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My life is a whirlwind, traveling around the country and the world for television commentary and business engagements.
Don’t get me wrong, I love it. But it also makes me appreciate the comforts of home much more. You know, the simple things… my friends, my family, the beaches and my car, a Mahindra XUV700.
It’s the only thing that connects them all.
I’ve owned the XUV700 for two years now, but my relationship with Mahindra goes back to before I could even drive.
My father, Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden, has been an ambassador for the company for 10 years. So, for as long as I can remember, we have always had a Mahindra in the family.
In fact, I learned to drive in the Mahindra Pik-Up. On our family property or when we went on vacation to North Stradbroke Island, my father would sit in the front seat and teach me how to drive a manual car. I was adamant that I wanted a manual license, so learning in Pik-Up was great.
They are such a great car and so capable in all conditions and terrain. My brothers still love the Pik-Ups.
But now I have the
My partner Wilson Statham and I love going on waterfall adventures with our two mountain dogs, Archie and Alfie, so we often just jump in the car and explore. And I love surfing, so it’s the perfect size to put down the seats, throw a few boards in the back and find a beach with a good wave for the day.
I also like to go to the market at the weekend and there is plenty of space in the boot of the XUV700 to pack groceries and flowers for the week. I feel like I can always fit everything I need in my car.
But above all, I appreciate the flexibility of its seven-seat configuration. I often go to the beach with my friends so we can all fit in and still have enough space in the back for our gear.
And since we are a family of five, my car is usually the one we take when we all go out to dinner together.
My dad loves to steal my car when I’m away. I come home and I know he’s in it because he leaves little pieces lying around. The other day I found some fishing lures and fishing line in the center console and said, “Ah, I know who was in my car.”
My whole family loves the XUV700. One of my brothers is currently in his dating era and I know he’s hanging around all the time when I’m away trying to impress the girls.
No matter what I do or where I go, the XUV700 is a car that ticks all the boxes for all of us. It’s comfortable, luxurious and has all the latest features I need. And it looks great too.
The attention to detail is amazing. For me, it’s the little details that take it to the next level, like the chrome details and the large touchscreen in the center of the dashboard with Apple CarPlay, maps and Bluetooth.
I drive my car a lot when I’m at home, so I also appreciate how economical the 2.0-liter turbo engine is and how much power it brings for safe overtaking on country roads and highways.
With the six-speed automatic transmission it’s really smooth.
As far as safety is concerned, the XUV700 comes with a full suite of advanced driver assistance systems like adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and much more which is amazing and gives me a confident feeling while navigating through the heavy urban traffic and on the highway.
Plus, having Siri read messages from your phone is a great security feature. If you have a message, it comes through the sound system and you can respond via voice activation, which is really convenient for me.
Another feature I really appreciate is the sunroof; It bathes the cabin in so much light that it appears even more spacious. And you can open it to have the wind in your hair on a nice day or still let the light in while the air conditioning blows cold air on a hot summer day. The air conditioning is fantastic and we definitely need it in our extremely hot Queensland weather.
As you can see, I love my Mahindra XUV700. It’s a fantastic car that offers lots of space and feels luxurious, has all the features I need and offers a pleasant driving experience in any environment. And the best part, especially for families on a budget, is the excellent value for money.
For all the things you get, you would have to pay almost double for something similar from another brand. Pardon the pun, but it hits me like a six every time I drive it.
MORE: Explore Mahindra showroom
