Mahindra XUV400

Mahindra has always been a performance-oriented brand, something that makes it one of the most in demand car companies as of today. 

The XUV400 comes in a couple of waterproof battery packs, 34.5 kWh or 39.5 kWh. The latter is only available in the EL PRO variant we drove. Regardless, you get 150 hp and 300 nm sent to the front wheels. The power is immense and as expected the XUV400 will leave pretty much everything on the road behind, including the Nexon EV max. 

There are 3 modes, Fun, Fast, and Fearless. We needn’t bother switching to Fast or Fastless as the XUV400 is handful as it is in Fun mode. One thing to keep in mind tho is that the Fun mode limits you to a max 90 kmph, the fast goes to about 120 kmph while the fearless is 150 kmph +. 

The steering is excessively light even at high speed but doesn’t compromise on XUV400’s commendable stability. As for the classic “ Range Kya Hai?” we drove the 39.4 kWh version. Our car was showing 260 KM at 90 percent charge. Which dropped to around 87 km with SOC at 30 percent. We drove like maniacs and gentlemen during our run so your range might vary a bit. I plugged XUV400 with 26 percent SOC overnight into a 7.7 KW charger located in my office basement in Gurgaon and it reached 96 percent in just 5 hrs 17 minutes. 

Sadly, the only DC fast charger in Cyber City was occupied and we were on a clock, But the claimed 10-80 percent charge in XUV400 is less than an hour.

Ride and Handling

Mahindra’s switch to frequency selective damping was one of the best decisions ever. The ride along with EVs' inherent silent operation was pretty relaxing to the point we had to turn the speakers out loud to stay awake. 

Only the most manest of potholes will put you on edge. We took some of those pesky small speed breakers at over 50 kmph without any major issues. The Regen works well, but takes some time getting used to if you are a newcomer, we drove at the lowest setting for the natural brakes pedal feel

As mentioned above. The steering is pretty light and this is the case with most Mahindra vehicles. This works fine if you are to spend your time with XUV400 in the city, but during highway driving you need to put in less than expected effort to take curves at moderate to high speeds.

This is something that I had a hard time coming to terms with. On a near 17 lakhs SUV you get “Leatherette” seats, which essentially means fake leather. Not Good. 

The EL Pro gets fabric seats, which again is way too cheap looking and feeling on such a premium product. We did like the blue stitching and seat height and seat belt adjustment features, though. The Piano black and contrasts copper aesthetic is carried over to the interiors, the piano black looks smart as long as you make it a habit of wiping it down every hour, lol.

The seats were comfortable and front knee room generous for individuals up to 6 ft tall. Mahindra has given a pretty commanding driver position with excellent visibility all around. 

As ours was the top variant, you get all sorts of connected features, but we mainly liked wireless Apple carplay and adjustable headrests. The cabin is pretty wide and the rear seats can easily accommodate 3 healthy individuals like myself, I am 5ft 7inch and weigh 85 kgs.

The fit and finish quality is okay, and the sunroof helps make the cabin feel pretty roomy, especially in the black/white combo we got. The rear passengers also get their own AC vents with USB ports and armrest. 

Mahindra has fitted a couple of HD screens on the XUV400. We found them to be clear, decently responsive. The 4 speaker system sounds mediocre and not befitting a 17 lakhs SUV. 

For those of you who are not Aware, the XUV400 is based on the Ssangyong Tivoli, albeit with some India-friendly suspension and dimensions modification. Its boot space is pretty wide and large, something I did not expect coming fresh off testing the 3XO. 

You would rarely need to put the rear seats down. The boot is massive enough to accommodate 2-3 large bags and stuff like a toolkit, water bottles, all at once. You also get a decent space under the front console.

At first glance, the sheer presence of the XUV400 overwhelms even the mighty Nexon, its prime rival. It's pretty wide and our black copper example looked sharp, at least until the infamous Delhi NCR dirt and dust said hello. The EL PRO example we drove came with shark fin antenna and 16 inch diamond cut wheels. 

The XUV400 comes with EL PRO and EC PRO trims. The latter is more affordable by 1 lakh and only comes with a 3.3 kW charger and a single 34.5 kWh battery pack option. While the EL PRO we drove came with an extended 39.4 kWh battery pack and a 20,000 rupees dual tone paint. 

The XUV400 lineup was refreshed last year, and the new DRLs with projector headlamps on our unit did a good job in giving it a premium and upmarket appearance. The contrast copper accents looked pretty sci-fi while the single plate front grill highlighted its EV chops, a trend common in most BEVs based on ICE platforms. Other than this, you also get blacked out doors and a spoiler adding a bit of sportiness to the conventional styling

The whole aesthetic of XUV400 is dominated by conventional styling with touches of contrast copper accents here and there. Mahindra’s says it's the first car to wear its new flying wing logo.

The Mahindra XUV400 EV 2025 faces a buzzing electric SUV crowd, and we’ve scoped out its rivals. The Tata Nexon EV (₹12.49 lakh-₹17.19 lakh) leads with a 5-star Bharat NCAP rating, a 40.5 kWh battery (465 km range), and a funky facelift, though its 144 PS motor feels less punchy than the XUV400’s 150 PS kick, and its cabin lacks the premium edge. 

The MG ZS EV (₹18.98 lakh-₹25.44 lakh) counters with a 50.3 kWh pack (461 km range), plush interiors, and Level 2 ADAS, but its higher price and softer 176 PS delivery don’t match the XUV400’s value or zest. Hyundai’s Creta EV (expected ₹15 lakh-₹20 lakh, 2025 launch) looms with a rumored 45 kWh battery (400-450 km range) and Creta’s tech cred, though its untested EV chops leave us guessing.

The Tata Punch EV (₹10.99 lakh-₹15.49 lakh) undercuts with a 35 kWh option (421 km range) and compact agility, but its 122 PS output and smaller 315-litre boot cater more to city hoppers than family haulers like the XUV400. The BYD Atto 3 (₹33.99 lakh) towers with a 60.48 kWh battery (521 km range) and a slick 204 PS motor, yet its premium cost and limited service network shrink its appeal. 

We see the XUV400 EV shining with its peppy drive, 378-litre boot, and segment-first panoramic sunroof, but its range trails some rivals, and Mahindra’s charging infra lag could nudge buyers toward Tata’s ecosystem.

Compared to its rival Nexon, the Mahindra XUV400 is a much better performing EV with a rich feature set at least in the top end model. There are only minor annoyances with its infotainment like laggy reverse camera and delay in promised OTA updates, that may turn out to be a dealbreaker for some.