Mahindra XUV700: What features will you miss if you opt for the all wheel drive variant

Mahindra has finally launched the XUV700 and you would be able to book yours from October 7th. The XUV700 comes with a lot of features and you can add even more equipment by getting the Luxury Pack. It also comes with the first in segment all-wheel-drive powertrain. However, you cannot get both together. Either you can equip your XUV700 with the all-wheel-drive powertrain or the Luxury Pack. As of now, Mahindra has not revealed the reason behind this. So, what all do you miss out on if you equip your XUV700 with AWD?

The Luxury Pack is offered only with the AX7 AT variants which is the top-spec trim of the XUV700. It gets you an amazing 3D sound system from Sony which comes with roof-mounted speakers, a 360-degree parking camera, an electronic parking brake, a wireless charger, motorized pop-up door handles and blind-view monitoring. It also gets continuous digital video recording, knee airbag, passive keyless entry, Adaptive Cruise Control, telescopic steering and vanity mirror illumination. If you want to add Luxury Pack then you will have to pay a premium of Rs. 1.8 lakhs.

Then there is the all-wheel-drive powertrain, which you can get with the Diesel AX7 AT variant only. You will have to pay Rs. 1.3 lakhs more for it. It is not a proper four-wheel-drive system like you get on the Mahindra Thar. It will detect slip and then engage the all-wheel-drive system. It would still be useful in tricky situations like snowy or muddy surfaces. However, you would not get any of the features that the Luxury Pack offers.

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Having said that, the Diesel AX7 AT will still come with an Advanced Driver Assistance System, six airbags, tyre pressure monitoring system, push-button to start/stop, 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, leather upholstery, 6-way electric adjustment for the driver seat with Welcome retract, automatic headlamps and wipers, Intelli Control and rear parking camera.

Moreover, you also get an air purifier, Stability Control, Driver Drowsiness Detection, electric folding wing mirrors, One-touch driver side power window, dual-zone climate control, cruise control and Adrenox connect for 2 years. So, you are still getting a lot of equipment if you opt for the AX7 variant.

The AX7 AT Petrol is priced at Rs. 19.19 lakhs whereas the Diesel AT is priced at Rs. 19.79 lakhs. Adding the Luxury Pack bumps the price to Rs. 21.59 lakhs for the diesel variant while the AWD variant would cost Rs. 21.09 lakhs. All the prices are ex-showroom. So, it depends on the customer which version should he choose. If he will be taking the XUV700 to tricky places then he should opt for the AWD powertrain. If he wants more premium features and a better sounding speaker system then he can get the Luxury Pack.

Having said that, there are still some features that the XUV700 does not offer even if you equip it with the Luxury Pack. It does miss out on paddle shifters, auto-dimming rearview mirror, ambient lighting, puddle lamps, front parking sensors, adjustable second row and ventilated seats which the rivals offer. XUV700 goes against the MG Hector Plus, Hyundai Alcazar and Tata Safari.

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