Test Driven - The new Scorpio

[Boom Shiva]

Hey good review Durvasa. Have to say I'm very disappointed if they haven't managed to sort out the handling, even after all that hype. Will have to test drive it myself to see the difference I guess.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by durvasa

6: Steering is as easy as a mid-sizedl car but when I drove on a dirt track (between airport road and Microsoft/Dell offices) at above 30Kph, at times I felt that steering wheel momentarily lost all relationship with wheels. It was scary!! I would like feedback from others if they felt the same,

7: Suspension is as good/or as bad as before. I drove the earlier Scorpio CRDE too but I frankly did not see any difference. My wife who was sitting on the middle seat complained of backache within 20 min of test-drive.

Man! this is really sad. I thought they would resolve this, but looks like they didn't care.

BTW, good review durvasa.

[DRC]

Great write up Durvasa!
That's exactly what I wanted to say about the test drive, but too lazy to write a review.

On the handling, roll, I had not driven a old scorpio. But the other SUV I have tried out is a Endy. Compared to endy, new scorp rolls a lot. and That funny steering is in deed scary.

[suman]

Guys, ACI April issue carries their "Rock & Roll" test results where they put 5 SUV/MUVs through the Elk (test of car stability by effecting sudden double-lane change manouveres) & Slalom (snaking through 7 cones placed 100 feet apart) tests. Here are the results (best to worst) total points out of 5 -

Toyota Innova - 4.5
Chevrolet Tavera - 3
Mahindra Scorpio (New) - 2.5
Mahindra Scorpio (Old) - 2
Tata Safari - 1.5.

Interesting........

[goldie_malhotra]

Originally Posted by suman

Guys, ACI April issue carries their "Rock & Roll" test results where they put 5 SUV/MUVs through the Elk (test of car stability by effecting sudden double-lane change manouveres) & Slalom (snaking through 7 cones placed 100 feet apart) tests. Here are the results (best to worst) total points out of 5 -

Toyota Innova - 4.5
Chevrolet Tavera - 3
Mahindra Scorpio (New) - 2.5
Mahindra Scorpio (Old) - 2
Tata Safari - 1.5.

Interesting........

"Rock and Roll" -

The results are not very surprising though - the Safari is the most dodgiest handler, and the Scorpio(old) is only a notch higher.

The Innova on the other hand, handles almost like a sedan - very stable, precise and confident.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by goldie_malhotra

The results are not very surprising though - the Safari is the most dodgiest handler.

Somebody should teach them how to drive. I'll be happy to do the test for them.

On the other hand, the Scorpio with a shorter and squarer wheelbase should be able to take the slalom better than the longer Safari. High speed stability is another issue.

[zaphod]

Is the leg room fo rthe middle row any better - Ive found that to be another problem with any 7 seater mahindra.

As for the roll, I;ve driven the 1st gen scorpio and boy , did it feel scary over a 80-100 - I;ve been spoilt by my uber-low esteem....I hope the new one feels more composed and stable

but any improvements by these bunch of automotive jokers is good...anything is an improvement over their previos models.

[bigman]

Originally Posted by suman

Guys, ACI April issue carries their "Rock & Roll" test results where they put 5 SUV/MUVs through the Elk (test of car stability by effecting sudden double-lane change manouveres) & Slalom (snaking through 7 cones placed 100 feet apart) tests. Here are the results (best to worst) total points out of 5 -

Toyota Innova - 4.5
Chevrolet Tavera - 3
Mahindra Scorpio (New) - 2.5
Mahindra Scorpio (Old) - 2
Tata Safari - 1.5.

Interesting........

I am a bit surprised at those results especially with the Safari falling below even the old Scorpio. Everyone I have ever spoken with always claims the Safari was better at such manouveres and did not roll like the Scorpio.

I fail to see why the Innova and Tavera were included in the test as in my view they are MUV. It would have been intersting if they had used a few more SUV type vehicles maybe the Endeavour and a Prado or Pajero to see if the Rock & Roll effect is any better with more expensive vehicles or it is just a case of having to live with these problems with SUV, due to the higher centre of gravity.

