So this August our Polar Bear turned 5, it felt fitting to write a bit about it now that we`ve gotten to know this vehicle quite a bit by now. This vehicle is my Wife`s daily drive.
Polar Bear as our daughter has named her is a 2014 Scorpio Sle, the last of the lot which rolled out before 3rd Generation Scorpio released in September of 2014.
So why Scorpio?
I always liked Jeeps, I wanted to have a Safari as well for a long time so its a bit weird that I ended up getting Scorpio instead. It took some thought , but the final push came from my better half and there I had to give in.
Back in the day, our good old '97 Esteem was due for a replacement, it was reliable cheap to maintain , nice to drive, its just that our travel timelines were getting squeezed due to 6 day work week, something that more comfortable was needed, so the hunt began.
The Esteem did its share of non-stop travel, Bangalore to Kochi & Back on the same day, Bangalore to Ooty & Back on the same day etc. Can be done, but tiring.
My Wife`s daily drive at this point was an M800, 4 speed, the last release of M800.
I was using Bangalore`s BMTC Airport Volvo bus for most part of my travel everyday, I was not planning to drive to work anyways, the primary user has to be my Wife. So began the search for a new vehicle.
1.
Ford Fiesta 1.6 classic - I loved it, Wife loved it and then we saw the Ecosport. Our relative had recently bought the Ecosport, it was a nice vehicle.
2. Ford Ecosport - It was nice to drive, a bit firm ride but the version that looked good with alloys and the works was ~12L on road, felt super expensive there. Now that the budget expanded and there was a Mahindra outlet right next to it (St Marks road), my eyes were on Thar CRDe, decided to come back the next day and check it out, oh the Jeep lover in me was super excited indeed.
3. Thar CRDe - I`m being silly now, Wife was alarmed at the lack of anything inside, nor can you keep even a pack of chips safe inside it but she said, we can look at the Bolero instead. We did not drive the Thar at all, I however was promised a Jeep some years later.
4. Bolero VLX - It was a bit slow to pull away, but holds the speed well afterwards, ride was more comfortable than I though it would. Horn was a joke. But as a package, it felt incredible value for money. Salesman asked if we`d like to try the Scorpio LX, I said No, I never liked it, I was more of a Safari guy. Wife nudged me to try it, she liked the way it looks, somehow it appeals to women.
5. Scorpio VLX - The test drive vehicle was the Refresh model, new suspension set up , new seats etc. Eased off the clutch and it leaped ahead, Salesman had a worried look, I was also wondering who is giving it the accelerator. As soon as I climbed the silk board flyover, Engine was the only thing in my mind, oh boy! And then you reach the other side into a mass of traffic, the vehicles part way for you - this is crazy. So it had a good engine, excellent gear ratios, nice visibility and rather direct steering feel & feedback. Basics covered.
That month there was a discount of 40K + free insurance etc. I was well aware at this point that a new generation is coming in, the sales people mentioned that as well. He also mentioned that XUV W4 is just 90K INR away from Scorpio VLX.
6. XUV5OO - This is where I said Stop!
7. Scorpio Sle - Booked this one by paying INR 5K, It felt like the right mix of whats needed and what can give me issues later on and therefore to be skipped. Wife`s preference was Rocky Beige, I wanted white - I negotiated saying that since we are buying the vehicle you chose, I`m getting to choose the color - Diamond white was my pick. In my mind it was all about cost, its far easier to fix single stage white paint that metallic multi stage paint. The single stage diamond white paint used in Scorpio is INR 11K per litre, made by BASF, so much for cheap paint!!
We were asked to wait for about 3 weeks for the shipment to arrive, went to the yard and picked up the vehicle we wanted , there were several vehicles of the same variant , same color, picked up the cleanest one with the help of an experienced driver. Tires for Sle at that time was JK Elanzo, good tire, grippy on dry and wet roads, off road its not that good.
All the paper work was done by the dealer, it was coordinated very well, and after buying many many Mahindra`s later, this experience remains the same.
The delivery experience was nice, took the vehicle and carefully drove it home from Silkboard to Jayanagar through BTM, for the first time, the traffic did not bother me much.
