The Indian car market is considered to be one of the most exciting in the world. It is dominated by mass models such as the Jeep twin Gurkha and the endurance runner Ambassador with British genes. But host Mahindra has a real showpiece in his portfolio with his XUV 700, which is in the premium class, at least by Indian standards.
You will look in vain for expensive or even exclusive vehicles on the streets of Delhi, Chennai or Mumbai, because in the confusing metropolises of the Indian subcontinent, rattling two- and three-wheelers set the pace on the crowded streets. Everywhere in the cityscape the gray Mahindra Jeeps, which after more than 50 years replaced the venerable Ambassador, which was based on the British Morris Oxford Series III, which was discontinued in 1957, until its end of production in 2014. Apparently everyone in India drove the plump, charming Ambassador without great comfort attributes – private individuals, taxi drivers and even the national politicians. In the turbulent everyday street life, the indestructible Ambassador was replaced by the Mahindra Jeep, which in turn is a rustic descendant of the Willys Jeep CJ-3B.
But Mahindra has more to offer on the increasingly competitive home market than just a cheap taxi in a gray dress, in which up to seven people can eke out their cramped existence, because with the XUV 700 the Indian car manufacturer has a real luxury model in its portfolio. The 4.70 meter long Mahindra XUV 700 is available as a five- or seven-seater, whose comfort and safety equipment can definitely keep up with other world markets. The wheelbase of the large crossover is 2.75 meters. When it comes to the drive, the inclined customer has a choice, because the 700 is powered by a two-liter four-cylinder turbo that delivers 147 kW / 200 hp / 380 Nm. If you want to be more economical on the road, you can also opt for a 2.2-liter common rail diesel, which delivers either 114 kW / 155 hp or 136 kW / 185 hp / 450 Nm to both drive axles. Somewhat surprisingly, the mid-range SUV comes standard with a manual six-speed gearbox and offers an automatic only for an extra charge. This also applies to equipment details such as ESP and an electric parking brake, which are only offered as options. All-wheel drive is only available for the 185 hp top diesel. The Mahindra XUV 700 conquered the world’s highest motorable road on the Umling La mountain in the Ladakh region. This makes it the first Indian-made vehicle to achieve the pass. Located in the southeast of Ladakh, Umling La is the highest motorable road in the world at 5,880 meters. The global landmark of India is 500 meters higher than the base camp of Mount Everest.
Depending on the equipment variant, there are animated instruments, 18-inch aluminum rims, a panoramic roof or LED headlights and various driver assistance systems that are intended to justify the price difference between 1.3 and almost 1.9 million Indian rupees, which corresponds to a range of 15,000 to 22,000 euros is equivalent to. The highlight inside is not the extensively installed hard plastic, but the continuous instrument display, which stretches from the driver to well over the middle of the dashboard. The basic MX version has a seven-inch display without a navigation function, all other AX versions shine with a 10.25-inch display, touch function, standard navigation, app control, Android Auto and Apple Carplay. For the luxury versions of the Mahindra XUV AX7 and AX7L there are also electric seats, distance cruise control, 360-degree camera or automatic climate control.
Source: Stern
I am a 24-year-old writer and journalist who has been working in the news industry for the past two years. I write primarily about market news, so if you’re looking for insights into what’s going on in the stock market or economic indicators, you’ve come to the right place. I also dabble in writing articles on lifestyle trends and pop culture news.
