The long awaited XUV700 from Mahindra & Mahindra will be unveiled later on Saturday. It will join a growing list of premium seven-seater sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in the country, which includes the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar and the MG Hector Plus.
For Mahindra, it is the biggest launch in recent years. Mahindra, once the largest SUV maker in the country, lost its market share over the last few years as companies new and old ramped up their SUV strategies. Hyundai’s Creta and Tucson, its Korean sibling’s Seltos and Sonet, and even Tata’s Safari and Nexon have found strong traction.
The XUV700 is Mahindra’s answer to get back into the game. The XUV500 was a hit among consumers, and the company is hoping the XUV700 would be equally accepted by not just existing fans, but attract new ones too.
Mahindra has left no stone unturned in developing this product packed with features inside and out. The XUV700 will launch with the company’s new twin peaks logo, a new visual identity that was unveiled recently for Mahindra’s SUV portfolio.
“Our new visual identity is a manifestation of what we stand for as we build a truly differentiated and authentic SUV brand for personal exploration and adventure,” said Rajesh Jejuriker, executive director, auto and farm sector at M&M.
From a features perspective, the XUV700’s sun roof, is expected to be the largest in the segment, there’s a new Adreno X intelligent system to handle voice-activated commands on board, along with a Sony 3D sound system, so will be smart-door handles that pop out when the car is unlocked, these are normally seen in higher-end luxury cars. While overall fit and finish is expected to be top notch, it is also expected to be the most powerful SUV in its class, powered by a 2-litre turbo petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engine. Some reports also suggest that the SUV will also be equipped with ADAS (advanced driver assistance) features. On the safety front, too, it should be well equipped.
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At a time high input costs are pinching automakers hard, can Mahindra now attractively price the XUV700 and perhaps, even undercut its rivals variant-to-variant is a key thing to watch out for.
Mahindra’s last big launch—the Thar SUV—has seen good traction in the market. It has also recently announced the new Bolero Neo, SUV, which should give a boost to Bolero, the company’s war horse in India’s vast hinterlands.
This launch offensive, which will include 23 new products over the next five years, is a part of Mahindra’s big comeback plans in the SUV segment. It has recently roped in Pratap Bose as its design head from rival Tata Motors, and he will oversee a brand new design centre in the UK that the company has announced.
A five-seater version of the XUV700, an all new Scorpio and a range of Born electric vehicles will be a part of the all new Mahindra SUV portfolio. Exciting times ahead indeed for Mahindra. All eyes now on the XUV700.
