2025 Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition review

For families looking to drive their dollar further, a budget-conscious seven-seater may be on the radar. There's good news there too, with a growing range of options.

One of the more under-appreciated models in the segment is the Mahindra XUV700. While rural buyers might be more familiar with the Mahindra brand from its range of farm equipment, metropolitan buyers might not be across the brand or its models.

The XUV700 is the car to break new ground for the brand. On sale in Australia since mid-2023, the XUV700 is the most car-like of Mahindra's Australian range, which also includes the more off-road-focussed Scorpio and the workhorse Pik-Up dual-cab ute.

But without the attention-grabbing marketing budgets of similarly budget-focussed Chinese rivals, the Mahindra XUV700 has had to get by on being something of a quiet achiever.

With a long list of standard equipment and something of an emerging reputation for ruggedness and reliability, is the XUV700 the right choice as your next family SUV? I spent a week behind the wheel to find out.

Mahindra offers drive-away pricing in Australia, meaning no additional on-road costs to factor in. The price you see is the price you pay.

The range starts from $36,990 drive-away for the entry-level AX7 variant, the slightly better-equipped XUV700 AX7L is priced from $39,990, and the newly added Black Edition flagship carries a $43,990 drive-away price.

As you'd expect of a Black Edition model, the XUV700 comes with black alloy wheels, a black grille, and a black window line trim on the outside, in place of the usual brightwork on low-spec versions. There are also dark chrome and gloss black interior trims, ventilated front seats, memory function for the side mirrors, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The key Black Edition addition is a move away from the white leather-look trim on the regular models to black seats. It may not sound like much, but for parents with concerns about keeping white seats free of marks, scuffs, and spills, this could be enough to sway you in favour of the Black Edition.

Unlike lower-grade models, though, the Black Edition is only available in – you guessed it – black. The silver, blue, white, and red paint options of the other XUV700 models are locked out on this version.

The extras are in addition to features like 18-inch alloy wheels, LED head- and tail-lights, a powered driver's seat with memory, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof with powered sunshade, push-button start, and adaptive cruise control. Some of those features usually require a trip up the model range of rivals, but those are just the base-grade inclusions.

The XUV700 Black Edition also comes with the features found in the AX7L model, like a 12-speaker Sony stereo, 360-degree camera with blind-spot view, wireless phone charging, stop-and-go functionality for the adaptive cruise control, power-operated pop-out door handles, keyless entry, and an electronic park brake.

Rivals kick off from $41,240 plus on-road costs for a seven-seat Mitsubishi Outlander LS, $38,990 for the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max, and $43,147 drive-away (for private buyers) for the recently facelifted LDV D90.

Whereas the XUV700 range comes only with a turbo petrol engine and front-wheel drive, the non-turbo petrol Outlander offers the option of all-wheel drive, plus plug-in hybrid models higher up the range. The Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max has a turbo petrol engine, with all-wheel drive reserved for the top-spec version.

The LDV is a little different and based on a ladder-frame chassis usually seen on off-road SUVs. The range is now turbo petrol only, with previous diesel models no longer available. The base model is rear-wheel drive, but four-wheel drive is available on the top-spec version.

The Mahindra XUV700 slots right into the medium SUV class with a nose-to-tail length of 4695mm, which makes it just 15mm shorter than a Mitsubishi Outlander, and 15mm longer than a Nissan X-Trail. The XUV700 is also 1890mm wide, 1755mm tall and rides on a 2750mm wheelbase.

Using those other popular seven-seat mid-sizers for reference, the Outlander is 28mm narrower, 10mm lower, and has a 44mm shorter wheelbase. The X-Trail is a significant 50mm narrower, 30mm lower, and has a 45mm shorter wheelbase – but these are external dimensions, and while they impact interior space to a degree, they aren't the final word in passenger space.

The big takeaway from spending time in the XUV700 is that, if you plan to carry more than five people often, it's a solid choice. The third row in particular is usefully sized. It still doesn't take the place of larger still cars like the Toyota Kluger or Hyundai Palisade, but it presents fewer compromises for third-row passengers. I'll touch on that more in a moment.

