Team-BHP - Mahindra Scorpio-N Review

Quote:

Originally Posted by RijuC (Post 5373662)

Target usage- bad and broken roads, gravel, mud, slush, small water stream crossing, dust/ sand and loose gravel condition at sharp hairpin bends in hills, black ice and thin layer of snow (1-2 inches) etc.

Yokohama Geolander G015 should be fine for most occasions except sand. It sinks in loose sand. Performs better on road than off road. Has soft side walls and so ride quality is better. Have travelled to most places in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh and had no issues.

BF goodrich ko2 has tough side walls and has bigger groves and so performs better off road than on road. It will last longer too.

MRF wanderer AT lies in between both these tires. Performed excellently in sand.

I have personally used both Yokohama and MRF in my 3.2 Ford Endeavour.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harshavarthan (Post 5373625)

I had booked Z8L 4x4 AT which comes with 18" rims and 255/60R18 tyres but have decided to downsize with 17" rims and 265/65 R17 BF Goodrich ko2 tyres. The difference in size is 1.72% but GC and tyre sidewall height will increase by 20 mm and 12.5% respectively. So resulting in better ride quality.

If wish to hold 18" rims, there are many options including Geolanders G015 and BF ko2's available in 265/60 R18 size.

Should have mentioned that I would ideally like to stick to 245 or 255 width tires as I don't want to further compromise the agility and maneuverability, as well as the acceleration and economy of the car.

Also first preference would be tires aimed primarily at highway/road use with the toughness to handle some poor/stone surfaces.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cool_dube (Post 5373765)

Absolutely, but at what cost? :) I guess it boils down to individual preferences and priorities. Most city/interior roads across our country are off-road terrain but does that warrant a 4WD SUV with low-range transfer case in every household? Probably not. I'm just trying to make the OP realize that his requirement of handling rough terrain once in a while can also be met by vehicles other than BOF 4x4 SUVs like the Scorpio-N, which come with their own drawbacks when it comes to ride and handling, especially since he is used to driving an excellent handler. Taking an informed decision always helps.

Honestly, I don't even think you need AWD for 99.99% of destinations in India. And most of the remote trails leading to border villages will be slowly turned to buttery smooth tarmac by BRO. Having recently done a Guwahati-Tawang trip in a Ford Freestyle with zoomcar grade (i.e. worn out) tires, I think a smaller vehicle with good ground clearance is the ideal vehicle for accessing some of the farthest points on our travels. And they handle so much better in the twisties. In fact I even toyed with the idea of picking up a used Freestyle for doing 2 person trips all across the North East, until I woke up to reality and the fact that we have 1 hatch 1 SUV garage with a recently purchased Baleno CVT, besides Ford's decision to quit the country of course!

I think the demand/desire for AWD and 4x4 is limited primarily to enthusiasts and is seen by many as a bit of an insurance scheme. What if there's a point where I get stuck and 2 wheels are not cutting it? And there begins the search for the car that will reduce or eliminate those worries.

In fact I faced a situation with my FWD XUV500 in Sikkim, driving up from our Hotel which was on the southern side of the mountain and the path up to the main road didn't see much sun, which left it as quite a traction less surface. Tried going up the slope at a reasonable pace with some momentum and ended up losing traction with a long winding stretch still ahead. Struggled to regain traction and get the car moving, smoked some rubber on the front tires, slid back a bit, and was finally fortunately able to reverse into a nearby level driveway of a different hotel. Used the driveway to build up more momentum and practically bounced up all the way to the top. Also lucked out with no vehicles coming the other way which would have once again killed all momentum. I'm sure a lighter hatchback or even a RWD vehicle would have made the climb up easier than I did, but having AWD/4x4 just leaves the mind at rest.

Even now I'm in 2 minds about the AWD XUV700 vs 4x4 Scorpio N, and I know that I don't need the hardcore Low range, but the ever increasing prices of the XUV and uncertain wait times make it a little less attractive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cool_dube (Post 5373765)

My thoughts exactly, and hence my dilemma. I don't need 4wd for 95% of the roads I travel. But the rest 5%, I am hesitant and scared to venture with my family onboard. Having a 4WD or AWD will soothe my anxiety I feel. And there's not many of them with a max stretched budget of 25L here in Bangalore. Moreover, I am so used to the superb handling and ride quality of Scross on the highways. Feeling unsure how much compromise I need to make on this front itf I upgrade to ScorpioN.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalClank (Post 5373181)

A question about the 4x4 AT Diesel Scorpio N : Is the 4x4 4XPLORE model always in 4x4 mode? or is there a way to run it in 4x2 and switch to 4x4 only when needed?

To best of my knowledge and i could well be off the mark, but vehicle is 4x2 RWD when the dial position is set to select any of the four traction modes (indicate in the upper edge of the 4xPlore selector dial. During this stage the system automatically transfers some amount of drive to front wheels as needed/when needed. 4WD is engaged when one of the two options High or Low are activated.
But as I said at the beginning I could be wrong! So please do corroborate this input with a qualified Mahindra Technician or Sales person.
Regards

Quote:

Originally Posted by twin-turbo (Post 5373926)

Well, the rather abysmal space in the third row has put me in a dilemma, I have my scorpio booking at introductory price, but the third row is the reason we are buying a new car in the first place, we are also looking at the Innova which is ways better in every aspect and for the first time, more VFM, because the Scorpio doesn’t have projector headlamps, alloy wheels or 6 airbags, even at a 20 plus lakh price tag (Z6 AT D). And knowing Mahindra’s track record , the initial days with the car are not going to be cozy. It now seems to be not such a good choice over other cars in this segment.

If you are looking for an upgrade merely for a 3rd row, The Innova is a much better choice. No car will give you the comfort that the Innova will give you for 7 pax on board.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ankan.m.blr (Post 5373849)

An AWD with good ride and handling (read better than Scorpio N) - I think you are looking for a monocoque like the Compass or the XUV 700 AWD. These cars will handle well and also help you in sticky situations. BUT, you can't do any serious off road with these cars.

IMO, all 4X4 cars run on 2WD for 95-99% of the times depending on how often they visit tricky road surfaces. I know of a friend who has owned 4X4 vehicles since last 8 years, has completed most circuits that you would think require a 4X4 - like Leh, Spiti, North Eastern roads, but he has never engaged 4X4 in his vehicles on these trips. The only times he used the 4X4 mechanism was when he wanted to have some fun in the desert or slush.

Took TD today of Scorpio N 4x2 Petrol Automatic for the first time. It was a Deep Forest color.

Pros:

As said by everyone, the steering is butter smooth and driving is childs' play
Suspension feels like floating in the clouds, hats off
The middle hand rest is a life safer specially for the automatic version
No engine sound
AC was good both front and back but it was a cloudy day today. SA said that there are two compressors. He said that in other cars which have 3rd row vents, the 3rd row vents are connected to the 2nd compressor and the middle row vents are usually the last ones to receive cold air. I also did not understand what temperature does the Scorpio N choose for the 2nd row AC (the blower knob just controls the fan speed).
Good engine creep without pressing the accelerator
2nd row comfort is good and supportive
360 degree visibility from driving position is phenomenal

Cons:

The mileage shown on the MID was 4.4 KMPL (yes 4.4) for this Petrol vehicle which was a bit worry some, not sure if it was due to the vehicle being a TD vehicle.
Boot space is non existent, unless one wants to push some small bags under the 3rd row seat
The vehicle looks massive from the outside, but inside space looks less. I suspect its due to the dark interior colors plus hell lot of padding (thickness) of the door plastic etc.
I checked two cars and in both, the front door had to be shut really hard else the car gave a door ajar warning. Not sure if this is good or bad.
Another TD vehicle was showing signs of scratches on the interior maroon colored plastic. Don't know if this can be reversed with wax polish.
The button panel under the touchscreen felt shaky (the same panel that houses buttons like Drive mode etc).
3rd row is OK for someone up to 5'5'' but the headrests need to be removed to avoid a hunch position.
There is a foot rest to the left of the clutch in the manual version. It felt a bit oddly placed, maybe it was my leg not sure.
Left leg does touch the dashboard but it is manageable.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RijuC (Post 5372949)

You have selected one of the best possible variant, if you are looking for "few" adventurous trips and negotiating bad or broken boars on everyday basis, with acceptable level of comfort.

I believe off-roading is a separate branch of adventure sports. And we are mixing it up with our dream trips to Ladakh, Spiti, crossing Saach pass, Sela pass, Zanskar, Winter Spiti etc. There is an overlap between these two, and hence we need to carefully choose the SUV which serves our purpose. Zanskar and Winter Spiti are purely off-roading. Rest of them can be done carefully in any car.

Hello All,

I guess I approached the Scorpio-N purchase decision slightly differently. I read up all about it online and managed to get hold of the Introductory pricing.

My previous experience of scorpio was its Automatic version that i probably drove on the highway / dirt / rural roads predominantly for about 1000 kms all put together.

I have enjoyed the commanding view and the immense power that the scorpio had to offer. Despite the body roll and awful third row.

Now once the booking has been confirmed, I visited the showroom for the test drive. While I was keen on Petrol AT, the test drive offered was for Diesel AT. The vehicle was huge and I was surprised by its size. But I liked the little bit of test drive that was offered.

And now the brainfreeze starts. Hopefully, i can get some guidance now from all of you.

My primary requirements
1. This will be predominantly for Highway + Rural + Broken patches + Forest trails etc. Plan to do about 7000-8000 Kms every year. Described very well by RijuC
2. Hoping to wrap up everything under 20 Lakhs
3. Will not use for city driving
4. Mileage is not an issue
5. Hoping to keep the vehicle for long
6. Ideally 7 seater but can compromise for 5 comfortable seats
7. AT will ensure that wife will also drive and enjoy

Currently I have booked Z4 Petrol AT.

Now, the queries

1. Am I better off going for Z4 Diesel 4WD ?
+ To address the 0.1% time when it might be required.
+ Peace of mind for "in case" situations
- Will leave with only 1 driver
- Possibility of DPF issues

2. What is the difference between Z4 4WD and Z8 4WD?

Also, I do not envisage doing any serious off-roading as shown in various Scorpio N reviews.

Thanks in advance

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalClank (Post 5374173)

Took TD today of Scorpio N 4x2 Petrol Automatic for the first time. It was a Deep Forest color.

Assuming you did the TD in Hyderabad, which showroom is having the Deep Forest colour vehicle now ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by krinpit (Post 5374174)

Now once the booking has been confirmed, I visited the showroom for the test drive. While I was keen on Petrol AT, the test drive offered was for Diesel AT.

Same question here as well. Which showroom did you go for the Diesel AT test drive ? Was it the 4x4 variant ?

The test drive vehicles are being moved from one showroom to another quite frequently and I have been trying in vain to check out the Deep Forest in person as well as have a TD of the Diesel AT 4x4 variant.