Back home - Wife had her first drive around the neighborhood and she felt right at home, the tall seating , visibility everything felt right. Some felt that she wont be able to handle it, but just like the vehicle, its primary user happens to be a tough one. Its her daily drive ever since, she travels across the city for 2-3 times a week, otherwise its parked outside her office just 900 Mtrs away from our home.
What I do not like about it.
1. Place to keep stuff, it needs more storage space for small items.
2. Spare wheel in the back door rather than under , I know the current set up ensures a rattle free tailgate, its a rant anyways.
3. Better slots to place speakers inside, current setup involves hacking through the door panel of the boot door, not convenient or good for stereo imaging.
4. Beige interiors though feel airy, is a pain to keep clean (not as bad as the almost white interior of Ertiga for reference) and I have OCD about keeping the interiors clean.
5. There is only one door seal, my esteem had two, while the interiors kept most of the road noise away even at speeds, two door seals keep the door sill clean :)
6. The antenna ticks off all hanging exit signs in Malls & office parking lots.
7. Water splashes over the windshield if you hit a big puddle at speed, this is an issue in vehicles with short overhangs no doubt, but I keep the wiper on at such instances to take care of it.
8. A 70\80 Litre fuel tank would have been nice, right now its 60, that gives it a good range but bigger is better in here.
Missing rear fog lamp.
9. No AC vents in the last set of seats.
So now for some mode details.
Day 1.
Our car plan was top secret, noone knew this at home except me and my Wife, needless to say not everyone was pleasantly surprised. "Scorpio is very rough, used in the hills", "too big for you", "Its bigger than your dad`s vehicle", "No mileage", "Expensive to maintain", "is it a Sumo?", "Nice Van".
Here is a picture I took with my then Blackberry Z10, some filter was applied for no joy.
People checking out the vehicle in our apartment parking, Mahindra is not a brand that city folks are familiar with, XUV has changed that a bit now. The third row was 'Cute' and the younglings loved it to bits.
So how is it? Lets see.
Mhawk Engine!.
Here it is after 5 years and 70,000 Kms. Its dry-cleaned once in a month, makes it easy for service personnel to spot any leaks \ issues.
The yellow caps are stuff you should probably keep an eye on regularly.
This is where all your money is spent, body on frame construction is there from the time of an OX cart, the only modern bit here is this engine and that is money well spent. Its happy when you are at 20Kmph, its happy when its at 150kmph as well, it plays along nicely no matter what you want to do. The pace at which it gathers speed from a standstill, as well as within the same gear is remarkable. Highway overtaking - a bit more A- pedal and its done. I think it can use a 6th gear , perhaps.
If you are comparing power and torque figures online to zero in on your vehicle, too bad, this one will not have the big numbers there. Out on the road, its relentless, the variable geometry turbo is happy to oblige. Hills? It can climb up plenty of slopes on idle in first gear, hair pins need gear 1 in very few instances, but I would rather shift down than burn my clutch. In extreme traffic, it becomes difficult to balance it on the throttle in 1st gear, bit jumpy there in comparison to say the CRDe in Thar, my guess is its the VGT that is doing that.
How about engine maintenance? During the first service, 1 Vacuum modulator was replaced FOC and later at 62K Kms another one was replaced at a cost of ~2K as the old one was vibrating a bit. This is not something that will leave you stranded on the road, however the modulator controls EGR, if it fails, the engine will start to smoke a bit, pickup will reduce and oil gets contaminated faster.
So we have the engine bits covered.
Drinking habits are ~ 10 in the city and ~11-12 highways. Certainly not the vehicle you buy for lowest cost of travel.
The battery was working as good as new even after 5 years, however I never had any battery that worked beyond 3-4 years, so I replaced it with another Amaron before it had a chance to go bad.
The clutch was replaced after 62K Kms, it did not slip, however it was giving me the first signs of wear with an occasional shudder, I did not want to wait for it to fail and it was replaced this year. It costed 19K INR, including, master, slave cylinder, clutch kit - Flywheel was good, but in hindsight I should have replaced the flywheel as well, would have made it just that one bit more smooth.