Starting at the front, the first thing you're likely to notice is how high the seating position is. While most medium SUVs offer a seat height that's easy to slide into, the XUV700 actually requires you to step up. The driver's seat is mounted very high and the driving position feels a bit van-like, the pedals aren't really forward, they're close but low, so you end up sitting very upright to be able to make it all work.

There is tilt and reach adjustment for the steering column, and the driver's seat is electrically adjustable with three-position memory recall, which is so handy if you regularly swap drivers. The console between the seats sits quite high too, but it is a little limited in terms of storage.

The console plays host to two USB-A ports, a wireless charge pad under the centre stack, and a chilled (via the air conditioner) space under the armrest. The two front cupholders are quite tight, so leave your plus-sized cup or bottle at home. This is for cans and 600ml store water bottles only – or at least it would be if the grippy little nubs at the bottom didn't try to crush your beverage. Bigger bottles can slide into the doors, but end up quite a long way down.

I found the front seats to be quite small. I'm only 169cm, or around 5ft 7in, and even for me the headrest in its highest position only just lined up with the back of my head, and the top of the seat was roughly shoulder level. Lateral support is lacking too, and some passengers said they felt a dome in the backrest that wasn't very comfy.

The front seats come with heating and cooling, which is handy. The faux-leather seat surface can feel a bit sticky and sweaty so you'll love the relief. The dual-zone air conditioning is superb. Even on hot days it is quick and effective at cooling the cabin, though the fan noise is often very noticeable.

The second row of seats is arranged stadium-style, so it's slightly higher again than the front seats. This gives passengers a clear view out, and while it means little ones might need a lift into child seats, parents won't need to stoop to buckle them in.

Like the front seats, the high rear seats result in a more upright seating position, but rather than sitting with their feet pushed forward, adults get a more spacious feel by not being pushed towards the front seats. Knee and leg room are still decent, though, and the high-set front seats leave lots of space for your feet, though head room feels much like what you'd get in any other medium SUV.

Second-row seats have access to air vents through the console, a single USB-C port, a pull-down armrest with two tight cupholders, and large bottle holders down in the doors. Flipping the middle row forward is an easy action with a strong spring assist. There's no slide, but the left backrest folds first, then the whole seat tumbles forward for a large aperture into the rear.

The rear seats came as a bit of a surprise to me. Often third-row seating in medium SUVs is a bit of a penalty box with flat seats and limited leg room, but in the XUV700 there's still enough space for teens and some crucial factors that often get overlooked (like space for heads and feet) are well served here.

No, it's still not first-class travel, but the compromises are fewer than in other 5+2-style seven-seaters. The rearmost seats also get a booster fan for the air vents with its own independent speed control, plus overhead assist grips in case things get rocky. There's a broad armrest and cupholder on each side too.

The flipside of all this is that with all three rows of seats in use, the boot is quite small. Mahindra does not quote boot capacity, either with the rear seats up or folded. With the third row in place, the remaining floor space is compact but should accommodate a row of school bags or shopping bags easily enough.

Fold the third row forward and the square space is useful and quite large. A scalloped-out section beneath the third-row armrest ekes out some extra width. There are also tie-down points in each corner of the boot, but no bag hooks.

At first glance, the infotainment and instrument displays for the XUV700 look huge, sitting within a single frame. As you fire the car up, though, you'll find bezels all the way around smaller 10.25-inch displays. Those are still quite decently sized for the segment, though.

The infotainment system includes AM/FM radio (but not DAB), and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – for now the latter is a Black Edition exclusive, with lower-spec versions only offering wired smartphone mirroring.

The console houses a rotary controller that can be mapped for either volume or to navigate around the screen.

Satellite navigation isn't included, though there is a navigation menu onscreen that loads a nav system that isn't available in Australia (if you try to look up Mahindra service centres or points of interest it'll give you a list for India). With CarPlay connected you can use the star shortcut button on the console and it will jump straight to your phone's nav app, and if using Apple Maps the instrument cluster can show maps and navigation prompts too.

