They were previously being used on a Mahindra XUV500 but since getting a good set of used rims in this size and PCD was a rare thing, I went ahead with them.

BHPian vivekgk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi,

As I have already lamented on the tyre/wheel section, Mahindra "cruelly" chose to outfit the Scorpio-N with an odd PCD/wheel size/Tyre size combo, restricting the mod potential of the Scorpio rather badly. The PCD is 5 x 139.7. The tyre size is 245/65 on R17 wheels which is unique to the Scorpio-N, AFAIK. Why did they put this odd PCD on the Scorpio-N, when every other vehicle, even their Off-road focused Thar has a 5x114.3 PCD?

Why is this a problem? While 5x139.7 is a very common PCD, used by the older Jeeps, the Gypsy and the Jimny and also the erstwhile XUV5OO, the problem is that commonly available off-road wheels usually use a 15-inch or 16-inch rim, with tall sidewall tyres. 17-inch and above sizes commonly come with a 6x139.7 PCD, used by the Fortuner/Hilux/D-Max/Endy and such.

Scorpio-N is thus caught in a no-man's land in between these two common sizes. Most of the options in the 17-inch come in the 5x114.3 PCD, due to it being the most common in this price range. It's used in the Creta, Seltos, Vitara, and even the XUV700, Scorpio Classic and the Thar, which makes it easier to find a design that you like.

I didn't want to use a PCD adapter except as a last resort, as it adds another failure point, and is supposed to cause instability and wobbling+vibes at higher speeds. At the time, there were very few options available, and I didn't like most of them. I was calling up dealers all over Kerala, and scouring through OLX/FB market for used options, with limited success.

Then, I got a lead from Kottayam, where one of my friends had gotten alloys fitted for his Bolero. While we were admiring the ones he had got, he told me that the dealer had a variety of options in stock. The Dealer was Parappally Tyres, Kottayam. I got in touch with them, and they sent me several options, all priced around 40-60k, none of which really appealed to me, esp at the prices quoted. Then, he sent me this pic of a used set taken off an XUV5OO.

I immediately liked the design and did a reverse image search on Google, and came up with the make and the model, as well as some more pics. It's from a brand called VOS, not sure about the model. Originally, it came with a really cool gloss black finish with diamond cut accents, as seen here.

However, the pics forwarded by the dealer showed a fair amount of scratches. it would definitely need to be retouched or repainted.

Here's what they are supposed to look like. Pics taken off Facebook.

I had planned to restore it to its original finish, but my go-to detailer said it was a no-go. There were scratches all over, and the diamond-cut finish could not be retained by him. It would have to be one shade. After some deliberation, I decided to go for a full bright silver finish, which I thought would go well with the silver accents on the Beast, and would also give a more classic SUV look.

My cousin from Kottayam helped me out by checking out the rims in person and sent me his own set of pics. He said there were no major scratches and no dents. They were also really wide at 8J. I had another chat with the dealer and settled on the price, which was a bit more than I had planned.

Still, getting a good set of used rims in this size and PCD was a rare thing, and I had seen higher prices in OLX and FB marketplace. Plus, I liked the pattern, especially up close. I paid an advance immediately and paid the balance after they had sent me the Waybill, and it was confirmed. Even considering the additional cost of painting, I felt it wasn't a bad deal, all things considered.

The wheels reached me in a couple of days by parcel service. I immediately took them to the painter. As he was busy, it took about a week to get them painted. I went to pick them up and I was impressed by the quality of the finish. They looked absolutely brand new. Unfortunately, I lost the pics that I'd taken immediately after painting due to a screw-up on my part. These pics were taken after the wheels had been dirtied a bit after a trip.

The rims stayed in the back seat of the Beast for a week before I found the time to get them fitted. However, once I got them to the tyre store, there was a problem. The 245/65 R17 tyres were a bit too narrow for the 8J rims. The factory steel rims were 7J which seemed a bit too narrow for the 245s. So, the tyres were pinched on the stock rims, which made the gap even larger on the alloys. But these guys were experienced in fitting narrow rims on wide wheels since that is the current trend here for hot hatches and sedans. They simply stuffed the gap with old tubes, and once the tyre started filling up, pulled out the tubes.

