Should you buy a Mahindra XEV 9S? Pros and cons explained

The XEV 9S is Mahindra’s third born-electric offering and the first mass-market three-row electric SUV to go on sale in India. Based on Mahindra’s INGLO platform, the XEV 9S stands as a practical alternative to its more radical siblings – the XEV 9e and BE 6. If you’re looking to bring home the XEV 9S, we’ve listed three reasons why the electric SUV is worth considering and two reasons why you should think twice.

1. Excellent value for money

Up to Rs 1.95 lakh more affordable than XEV 9e

The Mahindra XEV 9S price starts at Rs 19.95 lakh and extends to Rs 29.45 lakh, placing the three-row SUV between the BE 6 and XEV 9e. Given that the XEV 9S has a better feature set, greater choice in powertrains and can seat up to seven people, being up to Rs 1.95 lakh more affordable than the XEV 9e makes it a stellar value-for-money offering.

2. Loaded with features

Comes with triple-screen setup, panoramic sunroof, Boss mode, and much more

As mentioned above, the XEV 9S surpasses the XEV 9e on the features front. Depending on the variant you go with, the XEV 9S gets a triple-screen layout, a head-up display, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, a 360-degree camera, an openable panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, powered Boss mode, powered and ventilated front seats, Level 2 ADAS, rear entertainment screens, ventilated rear outboard seats, and more.

3. Great performance

Three battery pack options available

The XEV 9S is available with three battery pack options: 59kWh, 70kWh and 79kWh. These power a single rear-mounted electric motor that makes 231hp for the 59kWh, 245hp for the 70kWh and 286hp for the 79kWh pack, while torque output stays fixed at 380Nm across all variants.

Overtaking is easy

In our review of the XEV 9S, we drove the 79kWh version and were quite impressed with the three-row SUV’s effortless and linear performance; Mahindra claims a 0-100kph time of 7 seconds, a 202kph top speed and a 679km range.

Now that we’ve discussed the XEV 9S’s pros, let’s delve into a couple of its drawbacks.

1. Ergonomics could be better executed

No privacy filter on passenger display

The XEV 9S leans heavily on tech, but this introduces a few ergonomic issues. Chief among these is the lack of a privacy filter on the passenger display (triple-screen setup), which can distract the driver while they’re checking the far-side outside rearview mirror (ORVM). The capacitive buttons on the steering wheel are prone to accidental presses while manoeuvring, too.

Key in-car functions absorbed by infotainment touchscreen

Lastly, the XEV 9S folds most in-car functions into the central infotainment touchscreen, whose user interface can be confusing to navigate.

2. Third row is not suitable for adults

Limited headroom and knees-up seating position

For first- and second-row passengers, the XEV 9S is a comfortable place to be, but the same can’t be said for the rearmost bench. Access to the XEV 9S’s third row is easy thanks to the one-touch tumble function, but headroom is tight for taller occupants, and the seating position is very knees-up, making it best suited for children or short trips.

All prices are ex-showroom, India.

Also see:

Mahindra XEV 9S vs rivals: Specs, price, battery, range compared

Which Mahindra XEV 9S variant should you buy?