Mahindra has launched the all new Sorpio in India – Deliveries will start a few months later
This month marks 20th anniversary of the Scorpio. Despite its age, it has grown longer in its tooth to compete against the current crop of SUVs. Having a fan following like this puts a lot of pressure on Scorpio-N as it has to fill its predecessor’s shoes. But Scorpio-N will tear the whole shoe apart. Because the newer model belongs to the bigger D1 SUV segment. It is not only bigger but also looks vastly superior in terms of quality, premiumness, features, creature comforts and technology.
It measures 4662 mm in length, 1917 mm in width, 1870 mm in height and has a decent wheelbase of 2750 mm. Even though Scorpio-N has gotten shorter than the Scorpio Classic it replaces, Mahindra did the right thing as the shorter height makes it more proportionate in design. Scorpio-N gets a 2.0L petrol engine making 200 bhp and 370 Nm and gets a 6-speed manual and automatic gearbox options. The 2.2L diesel makes 130 bhp and 300 Nm of torque in lower variants and 172 bhp and 370 Nm in the higher variants. It is coupled to either a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox and also gets 4WD option in higher variants.
We pit it against its logical 6/7 seater competitors like Mahindra’s own XUV700, Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus and carrying decades-old rivalry, its arch-rival Tata Safari. We have other D1 SUVs like Tata Harrier, but since they’re only 5-seaters, we haven’t included them in the list.
Mahindra Scorpio N vs Mahindra XUV700
XUV700 is currently the highest-selling vehicle in this segment and also has a ridiculous waiting period of up to 20 months for some variants. XUV700 is a monocoque SUV with front-wheel-drive (FWD) architecture unlike Scorpio-N with ladder-frame construction, traditional rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and also has a 4WD system. XUV700 gets an AWD option too, sending power to all 4 wheels. XUV700 is 33 mm longer than Scorpio-N but where the latter blows punches are width and height. Scorpio-N is 27 mm wider and is a whopping 115 mm taller than the XUV700 owing to its ladder-frame construction.
XUV700 comes with a 2.0L TGDi petrol engine making 197 bhp and 380 Nm and a 2.2L CRDi diesel engine making 153 bhp and 360 Nm in base models and 182 bhp and 420 Nm in higher variants. XUV700 gets both manual and automatic options with both petrol and diesel engines. For comparison sakes, we take 7-seater models of XUV700 and they start from Rs. 16.53 for AX3 Diesel MT 7-seater going all the way up to Rs. 24.58 lakh for AX7 Diesel AT AWD Luxury Pack 7-seater (all prices ex-sh). Whereas the base Z2 petrol MT variant of Scorpio-N costs Rs. 11.99 lakh and will rise as we go upwards.
Mahindra Scorpio N vs Tata Safari
Finally, we have Safari which is its arch-rival for decades. An epic battle carried forward through generations. But Tata’s newest Safari has lost its quintessentially SUV traits in favour of a much more premium and sophisticated experience with Land Rover’s Omega Arc platform. It is monocoque and FWD, but with enough demand, Tata can easily throw in an AWD system making it rough-road worthy. But the Scorpio-N is more hardcore with its construction. This splits the buyers between Scorpio-N’s ruggedness and Safari’s sophisticated drive.
Safari measures 4661 mm in length, 1894 mm in width, 1786 mm in height and has a 2741 mm wheelbase. This makes the upcoming Scorpio-N larger than its arch-rival in every single dimension. Safari gets a sole diesel engine that is a 2.0L unit sourced from Stellantis that also does duties on MG Hector and Jeep Compass. It makes 168 bhp and 350 Nm. This engine is coupled to either a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox. Safari has been spotted testing a petrol engine that might debut by the end of 2022. Safari starts from Rs. 15.25 lakh for the base XE MT and goes all the way to Rs. 23.46 lakh for XZA Plus Gold 6S AT. Base Z2 petrol MT variant of Scorpio-N costs Rs. 11.99 lakh and will rise as we go upwards.
Mahindra Scorpio N vs MG Hector Plus
Hector Plus is 58 mm longer, 82 mm narrower and 110 mm shorter than Scorpio-N and has a wheelbase of 2750 mm that is similar to Scorpio-N. Hector Plus gets a 1.5L turbo petrol engine making 141 bhp and 250 Nm and higher petrol variants get a mild hybrid system with regenerative braking and stop/start system. It also gets the 2.0L Stellantis (parent to Fiat-Chrysler) sourced diesel engine making 168 bhp and 350 Nm. Petrol engine gets both manual and automatic options but diesel variants only get a manual.
Prices start from Rs. 14.65 lakh for Style Petrol MT and go up to Rs. 20.94 lakh for Sharp Diesel MT (all prices ex-sh). Whereas the base Z2 petrol MT variant of Scorpio-N costs Rs. 11.99 lakh and will rise as we go upwards. It is a monocoque platform with a FWD layout.
Mahindra Scorpio N vs Hyundai Alcazar
Even though Alcazar is just a stretched Creta and should compete with Kia Carens and Maruti Suzuki XL6 and the likes, Hyundai has positioned it as a premium SUV. It has a monocoque platform that gets a FWD layout. Forget 4X4, like the Creta it is based on, it doesn’t even get an AWD system. In terms of size, Mahindra’s Big Daddy of SUVs completely annihilates Alcazar in terms of length, width and height. It is a whopping 162 mm longer, 127 mm wider and a crazy 195 mm taller than the Alcazar. But Alcazar has a 2760 mm wheelbase that is 10 mm longer than Scorpio-N.
Alcazar gets a 2.0L MPi petrol engine making 157 bhp and 191 Nm and a 1.5L CRDi diesel engine making 113 bhp and 250 Nm. Alcazar gets both manual and automatic options with both petrol and diesel engines. The pricing for base model Prestige petrol MT starts from Rs. 16.44 lakh going all the way to Rs. 20.25 lakh for Signature (O) diesel AT (all prices ex-sh). Whereas base Z2 petrol MT variant of Scorpio-N costs Rs. 11.99 lakh and will rise as we go upwards.
