Review: Mahindra Scorpio

I have always been proud of the fact that I am willing and happy to drive any new car once. There’s just something cool about operating a vehicle you’ve never experienced before, and I believe the mere act of trying a car expands your automotive horizons.

We were recently given the keys to the Mahindra Scorpio, and I had to ask myself the question; I wondered if this would be the car to break that streak. After a week with the Scorpio, and first impressions aside, this SUV was full of surprises.

STYLING

One glance at the Scorpio and it's apparent that the Indian car brand’s design philosophy is a throwback to an earlier time. From the boxy side doors to the sidewards opening rear hatch and bulbous front and rear, what at first seems like a jumble of automotive design reminded me of an early '90s Pajero.

Yes, to many, this may be unattractive as an SUV, but the fact remains that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this SUV brings out a retro vibe that I haven’t felt since my last Instagram filtered #throwbackthursday post.

INTERIOR

The interior is, in a word, simple. Hard resins and scratchy plastics abound as your hands feel about the cabin. "Interesting" choices of button placement, like the gas release being under the A/C and the window switches located in the center console beside the seats add to the incongruity it has with the typical car.

The retro vibe from the outside makes its way to the interior, too. An extremely upright driving position makes it so that you never forget that this is a truck first and it eschews any modern pretentions of being anything but. This has the advantage of making you sit relatively high, allowing you to see over most other vehicles on the road.

At least the shifter, although oddly-shaped, provides a comfortable experience; the trapezoidal shape shocked me at first, until I realized it fell to hand just about perfectly.

ENGINE PERFORMANCE

The Scorpio comes equipped with Mahindra’s 2.5-liter direct injection turbodiesel engine. It has 105hp and a decent 258Nm of torque. Power goes to the rear wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission without any option to opt for an automatic. Don’t be fooled by the 7,500rpm reading from the rev counter though, this engine hits its redline at around 4,000rpm. It boggles the mind why Mahindra would even suggest that the truck can do more than that.

Power is generally good for a truck. You will have a hard time bringing it up to highway speeds of above 100kph, but at least the engine’s torque is up to the challenge of pulling you up steep inclines and the occasional clutch-only traffic crawl.

All-in-all, it is a decent package, albeit one of the noisiest modern cars we have tried in recent memory. Ditch the horn because its diesel clatter will get people out of your path from a block away.

RIDE AND HANDLING

Handling at anything below 100kph is decent. The suspension tends to soak up our roads easily, just as you would expect an old-school SUV to do. Faster driving tends to upset the handling though. Chalk it up to the Scorpio being a very tall truck that is relatively narrow, and that sentence alone should sum up the riding experience in a nutshell.

Basically, it is a decent handling SUV. Far from the best we have tried, but the advantages of a long travel suspension and a ladder-on-frame chassis built for rough roads means that it can soak up the worst EDSA has to offer with ease.

EXTRA FEATURES

For entertainment, the Scorpio has a radio with USB and aux-in. Cooling is handled by a powerful A/C system and much like the radio, the air-con is adequate for what you need the Scorpio to do. Annoyingly, the dashboard gives you only one small readout and worse still, you have the choice of viewing your odometer or your clock, not both.

The most important feature of the Scorpio is a throwback to the AUVs of the '90s. It comes equipped with dual-bench-type rear seats. While not the largest, the high ceiling of the car allows nine adults to fit in a pinch, with headroom to spare.

THE VERDICT

It might sound basic, but I genuinely had a fun time with the Scorpio. It still gave the joy of experiencing a new car, as all new drives do. It was a great throwback to what has been lost; it’s a simple, rugged SUV at a price that puts it in direct competition against the similarly old-school Isuzu Crosswind.

So who is this truck for? Well, if you’re in the market for a rugged SUV at a price that won’t break the bank, and you are enamored by its retro charm, this may merit your consideration.