[trinadha]

Originally Posted by netarchie

Hi all,

Yesterday I got the opportunity to test drive the new Mahindra Scorpio.
This was the first time I had stepped into an SUV. The feeling was indeed great.

netarchie
indica DLS 2002

so this means you have not driven a suv before so... definitely your review does not impress me.....you have to know the older scorpio if you want to compare all new scorpio crde to older crde/non crde.....

[zulfikar]

GOOD REVIEW...
BUT is it worth spending 9.6L on road for scopio...

[durvasa]

Thanks guys for encouragement.

post-Introduction, prices have increased by around 12-13K for the top SLX for additional set of alloys, not there earlier. For the lower two models, price has gone up by 3-4K. In bangalore at least, SLX is at 9.6L+, with no possibility of any discount for the time being, as there is a waiting period of 4-8 weeks, .

Some more observations:

1: I don't think the middle-row seat play (extent of slide) is very long. But then at my average height, I found it comfortable anyway. It seems that Indian car makers know Indian bums well. Ambassador, Contessa, Indica, Scorpio, Safari may not score high in most other parameters but in rear seat comfort they are great (not counting dodgy suspension).

2: I found the Nippon speaker with USB drive to be very interesting as I can use my 30GB iPod with over 7000 songs straightaway. I asked them if I can buy it as accessary but they said it is co-developed and c-branded with Nippon for SLX and can not be purchased even if you want to fit it in lower Scorpio models like DX. However the unbranded speakers fitted are horrendously tinny, a real disappointment.

[suman]

Originally Posted by bigman

It would have been intersting if they had used a few more SUV type vehicles maybe the Endeavour and a Prado or Pajero to see if the Rock & Roll effect is any better with more expensive vehicles or it is just a case of having to live with these problems with SUV, due to the higher centre of gravity.

Its just a question of which vehicle performs the best in even conditions that's all; there is a timing in which the vehicles complete the test and the one that goes through the fastest is the winner. Read ACI for details of how they went about it.

[Jay]

Originally Posted by durvasa

7: Suspension is as good/or as bad as before. I drove the earlier Scorpio CRDE too but I frankly did not see any difference. My wife who was sitting on the middle seat complained of backache within 20 min of test-drive.

8: Roll is still there, though less than before. It dangerously lurches forward, when brakes are jammed on. The pronounced roll made it uncomfortable for me to drive Scorpio at 80+kph on the winding Inner Ring Road.

9: I found brakes to be adequate but not very trustworthy. The bite, when jammed on, is too hard and you sigh for ABS for those rainy days.

Hey nice write up Durvasa.....

suspension still bad ??? backache ??? well i felt this when i drove the older scorpio to OOTY a couple of times, its not comfortable to drive for long...

while getting down from OOTY, the brake pads were so heated up that smoke started coming and the wheel cap came off... at some points the vehicle just refused to turn because of the body roll.... some scary moments there... not very stable either...

drove a INNOVA ( during its running in period ) couldnt test it to its max but it was more comfortable than a scorpio.....

[zenx]

innova : rocks (except looks but ignore) but expensive
scorpio : good overall package but many imp grey areas
safari : better overall package but a little dated, lower VFM

begs the question. How good are used Innovas as an option - are those even available ? Should be VFM too.

[BUSA]

Nice reviews guys.

Handling : -

ACI says 2.5/5 for Scorpio(new)
OD says 3.5/5 for Scorpio(new)

Also OD says 3.5/5 for brrakes, 4/5 for ride, 4/5 for suspension, 3.5/5 for chassis, 3.5/5 for transmission, 4.5/5 for engine and all they keep doing is 3.5,4,4.5 and i am sure that all this is rubbish after reading what our members say. OD needs to really think before writing. Thankfully bhpians are there to give us the true side of the story.