japan = 0 *In fields like defence, space, robotics, energy, the environment, biotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), advanced materials and key quantum technology areas Source: Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) **India leads the world in the field of cow husbandry, which is neither a technology nor critical

[@mayamajumder6666]

Please review Tata safari SUV 2024 editions

[@bepositive5692]

Not cheapest its afordable.

[@akshaygade8758]

It's Not Cheap Its Most Affordable !!!

[@nayanekbote]

Our Indian car ❤

[@c2gwyt904]

It's not cheapest its most affordable car Please correct your thumbnail thanks you ❤️

[@adtalks3172]

AX7 is not the base model actually. Ax3 is there.

[@BinsDavisMaliyakkal]

It's not cheap, it's most affotdable dear....

[@Tommy_shelby717]

Wow looks amazing, I am considering it😊

[@rajTrondhjem10]

Impressive indeed..

[@user-rw6lp3vj5v]

i think ldv d90 is cheapest 7 seater avaliable right now for 35,999 drive away

[@user-rw6lp3vj5v]

by the way, it will be interesting to compare d90 with the mahindra, to see which car offers even better value

[@narenderkommidi2677]

Mahindra makes much more reliable and uses better engineering than Chinese brand cars for sure

[@Semil9999]

Eda mone❤❤❤

[@ParthPatel-dx2rh]

You can use the word affordable, instead of cheaper 😊

[@piyushporwal1307]

The road presence and sitting position are best in the segment. Once test drive taken no one would be able to reject it

[@brokenSnake]

😂😂

[@killg3132]

Dont say cheap its affordable,in India people r Quality sensitive not price,people have taken there xuv700 around the globe

[@phillipmarnik]

Is this called the XUV seven double O ( O for Orange) or the XUV seven hundred (700) ?

[@VMRDY]

It’s pronounced XUV 7 double O. But written as XUV700.

[@carsvelozindia4775]

Double OO Because Mahindra Uses O In There Every Car In Last

[@VMRDY]

@@carsvelozindia4775 Mahindra Tharo.

[@phillipmarnik]

Thank you all for confirming 🙂

[@anootoshsarkar686]

It's both actually 😂😂 we in India call it the XUV Saatso (seven hundred) colloquially, same was the case for the XUV 500 (XUV Paanso) 😂

[@mnroyal3920]

INDIA❤

[@sd-wm1sq]

I give a good thumbs up to this car

[@raman31656]

Cool

[@dev2385]

Wow Amazing Car I Just Love It Amazing😍🤩

[@sonymohan123]

Not cheap, its call affordable 👍

[@TheGreatVivek7]

Isn’t this just about the perfect car? Still they somehow find reasons to complain.

[@KLI22]

While you find reasons to be remain delusional just like most Indians. The fuel efficiency isn't perfect so wake up.

[@KM-vc7iy]

The fuel efficiency isn't perfect so wake up.

[@Model1822]

I know can’t be happy about anything anymore

[@premkiranhp]

It’s not cheapest… it’s most affordable 7 seater

[@uniquebusinessideas8864]

It is not cheapest😢 it is luxurious

[@Rohit-cj6eb]

Audi BMW left the chat

[@bigdaddy5964]

"Cheapest car" written on your thumbnail but it's wrong Mahindra is making most "Affordable" car with more features as compare to other luxurious car brands....

[@babeyoulove1883]

I love the way they have done most parts of the car - for me, I looked at the 3rd row folded and was not happy with the way the seat sat when folded. Same as Scorpio N. They have not done that right. Feel like the covers will fall apart after a few months. Love the rest of the car....

[@munishsharma5879]

In india you got it in 18000 usd. On road

[@rajeshambre1884]

Mahindra is great brand..

[@sn-680]

Attractive car 🎉

[@drbrijesh2211]

Many people buy mahindra suv to be gangster and it is TRUE the designs are like gangster

[@lucasaviro]

Should change you're name to carsguideSUV because that's all you are posting 😭😭