Mahindra XUV700 will be offered with a new 2.2-litre mHawk diesel and a 2.0-litre mFalcon petrol engine with manual and transmission options
Mahindra & Mahindra has the XUV700 as its next big launch in the Indian market and its official name was released a few weeks ago. Furthermore, the brand also announced that the XUV700 would be introduced with petrol and diesel engines along with manual and automatic transmission choices. An optional all-wheel-drive configuration equipped variant was also confirmed.
The Mahindra XUV700 is the production name of the W601, and it could have spawned a Ford C-segment SUV if both brands went ahead with the joint venture. The XUV700 will be sold in multiple seating configurations and it will slot above the existing XUV500 and below the Alturas G4 in the company’s domestic lineup.
According to a recent report that emerged on the internet, the Mahindra XUV700 will debut in a total of 11 variants and an expansive range could help in appealing to a wide band of customers. As for the performance, an all-new 2.2-litre four-cylinder mHawk diesel engine producing a maximum power output of around 185 horsepower and a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder mFalcon petrol mill kicking out around 190 horsepower will be utilised.
Both the engines will be paired with a six-speed manual transmission as standard and a six-speed torque converter automatic ‘box as an option with the optional AWD system. The XUV700 has bigger dimensions compared to the existing XUV500 due to the updated monocoque architecture and it will be launched around October 2021, and high hopes rest on it definitely.
Following the debut of the Mahindra XUV700, the XUV500 will be discontinued temporarily, only to return as a five-seater mid-size SUV directly rivalling the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos sometime around early 2024. It is expected to be based on a heavily re-engineered SsangYong Tivoli’s platform currently employed in the XUV500 and it will boast of a new exterior.
The XUV700 will give rise to a host of new launches from Mahindra. As many as 12 new models are reportedly planned over the next five years including the electric versions of KUV and XUV300 and an all-new XUV900 SUV coupe. The XUV700 will have an upmarket interior with less use of physical buttons, a twin-screen layout and a host of radar-based assistive and safety technologies.