Introduction
The premium electric SUV space has begun to blossom and currently has cars like the XEV 9e and the Tata Harrier EV, both of which are making a name for themselves. However, not one to sit on its laurels, Mahindra has begun the next phase of its premium EV game with this car, the XEV 9s. It is an all-electric version of the XUV700 and has been launched in India with a killer starting price of Rs. 19.95 lakh.
Exterior
The shape of the XEV 9s has stayed the same since it began life as the XUV.e8 in 2023. It's taken the shape of the XUV700 but added the electric identity, giving it the required presence. Up front, you get the large grille(less) face with the low-set headlamps and signature connected LED strip, giving it the required muscle when you see it at first glance. The side is where you can see its relation most to the XUV700 and this is visible in the overall silhouette, wheels, and the roofline as well as the pop-out door handles.
Finally, at the rear, you can see a new design for the tail lamps and a black appliqué for the boot door and infinity logo. Obviously, there is no exhaust but Mahindra has fitted the car with chrome inserts for the bumpers to add that extra bit of premium appeal.
Interior and Features
Whilst it is an all-new car and underpinned by the automaker's INGLO EV platform, many elements have been carried over from the XUV700 to keep costs in check while also providing some familiarity with the layout and features.
Up front, the biggest highlight and change to this car is a massive triple-screen layout. Each display is 12.3 inches and offers HD output. The right and middle screens are standard fare, running the same OS as the XEV 9e, offering a similar level of interactivity, features, and even the same pathways. The third screen is mostly for apps for the front passenger and there is a wide variety on offer, right from things like YouTube to two-player games. The level of interactivity will be high, promoting activities for passengers, but the screen lacks a blank-out function that blocks it from the driver, creating potential distractions. What's more, Mahindra has crammed a lot of functions into the screen and that means having to take your eyes off the road for significant periods to access even things like the climate control system.
The second row is one of the XEV's party pieces with enough space for two to sit in luxury and three to be in decent comfort. The floor is flat, and thus you get good under-thigh support and enough space for you to put your legs under the front seats. What's more, the second row can slide back and forth, allowing for additional room. This is enhanced by an electric Boss function for the front passenger seat and this means you can properly lounge out if you are in the left rear section. As a part of the second-row package, Mahindra has also included a wireless charger, 65W USB-C charging points, and mounts for additional screens, though in the case of the last one, the angle of viewing is a bit odd due to the lower positioning of the front seats.
Mahindra has billed this as India's first-ever seven-seat electric SUV but as you can see in the photos, this is realistically a 5+2. Space is tight with minimal headroom and little to no under-thigh support thanks to the high floor. Ingress and egress into the third row is only possible from the left side and is quite tight considering that the second and third rows sit on a raised surface. However, you do get third-row AC vents with a fan speed control, 12V socket, and cup holders. Obviously, the rear seats fold down to give a 527-litre boot that's wide and with a low loading lip.
Apart from the usual list of stuff available at this price point, Mahindra has also included the triple 12.3-inch displays, powered front seats with memory function for the driver, powered Boss mode for the front passenger seat, upgraded Level-2 ADAS, and augmented navigation.
Powertrain and Performance
Depending on the variant you choose, you can have it with a 59.79kWh battery pack, a 70kWh battery pack (which is new), or a 79kWh battery pack only offered on the higher variants. The outputs stand at 227bhp/380Nm for the base 59kWh pack and 280bhp/380Nm for all the other powertrains. All versions get three levels of regeneration and a range of 521km to 679km, depending on the battery pack.
As a car to drive, the experience is very similar to that of the XEV 9e. The 79kWh/281bhp combo that we have driven for review is quick and refined as one would expect in a vehicle of this size. Despite its heft, the 9s is quick to pick up speed when you put pedal to the metal and this is most evident in the fully loaded Sport mode that sharpens up the response from the accelerator and also adds weight to the steering, a feat achieved thanks to drive-by-wire and brake-by-wire.
One of Mahindra's strong points has always been ride quality and this car is no different with an ability to smooth over most surfaces without much effort. The ride is plush with minimal hint of firmness that one would expect from a vehicle carrying such a large battery pack. This, coupled with the high ground clearance, means you don't have to worry much about scraping the battery pack when the going gets rough. In addition to the ride quality, Mahindra has also worked on NVH and it's very evident in the way the insulation is able to mask out road noise and tyre noise pretty well. How this holds up in the long run is something that's left to be seen.
Mahindra claims a range of 679km and even if we were able to achieve 70 per cent of that in the real world, it would work out to 475km. This is very similar to the XEV 9e that has a claimed range of 656km and achieved a real-world figure of 462.6km. This is something we would be able to tell you once we put it through CarTrade's real-world range test.
Conclusion
On paper at least, Mahindra has made a compelling package. It's got features, refinement, size, interior space, and good range. The pricing is also pretty good and at the time of writing this review, having a top-spec version just a shade under Rs. 30 lakh is pretty good value, especially when you look at the competition in this price bracket both across ICE and EV.
But look closer, and there are some things you should consider. Whilst Mahindra is calling it a seven-seat vehicle, you can see that realistically it's a 5+2. Mahindra has gone big on the screens but has crammed functions like the climate control into the display, a rather unintuitive move which becomes even more evident if you are using Android Auto, where it takes four steps to reach the system. What's more, the passenger screen isn't blanked off from the driver when the car is in motion, and this can be a distraction, especially if you are using the in-built apps. The rear screen mount is a welcome addition, but with an odd viewing angle for the second row. In the larger picture, the XEV 9s makes a compelling case for itself. Mahindra has arrived in the initial days of this segment and that should give this car some good momentum.
Photography: Kaustubh Gandhi
