Here we have explained about the upcoming Mahindra XUV700 rivals as companies like Maruti Suzuki, Toyota and Tata are working on new SUVs
Mahindra & Mahindra introduced the XUV700 a year and a half ago and is offered in an expansive range. It is available in five- and seven-seater configurations and has been well received by customers. The huge success of the XUV700 meant that it will get rivals from big brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Tata and Toyota and here we have them covered:
1. 7-Seater Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara:
The seven-seater version of the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara appears to be under development and it will go on sale by the middle of this decade. It will have visual differences compared to the existing five-seater and the powertrain lineup could be carried over. The 1.5L mild hybrid petrol and the 1.5L strong hybrid petrol engines will likely continue.
2. 7-Seater Toyota Corolla Cross:
Toyota is said to be evaluating a larger version of the global Corolla Cross for India to compete against Mahindra XUV700, Hyundai Alcazar and probably the SUVs present in the segment above. With the global Corolla Cross having a wheelbase of 2,640 mm only, Toyota may have to re-engineer the platform to suit the requirements of the Indian market.
As it sits on the same TNGA-C architecture as the Innova Hycross, we can expect the 2.0L four-cylinder petrol and the 2.0L strong hybrid petrol engines to be borrowed from the MPV and the localisation of the platform could help in pricing it competitively.
3. Tata Safari Facelift:
The facelifted Safari has already been spotted testing in India and it will likely be launched sometime next year. It will adopt the design cues from the upcoming Harrier EV, which was showcased at the 2023 Auto Expo, and resemblances with the Tata Curvv are also possible. Recently, Tata updated the equipment list by adding more features.
The 2024 Tata Safari will likely be powered by the next generation 1.5L turbo petrol engine, accompanying the existing 2.0L four-cylinder diesel mill. However, the gasoline unit is expected to debut in the next-gen Sierra by 2025 only and thus it may be available after its launch. In all likelihood, the cabin will also become more premium.