Mahindra had created a huge buzz when the XUV 700 came out, but things have been on auto-pilot ever since, requiring nearly no intervention from its maker. The fact that the XUV 700 is a great product has been established with the solid sales figures the car has consistently garnered since its launch in 2021. Nearly three years later, Mahindra has also included for the XUV what they refer to as the ‘Black Edition’, a name not too dissimilar to its rivals’ Knight and Dark editions. We take the XUV 700 for a quick spin to understand what makes it stand out in an increasingly competitive market.

Design

Not much has changed in its exterior in terms of the overall silhouette and design, but with the Black Edition, chrome has been shown the door. This type of treatment has worked exceptionally well on Tata SUVs too, and there’s no reason to believe that it won’t on Mahindras. The XUV 700’s styling has involved a mix of traditional cues from Mahindras, and while not radical, it works flawlessly three years later. If anything, this update gives it enough oomph to carry on till the next big one.

The all-new Napoli Black paint definitely gives the SUV a stealthy appearance. The grille, which was once topped with chrome, is all-black, and so are the headlamp surrounds, door handles, and the fog lamp housing. It’s so cohesive, the whole treatment, that one may begin to wonder why Mahindra didn’t bring it out sooner. Better late than never, and all that. The mix of glossy paint and matte black accents turn the already good-looking XUV 700 into a bit of a head-turner.

The interior of the 2024 XUV 700 Black Edition is, as expected, loaded with space, comfort, and luxury, not to forget some brilliant new features, especially in the top-spec models

The interior of the 2024 XUV 700 Black Edition is, as expected, loaded with space, comfort, and luxury, not to forget some brilliant new features, especially in the top-spec models

Interior

The interior of the 2024 XUV 700 Black Edition is, as expected, loaded with space, comfort, and luxury, not to forget some brilliant new features, especially in the top-spec models. There are three rows of seats, and none of these disappoint, even the last row, which is usually added to SUVs just for the sake of it; it is decently capacious for short journeys. The second-row captain seats in the fully specced AX7L version further make the XUV700’s cabin easily one of the best places to be, on the right side of ₹30 lakh. The choice of materials and the overall fit can’t be doubted, either. The XUV 700 isn’t a utilitarian SUV, and it shows, with soft-touch plastics and great finish.

The other thing the XUV 700 has plenty of is power. The petrol AT version (which we tested) comes with a 2-litre turbocharged engine which makes 197 bhp and 38.74 kg-m of torque. Not only is getting to highway speeds effortless in the XUV, maintaining a decent speed without worrying about overtakes and changes in gradient is dealt with rather nicely. Superbly stable on the move, the XUV 700 soaks up bumps adeptly; its steering, although light, offers precise control and its composure in corners is appreciable, especially for a vehicle of its size. In addition to that, let’s not forget that Mahindra has gone the extra mile with the XUV 700, ensuring that it’s one of the safest cars on the market — there’s a 5-star rating from Global NCAP (tested in November 2021), ADAS, and multiple airbags.

Prices for the Mahindra XUV700 Black Edition start at ₹13.99 lakh, ex-showroom, and its rivals include the Tata Safari, Hyundai Alcazar and MG Hector Plus. While it’s never going to be an easy decision to make, the Black Edition with Napoli Black paint, matte accents, refreshed feature list and everything else that’s been great with the XUV from Day one, deserves its place in your garage.

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