Mahindra Scorpio

The interior cabin of the Mahindra Scorpio has come a long way in all these years, and while it now features a contemporary layout and presence of modern features, it still lacks the finesse of its rivals and similarly priced other cars.

The all grey dashboard has its upper layer finished in black, and so are the seats. The multifunctional steering wheel with U-shaped centre boss having silver inserts looks premium, and so does the blue backlit instrument console which is quite informative. The almost vertical centre console houses a touchscreen infotainment system with rectangular AC vents above it and buttons for climate control below it. The door panels are almost flat and lack bottle holders which makes it feel utilitarian.

Apart from the touchscreen audio system and climate control, the Mahindra Scorpio packs in some few more goodies like AC vents for all the three rows, height-adjustable steering wheel and driver’s seat, cruise control, and faux leather upholstery, however, it could have done with more features. And while it is spacious for seven passengers with ample headroom and knee room, the last row with bench seats are best suited for only kids.

The Mahindra Scorpio is one of the very few big sized SUVs in its segment which have a brawny appeal and mighty road presence of a proper full-sized SUV. While it is not as premium as other bug sized SUVs, it certainly commands attention on the road.

At the front, the Mahindra Scorpio has got an intimidating stance with a high front bonnet and broad hexagonal front grille with multiple block-shaped chrome inserts. The block-shaped blackened headlamps with projector units and swanky daytime running LEDs above them add some premium appeal at the front.

The boxy and conventional appeal of the Mahindra Scorpio is evident in its best when viewed from the sides. The high ground clearance, large roof rails, bulging up roofline, large 17-inch alloy wheels with prominent arches above them and large window panels do make it look muscular and large, and unabashedly old school as well.

The Mahindra Scorpio has a big and bulky looking rear end, which is almost flat, thanks to a large and almost vertical flat rear windscreen, vertical tail lamps with LED inserts and two round bulges and a chrome appliqué on the boot.

With independent double-wishbone type suspension at the front and multi-link coil spring suspension at the rear, the Mahindra Scorpio has a good low-speed ride. However, despite the rear suspension having anti-roll bars, the boxy stance and slightly vague steering does not inspire good confidence for maneuvering at higher speeds.

Powering the Mahindra Scorpio is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel engine, which produces 140 PS of power and 320 Nm of torque. The engine is coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, with the Scorpio getting both the options of a front-wheel-drive as well as rear-wheel-drive layouts.

The Mahindra Scorpio is armed with only the basics of the safety features, the list of which includes dual front airbags, ABS, reverse parking sensors, reverse camera and tire pressure monitoring system.

The Mahindra Scorpio might have too impressive plushness in its overall interior feel, with built to cost features and panels. However, for exhibiting unadulterated road presence and a big and bulky stance, it surely is one attention garner and is a blessing for those who want a big vehicle at a lesser price. With a torquey engine under its hood, the Mahindra Scorpio has the ability of a good mile muncher in all kinds of terrains.