Featured image credit: Image: Cppfront via Wikimedia Commons (CC0). Source

By Piyush P. Yadav

Mahindra has quietly fixed the one complaint that followed the XEV 9S from its launch: the middle-row bench. The three-row electric SUV is now available with a pair of individual captain seats in the second row, turning it into a six-seater, and the option lands on three of the four trim levels for a flat Rs 25,000 over the equivalent seven-seat version. Prices for the six-seat cars run from Rs 25.25 lakh to Rs 30.15 lakh ex-showroom, before the optional 11.2 kW home charger. This guide lays out every six-seat variant, what actually changes in the cabin, and how the XEV 9S now compares with the only other electric people-movers in India that offer a captain-seat layout, the Kia Carens Clavis EV and the BYD eMax 7, as well as the seven-seat-only MG Hector Tomahawk EV that undercuts all of them.

What Mahindra has launched

The six-seat XEV 9S is a configuration option rather than a new variant line. It is offered on the Pack Two Above, Pack Three and Pack Three Above trims. The entry Pack One Above, which is the only trim sold with the 59 kWh battery, stays seven-seat only. Because the captain seats are tied to the higher packs, the cheapest six-seat car is the Pack Two Above with the 70 kWh battery at Rs 25.25 lakh, roughly Rs 5.3 lakh above the cheapest seven-seat XEV 9S.

Six-seat variant Battery Ex-showroom price (six-seat) Equivalent seven-seat price
Pack Two Above 70 kWh Rs 25.25 lakh Rs 25.00 lakh
Pack Two Above 79 kWh Rs 26.15 lakh Rs 25.90 lakh
Pack Three 79 kWh Rs 28.05 lakh Rs 27.80 lakh
Pack Three Above 79 kWh Rs 30.15 lakh Rs 29.90 lakh

All prices are ex-showroom and exclude the 11.2 kW AC wall charger, which Mahindra prices separately across its electric range. The seven-seat figures are derived from the Rs 25,000 premium Mahindra has stated for the captain-seat configuration; confirm the exact number for your city on a dated dealer quote, because Mahindra’s electric prices have moved more than once this year.

What changes in the cabin

The second row loses the 40:60 bench and gains two individually adjustable seats with their own fold-up armrests. That does three things. First, the gap between the two seats becomes a walk-through to the third row, so nobody has to tumble a seat forward to get in the back. Second, the flip-up armrests clear the aisle when a third-row passenger needs to climb out. Third, the floor between the seats gives the third row a little more foot room, which matters in a car whose rearmost seats are the tightest part of the package. The rest of the second-row kit is unchanged: rear air-conditioning vents and two 65 W USB-C ports remain, and the panoramic roof, triple-screen dashboard and Level 2 driver assistance on the higher packs carry over.

Nothing changes under the floor. The 70 kWh and 79 kWh packs, the single rear-mounted motor and the 380 Nm torque figure are identical to the seven-seat cars. Pack Two Above makes 245 hp, the Pack Three trims 286 hp. Mahindra’s claimed range is up to 600 km on the 70 kWh battery and up to 679 km on the 79 kWh battery, both on the Indian MIDC cycle; our guide to claimed versus real-world EV range explains why a car this size will do closer to 480 to 520 km in mixed use.

The captain-seat rivals

Only two other electric cars sold in India offer a choice of six or seven seats. Both are cheaper than the XEV 9S at the bottom of their ranges and neither matches its battery.

Model Seating options Battery Claimed range Ex-showroom price
Mahindra XEV 9S 7 (all trims); 6 from Pack Two Above 59 / 70 / 79 kWh Up to 679 km (MIDC) Rs 19.95 lakh to Rs 30.15 lakh (six-seat from Rs 25.25 lakh)
Kia Carens Clavis EV 6 or 7 from the second trim up 42 / 51.4 kWh 404 to 490 km (ARAI) Rs 18.01 lakh to Rs 25.00 lakh
BYD eMax 7 6 or 7 on Premium and Superior 55.4 / 71.8 kWh 420 / 530 km (NEDC) Rs 26.90 lakh to Rs 29.90 lakh
MG Hector Tomahawk EV 7 only Single pack, LFP 517 km claimed From Rs 19.49 lakh

The Carens Clavis EV is the value pick for a family that wants captain seats and does not need the range. Its six-seat option is available from the second trim onwards, so a captain-seat Kia can be had for several lakh less than the cheapest captain-seat Mahindra. The trade-off is the battery: even the 51.4 kWh extended-range Kia carries 18.6 kWh less than the smallest six-seat XEV 9S, which on a Delhi-Jaipur run is the difference between one charging stop and none.

