Mahindra XUV700 VS Volkswagen T-Cross
Mahindra XUV700
Likes
- Well equipped and well priced
- Easy third-row access from the kerb side
- Dual-screen set up is a treat
Dislikes
- Cheaper-feeling cabin the further back you sit
- Driving quirks take some getting used to
- Lane Keep Assist annoying on the freeway
Volkswagen T-Cross
Likes
- Lots of features for not much money
- Easy and fun to drive
- Spacious and practical for the class
Dislikes
- A hybrid version is needed
- Some rivals start at a lower price
- Some turbo lag in stop-start traffic
Summary
Mahindra XUV700
I know you’re hearing a lot about the new Chinese brands coming to Australia, but why isn’t anyone talking about India?
I mean sure, Mahindra isn’t new to the country, but you can’t deny it has undergone a pretty serious glow-up, with the brand determined to become a fully fledged player in our new-car scene.
Leading the charge is the XUV700, with this new feature-packed Black Edition taking the fight to Chinese brands like Chery.
It has sharp styling, seven seats, plenty of tech and safety and a price tag of less than $44K, drive-away.
So, does it deserve a place on your consideration list?
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| Safety rating | — |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | Petrol |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.3L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Volkswagen T-Cross
The Volkswagen T-Cross is the smallest SUV in the brand’s entire range, but it’s incredibly practical, great to drive and has an excellent level of safety.
It’s just been updated with some new features and it’s probably more affordable than you think.Â
So if you are thinking of a Mazda CX-3 or a Toyota Yaris Cross, then put the T-Cross on your list to check out, too.Â
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| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 1.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 5.6L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Mahindra XUV7007.1/10
This is credible seven-seat motoring from Mahindra. The XUV700 has a couple of engineering quirks I'd like to see ironed out, but this SUV feels as though it deserves a place among Australia's affordable SUV offerings.
Volkswagen T-Cross8/10
There are so many new little SUVs out there and it might be easy to think they’re all the same - a tiny cheap SUV is just a tiny cheap SUV. But I’m convinced the Volkswagen T-Cross isn’t like the others.
Yes, it’s tiny and relatively cheap, but it can do more than most of the others from the storage and space it offers to the value-for-money and its level of refinement. Then there’s the way it drives - which can’t in my books be matched by any of its rivals. Â
The sweet spot in the range is the entry grade Life. At $35K drive-away the value is best and with no difference in engines between the grades there are no huge reasons to step up higher in the range unless you have the money.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.
Design
Mahindra XUV700
This Mahindra is kind of dark and mysterious. Which is another way of saying it's literally painted black and almost nobody I asked had any idea what the hell it was.
That's the curse of a brand that’s still trying to make a mainstream name for itself, I guess, with Mahindra having a long road ahead of it before its gets to a level where its vehicles are instantly recognisable.
Anyway, the blacked-out grille treatment works, as does the very modern LED light array, and while not what you might describe as a boundary-pushing design, it's all inoffensive.
But it’s inside where things get interesting. Honestly, the way technology has exploded into cheaper offerings never ceases to amaze me. It wasn’t that long ago that, to be greeted by a big twin-screen set-up like the one in this Mahindra, you’d need to spring for a Mercedes-Benz.
Which is interesting, because if you've ever sat in a vehicle from the German giant, you'll recognise the XUV700's electric seat controller, with the seat-shaped design seemingly lifted straight from Benz.
I'd describe the cabin feel as semi-premium. The screens are lovely, the seats are comfortable, and the sunroof is massive, but some of the trim elements feel a little cheap and flimsy under the touch, and the use of those materials only increases as you move back through the seating rows.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross is Volkswagen’s smallest SUV at 4.1m long and even though it’s closely related to the little Polo hatchback it looks more like a mini version of the Tiguan. Â
It might be tiny and relatively affordable but it has Volkswagen’s premium looks and sharp styling, with creases in the panels so crisp it looks like somebody just ironed it.
This update has brought new front and rear bumper designs, and new styling to the LED running lights and tail-lights. That’s typically how car companies do exterior design updates, inside the styling changes are pretty minimal, too.
There’s new dashboard design and new media screen, but again the design and quality feels refined and high quality, which I can't say goes for a lot of this car's rivals.
The entry-grade Life misses out on the cross design tail-lights of the Style and R-Line, and gets hubcaps rather than alloy wheels like the other two grades.
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Practicality
Mahindra XUV700
There are seven seaters, and there are real seven seaters, with the latter offering a true third row in terms of space and comfort. So where does the Mahindra fit?
At 4695mm in length, 1890mm in width and 1755mm in height, this Black Edition is a decent size for a mid-size SUV, and so you’d describe the space in the third row as big enough, but not for full-grown adults marooned back there for longer spells.
