Mahindra Scorpio 2023 review - off-road test

In the large diesel-powered 4WD space, the Scorpio is a bargain, even if it is more medium SUV-sized in real terms, only qualifying for the next size up on something of a technicality based on its height, rather than its length.

It arrives in two trim levels, both riding on an all-new platform and featuring a 2.2-litre diesel (129kW and 400Nm) and six-speed Aisin automatic transmission.

The Scorpio range is made up of two variants, the Z8 and Z8 L.

The range opens with the Scorpio Z8, which is $41,990 drive-away until June 30 - significantly undercutting its competitors in the diesel 4WD category.

It arrives with 18-inch alloy wheels, LED front lighting – including the DRLs, fog lights and sequential indicators – a sunroof and skid plates.

Inside is an 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There’s a coffee-coloured synthetic leather theme – the only interior treatment available – along with an 8.0-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a second, smaller screen in the driver’s binnacle, USB-A and USB-C charging in the first and second rows, and dual-zone climate control.

Stepping up to the top-spec Scorpio Z8L ($44,990 drive-away until June 30) adds a 12-speaker Sony stereo, wireless device charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a six-way powered driver’s seat and a bigger 7.0-inch colour display in the driver’s binnacle.

The top-spec Scorpio Z8L features a wireless charging pad.

Both models get a 2.5-tonne braked towing capacity and arrive with a heap of proper off-road kit including shift-on-the-fly 4WD with high and low range, a mechanical locking differential, and the brand’s '4XPLOR' terrain management system with 'Snow', 'Mud', 'Sand' and 'Normal' modes.

But while well-equipped in most areas, both Scorpio models are short on active safety kit. We'll come back to that in a moment.

First, let's start with a little math. The Scorpio qualifies for large SUV status because of its cubic size, or by adding its height, width and length together.

It's something of a technicality, then, because the Scorpio is among the shortest vehicles in that class, but it's also among the tallest, which means the numbers still add up.

The Scorpio measures 4662mm in length, 1917mm in width and 1857mm in height, and it rides on a 2750mm wheelbase. That's a fair bit shorter than a Prado (4995mm) for example, or a Pajero Sport (4825mm). In fact, it's closer to a Subaru Forester (4640mm).

Inside, the Scorpio is strict six-seater (for now) with captain's chairs in the second row, and two more seats in the third. 

The captain's chairs are comfy and spacious.

It’s location, location, location in the Scorpio. The space in the first two rows is ample, and then some. And I for one am a fan of the six-seat arrangement. 

Sure, you can carry more people with seven seats. But when you’ve got your two kids riding behind you, don’t you want them as far away from each other as possible?

Even for adults the captain's chairs are comfy and spacious, and there’s no awkward knee or shoulder rubbing with someone sitting in the middle.

The third row, though, is tight and sparse. This is a child-zone only, and even the stepped-up roof can’t create enough space back there for adults to be truly comfy. 

I'm 175cm and my knees were in constant contact with the seat in front, and my head with the roof, ensuring it's not somewhere I'd want to spend too much time. 

The Scorpio is strictly a six-seater.

Open the side-hinged tailgate to access the boot, and you'll find a virtual non-existent space with the third row of seats in place. But you can either fold most rear seats down, or tumble them completely forward, to maximise the floor to ceiling room.

With the third row tumbled, Mahindra says you'll find 756L of space packed to the bottom of the windows, or 686L with the second and third row folded flat (they don't fold completely away). 

Mahindra doesn't have a number for boot space with all seats in place, but we'd estimate around 100 litres, or enough for a small travel bag.

Towing is listed at 2.5 tonnes (braked), while ground clearance is 227mm.

I think you'll be surprised by the Scorpio, especially if you've driven earlier Mahindra product.

While vehicles like the Pikup are massively agricultural, the Scorpio really isn't, with refinement, road noise, ride and comfort (in the first two rows, at least) about on par with most of its competition, and probably better than some of them.

The Scorpio could use a little more grunt.

This is an off-road focused SUV, so dynamic handling isn't going to be its strongest suit, but Mahindra has done a solid job of ironing out body roll, and the long-travel suspension does a good job of absorbing road bumps, too.

Road noise is kept fairly quiet, too (not so much the diesel engine, though) and the steering, which is super light and pretty vague at slow speeds, firms up nicely at speed.

We were surprised at how capable and refined the Scorpio feels.

There are some quirks, though. For one, when you take your foot of the accelerator then ease it back on again – as when you're trying to maintain a constant speed on a highway – the lightest touch of the go pedal elicits a kind of shudder/thump that you feel though your foot. I'm sure you get used to it, but it's noticeable your first time out.

The reversing camera is absolutely abysmal, and the steering is so light at slow speeds it feels like there's suddenly a ton of slack on-centre, which doesn't inspire confidence, either. 

The Scorpio handled some pretty challenging inclines with ease.

I'd also like to see it with just a bit more grunt. The 400Nm sounds okay on paper, but while it never feels woefully underpowered, the Scorpio would be a better, more responsive drive with just a bit more power under foot. 

But perhaps the most impressive thing about the Scorpio is how it transitions from tarmac to off-highway terrain, with seemingly little in the way of compromise. 

This is an off-road focused SUV, so dynamic handling isn't going to be its strongest suit.

It's not going to be the most capable 4WD in the market - it's low body height will hinder the really hard stuff - but we threw stock-standard Scorpios at some pretty challenging inclines, deep off-centre ruts and grass, and the on-board 4WD kit handled it all with ease.

Honestly, we were surprised at how capable and refined the Scorpio feels. And I suspect you will be, too. 

Mahindra will back the Scorpio with a seven-year/150,000km warranty, with servicing required every 12 months or 15,000km. Seven years of roadside assistance is thrown in, too.

There will be capped-price servicing, but the brand is still working out the details, and whether it will stretch five or seven years.