Mahindra XUV400 unveiled: 5 cars it will compete against in India

Mahindra unveiled the Mahindra XUV400 compact EV SUV in India a few days ago, and it will play a significant role both for the Indian automaker as well as the Indian EV market. The Mahindra XUV400 is the production-ready version of the electric XUV300 that was showcased at Auto Expo 2020 and will compete with the likes of the Tata Nexon EV twins, the MG ZS EV, the Hyundai Kona EV and the upcoming BYD Atto 3. 

Mahindra will enter the mainstream EV market in India and will be the second indigenous manufacturer in the segment. It is hence a crucial product for the Indian EV space as well as for Mahindra, and we take a look at what it will go up against once it goes on sale in January 2023.

Top 5 XUV400 rivals in India

The XUV400 will go up against the following players in the compact EV SUV space in India:

1. Tata Nexon EV Prime 

Tata Nexon EV Prime is possibly one of the strongest products in the market, having accounted for over 50 per cent of the sales in the entire Indian EV space across all segments. Tata’s Nexon EV Prime gets its fundamentals right, including styling, performance, range, comfort, convenience, and price. The Tata Nexon EV Prime delivers a range of 312km on a single charge and manages to go from 0 to 100 in just 9 seconds. It takes about 8 hours to charge at home fully. The Nexon EV Prime gets auto ac, electric sunroof, airbags, digital MID, regenerative braking, alloy wheels, ventilated seats, and more. 

Price: Rs 14.99 lakh to Rs 17.50 lakh (ex-showroom) 

Warranty: 8 years / 1.6 lakh kilometre warranty on battery and motor

Colour options: Intense Teal, Pristine White and Daytona Grey 

A special #Jet Edition is also on offer, which is offered in a dual-tone shade of starlight with oyster white interiors.

2. Tata Nexon EV MAX

Tata Motors recently launched the long-range version of their tried and tested electric Nexon, which is called the Nexon EV MAX. The Tata Nexon EV MAX one-ups its sibling with 437km of range and does the 0 to 100kmph sprint in under 9 seconds. The Nexon EV MAX also has a higher top speed of 140kmph. The Nexon EV MAX gets a fresh set of alloys, a jewelled digital gear selector, better suspension and an option for faster charging. 

Price: Rs 18.34 lakh to Rs 19.84 lakh (ex-showroom) 

Warranty: 8 years / 1.6 lakh kilometre warranty on battery and moto

Colour options: Intensi Teal, Pristine White and Daytona Grey. 

A special #Jet Edition is also on offer, which is offered in a dual-tone shade of starlight with oyster white interiors.

3. MG ZS EV

The MG ZS EV happens to be a popular choice in this segment as well and is a size bigger than the Nexon EV twins. The MG ZS EV is also more advanced technologically and gets a panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, a full suite of digital MID and infotainment systems, connected car features, heated ORVM, TPMS and 17-inch alloy wheels. The MG ZS EV is quick off the mark and hits 100kmph from standstill in 8.6 seconds and yet delivers a claimed range of 461km on a single charge. 

Price: Rs 22 lakh to Rs 25.88 lakh (ex-showroom) 

Warranty: 7 years / 1.5 lakh kilometre warranty on battery and moto

Colour options: Currant Red, Ferris White, Sable Black and Ashen Silver

4. Hyundai Kona EV 

Hyundai’s Kona EV was an early entrant in the market however, its quirky design, smaller footprint, and nascent EV adoption stage in India have led to the car going under the radar for many buyers. The Hyundai Kona EV, however, is a promising product and is loaded to gills with modern technologies such as LED lighting, efficient 17-inch alloy wheels, electric sunroof, ventilated and powered seats, wireless phone charger, active air flaps to aid active aerodynamics, digital gauge cluster, 6 airbags, regenerative braking and more. The Kona EV boasts a 452km driving range and can charge up in 6 hours and 10 minutes via a 7.2 kW charger. The Kona EV goes from 0 to 100kmph in just 9.7 seconds and has a top speed of 155kmph. 

Price: Rs 25.30 lakh (ex-showroom)

Warranty: One can choose from the following without any additional charge – 3 years/Unlimited km, 4 years/60,000 km and 5 years/50,000 km. Hyundai will provide an 8 years /1,60,000 km battery pack. 

Colour options: Phantom Black, Polar White, Titan Grey with Phantom Black roof, Fiery Red with Phantom Black roof, Polar White with Phantom Black roof.

5. BYD Atto 3

With BYD knocking at India’s door, it’s only fair to bring along the BYD Atto 3 into the list. The BYD Atto 3, too, is a compact EV SUV and will soon enter India via the CKD route and will be the world’s largest EV producer’s first mainstream EV product for the country. The BYD Atto 3 will supposedly bring along a 201bhp and 310Nm electric motor paired with a 60.5kWh battery pack for firepower. The Atto 3 gets a claimed range of 480km on a single charge and charges up in 9.5 hours via a 6.6kW AC charger. The new EV SUV is expected to get LED headlamps, a 12.8-inch rotating touchscreen infotainment system, a five-inch digital instrument cluster, powered front seats, a wireless charger, ambient lighting, a 360-degree camera, seven airbags, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. 

Expected Price: Rs 25 lakh to Rs 30 lakh (ex-showroom)