An evolution of the XUV 700, the Mahindra XUV 7XO looks to bolster the in-cabin experience. But the crux of the matter lies hidden, like a pleasant surprise.
Story: Salman Bargir
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
The 7XO largely carries over the XUV 700’s mechanical underpinnings. However, what truly defines this evolution isn’t immediately obvious. It’s something subtle, almost obscure, and only reveals itself once you get behind the wheel. And get behind the wheel we did. More on that shortly.
First, the cosmetic upgrades. Up front, the six-slat grille has been revised and now appears wider. Finished in glossy piano black, it features what Mahindra calls “jewel-like talon accents”, giving it a subtle, three-dimensional presence, much like the twin peaks logo that sits prominently at the centre. The headlamp unit has also been updated, with the earlier reflector-type units making way for Bi-LED projectors. Designed as small square elements arranged in a segmented line, the new turn indicators illuminate sequentially, in the intended direction.
Flanking the fascia are C-shaped split daytime running lights (DRL), which, viewed head-on, give the front end a cohesive appearance. The redesigned bumper now houses ice cube-shaped LED cornering lights and projector fog lamps, positioned side by side. Overall, the front end retains traces of the previous design while adopting the design language seen on newer Mahindra models such as the XEV 9S. The styling is more rounded, less sharp and aggressive, and instead leans towards a more sophisticated and mature aesthetic. Some may like it, some may not.
The profile remains largely unchanged, with the only notable visual updates being the flush-fitting door handles, a gloss-black finish for the lower cladding and wheel arches, and new dual-tone, diamond-cut 19-inch alloy wheels. The wheels themselves have received a size upgrade and are now wrapped in 235/55 R19 tyres.
At the rear, the SUV features redesigned wrap-around tail-lamps with blacked-out upper sections, connected by a glossy black, pinched-out panel. The honeycomb pattern within the lamp housings adds a distinctive textured effect. Positioned lower on the tailgate is the “XUV 7XO” badging, now spread out in bold lettering. Completing the updates is a redesigned rear bumper that incorporates gloss-black elements, a slimmer silver faux skid plate, and a chrome garnish.
Inside, the XUV 7XO looks and feels significantly more premium. The tri-colour black-tan-and-cream cabin theme appears rich and is pleasing to the eye. The upper portion of the dashboard is finished in hard but good-quality plastic, while tan leatherette upholstery has been used extensively across the cabin, including the seats (in dual-tone tan and white) and the door-pads. Adding to the upmarket feel is black suede used on the uppermost section of the door panels.
The standout feature that elevates the cabin’s aura is the triple 12.3-inch screen set-up, which is standard across all variants. Also complementing the tech-heavy cabin is the new leatherette-wrapped twin-spoke steering wheel, seemingly borrowed from the XEV 9e. Here, however, it gets a metallic, three-dimensional, twin-peak logo instead of the illuminated “Infinity” emblem. While carefully tackling a few off-road sections, the 540-degree camera system, paired with front and rear parking sensors, proved useful.
Now on to the crux, the upgraded all-wheel independent suspension. In this advanced iteration using Frequency Selective Damping (FSD), it now employs a valve-based set-up that Mahindra calls “DaVinci damping technology”. This uses an unconventional shim-stack design to decouple ride comfort from handling to ensure that neither is compromised.
In practice, the set-up performs impressively. On a straight stretch, interspersed with patchy surfaces and repeated undulations that induced significant vertical movement, the SUV remained unperturbed to a great extent even at high speed. The rebound control keeps its nearly 1,900-kilogram mass well-composed, and the reworked damping feels well-calibrated. Additionally, it allows for confident cornering at highway speed, with body-roll kept to a minimum. While there was a hint of understeer when pushed, the car, aided by good grip from the Ceat tyres, held its line in an assured manner, with the steering weighing up nicely.
Overall, the upgrade is meaningful and works well. Considering the sheer mass it has to manage, there is little to fault. It not only enhances the driving experience but also improves the ride quality. It is a good balance of sporty yet comfortable, which put a smile on both mine and Sanjay san’s faces.
Pair this with the all-disc brake set-up, and you can carry more speed than you would expect in an SUV of this size. While the brakes aren’t particularly sharp, they are strong and effective, responding best to progressive inputs. The engine remains the same unit as in the XUV 700 and is smooth up to around 1,800 rpm, getting slightly coarse only at higher revs.
Acceleration is brisk, but the experience is somewhat dampened by the only mechanical component that does a good job but doesn’t fully impress: the transmission. The torque-converter automatic fails to impress with its shift-times and leads to evident lag in performance, especially in the lower gears, while upshifts tend to happen a little too late, causing the engine to rev higher than required. The shifts themselves are smooth and not jerky, but a more responsive unit would significantly elevate the overall driving experience.
We were fortunate to experience the car again on the second day for our drive from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur. With Sanjay san behind the wheel, I got to spend time in the passenger seat and the rear. Taking advantage of this opportunity, I explored the features of the new passenger screen in detail. For safety reasons, it has a privacy filter that restricts visibility from the driver’s point of view. With a dedicated passenger screen in place, the central display could devote itself entirely to navigation, presenting a wide, uncluttered, and easily readable interface.
The AdrenoX Plus software suite, powered by an octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, with Alexa integrated together with ChatGPT, is responsible for a seamless experience. As I streamed music on YouTube, we sampled the 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. Among the available sound profiles, the “3D immersive mode” stood out as my personal favourite.
After spending time in the front seats, the rear-seat experience was equally, if not more, comfortable, supported by the superb ride quality and revised cushioning. The addition of ventilation for the window-side seats, with dedicated buttons on the outer sides, is a welcome upgrade, though I wish the front seats had similar individual switches for ventilation. There is also a new feather-touch panel below the central air-conditioning vents on the centre console; however, it never felt fully intuitive during our time with the car. Nevertheless, these are far from deal-breakers, especially considering the car’s extensive list of features.
After the first day’s drive, getting behind the wheel again the next day was a delightful experience. Not just because we enjoyed the ride, but because it allowed us to reflect on the first day’s impressions and gain a deeper insight into the new features.
To sum up, apart from a few minor negatives, this Mahindra represents an extraordinary evolution.
Also Read: Mahindra XEV 9S Driven — The Grown Up
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