Getting the alignment done...

The wheels fitted very well on the hub, and there were no issues with clearance. They did tell me that the OEM wheel spanner was no longer usable due to the large -ve offset of the rims and the deep holes for the wheel studs. I got a universal cross-shaped TAPARIA wheel spanner from Amazon which solved the issue.

So, here's what the Beast looks like with the new rims. I think that the stance has improved vastly. My concerns are with the tyres protruding out of the wheel well, which might cause issues with the authorities. I feel that the turning circle has also increased due to the increased track. The ride quality has improved, and the handling at low and high speeds has not been affected.

Please post your valuable comments and suggestions.

On another note, I also had a chance to compare the Beast with a friend's Fortuner. It was a 2020 2WD AT model. While the interiors were far more plush feeling than my Z4, I felt that it was noticeably harder to drive in the city due to the tight steering, and I also felt that there was more lag in the TC. The Sport mode felt a lot more powerful than the Scorpio. The Beast also rode a lot better, in both our opinions.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I took the car for a couple of long drives and I'm happy with its performance and handling but I'm not sure about the structural integrity of the SUV.

BHPian sabsubs recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Before dwelling on the specifics, I would like to inform people that I have fully recovered physically & mentally from the accident. My parents are fine.

Mahindra sent me an email explaining why the airbags did not deploy in response to my question about the airbags. I am posting a screenshot of the email here. The response may be tepid but I did not have any other way. I just wanted to complete the process and get my car back.

I did not go behind them because of my health issues (not related to the accident). There is no news from the other party involved in the accident. I showed the accident video to Mahindra's regional manager & the manager from the service center. I didn't want to hide anything since the video was widely shared in various forums after I posted the video here. Eventually, they would have seen the video in any one of the forums where the video was circulated.

When the car was in the body shop, the dealer helped us with a car on call and this helped us to go to the hospital for the injuries that we sustained from the accident. The body shop manager kept me updated whenever major repairs, such as the chassis or painting work, were done. The regional manager of Mahindra visited us once and the manager of the service center visited us frequently and informed about the work in progress and supported us.

Insurance claims went on smoothly and the body shop gave a bill for 2.9 lakhs. I spent nothing on my side, but when we took delivery of the car; they charged me 10k. I just wanted to get over it, so I paid the amount.

After the accident, I took the car for a couple of long drives and I was happy with its performance and handling. I am not sure about the structural integrity of the car since they had to cut a portion from the engine bay till the front portion of the car and they have welded the portion. Opening the hood reveals visible welding marks. I will upload a photo of the welding marks in my next post.

I am skeptical about the chassis because I believe that the body shop must have just repaired the old chassis. I have a question here. Chassis from the manufacturing plant will come with a new chassis number, right? Or is it possible to imprint the old chassis number onto the new chassis?

Here is the reply from Mahindra.

The day of the accident was a bad day. No one would expect two cars to be parked right in the middle of the road. I have been driving cars for close to 25 years and I have never met with an accident.

So I leave it to fate, it was bound to happen and it happened and there was no escape from it.

Thanks to everyone who showed their support here on Team-BHP.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I have sat in all generations of the Toyota Innova as a passenger (almost always in a taxi) but somehow never managed to drive one.

BHPian Sheel recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I drove an Innova Crysta 2.8 Z a few days back. This is the first and only Innova I have driven since it started selling in India. I have had my share of driving most SUVs, including the rare ones like Chevrolet Trailblazer, Isuzu MU-X, Skoda Yeti, Mitsubishi Pajero GLX / SFX (sadly no Montero, but it is not as popular or regular), you name it.

Post drive, I reckoned that this was the first time I had driven an Innova, any Innova for that matter. I have sat in all generations of Innova as a passenger (almost always in a taxi) but somehow, never managed to drive one.

Why I never drove one?

I think no one in my family has / had one and nor do my immediate friends have one and frankly the shape (MUVish) made sure, I never fancied driving one. I had to drop someone somewhere and some luggage was in his Crysta, so naturally had to take his MUV.

Any similar experience?

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

Proud to have driven every car <60 lakhs on sale in India.

