Review: 7 Things We Discovered About The Mahindra XUV400 Electric

Mahindra XUV400 Electric: The 456km range is higher than its closest rival with a 39.4kWh battery pack.

Mahindra XUV400 electric (Source: ABP)

1. The XUV400 is the fastest Indian EV with figures of 150bhp and 310Nm- faster than its arch rival but on the road, performance is very quick especially in the sportiest setting which is Fearless (rather cheeky name we say). Here you get to see the full acceleration but the sharp throttle response means it is best for open roads. The other two modes- Fun and Fast are better suited but Fun mode is clearly to save range as top speed drops down below 100kmph. We say keep it in Fast.

2. The 456km range is higher than its closest rival with a 39.4kWh battery pack. We are yet to test the real-world figures but we expect enough range for easy intercity commute and basically to rely on home charging with no range anxiety. The waterproof battery pack also meets IP67 standards

3. There are no manually selectable regen modes but they are tuned according to the drive modes and there is also a Segment-first single pedal drive mode ‘Lively mode’ which actually makes the car stop with single pedal driving. That said, we do feel some tuning regarding the brakes needs to be done in terms of optimum brake feel with regen.

4. What is impressive is the ride and handling along with the NVH levels which are superb.

5. We were hoping for a completely new interior but the basic dash lay-out and buttons are from the older XUV300 and do not have the modern look of the new Mahindra SUVs. The touchscreen size is also small while we miss features like full digital instrument cluster, fog lamps, rear AC vents and a 360 degree camera. That said, you do get the new infotainment system  with the BlueSense Plus mobile app with 60+ connectivity features with smart watch connectivity along with OTA updates, Smart route planning & machine learning based driving and charging recommendations.

6. Being above 4m in length the XUV400 has an advantage here and the space inside is terrific with ample width and space. Even the 378 litres/418 litres (up to roof) is very good.

7. We expect competitive pricing (Rs 18 lakh starting) because some corners have been cut in terms of the interiors but the XUV400 looks distinctive with its copper accents and the range/performance is very good while it is also very spacious. If priced well, this could be a big success and importantly another choice for EV buyers below Rs 20 lakh.