To enter, it's a lever system that makes climbing in easy, with the second row folding up and then right out of the way so you can just walk in.
Space is tight for adults, though. I'm 175cm and my head was touching the roof, though I did have enough leg and toe room, and I was impressed by the fan controls and power sources (though I was less impressed by the sea of hard and scratchy plastics back there).
Step forward a row and the space is ample for just about anyone, and there are more vents, bottle holders and charging ports, too.
Boot space swells or shrinks depending on how many people are on board, of course. Mahindra doesn't have an offical boot-space figure for the XUV700, but says you will get "in excess of 700 litres" with the second row folded flat. With all three rows in place, things are tight, and you're looking at a couple of backpack-sized bags only.
Volkswagen T-Cross
You really should take a look at my video to get an idea of how good space and storage is in the T-Cross. I’m tall at 189cm but I can drive with plenty of elbow room and legroom. The front seats also have really long bases which offer great under-thigh support, too.
Legroom in the back is great for the class and I can sit behind my driving position without my knees touching the seatback, while headroom is excellent, too. The second row also slides on rails to increase the boot side which is enormous for the class at 455L.
The second row doors also have large apertures making entry and exit easier.
Cabin storage is great with giant door pockets in the front and back, a wireless phone charger with four USB-C ports (two in the front and two in the second row).
Price and features
Mahindra XUV700
First up, the price. The XUV700 Black Edition arrives at $43,990, drive-away, which puts it on a collision course with the Chery Tiggo 8 Pro Max Elite. It also puts it in the same realm as an entry-level Nissan X-Trail.
It’s also a fair chunk more than the cheapest XUV700, the AX7, which is currently $36,990, drive away.
But Mahindra is promising kit, and lots of it. Outside, the Black Edition scores black paint, a black grille and black 18-inch alloy wheels. Inside, there are black synthetic leather seats and a generally blacked-out design theme.
On the tech front, there are dual 10.25-inch screens, one for the driver and one to handle multimedia, and there’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A 12-speaker stereo provides the soundtrack, and there’s a wireless charge pad, too.Â
Dual-zone climate and LED lighting also appear on the standard features list, while the huge glass roof has an electric sun shade, which makes it very liveable in an Aussie summer.
Interestingly, it comes with front-seat cooling, but not heating, with the latter unlikely to ever be necessary in Mahindra's home market of India.
Volkswagen T-Cross
There are three grades in the T-Cross line up, the entry level Life which lists for $33,990, the Style for $37,490 and at the top of the range is the R-Line for $40,990.
At the time of the launch of this updated T-Cross, Volkswagen was doing drive-away pricing of $34,990 for the Life, $39,990 for the Style and $43,990 for the R-Line.
Compared to rivals like the Mazda CX-3 and Toyota Yaris Cross, a drive-away price of $35K for the Life is excellent and $40K for the Style is also a good deal, especially when you look at the healthy standard features list. Â
Coming standard on the Life are LED headlights, black roof rails and power folding mirrors, there’s a leather steering wheel, a digital driver display (which is new, too), there’s an 8.0-inch media screen, wireless phone charging, air con, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Stepping up into the Style grade adds 17-inch alloys wheels, matrix LED headlights - those are new - chrome-look roof rails, an LED grille strip, proximity unlocking, dual-zone climate control, sat nav, and a new, larger digital driver display. The Style also gets the fancy 'cross' LED tail-lights like the R-Line grade above it.
The R-line is a new model sitting at the top of the line-up and it comes with sporty R-Line exterior styling plus 18-inch alloy wheels and dark tinted rear windows. Inside there’s R-line interior styling, 'Drive Modes' and a Beats sound system.
Under the bonnet
Mahindra XUV700
The Mahindra is powered by the almost comically named 'mStallion' engine, which is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol producing 149KW and 380Nm and paired with a six-speed auto and front-wheel drive.
I don’t have an offical 0-100km/h time, but safe to say you won’t be turning up to a Fast and Furious illegal race meet in the Black Edition.
It's a very capable engine and transmission combination, but it loses points here due to the surging nature of the power delivery, which very frequently causes the front tyres to break traction.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross has a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine which sounds tiny and it is, but it's turbo-charged and the 85kW/200Nm it produces is plenty of grunt to move this little SUV which at just under 1.3 tonnes is relatively light.Â
All grades in the T-Cross line-up have this same engine and there’s no high-performance variant, although the R-Line has selectable drive modes. Every T-Cross is front-wheel drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission.Â
This three-cylinder is a mighty little beastie with a growly tone to it. There is some turbo lag during stop-start city driving, but it’s so eager to play that if it was a dog it’d be a Jack Russell with every intention to chase anything it sees but no idea how small it is.