The only 2 cars from this list that I haven't driven are:

• Eeco. Weird, considering its immense popularity, although I might have driven its earlier avatar the Versa (don't remember)
• Kiger (have driven its sibling, the Magnite)

Here's what BHPian 100Kmphormore had to say about the matter:

The Innova/Crysta/Hycross and any of the Fortuners. The snobby attitude of the showrooms to provide a test drive was atrocious (even when we were considering an Innova for the family).

Here's what BHPian car_guy1998 had to say about the matter:

I missed out on driving the Crysta 2.8 AT though I've driven the Crysta 2.4 AT/MT, OG Innova that we owned before, and Hycross.

Apart from this, I missed driving other cars like Jetta 2.0 TDI DSG/MT, Polo 1.2 GT TSI, Fortuner AT (had driven the MT version of both gens though), Endeavour 3.2, Verna 1.6 CRDI, Octavia 1.8 TSI, Vento 1.6 TDI (had owned one before but sold off by the time I started driving cars), OG Thar, i20 1.4 CRDI and others.

Here's what BHPian PrasunBannerjee had to say about the matter:

While there are too many so far, I'll vote for the Scorpio (not Scorpio N), also considering the amount of people around me owning it, including my extended family having one.

Situations or circumstances, whenever I got in one, I was driven around extensively but so far never been able to drive it.

One time I had the itch (or accumulated frustration) to check via Zoomcars and drive, by then Zoomcar stopped operations in my city.

I even made up my mind to go and test drive twice (once when a cousin was going to buy it, once just for my mental pleasure) and both those times the test drive vehicle wasn't available.

Summing up, I've been driven around cumulatively for some 500-700 odd kms or maybe even more since the past 1.5 decades in Scorpios, but for some strange reason, never got to drive one!

Here's what BHPian RiderS had to say about the matter:

I have two cars on the list, which I regret still.

• Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI
• VW Polo 1.2 GT TSI (looking for a pre-owned one with manual transmission)

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

For the mileage enthusiasts - Got between 12.6 and 13kmpl on the Kolkata - Siliguri stretch both ways. Got about 8.5kmpl on the Siliguri to Siliguri stretch.

BHPian ask99 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Had a wonderful trip through some unpaved forest trails in North Bengal a few weeks back. It turned out to be fuss free travel due to the absolute ease with which the Scorpio N tackled the terrain.

We enjoyed a relaxing and mostly comfortable drive through some scenic forest roads. Drove through Senchal forest from Baghgora to Chatakpur (10km in around 1 hour), then from Chatakpur we took the forest track to 3rd Mile (11km in around 50 minutes) on our way to Mulkarkha via Kalimpong. Drove up a steep newly stone covered section from Aritar to Mulkarkha Lake . Followed by a drive through some more broken forest roads while driving from Mulkarkha to Lava via Kolakham. Anyone familiar with the above routes will realise a big part of the route planning was to find some difficult as well as less trodden roads to enjoy while testing myself and the Scorpio N. A test the Scorpio N passed with flying colours.

A few notes and observations from the trip (Z8 4x4 AT) -

• For the mileage enthusiasts - Got between 12.6 and 13kmpl on the Kolkata - Siliguri stretch both ways. Got about 8.5kmpl on the Siliguri to Siliguri stretch (about 370kms covered, mostly on hilly roads and decent stretches of broken/stone roads)

• Faced the Android Auto issue where it refuses to reconnect to your phone either wired or wireless, both while driving to Siliguri (after about 8 hours driving) and again on the return leg (after about 4 hours driving). Tried the turn off and turn on trick with a toilet break in between but that didn't help, second step was to reconnect the negative on the battery terminal, which did the trick. Side effect of the same was that it also resets some of the momentary trip meter data such as driving time, average speed, fuel efficiency. Have never faced this issue previously (driven only 9000km over the last 10 months of ownership).

• Another random Android Auto issue cropped up where Google Maps would repeatedly exit navigation mode by itself. Since Music and other normal Google Maps/GPS still worked normally, I initially thought it might be a phone/Google issue, but rebooting the phone didn't help. An ignition cycle helped resolve the issue and things were back to normal. Again, this issue was new having never previously occurred or since.