At the end of the day, Mahindra is the choice of the Philippine National Police, and that means two things: First, it is a brand that has been tested almost to destruction and has been found worthy, and secondly, spare parts should not be a problem, as government procurement generally requires aftersales to be up to par. If it’s good enough for them, it just may be good enough for you. Speak to a Mahindra expert at a dealership near you.

Article source: https://mahindramotoringmagic.tumblr.com/post/162932061948/review-mahindra-scorpio

Mahindra Thar Facelift Review

The Mahindra Thar gets a refreshed dashboard and added kit to make it more capable off-road.

What is it?

The Thar has been around for five years now. The recent facelift given to the Mahindra Thar includes a few cosmetic upgrades on the outside and the addition of a locking differential at the rear.

Up front, the plastic bumper has been designed to clear CMV regulations which state that there cannot be a gap between the front bumper and the body. Owners who had installed spaced-out alloy wheels and off-road tyres on their Thars must have faced the problem of the fenders bending under extreme articulation. This has now also been addressed with scooped-out, wider fenders unless you have gone overboard and used extra large tyres.

The soft-top is also new and made of a different material with better finish and a noticeable forward slant towards the rear. There are new wiper linkages to ensure the wiper blades and motor remain functional (the older car had an issue of the wipers hitting the rubber beading, causing stress to the motor in the long run).

It's a whole lot nicer on the inside, with a new dashboard, the steering wheel from the Bolero, and a lockable glovebox as well. The seats are now from the old Scorpio, which make them more comfortable, the wing mirrors (also from the Bolero) are better, and the instrument panel is new with a backlit odometer.

The dashboard also sits higher and accommodates the front demister to prevent the windscreen from fogging up in wet and cold weather. Also, the position of the steering wheel has been changed. It’s now moved further right, unlike the earlier car which had a slightly left-set wheel. The new steering feels better to hold and the slight shift in position helps the ergonomics as well. However, driving position is still truck-like with the raked steering wheel and high-set pedals, making long journeys quite uncomfortable.

Overall, the quality of materials is now up to Xylo or Quanto levels and it's easier to live with everyday. The quality of plastics on the restyled dash are refreshing, especially for those used to seeing the crude mass of grey on the earlier car. However, this is a far from plush environment but quite a few Thar buyers aren’t expecting many creature comforts either.

What is it like to drive?

With no major changes underneath, the Thar still drives like it used to. The 2.5-litre engine, putting out 105bhp, has enough grunt to pull you over most obstacles, evident by its performance on Mahindra’s off-road track. The addition of the differential lock has made it marginally more capable as the Thar conquers a lot more than before. The Eaton-manufactured differential lock, also used in the export Mahindra Getaways, helps send power to one wheel when the other one is airborne or stuck. However, a centre-diff lock would have added to its capability as the locking differential was of little help while climbing a mucky incline or wading through a slush pit. That said, the course laid-out for us at Mahindra’s off-road academy was not a cakewalk, and our test car shod with Maxxis Bighorn off-road tyres, along with careful driving ensured we didn’t get out of the car even once to push it. But if it were the standard road-biased Bridgestone tyres going through those obstacles, we would have been stuck for a long time. That explains the role of the right tyres while going off-road.

We wish the tiny four-wheel drive lever could have changed places as it is still in the same awkward position and takes some effort to slot in. Also, the five-speed manual gearbox is still not light or easy to use and has an inconsistent feel while slotting into gears.

Should I buy one?

The Thar has always been a functional 4X4 built for real off-roading. Its ability to negotiate rough terrain is genuine, and being tough and durable, it's perfect for the job. An iconic vehicle which has loads of character is now a touch more comfortable to sit in and use as everyday transport. The inclusion of the locking rear differential also makes it a bit more capable. It may not be as practical as a regular SUV, but as things stand today, the only other serious off-roaders are nowhere as comfortable on the road and is not available off-the-shelf. So, for those looking for a tough off-roader to use on a daily basis and are willing to accept a few compromises, the Thar is still the best option out there. Read more here.

Article source: http://www.autocarindia.com/auto-reviews/mahindra-thar-facelift-review-test-drive-396419.aspx