The system felt responsive and snappy, and has improved a little in this respect since the XUV700 launched. Mahindra says this is down to software updates rolled out since then.

There are some strange prompts, two menus 'fun in XUV700' and 'fun with XUV700' take you to either the infotainment options (radio, CarPlay, Bluetooth, etc.) or to a power/torque meter and lap timer, with the latter feeling entirely out of place in a family SUV with no real sporting intent. You can also take a picture with the reverse camera, which is saved to the infotainment gallery... for some reason.

There are some quirks to get your head around within the infotainment system, but it still easily scores a passing grade for useability, if not features.

There is no companion app or connectivity within the car itself, although the SOS button available in overseas markets remains in the car (near the interior light) but no SOS call function is available.

There is no ANCAP or Euro NCAP crash test information for the XUV700. These two test authorities are aligned in their test methods, so they trade info (allowing Australia to leverage results from overseas tests). Other NCAP programs don't line up like this, so while the XUV700 claims a five-star Global NCAP rating overseas, that test procedure has been formulated for emerging markets like India and Africa, and doesn't translate to the Australian system.

The base-model XUV700 AX7 comes with six airbags, the AX7L and Black Edition add a driver's knee airbag. The second-row seats feature three top-tether and two ISOFIX child seat mounts, but the third row seats aren't equipped for child support seats.

All versions of the XUV700 come with autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, tyre pressure (and temperature) monitoring, traffic sign recognition, high-beam assist, and a reversing camera.

The higher-spec versions add in additional features including an electric park brake, stop-and-go functionality for the cruise control, and a blind-spot camera function that turns on when you indicate left or right.

It's a good starting point, but more advanced functions like lane-centring, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, safe exit alert, rear seat reminder, and reverse AEB that are found in rivals are all absent here.

I have to say, though, I wasn't expecting the adaptive cruise control to behave as well as it did. Some of these systems can be abrupt if a car merges in our out ahead, but the Mahindra is quite fluent and behaves much like a human driver would.

The lane assist, on the other hand, is quite weak, and while Mahindra says it has 'smart pilot assist', the system doesn't behave like other similarly named systems that stay within lane markings on curves and the like.

The camera feed for the 360-camera and the blind-spot cameras is poor quality, there's a delay in the feed, and while it's only slight, you can end up much closer to objects when parking as the feed sits momentarily behind the car's actual position.

Speed sign recognition is handy around town, but the system often failed to pick up highway speed signs, both overhead and roadside ones.

The Mahindra XUV700 comes with a seven-year, 150,000km warranty and seven years of included roadside assist, provided routine maintenance isn't missed.

Mahindra sets the first service at 12 months or 10,000km, and from there intervals push out to 12 months or 15,000km. A capped-price service schedule is available for the first four services, with each priced at $357, $357, $563, and $504 respectively, or $1781 all up over four years.

Running the numbers on an insurance quote for the XUV700 Black Edition returned a $1637 annual premium based on a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Based on the same driver details, a Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max Ultimate was quoted at $2674, but a Mitsubishi Outlander LS seven-seater is much closer at $1604.

With a manufacturer's claim of 8.3 litres per 100 kilometres fuel consumption, the XUV700 isn't the most efficient medium SUV, but given that it bridges medium and large SUVs when it comes to interior space, it's not inexcusable.

In my real-world testing, I landed at 10.8L/100km, which is erring towards the high side for a modern vehicle. Only a few times during the week did I have more than one passenger, so with a full load on board it's possible that figure could rise.

The car we drove was almost entirely box-fresh, and had no run-in driving at all yet, so over time the fuel figures could vary.

On the other hand, the Mahindra is happy to accept regular 91-octane petrol with no need for premium petrol. That takes a little pain out of each fill.

Driving range is just over 720km at the claim consumption, but based on the testing we did expect closer to 555km from the 60-litre tank.