Efficiency
Mahindra XUV700
Mahindra says the XUV700 sips 8.3L/100km on the combined (urnan/extra-urban) cycle, which – when paired with the 60-litre tank – should see you able to travel in excess of 700km on a single tank.
And happily, when it does come time to top up, you can reach for the cheaper 91RON petrol pump.
We covered in excess of 300km, and the Mahindra's in-car readout registered an average of 10.2L/100km.
Volkswagen T-Cross
Smaller engines use less fuel than larger ones and the 1.0-litre three-cylinder in the T-Cross is little and Volkswagen says over a combination of open and urban roads it uses 5.6L/100km.
That’s fuel efficient but these days larger SUVs with hybrid systems are achieving the same low consumption. Toyota’s Yaris Cross is available with a hybrid system and will use about 3.8L/100km.
Volkswagen doesn’t have a hybrid version of the T-Cross, but it should, especially given these little cars will spend more time in urban environments where fuel consumption will generally be higher.
That said, most tiny SUVs don’t have hybrid systems so that makes the Yaris Cross exceptional while the T-Cross is about average.
Driving
Mahindra XUV700
There are two sides to the Mahindra XUV70O. The first is its comfortable, compliant, easy-breezy side, one with which, should you be gentle with the Black Edition, you'll find it's happy to be gentle back.
We covered some 300km in the Mahindra, from the city to the freeway to country roads, and the Black Edition proved a solid performer in facing everything we threw it at.
The cabin is quiet enough, blocking out the worst of the road and tyre noise, and the steering, while very light and flimsy feeling, proved responsive and confidence-inspiring enough, too.
The engine and transmission gel nicely at speed, and while the XUV700 won't be winning too many street races, the power on offer matches the vehicle nicely, and it doesn't feel underdone.
Even the safety systems are unobtrusive enough, with only the lane keep system proving annoying on the freeway, as it occasionally lightly fought back against steering inputs.
So, a six out of 10? I've marked the Mahindra down because, for mine, the power delivery and traction do not play well together, with the Black Edition only too happy to break front traction, and break it often, should you feed on too much throttle when turning from a standing start, or even in a straight line if you're pointed uphill.
Not helping the traction is the lumpy power delivery, where you get little when you first plant your foot, then a whole lot all at once.
That part of the otherwise positive drive experience made me mark it down here.
Volkswagen T-Cross
Quite possibly the best little SUV to drive for this price and size, the only drawback is that there’s a touch of lag in the time it takes the power to arrive at low speeds in stop-start traffic, but that can be remedied by putting the transmission in 'Sport' mode.
The steering is light and accurate, the visibility is excellent thanks to the big windows and raised ride height, the pedal feel under your feet is great and the brakes are responsive.
The car feels stable, planted and secure whether it's on a motorway, or a winding country road, while the little 1.0-litre engine is a champion that keeps punching with a throaty growl that matches its enthusiasm.
The seven-speed transmission is superb and changes gears fast, while the paddle shifter lets you take control to keep the revs high.
These little SUVs aren't sports cars but some are so underwhelming to drive it feels like performance was never thought about while developing the vehicle.
But the T-Cross made me grin until my face hurt on the steep winding hairpin filled roads we tested it on at its launch.Â
Safety
Mahindra XUV700
The Mahindra doesn’t yet carry an ANCAP safety rating, but it comes with all the stuff needed to perform strongly, on paper at least, in crash testing.
That includes seven airbags, adaptive cruise control, 'Forward Collision Warning' (with AEB), lane departure warning and lane keep assist.
Keep an eye on that reversing camera, though. For mine it’s a little laggy, which means things can sneak up on you when reversing.
The XUV700 does wear a five-star Global NCAP safety rating but hasn't been assessed by ANCAP.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross was given the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2019. What is truly great is that on every grade you’ve got AEB, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, manoeuvre braking, plus front and rear and parking sensors.Â
For child seats there are three top tether anchor points and two ISOFIX points in the second row.
A space saver spare wheel can be found under the boot floor.
Ownership
Mahindra XUV700
Mahindra offers a seven-year, 150,000km warranty, with seven years of roadside assistance. We like the years, but we’d like to see the kays become unlimited to match brands like Kia.
You’ll need a free service at 1500km, then your first real check up at 10,000km, then its 12 months or 15,000km after that.
Capped-price servicing means you’ll pay $1781 for the first five services, but that includes the free one, so it's more like four trips to the dealerships for an average cost of $445 per workshop visit.
Volkswagen T-Cross
The T-Cross is covered by Volkswagen’s five-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
Servicing is recommended every 15,000km or yearly and while there’s no capped price servicing you can buy a five-year plan for $2800, which equates to $560 per workshop visit.