Mahindra XUV700 here in June

MAHINDRA Automotive Australia is set to launch a new monocoque medium SUV called the XUV700 in June – just two months after the debut of the Indian brand’s all-new medium/large body-on-frame SUV called Scorpio – with the relatively upmarket XUV700 expected to be positioned as more of an urban alternative to the Scorpio, rather than a smaller and cheaper SUV.

Speaking to GoAuto at the Scorpio’s Queensland launch, Mahindra’s vice president head of international operations Joydeep Moitra said that the XUV700 (which he pronounced ‘XUV-seven-double-O’) isn’t really a direct replacement for the Mahindra XUV500 that ended production two years ago, despite being only incrementally larger (50mm longer in wheelbase, 110mm longer overall, 30mm lower, and identical in width).

“It’s bigger and better in all respects (than the XUV500), starting with the size of the vehicle to the engine, to the entire performance aspect, the tech package, etcetera,” said Mr Moitra.

“It’s in a different category – one category above, in fact, I would say. So, clearly our approach now is not just to play in utes but the urban markets also,” he said.

“The XUV700 will address the mainstream monocoque petrol segment – a more urban medium SUV for urban buyers. That will complete our line-up.”

Launched in India in August 2021, the broad XUV700 range spans AUD$25,515–$47,692 in its home market compared to AUD$23,779–$44,652 for the Scorpio-N range (simply called Scorpio here) – the latter price for the top-spec six-seat Scorpio Z8L diesel 4WD that retails for $44,990 driveaway in Australia.

Given its petrol-only positioning in Australia and New Zealand, our likely XUV700 flagship will be the three-row AX7 with Luxury Pack, whose Indian price translates to AUD$44,348, or around $44,500 driveaway in Australia.

More affordable XUV700 variants are likely to potentially include the two-row AX5 with 17-inch alloys (AUD$35,758) and the steel-wheeled AX3 (AUD$33,234), though Mahindra Automotive Australia is yet to confirm the XUV700’s model line-up.

What it has confirmed is our powertrain – a 2.0-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine driving through the front wheels, likely with a six-speed automatic as standard (though a six-speed manual is also available in India, as well as two diesel alternatives – the more powerful version also with AWD).

Producing 147kW at 5000rpm and 380Nm from 1750-3000rpm, the XUV700 turbo-petrol automatic is capable of 0-100km/h in around 9.5 seconds, placing it towards the middle of the mainstream medium SUV class.

Underpinning the XUV700 is fully independent suspension (strut front, multi-link rear) with frequency-selective dampers and four-wheel disc brakes, while available in-cabin technology includes dual 10.25-inch HD screens, built-in Amazon Alexa, Adrenox Connect, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 360-degree surround-view camera and a 12-speaker Sony 3D audio system.

Active-safety wise, the XUV700 is available with AEB, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, traffic-sign recognition and adaptive cruise control – unlike the just-launched new Scorpio.

Mahindra’s body-on-frame SUV will receive AEB and various other active-safety features as a model-year update some time before Australia’s February 2025 mandate for compulsory AEB fitment.

The monocoque-bodied XUV700 is uncannily similar in size to the separate-chassis Scorpio in all dimensions apart from height. Sharing its 2750mm wheelbase length with the Scorpio, the XUV700 is 33mm longer overall (at 4695mm) but 27mm narrower (at 1890mm) and 102mm lower (at 1755mm).

Compared to its mainstream medium SUV competitor set, the XUV700 has a longer wheelbase than the Toyota RAV4 (by 60mm), Mazda CX-5 (by 50mm) and Mitsubishi Outlander/Nissan X-Trail (by 44mm) but falls 5mm shy of the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage models (2755mm in wheelbase) sold in Australia.

As for overall length compared to its big-selling medium SUV rivals, the 4695mm XUV700 is out-measured only by the Mitsubishi Outlander (4710mm).

In terms of the XUV700’s buyer profile, Mahindra expects to attract a very different demographic from the male-dominated Scorpio.

Aided by an expansion of Mahindra’s dealer network across Australia’s capital cities over the next 12 months – debuting a sophisticated new look for these forthcoming sites in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Adelaide, as well as Wollongong (NSW) and Geelong (VIC) – the brand will finally be accessible to most urban buyers.

Speaking to GoAuto, Mahindra Automotive Australia’s national manager Ankit Taneja said the brand had done a lot of research around the buyers in each segment for both SUVs.

“For Scorpio, we are clearly looking at 40-plus, predominantly male, in urban as well as semi-urban centres – that’s what we are looking at as our target customer, obviously with a family,” said Mr Taneja.

“(But) for XUV700, that segment will be slightly different. It will be totally around the urban metro markets. Females will be an important percentage or even a higher percentage – let’s say 35-40 per cent females, 60 per cent male – about 35 years (of age).

“So, we are looking at a younger, more urban, female-centric demographic as far as the XUV700 is concerned, while the Scorpio will be mostly males 40-plus, families with slightly older kids – that’s what we are looking for,” he said.

Like the Scorpio, the XUV700 will be supported by a seven-year/150,000-kilometre factory warranty for private buyers, with capped-price servicing to be revealed at a later stage.