2023 Mahindra Scorpio

Given the low purchase price of the Mahindra comapred to its rivals, you could be mistaken in thinking the interior would be out of date and cheap in feel, however the Scorpio is actually a rather nice place to be.

Unlike most other manufacturers that go for black anywhere they can to save costs, the Scorpio's coffee-coloured dual-tone interior blends in beautifully with the dark tops on the doors and dashboard.

You won't find another car that can match the Scorpio's interior feel for the price in this segment. The steering wheel, the switchgear, the buttons across the dash and the fast and crystal clear 8.0-inch infotainment screen are all part of a package you would expect to get for at least $20,000 more.

Although the infotainment system doesn’t have built-in navigation, the ease at which Apple CarPlay connected and worked throughout out testing period made that somewhat unnecessary. We also tested the microphone by making numerous phone calls and the quality on both ends was clear and very usable.

There are some strange quirks though, like the slightly out of date USB-A charging port at the front, with the far more modern USB-C port for the kids in the second row.

It’s not really a big deal because even with the new iPhone 15’s US- C port, you can get a USB-A to -C adapter for less than $20, but it would have been nice to get a fast charger Type-C adapter at the front so that CarPlay and fast charging can happen concurrently.

Mahindra also offers the most thought-out wireless phone charger in a car we’ve seen lately. Not only did it fit and charge my iPhone 15 Pro Max without issue, it also held the device nicely in place.

This is far more than we can say even for the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Audi, which seem to have made a wireless phone charger that only works if the car never moves.

For those of us that have younger kids, we know full well how irritating it can be when they are in the back seat arguing or fighting with the other.

No matter how well-behaved your kids may be, siblings fight and one of the best thing you can do to avoid that happening is to physically seperate them on those long trips – say hello to the Mahindra Scorpio’s second and third rows.

Having what is often referred to as ‘commander’ or ‘captain’ seats in the back – which is basically taking the front seats and putting them in the back – is often reserved for the likes of the top-end Range Rover, Bentley Bentayga and Rolls-Royce Cullinan, though some mainstream brands are following suit (e.g. Hyundai Palisade).

Two front seats of a vehicle cost substantially more to make than a bench seat with three spaces. Yet, that is exactly what Mahindra offers in the Scorpio.

If you have two young kids like me, this is a feature you will grow to truly love. Fast-charging USB-C ports and separation of siblings in super comfortable commander seats. Lucky kids.

The third row is really for kids under 12, and if you do have three kids and travel as a family of five often, you would definitely want to make sure your youngest is happy to sit in the third row.

I put my nine-year-old son in there and he didn’t mind it one bit until his iPad ran out of charge and the cable from the second row wasn’t long enough – then the world ended.

With all three rows in use, the boot of the Scorpio isn’t all that practical but it will easily fit the week’s grocery or a couple of small carry on suitcases. Fold the third row flat and you will get a substantial 686L of luggage space.

The only annoying aspect of the boot is the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen style side-hinged door, opening from left to right. This looks cool and is very practical if you have a low ceiling or minimum height requirement in your garage, but it can have the inverse effect of making it harder to open if your garage length is limited.

The Mahindra Scorpio's exterior design is modern but can be considered a little generic. The front very much resembles a sophisticated SUV that could easily be from a European manufacturer but the rear end and the quirky vertical taillights may not be everyone's taste. Nonetheless, pick it with a neutral colour and the Scorpio blends in with traffic.

Mahindra could have gone cheap and produced a product more befitting of the price, but the Scorpio’s suspension setup is the same a the Ford Everest, thanks to its double wishbone setup at the front and Watt’s link system at the rear.

We took the Scorpio for a solid drive around Brisbane’s inner-city and suburban roads while also giving it a genuinely solid go off-road – on both occasions, the Scorpio never missed a beat.

The Scorpio can go places most owners would never intend to take it. In other words, it’s more capable off-road than the average buyer will ever need.

However, if you’re not into off-roading, we deem it best you freshen up on an introductory course before you take your Mahindra to the outback, but for a trip to Fraser Island or your local beach, the Scorpio won’t miss a beat.

For the 99.99 per cent of use cases on-road, the engine and transmission work seamlessly for a driving experience that never feels inadequate or lacking in go, while the ride and compliance over bumpy roads is arguably better than some more expensive rivals in the segment.

The road handling capabilities of the Scorpio are also as you would expect from a vehicle its size. It steers and goes without feeling heavy or learning into corners more than desired. It also has a modern dual-pinion electronic power steering system, making parking a far easier job than more old-fashioned systems found in some rivals.

The Scorpio utilises a system that Mahindra calls ‘Frequency Dependent Damping’, which sees it remain largely composed over both a singular bump with high damping force and bumpier roads with low damping force.

The base model Z8 comes with a 4.2-inch monochrome digital instrument cluster but still gains a great 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Step up to the Z8L and it will come equipped with a much nicer 7.0-inch colour digital instrument cluster as well as wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto on top of a 12-speaker Sony sound system and wireless phone charger.

With all three rows in use, the boot of the Scorpio isn’t all that practical but it will easily fit the week’s grocery or a couple of small carry on suitcases. Fold the third row flat and you will get a substantial 686L of luggage space.