Mahindra Scorpio Classic

Mahindra does not have an expansive portfolio but is still found among the top five car manufacturers in India on the sales charts. And that is possible because of icons like the one we have here, the Mahindra Scorpio. Mahindra had almost pegged its entire fortune on the Scorpio at the turn of the millennium and it had to succeed for the Indian car maker. The Scorpio is one of the first cars independently developed by Mahindra and the one we have here is the first update of the second generation Scorpio. We drive it to find out how much the new Scorpio has improved and how well it makes a case for itself, again.

The Scorpio has maintained the essence of the design of the original car and the styling is rather timeless. Over the years, the signature vertically slatted grille has become sharper and the large front bumper has gained muscle. The chrome lined slats gets a black mesh-grille background while the crystal headlamps are blacked out for that aggressive look. The blacked out lower half of the bumper with the contrast bash-plate and the chrome-bezel fog lamps complete the fascia.

Moving on to the sides, the profile is unmistakably Scorpio and has remained almost the same over the past two decades. The long hood with the signature scoop, an upright windscreen and the three-cab profile is complemented by the body-coloured cladding and the stepper. Large 17-inch alloys with the all-terrain Apollo 235mm profile tyres add to the bulk. While the tail lamps are almost the same, the design of the tail gate has been revamped. The black cladding band across the width has been ditched and the single tone sculpted tailgate makes the new Scorpio look suave.

Climb into the driver’s seat and you will be greeted with generous space, a commanding view of the road and a large steering wheel at your disposal. The wall-like dashboard sticks close to the windshield glass which opens up quite a bit of space in the cabin. The centre console is simple and gets a touchscreen infotainment system and the AC console along with a cubby hole. The blue-lit instrument cluster behind the chunky steering wheel adds a bit of funk to the equation.

The front seats are big and you barely notice that because of the plentiful space. The commanding upright seating position is made comfortable by the long seat base which offers ample under-thigh support.

Move into the second row and the generosity of space continues. There is enough space for three in the back and the seating again is upright. But the knee-room is a tad bit reserved. While it might feel comfortable for errands, it tends to get tiring over long hauls.

For storage spaces, there is hardly anything for the front passengers but the rear passengers get two bottle holders for each of the doors. The third row gets two jump seats and with lack of any restraints (seat-belts) safety is. They seem to be spacious in terms of shoulder room, legroom is very limited especially when both the seats are occupied. Also, it eats up into the luggage space which otherwise is ample for the baggage of five on a weekend trip.

In terms of equipment, the Scorpio ticks the right boxes with the automatic climate control, all-four power windows, electrically adjustable wing mirrors and rear parking sensors with camera. It also gets AC vents for the rear passengers under the front armrests but for a cabin of this size, they do not provide enough cooling. For purposes of safety, you just have two airbags in the front. Also, the interiors are better than before, but for this price, they are still crude and lack the premium feel.

Biggest change in the new 2017 Scorpio is the 140bhp setup that has been brought in from the XUV. The 2.2-litre M-Hawk turbocharged diesel engine now develops 140bhp of power and 320Nm of torque and comes mated to a six-speed manual gearbox that drives the rear wheels. Mahindra has been able to tune this AVL block quite well and the extra power is felt right away. There is more pull available from as low as 1400rpm and the torque builds up till 3500rpm. The power starts tapering off after 4200 but with the six-speed gearbox, the rev range is more than enough for everything.

The gearbox also feels much more positive in its engagement and with the light clutch, shifting is not much of an issue. Gear throws out the old-school SUV lineage and you have to get used to the shift pattern to distinguish between the reverse and the first gears without needing a second attempt.
Quick off the blocks, the Scorpio cruises easily in the low hundreds with the engine revving around 2000rpm in sixth gear, giving it a nice blend of economy. And the best part is that, with so much torque available, you barely need to downshift. It climbed uphill in sixth from 60kmph without breaking a sweat with only me inside the car. So, when fully loaded, I might have to shift to fourth, and that is commendable for an engine’s tractability.

Also, whatever Mahindra has done with the suspension tweaks seems to have worked. It feels planted most of the time but still hops and skips over asymmetrical bumps in a straight line and the underlying jiggles of the ladder-frame are hard to miss. On the other hand, if you drive through switchback corners at humane speeds, it feels quite composed. As an engineer, this is quite a puzzle but as a driver, it gives me more confidence than before.

Ride quality has also improved and it is plush now. The sharp edged bumps are now registered as mere muffled thuds and along with the improved NVH, the Scorpio is a much better place to be in than before. The steering is lighter than before and apart from a little vagueness in the centre, is quite precise. Of course, the feedback is minimal, but it pans out well for the overall package of city and highway driving. The brakes also feel much better than before and have come a long way from their spongy wooden self of the first-gen Scorpio.