• Noticed tyre pressure drop due to lower temperatures once we reached Chatakpur. No TPMS warning due to it being within normal range at those temperatures. Could definitely feel the extra sponginess while driving over the stone/rutted forest roads. Topped up a couple psi the next morning and did notice the ride be slightly more jittery while leaving Chatakpur, but felt it was better to have good pressure for the tarmac sections that were to follow.

• Drove through some narrow-steep-winding rutted roads and never felt the vehicle struggle. Some stretches I pre-emptively switched to 4H just to avoid the little bit of wheel spin while taking sharp hairpins over lose terrain. Both ascents to Chatakpur and later Mulkarkha (via the narrow winding climb) seemed like a cakewalk for the N. All done at very conservative speeds without having to worry about maintaining momentum. The 4Low came in handy while descending from Upper Chatakpur. One button press and I was able to easily crawl down a twisty steep descent over undulatated stony roads without the need for brakes. One of the few occasions where I felt justified in my decision to go with a 4x4.

• The gearbox tuning that befuddled me on city and Highway drives for its propensity to hold on to gears for what seemed to be far too long, came into its own when driving through winding mountain roads. The added engine braking was just so useful during the quicker descents on the tarmac sections, that most times no manual intervention was required. When needed manual mode was easy to work. Slow down under twenty, shifter to the left, tug down and you're locked in 1st even when the decline pushes you to 4k rpm the transmission holds onto the gear in manual mode. Reach a gentler slope and nudge it up to get onto 2nd and smooth out the revs. The whole setup just made hill driving so easy, maybe too easy.

• The suspension setup definitely needs praise. Yes there's sideways bobbing (physics has not been defied), yes when alternating ruts creep up on you it can give you quite the shake as you quickly step on the brakes to turn off the chaos, but when the deeper ruts are absent you can maintain a reasonable pace even over broken stony forest roads. The stock tires (Wanderer A/S) too never seemed to struggle or come across as a weak point. Let's see how they age, as there have been reports of premature tread disintegration from a few owners.

Some pictures of the Bruiser, which turned out to be a cruiser, in some of its natural habitats.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I also test drove other cars like the Kia Sonet and Tata Nexon EV but I felt that the Hyryder would be a good upgrade from my old Maruti Swift diesel.

BHPian sriny_blr recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Swift to Hy(brid)Ryder

Almost all of the comparison of my Hyryder would be with my previously owned Swift 2014 ZDI. Swift had clocked close to 1.2 lakh kms before I decided to trade. Cars I took a test drive of include Sonet, Nexon EV, S-cross, XL6, and Scorpio N.

Booking

Had booked the Scorpio N Z4 (4x4) variant on the launch day in July 2022. Did not get any introductory price. My booking was on the waitlist since it was not a top variant. Even after 4 months, the status online showed the expected delivery as July 2024.

Now the news came that Toyota announced the launch of Hyryder, so I booked the Hybrid S variant even without a test drive or seeing the vehicle in person. I was happy with what the features it offered on that leaflet and I felt it was a good upgrade for my Swift.

Fast forward - I took delivery of a Hyryder (White) on 6th February 2023. My missus was not very convinced with getting a 5 seater, as she wanted a 7 seater. I also cancelled my booking of Scorpio N and got a refund after a 10% deduction.

Jotting down my views in comparison to cars I own/owned.

The best part

• Provides a very comfortable ride for 5. It is made for Indian (Bangalore potholes) roads.
• Getting a mileage of 22 ~ 23 KMPL (40% city and 60% highway) with highway speed ranging 80-110 KMPH, NO cruise control and in ECO mode. Heck, the Hyryder gives my Suzuki Shogun (2 stroke 93 model) a run for its money in the mileage front.
• Very spacious especially rear bench. All my folks are happy with good leg and shoulder room.
• High GC much needed for our ‘Free Size’ speed breakers and ‘Surprise Pot Holes’
• Happy with the Headlights, was not Happy driving Swift during the night with STOCK headlights.
• Music system starts almost instantly as soon as I switch ON and Connectivity on Android Auto is excellent and have no complaints though I am still unable to make calls using Voice command and I don’t think Toyota and Google are in sync yet for this.
• Fancy lights below the dashboard near the ABC pedals (also provide for co-pilot). For whatever this is provided but a feel-good factor.
• Power windows button though looks the same as SWFIT, the operation is very smooth in Hyryder. Thank goodness the door doesn’t vibrate when windows roll up/down unlike my Swift.

