Page 19 - Motoring Spring 2021

MAHINDRA TEST REVIEW

MAHINDRA SCORPIO

he Mahindra Scorpio is the SUV version weekend road trip. Open road cruising is smooth and very comfortable.
of the PikUp that we featured not long Space in the rearmost seats offers limited legroom but is definitely adequate for youngsters.
Tago. The two are built on the same The headroom is excellent due to the overall height of the cabin. An interesting feature is that
platform and powered by the same engine. the rearmost windows do swivel open to provide ventilation for passengers in the rear. However,
Similar to the PikUp, the Scorpio may not access to the back seats is rather clumsy with seats that do not fold away as easily as in many
win any beauty contests but it certainly fills other similar vehicles.
all the requirements for family transport if Typical of 7-seater SUV’s, luggage space is minimal with all seats in use but massive if the
you need a spacious 7-seater vehicle. rearmost seats are folded or removed.
The 2.2l 4-cylinder diesel engine delivers Compared to all opposition, the Mahindra Scorpio is a compelling offer because it is priced
103kW and 320Nm through a 6-speed manual so much lower than all other competitors. At a current price of R366 999 (or R345 999 for the
gearbox to the rear wheels in normal driving. 4x2 version), it is an absolute bargain. This price even includes a 5-year/90 000km service plan. n
The 4-wheel drive high and low modes can be
selected via a switch when needed. Click here for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpWv4rEXENM
One question I have to ask is why
Mahindra doesn’t offer the automatic
transmission, as offered in the PikUp, as an
option? Personally, this would be an easy
choice for me in this category. I believe most
buyers of this type of vehicle would prefer
an automatic transmission, as the manual
gearbox requires a slightly heavy hand,
although it is generally slick and smooth.
The Scorpio is well-equipped overall
and features an infotainment system with
standard navigation included. Fuel economy
is also far better than the PikUp, with an
average of 7.4l/100km achieved for the test
period. This involved a good mix of urban
driving as well as freeway cruising plus a

MOTORING | Spring 2021 | 17