2018 Mahindra Scorpio facelift – I got more power!!

What Mac burger is to McDonalds, the Scorpio is to Mahindra. This is a company’s tried and tested vehicle that has a lot of fan following. Of course, there is also the Big Mac, the XUV500 but it is the smaller one that is in good demand. An SUV that redefined the company’s image. From being a company that made Armada and Bolero to the new Scorpio. Those were the early days when Indian car market was booming. There were old models of European car brands and there wasn’t anything in the SUV, except the Safari. This also had its own set of issues and performance we a major concern. The Scorpio in 2001 added a breath of fresh air.

Mahindra is on a verge on revamping all its products. First came the TUV300 with a new variant, then the KUV100 with NXT and now the 2018 Mahindra Scorpio facelift. This is the new-gen SUV that was launched in 2014, and has got a timely update. The changes are more mechanical and some minor cosmetic upgrades too. What does the Scorpio have on offer? Is it more features or better performance? Any additional features that make it a lot more appealing?

Design

Mahindra has made many changes on the KUV100 and the TUV300 that makes it look better. More evolved. The Scorpio already looked good and now it gets some minor changes. To begin with, an all new front grille, which resembles the Genio. Many will even relate it to the Jeep Compass as well. The headlamps are smoked out and double barrel ones. There is daytime running LEDs that make it look stylish. There is an air scoop on the bonnet. The other change is the new front bumper and additional chrome on the front fogs.

Moving to the side, not much has changed there. There are the same 17-inch tyres, but the alloy wheels are all new. The black roof rails continue and the Scorpio embossing on the side. The rear gets a new chrome strip, which is like a small moustache — sometime like Charlie Chaplin. An integrated spoiler and the side swinging rear door.

Interior

Walk into the cabin and there isn’t a major change. The same steering wheel is carried forward. This is a lot like the wheel on the XUV500. There is audio controls on the left and cruise control on the right. The right hand side of the driver are controls for front defogger, mirror adjustment and of course key slot. There is no push start stop for a vehicle of this price. The instrument cluster has a basic twin dial set-up and driver information system only two trips and gear-indicator in the binnacle. This is light blue backlit.

The centre console has AC vents, followed by the same touchscreen system with reverse camera and dynamic assist when parking. Then it is the climate control. There is no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay on offer. There is distance to empty and mileage on the touchscreen. In terms of practicality, there are other issues too. For instance, the door pocket cannot be accessed until it is opened. Front doors cannot hold any bottles. The glovebox is fairly small and two bottles can be placed in the centre, besides the hand brake. The rear door pockets can hold 1-litre bottles and there is a cupholder on the floor with the rear AC vents. The positioning is incorrect and cups can easily slide and spill.

The front seats have decent support and are more like a chair. You sit on it. Both the front seats have individual foldable arm rests. The view is commanding and one of the best for any SUV. There is faux leather on the top model with some fabric inserts too. The second row isn’t spacious, but it is just manageable. The second row seating isn’t very comfortable. This makes it a tad difficult to sit comfortable on long trips. The back support needs some more padding. The third row of seats are jump. Good headroom but just sufficient knee room for tall people when two people sit.

Engine and Transmission

The same 2.2-litre mHawk continues but with additional power. This engine now churns about 140bhp of power and close to 320Nm of peak torque. The power is bumped by 20bhp and 40Nm. The transmission is now a six-speed. This is the biggest change and the XUV500 has been transferred to the Scorpio. The 2018 Mahindra Scorpio facelift is available with three power ratings, the S3 gets 75bhp version, then the 120bhp is available on S5 and S7. The S7 even has 140bhp version and even the S11. All have five-speed manual except the 140bhp version. There is no automatic on offer at the moment.

The ease of driving the engine exists on the Scorpio. The power band is between 1300rpm to 3000rpm. After the engine revs without much torque or power. This is a good thing about this engine. As there is power at low speeds, it is very easy to drive in the city. There is sufficient performance from the engine. The engine is noisy and there is vibrations on the gear lever. The gear lever isn’t rubbery and has a smooth shift. There is some struggle when you put it in the reverse gear, which makes it a tad difficult to drive in.

Driving Dynamics

The ride quality of the Scorpio is the same. There has been an improvement for the new generation, but nothing has changed for the facelift. The front row seats offer good enough support, while the rear seats do get a bit bumpy on bad roads. The jump seats isn’t the most comfortable place to be.

The handling of the vehicle is decent. It is a ideal to drive this vehicle upto 120km/hr, post that it gets bumpy. There isn’t much confidence at that speed. The steering feedback is good enough.

Verdict

The 2018 Mahindra Scorpio facelift is a good package if you are looking at driving in the city and need something big and powerful. However, it isn’t a good value for money. There aren’t many features, the quality needs improvement and rear seat comfort, could have been better. With all the aspects, the Scorpio does need a new design and Mahindra will have to go back to the drawing board. The competition has caught up and even the XUV500 is a better value for money package today.

Also Read: Mahindra XUV500 Facelift Coming Soon

2018 Mahindra Scorpio facelift Price in India

The Mahindra Scorpio facelift has been priced between ₹ 9.88 lakhs to ₹ 16.14 lakhs (ex-showroom). This is the price for all the models starting from S3 to S11 4WD. There hasn’t been a major change in the pricing. But the 140bhp engine gets a minor hike in its pricing. The pricing is shared below.