Things I need to be aware of

• Turning radius (U-turn) is higher and competes with my MM550.
• NVH is good (at least inside). When the engine kicks in, the outside sound seems slightly higher than other petrol cars.
• During hard braking, people in the rear bench tend to notice more (read scared) in Hyryder as compared to Swift.

Issues noted

• System showed an Alarm once ‘RDS Interruption’ went away after some time on its own.
• There was a vibration noise occasionally in front of the cabin finally found the culprit to be IRVM. It does vibrate sometimes and makes an irritating noise but not always. Took it to the service centre once he tried all sorts of driving and didn’t vibrate at all to my bad luck. Even now it does make irritating noise and there are no screws to adjust/tighten.
• There is a kind of squeaking noise coming from the back left (boot area) when driving over potholes or a few speed breakers. Got it fixed by SC.
• Changing gears (P-R-N-D-B) is hard/rough and you get a feeling like you are forcing it to change rather than a smooth shift.

Things I wish it had

• Adjusting time delay for intermittent wipers. My first car, a preowned 2005 Getz-GVS had this feature, neither Swift in 2014 nor Hyrrder 2023 manufactured provided this.
• Door (at least Driver side) doesn’t Auto unlock when I shut the engine. Not sure if there is an option to change this.
• The AC buttons (recirculation on/off are small unlike Swift), as I use these quite often and hate these tiny buttons.
• I feel providing Gear shift from P - D is more meaningful and user-friendly as against P - R - D. There might be some logic, as all manufacturers provide the same way, but wonder why.

Yet to understand or need more clarity

• There is a button provided for Traction control but it doesn’t seem to make much of a difference.
• EV mode button is provided near the hand brake but whenever I select it, a message flashes as ‘EV mode not available’.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

We do go on some rough and village roads, not necessarily 4x4 country.

BHPian skrao recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have a 2009, trusted Toyota Corolla Altis 1.8 GLS. I acquired it from a friend who hardly ran it. As on date it has clocked 1.9 lac KMs and still runs like a dream. Spares, service and routine maintenance are all pocket friendly, the engine has enough oomph to tirelessly much miles. Sad to let it go for scrap.

The irrevocable logic of a new car or a preloved newer vehicle makes eminent sense.

There is a three way debate currently on

• Petrol Vs Electric
• Car Vs SUV
• New Vs less than 3 year old pre-owned

The requirement:

• We are a family of four, with a small dog.
• We love to travel as a family with our pet in tow, we clock between 18 to 22 k per year
• I am also at a life stage where one kid is starting university and that constrains the budget ( more prudence and planning than affordability) and the budget is between 20-23 lacs, and can be stretched a bit to 25- 26
• We do go on some rough and village roads, not necessarily 4X4 country
• Not great fans of the Korean makers

The Options

• One of the VW/Skoda twin sedans - 1.0 or 1.5 ? DSG or MT?
• An Indian SUV Mahindra or Tata? Safari or Harrier or Scorpio or XUV?
• A Nexon electric? or stretch a bit and look at MS ZS EV.
• Not really my option but wife is not averse to an Innova Hycross
• A pre-owned and loved car/SUV from any of the above

Also a final ask, scrap the Corolla? or get a fitness certificate and keep it as a local run around beater?

All help is greatly appreciated

Here's what BHPian Love4Cars had to say on the matter:

Let's breakdown your requirements:

1. Petrol vs Electric: Electric makes sense for your high running or at least a Hybrid (Hycross)
2. SUV or Sedan: An SUV makes sense as you will need it for your Village runs

With above two requirements, you are left with EVs and Hycross. Next question is do you travel long distances? if yes, how is the charging infra? If above issue is addressed, EVs make more sense, if not just buy a Hycross.

Among EVs you have Mahindra XUV400 (GC of 200 plus bigger boot) and ZS EV (More refined product with all bells and whistles).

I would suggest against Nexon EV as it is a smaller car for your pet and luggage and Kona due to low GC.

Test drive both Mahindra XUV 400 and MG ZS EV. You may get XUV400 even less than 18.5 depending on the state RTO.

