STAR OF INDIA

MAHINDRA AIMS TO SHAKE UP THE MIDSIZE 4X4 WAGON MARKET WITH ITS BUDGET-PRICE SCORPIO

- MATT RAUDONIKIS

INDIAN Automotive giant Mahindra has launched its 2023 Scorpio in Australia, with sales commencing immediately from its 40-strong national dealer network. 

With special introductory pricing from $41,990 drive away for the Scorpio Z8 and $44,990 drive away for the Z8L, the Scorpio is priced to sell.

WHAT IS IT?

THE Scorpio is a three-row, 4x4 wagon that competes with the likes of Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, Toyota Fortuner, Ssangyong Rexton, Isuzu MU-X, Ford Everest and even the venerable Toyota Prado.

Whereas its competitors are available with seven (or even eight) seats, the Scorpio only has seating for six across its three rows, with a pair of bucket seats that accommodate two passengers in the second row. Mahindra says there will eventually be a seven-seat version in the future, but no timeline has been confirmed. The Scorpio is smaller than most of those aforementioned competitors, and is probably closest to the Fortuner and Pajero Sport in size, both inside and out. It’s a body-on-frame five-door wagon powered by a new version of Mahindra’s 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine, a powerplant that would be familiar to those who have driven the Pik-Up ute.

For use in the Scorpio the mHawk engine now features an aluminium block and cylinder head, with higher pressure fuel injection and revised turbocharger, resulting in claimed peak power output of 129kW and a relatively modest peak torque output of 400Nm. In that regard it is again more of a competitor to the Pajero Sport and MU-X than the Fortuner or Everest, the latter two making 500Nm. Fuel consumption for the Scorpio is a claimed 7.2L/100km, but it has a paltry 57-litre fuel tank.