The air intake snakes it way ahead of the radiator and draws air from the front grill, shielded by a metal sheet against water splashes , cold air intake kits anyone? No need. Water wading depth is decent, Just above the bumper height is fine. All aftermarket relays are therefore mounted above this height with necessary inline fuse.
The Exterior Bits!
The paint quality is pretty good it remains fresh if you do not wash it every time with water, it had scratches here and there and we did paint the front bumper corners twice, one front quarter panel, one rear quarter panel, rear bumper is new as there was a hole in it after some idiot crashed into it with his pickup truck, before this the rear bumper was painted twice to remove the scratches. I can safely say that painting costs were more than its mechanical maintenance costs.
The car was cleaned with water (bucket) during its first year only, afterwards its all Proklear! It works and how. I do use a cream polish once in 6 months or a year to keep things fresh. It has been to a car wash maybe 5-6 times overall in these years, this includes whatever free wash that service centers used to provide.
The body panels are strong enough, no waviness, even on the plastic cladding, everything fits where it should be. No visible dents except the bonnet and the roof, the vehicle is parked sometimes under a really tall tree that likes to bomb the vehicle with branches and those seeds, some bigger than others.
You can sit on the bonnet Indeed, you can climb on the roof, you can stand on the side steps, you can stand on the front bumper and the back bumper.
The Mahindra monogram above the door handle on the left is a new addition, earlier it was tucked away behind the rear footstep on the old style bumper.
The front bumper has metal behind the plastic (just like rear) cover and has just 4 bolts for easy removal, much like Jeeps. The side bits of the front bumper where it usually takes scratches are replaceable at less than ~ 200 INR + painting.
The side steps are aluminium, however in the refresh version they come black powder coated. It has stayed in good shape, all be it with a few dents on the bottom due to some rough terrain, it protects and keeps the running board clean and free from tar spots.
The door seals, as you can see in the picture are old, I have replaced them this week for all doors, costs 5K INR.
Ground clearance is good, the important bits are located far away from where the terrain can do much damage, wherever a 2WD would venture to go. It sure has been to plenty of rough terrain, wherever momentum and power would suffice has been explored.
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Wheels & Tyres - 235 width is sufficient, This is the third set of tire and third set of wheel as well. The first was the steel wheel & plastic caps from the factory, then it received Neo Wheels claw along with the stock JK Elanzo.
This setup was later replaced with JK Ranger ATs of the same size on the same wheels. The stock JKs had a few surface cracks, though JK technicians inspected it and said its safe to use, they also offered a warranty replacement at very attractive cost, so went for it. Currently the JK Ranger ATs along with the NeoWheels Claw are used in a different vehicle and I have taken the new Bridgestone Dueler D689 along with a new set of Onyx alloys for Polar Bear. Seems to like this new looks, white body and black wheels offer a good contrast according to the artist cousin of mine.
The NeoWheels claw is 6.5 J, same as OEM but the offset is negative and brings the tyres flush with the fenders, looks cool, the steering kickback on bad roads will increase.
The current Onyx is 8J, slightly wider, however the steering is relative more stable and the Bridgestone is what VLX comes with, its really the best tyre for the vehicle among them all, It has been there since more than a year now and has seen plenty of bad terrain. With alloys you do have to check for the occasional loose lug nuts if you have NOT used a torque wrench, the specs are different for steel as well as aluminium wheels, 95nm & 105nm IIRC.
The looks :
I hated it when it launched, I did not like it even when I booked it - My dad used to like the way it looks as did many other elders and even my wife too. Something is working there, over the years I have realized that its styled to look good in your rear view mirror rather than on your face. I drive all kinds of vehicles everyday, thanks to a dozen car guys among my friend circle, when it comes to road presence, a clean white Scorpio has not much competition.
The brakes : 
Slotted rotors and ABS, works well , If you do not have the habit of using the gears to slow down under normal circumstances, expect the brake pads to wear out within 20K Kms. I`m on my second set, I have to replace this in the next 10K Kms as per the technician. Maybe if the slots are flattened by that time, i`ll replace both rotors as well. Brake fluids were replaced at 35K and also the last service at 70K, a bit ahead of the schedule, but brakes feel brand new.