Here's what BHPian OpenRoads had to say on the matter:

My logic:

1. With the kind of distance travelled each year an electric would be a BIG NO. Can't imagine the time and anticipation you need to put into recharging the vehicle.

2. A Safari/Harrier/Scorpio would be a good choice but that depends on how lucky your are. I mean in terms of quality issues they are setting the gold standard. I would not like to spend 20-25 lac for car and then keep visiting the service station.

3. Innova Hycross is actually one of the best choices in the lot given the space, hybrid tech, quality and peace of mind. If you can afford it then definitely go for it. Your dog would love it

Lastly, If you have the space in the garage and do not need the additional money then keep the corolla as a beater car.

Note: How do you save the seats from scratches or bites? I never had a pet so I am just curious to know.

Here's what BHPian shankar.balan had to say on the matter:

I read your post.

• Family plus dog have to be nicely accommodated in comfortable and reliable transport for your road trips.
• Predictable and Controllable running and maintenance costs will be a good goal to focus on, considering that you already own a Toyota Corolla.
• For now, given your specific need state, hold the Corolla for all the daily running about. It will never let you down.
• Get a nice, comfortable, spacious, well-designed, proven and reliable Diesel tourer.
• You can consider a well-kept Innova (used) or a new one. Or the Mahindra XUV700. Or the Scorpio N.
• For you the 2WD version of the XUV or Scorpio should do the job admirably.
• A friend of mine has bought the handsome new facelifted Tata Safari Diesel for a similar family oriented grand touring need. And the car indeed looks gorgeous and is full of comforts and features. You might wish to consider this too.

Here's what BHPian Sheyans_Jain had to say on the matter:

There is no case for electric as Nexon EV LR is too small for your requirements and the ZS is outdated and hardly any more spacious. There have been detailed discussions elsewhere on the forum about canine friendly car options for touring, and the consensus has been that MG Hector is the best of the lot.

HyCross GX(O) variant, non hybrid, also makes a lot of sense for you.

Not exactly sure how the Kushaq/Taigun will work out for you as they are considerably narrower than your Altis and have much less space.

If you want to go down the pre owned route, make sure that the car is a 2023 model (read as E20 rated) and not older.

Here's what BHPian bijims had to say on the matter:

The Altis is a gem of a car and I am sure you have had many great memories with it, now considering an upgrade for a family of four, along with a pet dog, you should ideally consider a 6/7 seater so that your whole family along with your dog can travel in comfort. The 25 lakh budget gives you a wide range of options to chose from and here are my recommendations:

1. Toyota Innova Hycross

Having owned a Toyota and the rock-solid reliability it comes with, the Hycross seems to be a logical choice, but considering your budget, it is the Petrol CVT variants (non-Hybrid) that are available. However, in my opinion, the Hybrid would have been a better fit owing to the great fuel efficiency, power, features, etc, but the premium over the CVT just doesn't feel justified, moreover, it will take you over 8 years to break even the additional investment from savings in fuel costs.

2. Tata Safari

The Tata Safari is a safe, modern, feature-loaded, and spacious SUV that would be a great option considering your requirements, it comes with a diesel engine (the same one used in the Jeep Compass) mated to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed AT, you can choose the transmission and trim based on your preferences and if you can get an My 2023 model (dealers still have a few in stock), you could get discounts worth upto 2 lakhs, which would make it a great deal.

3. Mahindra XUV700

The XUV700 is one of the best options in this segment, and an option worth considering based on your requirements, it is available with both Petrol and Diesel engines, with Manual and Automatic transmissions in each of them, a feature-laden car, with a good balance of ride and handling, its almost as spacious as the Safari too, both engines are powerful and torquey and power the SUV effortlessly.

The Mahindra Scorpio-N is also an option worth considering from the SUV range but considering you don't need the 4x4 drivetrain and BOF chassis, the other options will be more suitable and should provide a more plusher ride.

I wouldn't recommend Electric cars just yet owing to your higher yearly running and considering their limited range. Moreover, outstation trips in EVs require great planning as well. However, if your trips are limited and you can make do with the hassle of charging along the way on long trips (or your trips are limited), EVs just could be an option, and the notable options are the MG ZS EV (available with huge discounts), Tata Nexon EV and XV 400.