The BYD eMax 7 is the closest thing to a direct rival on battery size and cabin space, and its 71.8 kWh Superior variant has been the default choice for buyers who want a proven three-row EV. It now finds itself priced almost exactly against the six-seat Pack Three XEV 9S, with a smaller battery, a lower claimed range and a much thinner dealer network. What it retains is BYD’s blade-cell reputation and an NEDC range figure that, in our experience, translates to real-world numbers more honestly than the MIDC figures Indian manufacturers quote.

The Hector Tomahawk EV does not offer captain seats at all, but it deserves a line because it is the car that has reset the segment’s floor. As we reported in our MG Hector Tomahawk EV launch coverage, it starts at Rs 19.49 lakh with a 517 km claim and India’s first vehicle-to-home function. A family choosing between a fully loaded Tomahawk and a base XEV 9S is choosing between an MG with more features and a Mahindra with a bigger battery, and the six-seat option does not change that calculus until you are well past Rs 25 lakh.

Where the six-seater fits in Mahindra’s line-up

The XEV 9S sits at the top of Mahindra’s electric range, above the coupe-styled XEV 9e and the BE 6, all three built on the INGLO skateboard with the same three battery sizes. We mapped the whole range in our Mahindra electric portfolio deep dive. The six-seat configuration is exclusive to the XEV 9S because it is the only three-row car of the three, and it is the model Mahindra is positioning against the Innova Hycross and Carnival buyers who are used to captain seats and are considering going electric for the first time.

Two purchase routes exist. The straightforward one is the ex-showroom prices above. The other is Mahindra’s battery-as-a-service scheme, which cuts the upfront price by treating the battery as a per-kilometre subscription. We ran the numbers in our Mahindra BaaS cost explainer, and the short version is that it suits high-mileage users who want a lower entry price and does not suit anyone planning to keep the car past five years. Mahindra has said BaaS is available across the XEV 9S range, and there is no reason to expect the six-seat configuration to be excluded, but ask the dealer to confirm in writing.

Which six-seat XEV 9S to buy

  • Pack Two Above 70 kWh, Rs 25.25 lakh. The sweet spot. You get the captain seats, the 600 km claim and the 245 hp motor without paying for the Pack Three’s extras. Most families will never miss them.
  • Pack Two Above 79 kWh, Rs 26.15 lakh. Rs 90,000 for 9 kWh and a 79 km range gain. Worth it if you do regular 400 km-plus days; not worth it for city use.
  • Pack Three 79 kWh, Rs 28.05 lakh. Adds the 286 hp motor and a longer feature list. This is where the XEV 9S starts to feel expensive against the eMax 7 Superior.
  • Pack Three Above 79 kWh, Rs 30.15 lakh. Everything Mahindra makes. Only sensible if the budget is genuinely open and the alternative is a Rs 35 lakh-plus import.

Practical checks before you sign

A six-seat layout costs you the third middle-row seat, which turns a seven-seater into a car that carries six adults or, more realistically, four adults and two children in the back. If you routinely carry seven, the bench is the better choice and the Rs 25,000 is better spent on the wall charger. If you carry five or six and the third row is used mostly by children, the captain seats are the single most useful option on the car.

Boot space with all three rows up is unchanged and remains modest; with the third row folded the six-seat car is marginally less practical than the seven-seat car for bulky loads because the second-row seats do not fold as flat as the bench. If you have a festive-season delivery deadline, confirm the build slot for the six-seat configuration in writing before paying the booking amount, because the captain-seat cars are built to order on the higher packs.

Sources & Further Reading

Frequently asked questions

How much more does the six-seat Mahindra XEV 9S cost?

Rs 25,000 over the equivalent seven-seat variant. The cheapest six-seat car is the Pack Two Above 70 kWh at Rs 25.25 lakh ex-showroom, and the dearest is the Pack Three Above 79 kWh at Rs 30.15 lakh.

Can I get captain seats on the base XEV 9S?

No. The Pack One Above, which is the only trim with the 59 kWh battery, remains seven-seat only. Captain seats are offered on Pack Two Above, Pack Three and Pack Three Above.

Which other electric cars in India offer six seats?

The Kia Carens Clavis EV, from Rs 18.01 lakh, and the BYD eMax 7, from Rs 26.90 lakh, both offer six- or seven-seat layouts. The MG Hector Tomahawk EV is seven-seat only.

Does the six-seat layout change the range or performance?

No. The batteries, motor outputs, 380 Nm torque and claimed ranges of up to 600 km (70 kWh) and 679 km (79 kWh) are identical to the seven-seat cars.