Mahindra XEV 9S Review: Price, Range, Features, Driving Experience And Real World Verdict

Mahindra’s XEV 9S is a very important product in the brand’s electric lineup. It takes all the strengths of the new INGLO platform, wraps them in a familiar three row SUV body, and prices it aggressively enough to tempt traditional petrol and diesel buyers. The big question is simple – can this three row electric SUV genuinely replace an ICE SUV in a typical Indian family garage, or is it still a niche choice for early adopters? After driving it around Bengaluru and Nandi Hills, the answer is more positive than you might expect.

Mahindra’s XEV 9S marks one of the brand’s most significant steps in the Indian electric SUV market. Built on the advanced INGLO platform and designed as a true three row family EV, the XEV 9S blends practicality, technology and aggressive pricing to take on both electric and traditional petrol and diesel SUVs. While models like the XEV 9e and BE 6 showcased Mahindra’s futuristic capabilities, the XEV 9S is the one positioned to drive real volumes thanks to its familiar design, spacious cabin and strong range claims. With ICE vehicles still dominating the segment, the big question is whether the XEV 9S delivers enough performance, comfort and value to convince traditional SUV buyers to finally make the switch to electric. Our test drive in Bengaluru revealed some clear answers.

Design And Exterior: Familiar Shape With Electric Detailing

Mahindra has smartly combined the fresh INGLO architecture with the proven appeal of the XUV700’s body shell. The XEV 9S is not just an electrified XUV700, but the relationship is obvious, especially in profile.

The SUV sits on Mahindra’s INGLO platform, which means the motor drives the rear axle and a large LFP battery pack sits in the floor. Clever packaging ensures that ground clearance remains healthy at a claimed 201 mm, with 219 mm from the lowest point of the battery. That is comparable to the XUV700 and perfectly suited to Indian roads.

The wheelbase is 2,762 mm, slightly shorter than the XEV 9e and BE 6, but overall length is just a little shorter than the 9e and marginally longer than the XUV700 thanks to different bumpers. On the road, the stance and presence are very similar to its ICE cousin, which is exactly what many family buyers will want.

Front And Side Profile

At the front, the XEV 9S borrows the design language of the XEV 9e but with subtle differences. A wide LED signature runs across the face and drops down at the edges, but the light element is thicker here. A blanked off grille with Mahindra’s Infinity logo in the centre makes it clear that this is an EV. The lower half of the bumper is finished in gloss black, with slim openings that handle cooling duties.

From the side, the shared top hat with the XUV700 is obvious. Gloss black cladding on the wheel arches and sills adds visual toughness, and the serrated detailing with subtle INGLO lettering provides a bit of EV character. The 18 inch wheels may be smaller than the 19 or 20 inch units on other INGLO SUVs, but the chunkier sidewalls fill the arches nicely and should help ride comfort. Aero optimised alloys and flush door handles are designed to improve efficiency and extend range.

The glasshouse, strong shoulder line and trademark kick up at the C pillar are carried over from the XUV700, lending the XEV 9S a muscular yet familiar look.

Rear Design

At the rear, the sheet metal again mirrors the XUV700, but the lighting and trim details are new. A black trim piece connects LED tail lamps with neat hexagonal elements, and non illuminated areas are blacked out for a modern look. Mahindra has intentionally skipped the now common full width light bar, instead using simple XEV 9S lettering below the number plate. A squared off gloss black bumper with faux diffuser elements finishes it all off.

The overall result is a design that blends new age EV cues with a tried and tested family friendly silhouette. It is less flamboyant than the BE 6 and XEV 9e, but that restraint will likely appeal to a broader audience.

Short Summary Table

Interior Space, Comfort And Practicality

Step inside and you are greeted by a cabin that is almost identical to the XEV 9e. The dashboard is dominated by a triple screen setup stretching across its width, complemented by a two spoke steering wheel. The upper surfaces are finished in soft touch materials and olive green leatherette, which gives a premium first impression. Below this, however, many areas such as the glovebox panel and lower console use harder plastics.

The centre console houses a compact drive selector that looks slick and works with a light, precise action. Storage spaces are well thought out, and the overall layout feels sophisticated.

Ergonomics And Quirks

The steering wheel feels good to hold, but the haptic buttons are easy to press accidentally when reaching for the horn, which can become frustrating in city traffic. Climate controls and a few key functions sit inside the touchscreen interface, which is not ideal for quick changes while driving. The passenger side screen does not have a privacy filter, so the content can catch the driver’s eye when glancing at the far side mirror.

