Drove the Mahindra Scorpio on test recently. A legend in India, the Scorpio-N received record bookings in India, hitting 100,000 in under 30 minutes. From what we experienced, it should be a hit with customers in South Africa as well.

Styling.

Visually, the Scorpio-N is bold and assertive looking, which takes forward the machismo factor to a whole new level. With prominent wheel arches have been made even more muscular, the Skorpio N looks much more bold & assertive, and with the 4×4 capability we experienced, shows that it is pretty butch indeed.

A strong grille also helps build a picture of confidence.  The All-New Scorpio-N will be offered in 6 body colour options: Deep Forest, Napoli Black, Everest White, Red Rage, Dazzling Silver and Grand Canyon

Premium cabin.

Loved the rich leather upholstery, in a nice cream colour, could get a bit dirty over time however. It has a large infotainment screen, but does not seem to be over the top at all. Everything just fits. It has Apple CarPlay & Andriod Auto to keep you connected. Powered by intelligence for an immersive and intuitive driving experience and it also brings an Immersive Audio Experience by adopting 3D Immersive Sound System by Sony. 

The Scorpio-N features 6 airbags for the occupants; Driver, Passenger, Side and Curtain airbags. It is equipped with disc brakes on all four wheels and hydraulic brake assist and electronic brake pre-fill. Incorporated in the design is 73% of the structure being made from high-strength steel and 3 structural zones to improve the crash performance. 

The Scorpio is quite high riding and gives the impression visually, that it could be top-heavy, but that did not come to bear when we tested it, and quite quickly on the road as well. To add to the safety features, the standard Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) features an automated brake wiping system that cleans the breaks of debris every few seconds in wet conditions.

Engine.

The Scorpio-N is powered by an mHawk (Diesel) engine with 128.6 kW of power and 400 Nm torque, offered in both 6-speed Automatic Transmissions, and 4X4 as an option.  Built on a new third-generation body-on-frame platform, the Scorpio-N boasts of class-leading structural rigidity, off-road capability and exemplary on-road manners. The Scorpio is a vehicle that gives a ‘’go anywhere’’ feel, and with the 4XPLOR technology, It is quite at home on a highway as well.

The Scorpio-N also gets three drive modes to match the driver’s mood:  Zip, Zap and Zoom. Zip for smooth riding, especially through traffic.

We were very impressed with the on-road drive as well as the off-road as well. Pricing lends itself to the Scorpio becoming a popular seller with buyers. In summation the ScorpioN is an attractive option for buyers that like to go off the beaten track as well as have a comfortable SUV around town.

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