I've had opportunity to test the new 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO for the Australian launch This is Mahindra's new and very affordable small SUV so let's have a look at how it fares as a BabyDrive…
Not every family has the parking space, can afford or like driving large SUVs as their family car. Lots of us enjoy driving a small car that is practically designed so I find it very interesting trying these small cars with my family!
Quick Links
- How much does the 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO cost and what are the options?
- How big is the boot of the Mahindra XUV 3XO?
- How good is the storage in the 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO for families?
- How many child seats will fit in the Mahindra XUV 3XO?
- How comfortable is the Mahindra XUV 3XO for families?
- How safe is the 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO for families?
- What is the 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO like to drive?
- Compare the 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO
Quick Overview
- ✓ Fits three child seats across
- ✓ Impressive boot space for a small SUV
- ✓ Level 2 ADAS as standard
- ✓ 7-year/150,000km warranty
- ✓ Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
- ✓ Exceptional value at $23,490 drive-away
- ✗ No ANCAP safety rating yet
- ✗ Silly boot release button location
Key Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Price Range | $23,490 – $26,490 drive-away (introductory) |
| Warranty | 7-year/150,000km |
| Safety Rating | Not yet rated by ANCAP |
| Engine | 1.2L turbo petrol |
| Power/Torque | 82kW/200Nm |
| Child Seat Capacity | 3 seats |
How much does the 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO cost and what are the options?
| Model Grade | Price (Drive-away) |
|---|---|
| XUV 3XO AX5L | $23,490 (introductory) |
| XUV 3XO AX7L | $26,490 (introductory) |
The Mahindra XUV 3XO is available in two versions. The XUV 3XO AX5L and top-spec AX7L. Both models are two-wheel-drive (2WD) with a 1.2L turbo petrol engine paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
The base model XUV 3XO AX5L has HEAPS of features such as Level 2 Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, dual 10.25-inch screens (one touchscreen for media system and the other the driver's dashboard display), wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, dual-zone climate control, reversing camera, keyless entry with push button start, leather steering wheel and gear lever trim, tyre pressure monitoring system, electric folding mirrors, a height adjustable driver's seat, rear armrest with cup holders, automatic headlights and wipers.
The XUV 3XO AX7L top spec model goes from cloth to leatherette upholstery, a panoramic glass roof, fancy Harman Kardon premium stereo, soft-touch leatherette on the dashboard and door trims (which is quite classy), bigger alloy wheels, auto-dimming interior mirror, LED front fog lights, front parking sensors, a cooled and illuminated glove box (good for keeping snacks fresh), 65W USB-C fast charging (enough to charge my laptop), and 360-degree camera with blind spot monitor.
The base model XUV 3XO AX5L is priced at $23,490 drive-away until 31 August 2025, then $23,990 drive-away.
The XUV 3XO AX7L top spec model is priced at $26,490 drive-away until 31 August 2025, then $26,990 drive-away. Metallic paint adds $495 to all colours except white.
Mahindra has a seven-year, 150,000km warranty and seven-year roadside assist. Capped price servicing is available up to 6 years or 85,000km for a total of $1,994 (it goes up and down a bit each service but averages around $333 a time).
The base model Mahindra XUV 3XO AX5L has 16″ alloy wheels. The top spec Mahindra XUV 3XO AX7L has 17″ alloy wheels.
The exterior of the Mahindra XUV 3XO looks great, it's a cool looking small SUV with diamond shape details on the bumper and in the lights.
The base model is available in four colours: Stealth Black, Tango Red, Everest White or Galaxy Grey.
The AX7L top spec is available in four colours: Citrine Yellow, Tango Red, Everest White or Galaxy Grey with a Stealth Black roof.
How good is the storage in the 2025 Mahindra 3XO for families?
The interior of the 2025 Mahindra 3XO is spacious for a small SUV. The boot is very deep for such a little car, storage for a spare tyre underneath the boot floor.
It took me a while to work out how to open the boot door! To open the boot door you have to put your finger right up under the lip of the door to find the release button, it's not instinctive.
Empty, the boot will fit eight shopping bags, which is comparable to the Hyundai Venue (8 bags) and slightly less than the Toyota Yaris Cross (9 bags) and Mazda CX-30 (10 bags).
I could easily fit the Thule Urban Glide 3 pram in the boot of the 3XO with a little space around it.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don't want to move around while I'm driving such as my daughter's lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it's not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot.
Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don't move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum's life is food shopping, prams and dogs. (Although it can feel like it sometimes!!) But because these are visually measurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres is not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
I'm looking forward to testing the Mahindra XUV 3XO with my full range of Thule prams and strollers soon.
How many child seats will fit in the Mahindra 3XO?
When it comes to installing child seats in the Mahindra 3XO there are ISOFix points in the two outer rear seats.
They are within plastic guides and are easy to locate and to connect to.