These quirks were already noted on the XEV 9e, and they remain present here.

Seating Comfort

Comfort levels are impressive. The front seats are broad, supportive and offer a good range of adjustment, including reach and rake for the steering wheel. Finding a suitable driving position is easy for most body types.

The second row uses a bench rather than captain seats for now. Cushioning is a little firm due to the leatherette, but support is good and thigh support is adequate. The backrest reclines slightly, and the bench can slide to balance legroom between the middle and last rows. A flat floor makes life easier for the centre passenger, while sunblinds and a centre armrest enhance comfort when only two are seated.

Access to the third row is quite straightforward thanks to a one touch tumble function in the middle row. Once inside, headroom is tight for tall adults and the knees up seating position will feel uncomfortable over longer journeys. For children or short trips, however, the third row is usable. With all three rows in place, luggage capacity is modest, but folding the last row flat frees up about 500 litres of boot space. A 150 litre frunk in the front adds valuable extra storage.

Features, Technology And Safety

Mahindra has packed the XEV 9S with technology, sometimes to the point of excess.

Infotainment And Connectivity

Three 12.3 inch screens stretch across the dashboard and are powered by Mahindra’s Artificial Intelligence Architecture. The driver’s display is crisp and offers customisable layouts, including a full map or camera views. Each of the five drive modes Default, Range, Everyday, Race and Snow gets its own theme. A head up display adds important information and even shows augmented reality navigation prompts.

The central infotainment unit supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, along with built in Amazon Alexa and ChatGPT integration. Over 60 apps are available for entertainment and services, and while this sounds impressive, it can feel overwhelming in real world use. The 360 degree camera feed is sharp but not always as responsive as you might like.

The passenger screen can stream content and mirror many of the main apps, but without a privacy filter it can become a distraction for the driver.

Interface And Convenience Features

The user interface is the biggest complaint. Many functions are nested inside multiple menus and sub menus, which means a learning curve and extra steps for routine tasks. Shortcut buttons and a rotary controller help, yet you still spend more time in menus than ideal.

On the positive side, the XEV 9S offers a 16 speaker Harman Kardon audio system synced to ambient lighting, ventilated and electrically adjustable front seats with memory and boss mode, rear BYOD mounts for tablets, dual 65 watt Type C ports, a wireless charger, and even ventilated outer rear seats. The panoramic sunroof is openable, which improves the sense of space in the second and third rows. The only major miss is a powered tailgate.

Mahindra’s DOMS Driver and Occupant Monitoring System can track driver alertness, enable video calls and even allow remote interior monitoring. A Pawpal function maintains a safe cabin temperature if you need to leave your pet in the car for a short duration.

Safety And ADAS

Safety equipment includes six airbags on most variants and seven on the top Pack Three, ISOFIX mounts, tyre pressure monitoring and ESP. The ADAS suite is comprehensive, with five radars, twelve ultrasonic sensors and a camera enabling Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Keep Assist, Lane Centering, Adaptive Cruise Control, Traffic Sign Recognition and Autonomous Emergency Steering.

While the full system could not be tested in depth during a short drive, Traffic Sign Recognition worked accurately and there were no unexpected interventions. The XEV 9S itself is yet to be crash tested at the time of writing, but other INGLO based SUVs have already achieved a five star Bharat NCAP rating.

Performance And Refinement

Mahindra offers the XEV 9S with three battery packs: 59 kWh, 70 kWh and 79 kWh. All versions deliver 380 Nm of torque, while power outputs are 231 hp, 245 hp and 286 hp respectively.

We sampled the 79 kWh variant. Even in the softest drive mode, performance is more than adequate for city and highway use. Step up through the modes and responses get progressively stronger, yet power delivery remains linear and easy to control. Overtakes require only a modest flex of the accelerator. Mahindra claims a 0 to 100 kph time of 7 seconds and a top speed of 202 kph for this version.

There are five levels of regenerative braking plus a one pedal driving mode, all accessed via steering wheel controls. The strong regen mode does an excellent job of bringing the SUV to a smooth stop in city traffic, reducing the need to use the brake pedal. When you do brake, four wheel disc brakes provide strong stopping power, although pedal feel could be better.

Refinement is a highlight. Wind and tyre noise are impressively well contained, even at higher speeds. With the third row folded flat, a faint motor whine can be heard in the second row, but it largely disappears when the seats are raised.