The Mahindra Scorpio continues to be the old-school workhorse that it has always been and now has got better at it with the revisions. The styling is sleeker and the little tweaks on the inside make it look better. The powerful 140bhp M-Hawk engine has certainly got a lot going for the Scorpio and the ride has turned out to be better as well. At Rs 14.79 lakhs, it is a bit expensive for what it offers and with chinks that it still has in its armour, especially the ones inside the cabin, there are hardly any options for the utility and durability that it offers.

Photos By Kapil Angane 

Mahindra Scorpio Ownership Review

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Among the many SUVs available in India, the Mahindra Scorpio is one of the most popular ones to be sold. Its huge presence is a testimony of its success. To find out more on the ownership of Mahindra Scorpio, we interview Mr.Vivek, who is an officer in a reputed industry. He is a frequent traveler and uses the vehicle to commute all sorts of distances.

Details of the vehicle

It is a 2007 white colored Mahindra Scorpio Slx CRDe 2.6 variant. The vehicle has done 57000kms.

Technical Specifications of Mahindra Scorpio

Question: Since when do you own this vehicle?

Answer:  I own it since 2007 September. We were looking for a SUV which could be used for both official commuting as well as family outings. As I had driven the Scorpio earlier and knew the performance it offers, it was in top priority among the other options.

Question: How was your experience with the earlier models?

Answer: Earlier I had a Tata Indica Diesel for about four years or so. It was a reliable car giving a best mileage of around 18KMPL.As I was in need of a larger vehicle with the best of performance, flexible luggage space and seating capacity, I choose the Mahindra Scorpio.

Questions: How is the ownership of Mahindra Scorpio compared to earlier cars?

Answer: As mentioned earlier it gives all the benefits of higher power and comfortable seating for a tall person like me. There is generous rear luggage space which is used if not occupied. Seating comfort is the best in this vehicle as it is very spacious.

Question: Your comments on the mileage of the vehicle?

Answer: Most of the times I take it for long drives. I get a mileage of 11KMPL in normal driving style and get around 12KMPL in best of the conditions when I maintain a constant speed of 80 to 90 kmph.

Question: How was your experience in long drives?

Answer: I regularly take it for long drives of around 200 kms and occasionally take it for long trips with family. Recently I had driven it for about 800 kms at a stretch. I never felt fatigue while driving due to the comfortable seating posture, ease of steering, excellent suspension quality and driver visibility.

Features of variants of Mahindra Scorpio

Question: Have you faced any breakdown?

Answer: Not a single brake down faced till now.

Question: Any accident repairs done and insurance claimed for it?

Answer: I have lots of experience in driving and give top priority to safe driving. Though with this vehicle one can go beyond 160kmph, I generally restrict it to 120kmph max. I feel it’s enough speed to cover long distances at a good time. One must take care of points like abrupt entry of people on road, entry of cattle and dogs etc. Other’s safety is as important as of one’s own.

Question: How is your experience with maintenance of the vehicle?

Answer: I get my vehicle serviced at India Garage, which is the authorized service center located at the center of the city. They provide excellent service as well as deliver the vehicle on time. I am very happy with their service.

Question: How much is the cost incurred during normal servicing?

Answer: If given for a scheduled maintenance of 10,000 kms, the cost incurred would be around Rs.6000 to 7000. It could vary depending upon the earlier maintenance and the condition of vehicle.

Question: How do you rate the overall ownership of Mahindra Scorpio, would you recommend the same to others?

Answer: We are very satisfied with the performance of the vehicle. It’s an excellent option for regular outings and long trips. The Mahindra Scorpio takes on rough terrain very nicely as the suspensions are made to handle the unpleasant conditions.

Question: What’s your opinion about the other options available in the market?

Answer: These days there are many options available in the SUV/MUV segment, ranging from Mahindra Xylo, Bolero to the Mahindra XUV 500. Even other manufacturers have many models in this segment which offer great comfort and performance; however the Mahindra Scorpio sufficed us with all our needs and requirements.

Competition of Mahindra Scorpio

Question: If you would like to upgrade to any of the new models available, which would it be?

Answer: At present we don’t have any upgrade plans but ideally we would like to choose Mahindra XUV500 as I have recently driven it and loved its performance. So ideally it would be our most preferred upgrade option.

Conclusion

As mentioned in the article, the Mahindra Scorpio is indeed an excellent SUV and the huge demand for it in both new and used car segment indicate the same. It faces stiff completion from its own sibling, the Xylo. The main point here is about the customer satisfaction. Manufacturers can be almost certain that good quality and reliable cars inevitably increase the chances of their existent customers buying the same or other models from them.