There are top tether anchorages on the back of all three seat backs, within plastic guides and clearly labelled, that are easily accessible through the boot.
The back seat of the Mahindra 3XO is nice and flat and wide…
I was amazed I could fit three child seats across in the back of the Mahindra 3XO which is fantastic for a small car like this. It’s great news for families with three children or grandparents who need the flexibility of driving their grandchildren.
Also for families with two children in child seats who need to carry another passenger in the back I could fit between two child seats comfortably too.
Three 0-4 convertible child seats fit across forward-facing in the back.
I also rotated one of the 0-4year convertible seats to the rear-facing position behind the driver, and that combination fits nicely too.
Legroom is surprisingly good in the Mahindra 3XO. With the rear-facing child seat installed a 180cm driver can fit in the driver's seat in front of it, which is really good for such a small SUV. With forward-facing child seats in the back of the Mahindra 3XO, you can fit a 186cm driver in front.
How good is storage in the 2025 Mahindra 3XO for families?
In the front, the interior is pleasant and has some nice textures on the dash. There are physical buttons for all the important things which is good to see and made it easy to use while driving.
Storage in the front has an interesting surprise! There are two cup holders in the central console that will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup.
In front of the gear lever there is a wireless phone charging pad with USB and USB-C charging sockets.
The central console box is small and rubber lined.
The glove box is where the surprise is! It is ENORMOUS! It would hold not only an iPad with y wallet but my 16″ laptop slides very comfortably in there!
It also has an air vent you can turn on and off in the roof of the glove box so you can warm or cool it's contents. This is great to keep kids lunchboxes cool on days out or to keep your pizza warm on the way home!!
The door bins in the front are large and will hold a refillable water bottle and kids drink cup and an iPad and wallet fit in them too.
In the back the storage is good too. There is a fold down armrest in the central seat back with two cup holders that will hold a reusable or disposable coffee cup and a kids drink cup fits in them too.
In the back of the central console box is a 12volt socket and USBC socket for charging devices while driving and there's a little phone shelf there too.
There are map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold and conceal an iPad.
The rear door bins are almost as practical as the front ones, they will hold a refillable water bottle and an iPad fit in them too.
How comfortable is the 2025 Mahindra 3XO for families?
Rear passengers are kept comfortable with rear aircon vents in the back of the central console box and USB-C socket so they can charge devices while driving. There's a 12V socket there too.
There are handles above both rear doors so you can hang a toy for little rear-facing passengers on long journeys. There are also lights above the rear doors too so you can easily see at night putting kids in and out of the car.
The top spec model comes with a large sunroof with cover.
How safe is the 2025 Mahindra 3XO for families?
The Mahindra 3XO does not have an ANCAP crash test rating yet and it is not expected to get five stars (in fact the brand has never sold a five-star ANCAP car) but it does come with six airbags as standard including side curtain airbags that extend to the second-row passengers.
It does come with multiple safety features and technologies including Adaptive Cruise Control, Smart Pilot Assist, Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) with Pedestrian Detect, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Lane Keep Assist (LKA), Traffic Sign Recognition and High Beam Assist.
The front dash of the Mahindra 3XO has a central 10.2-inch touchscreen media system.
The cameras in the top-spec Mahindra 3XO I tried are good.
There are different views you can see from…
… which is helpful when parking and manouvering. There's also a camera image in the bottom of the screen so you can save images.
The media system has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can safely access your phone's navigation, messaging, podcast and music apps etc while driving.
The media system is simple and easy to navigate.
Within the sound settings you can turn off the beeping touch sound which is helpful for families.
There is a wireless phone charging pad in the central console with USB and USB-C sockets too. That 65W USB-C is so powerful it can charge a laptop!
What is the 2025 Mahindra 3XO like to drive?
When it comes to driving, the Mahindra 3XO is light and easy to drive. The steering is very light and the turning circle is small so it is a very easy car to drive around town and to park in tight parking spaces.
The Mahindra XUV 3XO has good visibility even with three child seats installed in the back.
Compare the 2025 Mahindra XUV 3XO
If you're looking at the 2025 Mahindra 3XO, you might also want to consider other small SUVs like the Hyundai Venue, Mazda CX-30 and Toyota Yaris Cross. The Hyundai Venue boot holds eight shopping bags like the Mahindra 3XO, the Toyota Yaris Cross will hold nine and the Mazda CX-30 will hold ten bags.
BabyDrive Verdict on the 2025 Mahindra 3XO
I really enjoyed driving the new 2025 Mahindra 3XO. I look forward to testing it in the coming weeks with my family on board and using our full range of Thule prams in the boot.
Key Pros:
- Fits three child seats across
- Impressive legroom with rear-facing child seats
- Impressive boot space
- Spare tyre under the boot floor
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Light steering and easy to park
Key Cons:
- No ANCAP safety rating yet
- Media system is quite basic
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