Range, Efficiency And Charging

Mahindra claims an MIDC range of 521 km for the 59 kWh battery, 600 km for the 70 kWh and 679 km for the 79 kWh pack. In previous real world testing of the 79 kWh XEV 9e, an efficiency of about 5.78 km per kWh was recorded, translating to around 456 km of usable range. Given the similarity of hardware, the XEV 9S should deliver a comparable figure in mixed conditions.

All versions use LFP cells, known more for durability and safety than ultimate energy density. This is backed by a very strong battery warranty of up to 15 years or lifetime for the first owner.

Two AC wall box options are offered – 7.2 kW and 11.2 kW – priced separately from the car. With the bigger 79 kWh battery, a full charge from 0 to 100 percent takes around 11.7 hours on the 7.2 kW unit and about 8 hours on the 11.2 kW charger. On DC fast chargers, the XEV 9S can accept up to 180 kW, taking the large pack from 20 to 80 percent in around 20 minutes under ideal conditions.

Ride Comfort, Handling And Steering

The XEV 9S uses independent suspension at both ends. Lower trims get passive frequency dependent dampers, while the top Pack Three features Intelligent Adaptive Suspension that can react to surface changes in a claimed 15 milliseconds.

Ride quality is clearly tuned with families in mind. Compared with the sportier XEV 9e, the suspension is softer and more absorbent, dealing well with sharp potholes and rough tarmac both at low and moderate speeds. The downside is a mild floaty feeling on long undulating surfaces at higher speeds. Selecting Race mode firms up the damping and reduces this vertical movement, making the SUV feel more tied down.

Despite its weight, the XEV 9S feels secure in corners. Body roll is present but well controlled, helped by the low centre of gravity of the battery pack. Grip is limited mostly by the low rolling resistance tyres rather than the chassis itself.

The electric steering is one of the highlights. At parking speeds it is light and easy, masking the size of the vehicle. As speed builds, especially in Race mode, it gains reassuring weight and even a bit of feedback, allowing accurate placement through bends. Rear wheel drive helps here, since the front axle is dedicated to steering rather than also transmitting power. When pushed too hard, the default behaviour is safe understeer, which suits the target family audience.

Price, Variants And Value For Money

Mahindra’s pricing strategy is what truly makes the XEV 9S a potential game changer. The introductory price for the Pack One Above variant is Rs 19.95 lakh ex showroom. This undercuts the entry XEV 9e by nearly Rs 2 lakh. The fully loaded Pack Three Above with the 79 kWh battery is priced at Rs 29.45 lakh, still about a lakh cheaper than the equivalent XEV 9e.

Crucially, the starting price of the XEV 9S falls into the same bracket as the popular AX7 variant of the XUV700. That means buyers considering a high spec diesel or petrol SUV now have a genuinely competitive three row EV alternative at a similar budget.

Given its generous feature list, strong performance, practical three row layout and advanced safety tech, the XEV 9S delivers excellent value. It also addresses the practical concerns that some had with the coupe like shapes of the BE 6 and XEV 9e.

In short, the XEV 9S looks ready to convert many fence sitters to electric mobility.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is the Mahindra XEV 9S just an electric version of the XUV700?

No. While it shares the body shell and some interior components with the XUV700, the XEV 9S is built on the dedicated INGLO electric platform and uses a rear wheel drive layout with a floor mounted LFP battery.

2. How many battery options are available on the XEV 9S?

The XEV 9S is offered with three battery pack options: 59 kWh, 70 kWh and 79 kWh. All variants produce 380 Nm of torque, while power output ranges from 231 hp to 286 hp.

3. What is the real world driving range of the Mahindra XEV 9S?

Mahindra claims up to 679 km MIDC for the 79 kWh variant. Based on similar hardware in the XEV 9e, a realistic mixed driving range of around 450 km is a reasonable expectation for the largest battery.

4. Is the XEV 9S comfortable for seven passengers?

The first and second rows are very comfortable and spacious. The third row is best suited to children or shorter adults for shorter trips, due to limited headroom and a knees up seating position.

5. How does the XEV 9S compare to ICE SUVs on price?

With an introductory price starting at Rs 19.95 lakh ex showroom, the entry level XEV 9S sits in the same price band as well equipped ICE SUVs like the XUV700 AX7, while offering lower running costs and a far more modern powertrain.

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