Mahindra Scorpio N

It is yet another version of the new Mahindra Scorpio N that we have driven and tested. The engine in question is the TGDi mStallion which can be had with a six-speed manual or a six-speed torque converter automatic. It's the latter that we are driving here. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder has an output of 200bhp at 5,000rpm and a torque supply of 380Nm accessible from 1,750rpm. After the diesel automatic, we have sampled this powertrain extensively as well. Here’s what we found out. 

On the surface, there’s no difference between the Scorpio N oil burner and this petrol counterpart. You sit tall and towering over the other road users, thanks to its commanding position. There’s a large and meaty steering placed over the characteristic upright dashboard. The steering wheel is taken from the XUV700 but the large floating panel which integrates the instrument cluster and infotainment screen in the XUV is given a miss here. Instead, you get the old-school circular dials with a digital screen stacked in the middle. We love the large and supportive seats of the new Scorpio N, especially for the front passengers. They offer the right amount of support and electric adjustment, plus have an added level of leeway which will surely add to the comfort for long-distance touring. Ergonomically, the front row also scores well, thanks to the large armrest, cascading centre console with easy reach to the buttons, and a good sense of space and visibility all around. On the flip side, the buttons and knobs could have done better with a tactile feel to them. Mahindra has surely worked towards improving the quality of the cabin and it shows. There are soft-touch materials used all around and even the plastic looks more premium rather than sturdy and utilitarian. The use of dark brown and black combination in the cabin makes it look much more affluent as well, especially when compared to the older Scorpio. Add to it the piano black inserts and brushed metal garnishes and it looks like a good place to be in. 

Even the second row has a good amount of space and comfort. Earlier we sampled the bench for the second row, but for this review, we had the captain seats in the middle row with the six-seater configuration. There’s an armrest and recline function as well, so those who prefer to be chauffeured around often would love to opt for this one over the seven-seater bench seats.  You can also walk between the two seats to access the third row, or fold one of the seats with its one-touch tumble to get there. However, the third row is front-facing only (not jump seats), with little room for your knees. There’s no option of pushing the middle seat for making more space either and the backrest is too upright for comfort. Even the knees need to be propped up uncomfortably for an adult with no under-thigh support whatsoever. So, these seats are best used for kids.  

Now, the new Scorpio N offers a lot in terms of features and equipment. This Z8 range-topping trim offers an eight-inch touchscreen paired with a Sony sound system. It gets Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity as well. There’s an electric adjustment for seats, auto headlamps and electric ORVMs, automatic climate control with two zones, front and rear camera with parking sensors, and a large sunroof. Safety is taken care of by six airbags, ABS and ESP, hill hold function, ISOFIX anchor points, all-four disc brakes, and driver drowsiness alert. But there are a few important features that the Scorpio N has left out. The most prominent ones are ventilated seats, auto-dimming IRVM, steering adjustment for reach, and a 360-degree camera. 

If the diesel-powered Scorpio N felt silent, vibration-free, and refined, this mStallion-powered one is many notches higher. There’s barely any indication that the engine is idling inside the cabin. Get going and there’s a good surge in power delivery right from the word go. In terms of numbers, the petrol engine is just 20Nm shy of what you get from the diesel. So, this petrol engine has no troubles whatsoever while propelling the 2-tonne ladder-on-frame SUV. It never feels underpowered and can maintain highway speeds as easily as it can plod around in city traffic.  

With close to 200bhp at disposal, the Scorpio N also feels fast when pushed. Combine it with the colossal size and weight, pushing this three-row SUV feels like sitting atop the Sisyphus boulder as it's tumbling down the hill. When tested against our VBox, the Scorpio Petrol Automatic registered a 0-100kmph time of 10.44 seconds. To give you a perspective, the much lighter and smaller 90bhp Swift did the same run in 11.75 seconds. And the new-gen Skoda Octavia with its 188bhp petrol engine posted a time of 9.03 seconds. The Scorpio N even sprinted to 60kmph from the standstill in a rather quick 4.94 seconds (Octavia did it in 4.2 seconds).  

Complementing the low-end grunt of the petrol engine is the six-speed torque converter gearbox. It tends to hold the gear a little under 2,000rpm to get you the right amount of grunt each time. It isn’t quick shifting and might take its time to jump into the right gear when stomped. But for everyday driving, the shifts are seamless and barely noticeable on light throttle inputs. Unlike the diesel Scorpio N we sampled earlier, there’re no Zip-Zap-Zoom drive modes here. But you won’t need it either. The engine is predictable as well as usable for almost any given driving condition. In our roll-on acceleration test, it took 5.98 seconds for the 20kmph-80kmph run. Whereas for the 40-100kmph push, it took 7.55 seconds.  

Over the older Scorpio (which is now sold as the Scorpio Classic), the steering on the N has taken a quantum jump in terms of feel and response. It remains light at slow speeds but doesn’t feel too disconnected. So, manoeuvring such a huge car doesn’t feel cumbersome at any point. And when the speed rises, it remains consistent and quick giving you more confidence behind the wheel than you’d expect from a three-row, ladder-on-frame, seven-seater SUV. Even the body movements are present but are much controlled. There’s some vertical travel you’d expect from a body-on-frame SUV, but the N absorbs everything that comes its way with good composure. You won’t have to brake or slow down for small potholes, small speed bumps, and over the surfaces where the civilisation of paved roads hasn’t reached yet.  

Naturally, the petrol-powered Scorpio N isn't as fuel efficient as the diesel model. In our fuel economy tests, we got 8.34kmpl in the city and 11.17kmpl on the highway for the petrol automatic version which means it will be an expensive affair for those with a lot of usage. 

For an SUV its size, diesel is the preferred fuel thanks to its freight-train-like torque delivery. It also adds a bit of a rugged feel and since big cars do more cross country, the diesel engine is always reasonable on your pocket. So, the Scorpio with its not-so-frugal petrol engine isn’t for everyone. But those who want the Scorpio for its size (read road presence) and cabin space, and won’t be doing many miles outside the city, can surely look at the petrol powertrain. Moreover, there’s a surge in petrol-powered SUVs in the market of late as diesel has become as expensive as petrol in the recent past. Feature-wise, there aren’t any differences between the oil burner and this, except you don’t get drive modes here. But the petrol-powered N is around Rs1 lakh cheaper than the diesel.  So, if you have a yearly usage of fewer than 15,000 kilometres, this petrol-powered Scorpio N would make more sense.  

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi