Exclusive! Mahindra XUV700 luxury SUV launch postponed: Here’s why

The Toyota Fortuner-rivaling Mahindra XUV700 (rebadged Ssangyong Rexton G4) will be delayed by a few days. This is because the original launch date of 9th October will see frenetic car media activity as the Honda CR-V’s launch and the Ford Figo Aspire’s first drive events are scheduled for the same day.

In such a scenario, it’s easy to lose the spotlight, and the folks at Mahindra have wisely delayed the launch of the XUV700 by a few days. It’ll be safe to say that the luxury SUV will indeed launch in October 2018 though. Mahindra is yet to officially name the vehicle, and in the next couple of weeks, expect more clarity on this front.

The Ssangyong Rexton G4 is code-named the Y400 internally, but the market name of this luxury SUV will be something different, quite likely the XUV700. Using the XUV700 moniker makes sense as Mahindra could name the S201 code-named compact SUV the XUV300, and have no less than three SUVs at different price points using the XUV badge.

The XUV badge is highly regarded in India, and already has a solid brand recall. It’ll be easier for people to associate a new Mahindra SUV with the XUV badge rather than an unknown name. Meanwhile, the XUV700 (Ssangyong Rexton G4) will be imported into India through the completely knocked down (CKD) kit route.

It’ll be assembled at Mahindra’s Chakan factory, off Pune. The 7-seat luxury SUV will have massive proportions, with a 4,850 mm length, 1,960 mm width, 1,825 mm height, and a wheelbase of 2,865 mm. Essentially, it’s longer than the Toyota Fortuner but only slightly shorter than the Ford Endeavour, making it one of the biggest SUVs in the segment.

As for mechanicals, a solitary, 2.2 litre-4 cylinder turbocharged diesel motor will be on offer, worth 187 Bhp and 420 Nm on tap. This engine will be paired to a 7-speed torque converter automatic gearbox sourced from Mercedes-Benz. Mahindra is said to have localized many components of the XUV700 to keep costs low.

Priced at about Rs. 24 lakhs, the XUV700 could be a price warrior, undercutting both the Fortuner and Endeavour. As for features, the SUV will offer leather-clad seats with massage function, a 9.2-inch infotainment display on the centre of the dash with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and 10.1-inch monitors placed behind the headrests of the seats. The new Mahindra XUV700 will also get a host of safety features including 9 airbags, ABS, emergency braking assistance along with other features, such as lane departure warning systems.