The Mahindra XEV 9S isn't a sports car, it is a luxury family room on wheels. It prioritises comfort, tech, and ease of driving over corner-carving precision, says Rajesh Karkera/Rediff.com.
We spent a day with the new XEV 9S to answer a simple question: Is this just an electric XUV700 or is it a 7-seater variant of the XEV 9e? Or is this a completely new car?
The start could only be as soon as we get inside, so, firstly, let's talk about the 'S,' the space.
Stepping inside the XEV 9S, the first thing that hits you is the sheer amount of glass, both digital and physical. The dashboard is dominated by the Coast-to-Coast Triple Screen setup (three 12.3-inch displays), which is standard even on the base model.
There was a time when we spoke about cars, all we could talk about were their engines, brakes and how rigid its build was... But today's modern cars run on digital and intelligent tech, which is being developed rapidly.
And the XEV 9S comes powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8295 chipset, due to which the interface is buttery smooth. There is zero lag when swiping between maps and media, and the new MAIA (Mahindra Artificial Intelligence Architecture) interface acts as the car's brain, handling everything from climate presets to complex route planning with charging stops.
It feels less like a car infotainment system and more like a high-end tablet integrated into the dash.
The Space Verdict
The front row's commanding seating position remains excellent. The VisionX, which is the Augmented Reality HUD, is very sharp, projecting navigation arrows and other important information directly onto the road ahead (the windscreen, actually), reducing the need to look down at the dashboard/centre screen.
The second row is the money seat. The "Boss Mode" allows you to electrically move the front passenger seat forward, providing ample legroom. The 2nd row seats are ventilated and recline, making this a genuine chauffeur-driven option.
The third wow. Is it usable? Yes, but with some restrictions. Access is easy thanks to the one-touch tumble of the middle row. However, the floor is slightly raised as seen in the drive video below. This leads to a "knees-up" seating position. It is perfect for kids or adults on short city runs, but I wouldn't recommend it for a long 6-hour highway stint.
The Drive
Press the brake, shift to drive, and the XEV 9S moves with that characteristic EV silence. But unlike some jerky EVs, Mahindra has tuned the throttle map to be remarkably linear. With 210 kW (281 bhp) and 380 Nm of torque on tap, this 7-seater sprints. The claimed 0-100 km/h in 7.0 seconds feels accurate. Overtaking is effortless, a slight flex of the right foot, and the instant torque surges you past traffic without drama.
Ride Quality
Mahindra has opted for a comfort-biased setup. The Intelligent Adaptive Dampers (available only on the top variant) do a fantastic job of erasing city potholes. However, at low speeds, there is a hint of "float" over large speed breakers. The car does feel like a floating boat at times. But this is mostly common in all heavy EVs.
It settles down beautifully at highway speeds, feeling planted like a frog on the road. This makes it comfortable to drive at high speeds, reassuringly.
Handling
It is a big car, and you feel the weight in tight corners. But thanks to the low centre of gravity (battery floor) and the rear-wheel-drive setup, the nose tucks in eagerly. The 10-metre turning circle is the surprise hero, which makes U-turns in this 4.7 metre SUV shockingly easy.
Practicality Check
The XEV 9S gets a massive 150L storage space under the bonnet, which can easily take one stroller and a couple of backpacks and the boot with all rows up is negligible like all 7-seaters. But drop the third row, and you get 527 litres of usable flat storage.
Tech That Actually Works
We tested the Eyedentity driver monitoring system. It is sensitive, perhaps too sensitive for some, but effective. Just like the BYD Seal, look away from the road ahead for too long, and it politely reminds you to keep your eyes on the road.
The Level 2+ ADAS felt refined on the highway, with the Lane Centring Assist feeling natural rather than fighting the steering wheel.
Verdict
The Mahindra XEV 9S isn't a sports car, it is a luxury family room on wheels. It prioritises comfort, tech, and ease of driving over corner-carving precision.
At a starting price of ₹19.95 Lakh, the value proposition is undeniable. You are getting a vehicle with the tech suite of a luxury German EV and the practicality of an Indian family SUV. If you can live with the knees-up third row, this is currently the EV to beat.
And to answer our question, this is a good mix of the XEV 9e and the ICE XUV 700. There was a lot of mixed opinion about the rear of the XEV 9e being too flashy, and this XEV 9S solves that and, in doing so, also gives a much taller headroom inside, which was restricted by the sloping roof of the XEV 9e.
What we loved: The Triple Screens, the silent ride, 500+ km range, 0 to 80% charging in 20 minutes and the aggressive pricing. What could be better: Third-row seating posture and the slight low-speed floatiness.