There's a pattern to the way the XUV700 drives. It feels relaxed from behind the wheel, lacking a little in urgency or pin-point accuracy, but it has a reassuring consistency. It's very easy to gel with.

The 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine offers a strong 380Nm of torque, and doesn't feel too troubled when loaded up, but it always just takes a moment. Whether you're trying to sweep away from a standstill, or for a burst of overtaking speed, the XUV700 builds pace with a leisurely momentum.

The engine itself is mostly quiet as a result. It doesn't rev hard or too freely, so it self-regulates in that regard. It can be vibey, though, and you'll feel it jiggling away at idle or when pushing for performance.

Like the engine, the transmission is in no rush either. It's programmed well enough to pick the right gear in most situations, but can be slow to kick down. When using the manual mode, there's a long pause between moving the gear lever and changing gear – but rather than using this mode as a performance setting, it's more suited for control when towing or in slippery conditions.

The ride has been set up to deal well with big-stride imperfections. It'll blot out big bumps and rough terrain quite well, but takes a moment to settle. There are a series of secondary body movements as the car settles. It also tends to get fidgety on corrugations or a series of smaller bumps.

Because of the inherent softness of the suspension, there's a lot of body roll through corners too. The steering is slow and fairly vague, but it means there's no twitching or nervousness on the highway.

Of course, this isn't a car you'll be firing through the bends. While the handling is safe and predictable, it pushes to understeer early and is unlikely to delight keen drivers.

The car's structure comprises very wide widescreen pillars and chunky rear pillars, so visibility outwards is compromised. On approach to an offset intersection or roundabout, it's easy to hide a vehicle or pedestrian entirely behind the pillars.

There's no area where the XUV700 stands out as exceptional. Everything it does, it does in a fairly conservative manner. You get the impression that the final layer of finesse often found in established rivals from brands such as Mitsubishi, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, and even some emerging brands like MG, just hasn't been achieved here.

In a lot of situations, I found myself thinking it was 'good enough', rather than outright good.

While it probably shouldn't be your first choice for heavy-duty work, the Mahindra XUV700 has a 1500kg braked tow rating, allowing it to take care of weekend hobbies or an occasional tip run. The unbraked limit is 750kg.

The figure to keep an eye on is payload. It's just 522kg according to Mahindra's factory figures, so a full complement of passengers could easily account for the full payload figure before you add ball weight for whatever you're towing.

For anyone looking to tow more frequently, the Mahindra Scorpio might be a better match with a maximum 2500kg braked capacity.

For its outright sturdiness, the Mahindra XUV700 stands slightly apart from its rivals. It feels no-nonsense and built to deliver on its premise as a people-carrier first and foremost.

Whereas some medium-sized seven-seaters don't truly have room for seven, the Mahindra is quite well proportioned. The level of interior equipment is also impressive. The price of this car isn't exorbitant, especially when looking at established rival brands, and yet the included amenities are generous.

That flips when it comes to safety technology, however, with a number of key safety features (like driver attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, and reverse AEB) missing in action. This could be enough to give family buyers pause for thought.

But in a market where a quality second-hand seven-seater could be priced similarly, the warranty and appointments of a new XUV700 provide an interesting alternative.

Although Mahindra offers a range of variants, the current Black Edition feels like the one to opt for – if only for the ease of maintaining the black interior compared to the white trim of the other models.

Mahindra has 78 dealers around the country at the time of writing this review, so while they might be outnumbered by some brands, there's a chance you won't be too far from a dealer (or a service centre should you need one). You can find your nearest Mahindra dealer here. Drive Marketplace also has the full range of new, demonstrator, and used Mahindra vehicles available to browse.

While there's merit in the XUV700 on paper, we'd strongly recommend a test drive, and it may be worth checking out rivals like the similarly budget-friendly Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max and the Mitsubishi Outlander.

If you want to read the latest news (plus any current deals or offers) since our review, you'll find all the latest details here.

Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.

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