A Vacuum modulator for brake was replaced FOC during a recall in its first year, later at 62K I got it replaced as the modulator for EGR was on its way out, I figured well this one too will start to vibrate soon, its like a warning that its on its way out soon. There are some tubes for the modulators too that needs to be replaced , costs INR 800 IIRC.
It has ABS, it kicked in several times over slippery terrain, I drive fast however not like a maniac to engage ABS over normal roads. Speaking of ABS, one ABS sensor was replaced in the second year while the vehicle was in warranty - cost INR 1600, I was not charged anything though, comforting to know that these bits will fail eventually and wont cost a bomb when they do!
Suspension :
With a tall body (its taller than most passenger vehicles on the road) and short wheelbase, its hardly a recipe for comfort \ handling, but all is not lost. Some serious work has gone into the suspension bits. Snapshot handling on highways during lane changes - Check. Run over speed breakers and rumblers at speeds? Check.
Ride is soft, you always know what you are rolling over but the low frequency boom that you feel in cars is not there, its nicely rounded off and you always feel that you are separated from the road , makes it great for traveling long distances in comfort.
It is a water tanker for those who graduated from a low slung sedan like Esteem, I felt WagonR was a truck when I first drove it, because I grew up driving the '95 Esteem, everything else was like a truck!
I have figured out how to drive Polar bear, You shed speed before the curve, accelerate out of it , need to always watch the weight transfer and it rewards you by rolling over everything at whatever speed you choose.This does not mean you can drive like a maniac, if you do, then your second row passengers will throw up all over. It makes you a better driver over time.
Suspension dampers have not leaked anywhere yet, I do however think that oils filled in dampers will break down overtime and maybe once the odo reaches 80K ,I may replace them. For now, its holding the road well.
There was a crack in one of the front roll bar bushes around 50K Kms, so replaced them both at INR 300, also while we were at it, there was a crack on the rubber boot of one of the upper ball joints, so replaced that as well INR 800 IIRC.
Every service , they check all the bits underneath, torque them as well.
Headlights & others- 
They are stock, made by Lumax they use the stock wattage of 60/55, I never had an issue with the light output, they are the best among all vehicles I have had as well as driven so far(Stock). I did once use a set of Extreme Vision plus whatever, it lasted all of 4 months and boom, no low beam on one side. Then I was using essential vision for sometime, I change them once in 4-6 months or so, whenever I think it has done 200 hours. Nowadays its running Philips premium vision 60/55 which I think is the same Essential vision in a different box, anyhow it costs INR ~ 110 and is perfect. There is no yellowing \ fading of the headlights at all, and I had got it aligned at the dealership twice over these years with their OEM chart. Costs about ~ 340 INR for that IIRC. I do not use the high beam on others, even if someone else is coming with high beams blazing, the tall seating of Scorpio sort of keeps you out of the hot spot of their high beam most of the time. The low beam has good spread and reach, it can manage most situations except high speed cruising at night.
Follow me home function is present, I cancel it every time by switching the parking lights on and then off. This function though useful in dark places, i`m worried about its effect on battery`s long term health.
So what about all those Aux lights? Just for Kicks. My Wife wanted to have all that stuff and therefore. Earlier it used to have LEDs even on the roof, although it was never used even in highways, our cops asked us to remove it , so its gone and now replaced with a set of Hella 700FF with covers.
I do not use it (Hella) at all on any night drives, its purpose is to fill the empty clamps that were on the bumper. When properly focused along the high beam`s hot spot, Hella 700FF works a treat.
Fog lamps : It uses a 35W H8 Osram bulb, I use this very rarely and its super expensive to replace. I got one replaced during the second year free of cost, but its retail price was ~ INR 800. This fog lamp is really good for its intended purpose, it has saved us from having to park the vehicle on the side of the mountain roads and wait for the rain & fog to go away plenty of times. There are times, where I had to drive with only this one switched on during think fog.
The seats :
The are of course plenty tall from the ground. 7 of them in all. This is a vehicle where you sit on it, rather than in it. Visibility is superb for everyone.
The seat base is deep, it covers all the way to your knee joint supporting the weight properly. Its the deepest of such seats available, everyone is trimming the seat base to give more visual legroom.
