More tech and new six-seat option availed to Mahindra XUV 700

Mahindra has set into motion the roll-out of key updated models in India with first recipient being the XUV 700 that debuted less than three years ago.

What’s new?

Set to be joined later this year by the revised XUV 300, the XUV 700, pronounced seven double-oh and not seven-hundred, mainly receives interior and specification tweaks with minimal to no changes having taken place outside or mechanically.

Besides a new colour called Napoli Black that extends to the roof and wheels as part of the optional dual-tone finish, the biggest interior alteration is the availability of six-seats on the AX7 and AX7L trim levels.

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Comprising a pair of captain’s style chairs with their own armrest in the second row, the setup is, however, an option and not available on the MX, AX3 or AX5 trim grades that retain the five or seven-seat layout.

Elsewhere, the AX7L also gets ventilated front seats and a memory function for the folding electric mirrors, while Mahindra’s AdrenoX infotainment system receives new software via over-the-air updates on all models bar the MX.

Same petrol or diesel hearts

As mentioned, no changes have taken place underneath the XUV 700’s bonnet where two options are still provided.

The sole unit marketed in South Africa, the turbocharged 2.0-litre mStallion petrol develops 147kW/380Nm, while the mHawk 2.2-litre turbodiesel comes in three states of tune; 115kW/360Nm in the MX, 135kW/420Nm in the AX and 135kW/450Nm in the AX fitted with the six-speed automatic gearbox.

On the petrol and lowered-petrol MX, the standard ‘option ‘box remains a six-speed manual, with the mentioned automatic being optional, but standard on the higher-output oil-burner.

Also available, but only on the oil-burning AX7 and AX7L equipped with the self-shifter, is a full-time all-wheel-drive system.

Not yet South Africa approved

Set to arrive on Indian dealership floors from 25 January, pricing kicks off at Rs 1 399 000 (R314 963) for the two-wheel-drive, petrol-fuelled MX manual and ends at Rs 2 399 000 (R540 098) for the diesel AX7L equipped with the automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive.

For now, it remains to be seen whether Mahindra South Africa will make the revisions available on a line-up spanning three models; the AX5, AX7 and AX7L, all sporting the automatic ‘box and two-wheel-drive as a way of avoiding price overlapping with the diesel exclusive Scorpio-N.

As a comparison, current local market stickers kick-off at R479 999 for the AX5 and tops-out at R569 999 for the AX7L.

Additional information from team-bhp.com and cardekho.com.

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