Mahindra Scorpio-N launched

The all-new Mahindra Scorpio-N has been launched at a starting price of ₹ 11.99 lakh for the entry level petrol MT, going up to ₹ 19.49 lakh for the top-spec diesel-MT variant (all prices, ex-showroom, India). Bookings will officially open on July 30, 2022, and the Scorpio-N automatic line-up’s prices will be revealed on July 21.

The brand has said the prices announced are only for the first 25,000 bookings. The new Scorpio-N is a significant step up over its predecessor, in terms of price and positioning; the latter will be renamed the Scorpio Classic and continue to be sold alongside the new model.

The Scorpio-N comes with the 2.0 turbo-petrol and the 2.2 diesel, the latter being in two states of tune.

The 203hp petrol engine produces 370Nm and 380Nm in the manual and automatic variants, respectively. The 2.2 diesel engine, in its lower state of tune, produces 132hp and 300Nm of torque, while in the higher state of tune, it makes 175hp and 370Nm (manual)/400Nm (automatic). Like the XUV700, the 175hp, 2.2 diesel Scorpio-N gets three on-road drive modes — Zip, Zap and Zoom — where peak power is produced only in Zap and Zoom modes. In Zip mode, the power is limited to 138hp.

All three engines come with a 6-speed manual gearbox as standard, while the higher-spec diesel and turbo-petrol engine can also be paired to a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The Scorpio-N comes with rear-wheel drive as standard, but the higher-spec diesel variants can also be had with a four-wheel-drive. In terms of off-road hardware, it gets mechanical locking rear differential, ESP-based brake locking front differential, an independent front suspension system and a five-link rear suspension.

The Scorpio-N also gets four terrain modes — Normal, Grass/Gravel/ Snow, Mud/Rut, and Sand — for Mahindra’s new 4 XPLOR 4WD system with a low-range mode.

The new Scorpio-N is available in five trims — Z2, Z4, Z6, Z8 and Z8 Luxury. The petrol engine is available on Z2, Z4, Z8 and Z8L trims with a manual gearbox as standard, while the automatic gearbox will be offered from the Z4 trim onwards.

Coming to the diesel, the 132hp, 2.2 diesel engine is available on the base Z2 and Z4 trims with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel-drive guise only. 

Meanwhile, the 175hp diesel version is offered on the Z4, Z6, Z8 and Z8 luxury trims, with both manual and automatic gearboxes. While four-wheel drive will be offered on all manual variants from Z4 onwards, for the automatic versions, it will only be available on the higher-spec Z8 and Z8 luxury trims.

The new Scorpio-N looks unmistakably like an evolution of its predecessor. It is now much better-rounded and also looks upmarket. It is 206mm longer and 97mm wider, but is 125mm lower in height. The wheelbase too has increased by 70mm.

It is a lot more premium on the inside too. It comes with a dual-tone dashboard that gets an 8-inch touchscreen with AdrenoX infotainment system, glossy black and silver accents and an upright design for the dashboard. All versions of the Scorpio-N come with a 7-seat configuration as standard, while only the top-spec Z8 Luxury trim can be had in a 6-seat configuration, with captain’s seats for the middle row. 

In terms of features, top variants get dual-zone climate control, analog dials with a large coloured MID, front and rear camera, auto start-stop, cruise control, Type-C USB ports for the first and second row, keyless go, wireless charging, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, 12-speaker 3D Sony sound system and connected car features. It also gets Alexa-enabled What3Word that lets one set their location with just a three-word combination. 

Safety features include up to six airbags, ESP, traction control system, hill-hold control, hill-descent control, tire pressure monitoring system, driver drowsiness detection system and more.