Seat base in the refresh model has excellent under-thigh support, it takes the weight off your buttocks if you sit properly.
The armrest is useful, overall its a comfortable place to sit. The seat fabric has survived 5 years without any complaints, I prefer this to plastic \ leather seat covers as your back wont sweat.
The rear seat situation, the stuff of nightmares as per many. 
Its not what you call a bucket seat, its more of a comfy bench seat, like you would get in a comfy bus. You see this is not an 8 Seater and therefore there is plenty of room in the second row. The seats are wide enough for three adults to sit even if they do not know each other at all. The seat base much like the front seats are very deep, provides full under-thigh support, sure its comfortable as long as the driver is not a maniac. We go out of town every few weeks and easily the most preferred vehicle for everyone on long trips. We also use all the seats at least twice a month, joint family apartment setup means everyone is around all the time, its fun.
Rear bench seats folds over to provide more cargo room, however it does not fold flat into the floor. We have used its cargo capacity to the fullest during certain weddings as well as transporting relief materials during the Kerala Floods. It can carry a full size bicycle as well.
The Guard seat \ Jump seats 
I had initially thought of getting rid of them reading the reviews about how cramped the second row is, but to my surprise the second row has plenty of leg room, certainly not as much as XUV but enough for people of our size 5-8 to 5-10. So the small seats stayed there, our daughter was super excited that she would get her own seat, and she can get her favorite family members to sit opposite to her.
Luggage Space 
Plentiful if there is only 5 \ 6. We do use all the 7 seats few times a month. On longer distance travel soft bags are packed around and under the jump seats. Since they are usually one night stay over, the luggage is taken care of easily. However if there is 7 adults and we need to carry multiple days worth luggage, a roof bag is a must. I have not ordered one yet. Usually there is a convoy, so we`ll put the bags in some other car.
Carpets 
I like the feeling of stepping into a soft plush carpet, so fabric mats from Elegant is what the car came with from the showroom, On its 5th year I replaced it with an identical set , costs INR 3490, its worth it. Elegant guys are very responsive on Whatsapp \ online, you can transfer the money over and place the order. I clean them every week with a brush, maybe once in 6 months with shampoo, it dries over night on a clothes line, the boot mat is rather huge, its still the original one, I do have a replacement one sitting in the shelf, someday I shall replace it.
Door Cards 
The looks silly with the tiny cellphone holder, the bottle holder is useful. Overall there are provision for around 8 bottles all around. There is soft fabric where your elbow hits the door card, its alright, wears well.
Notable mention is the Power windows, they are temperamental if not used once in a while. During the first service they had replaced both of them, funny we did not even know that they had some problem. The fix for this problem is simple, pull them up and down once in a few days. Else give it a hard knock from the inside and it works just as well.
Cabin Lights 
The one in the front is fancy (relatively) the swiveling map lights are useful, they dim slowly and stays on for a while during locking and unlocking. The one in the rear is a normal one, there is adequate lighting. I have not changed it to LED, the warmth of these bulbs along with beige interiors is nice.
Switch Gear & Meter console 
The meter console is very ordinary, the VLX gets a whole host of stuff, automatic lights, automatic wipers, TPMS, Cruise control - the works. This one gets - Nothing. It looks alright, I may need to replace the bulb that illuminates the console, its becoming a bit dim.
They are where you expect it to be, the wiper stalk is the opposite of Tata. You pull up for single wipe and so on. The Switches are back-lit, even on the rear. The headlight leveler too is back-lit.
End of Part 1. @GTO , BlackPearl and ChiragM , thanks for the encouragement.
@Kosfactor-: Awesome Long term report of one of my fav SUVs. I ended up with a XUV5OO though. Thanks for the list of people who has worked with you on your Polar Bear.
I too take my vehicle to Sireesh, Singasandra. Will try to get the same folks to attend to mine. And hopefully, we catch up during one of the services. I too take mine mid-week and stay there the whole day. I work in IT and take a day off for service and I really enjoy the day.
Hey, wonderful write up mate. I really enjoyed reading through and I felt like a part of your ownership. TBH I'm more of a sedan guy but I will have to admit that Scorpio in white used to be my teenage dream, specially with that checkered flag stickers it used to come with.