As regards sedans, I wouldn't recommend the VW/Skida twins only owing to the fact of your higher running and the not-so-reliable nature of these cars, especially the DSG. Moreover, they aren't made rock-solid and reliable like Hondas or Toyotas (the real Toyotas, not the badge-engineered ones)

Overall, I would recommend you choose among the ICE SUV lot first, if not and you are willing to go Electric, then the ZS EV would be a good buy considering the price cut and offers available. The Hycross is also a contender if you want the space and reliability of a Toyota.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

When I asked for further details, I got to know the engine check light had lit up and the car wouldn't start.

BHPian AutoEnthusiast recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I am a proud owner of Scorpio N 4Xplor AT in Deep Forest color, which I bought in Dec 2023. The car is manufactured in Sep 2023.

I wanted to bring to the notice of the forum the peculiar issue I faced today. I went in for my 1st Complimentary Service after covering 1155 km in the last one month. I booked an 10 am slot on 18 Jan '24 via the M4U app atUnited

Mahindra Service Center, Faridabad. As I expected this to be a brief service, I carried my work laptop and also made plans for the day, but to my dismay, it wasn't to be.

I rolled in around 10.15 am, 18 Jan '24 and got the job card punched with the following issues I wanted to be addressed:

1. Apple car play update
2. Khat khat khrrr noise when the steering is rotated to the extreme left and right when the car is stationary
3. Front camera blacking out
4. Pre-delivery Paint chip issues to be rectified

The Issue

The car lined up for the service around 11 am with the delivery time of 12.30 pm, but before lunch, when I asked for an update the floor manager told me that the Apple Car Play update was successful although there was some software issue when they flashed the update for Mapple update and they have disconnected the battery and trying to troubleshoot the issue.

When I asked for further details, I got to know the car's engine check light had lit up and the car ignition wouldn't start. I visited the service floor to find the car hoisted on the lift and the technicians inspecting the car from beneath, probably looking at the wire and sensors connected to the engine.

Again being reassured that this is not a thing to be worried about and they are trying to fix it as soon as possible as it is probably a bug. They did say they hadn't faced such an issue before.

The ordeal

Hours kept passing by and every time I asked for an update the standard answer was 'we have shared the logs with the Mahindra technical team over the Tech Portal and awaiting their response" This status remained till the end of the day.

Finally at around 6.30 pm being pissed off about the 1st service turning into a fiasco, I raised my concern with the service centre head (not disclosing names for now). He called in the customer rep gave him a piece of his mind, and shared his number with me so that he would follow up with me personally. He asked me to go home and arranged for a car to drop me home assuring me he would get the car ready and delivered to my home possibly tonight. Later when I got home the service centre head called me saying that the team couldn't troubleshoot the issue yet as the revert from the Tech portal hasn't come in yet and I should wait for an update from him tomorrow while explaining to me that he can only answer all my queries when he gets the RCA for the issue.

Now I am at a fix and want to get fellow TeamBhpians' views on how to deal with this ordeal.

What could be the possible issue? Has anyone faced a similar issue? what should be my next steps?

Here's what BHPian for_cars1 had to say on the matter:

Rotating the powered steering in a stationary vehicle may seem effortless to the driver but doing so is extremely bad for the tyres. The vehicle has to move before the steering is turned.

Also rotating the steering to the extremities and holding there for more than a few seconds can cause premature wear and tear and early failure of the power steering assembly.

The above act should never be done in a stationary vehicle.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Scorpio-N is available in six variants with prices starting at Rs 13.60 lakh.

Mahindra has achieved a new production milestone as the 1,00,000th unit of the Scorpio-N rolled off the assembly line.

The Scorpio-N was launched in June 2022. Today, the SUV is available in 6 variants – Z2, Z4, Z6, Z8, Z8L and Z8L 6-seater, with prices ranging from Rs 13.60 lakh to Rs 21.97 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Scorpio-N is available with two engine options. These include a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine that makes 200 BHP @ 5,000 rpm and 380 Nm @ 1,750-3,000 rpm and a 2.2-litre diesel that puts out 172 BHP @ 3,500 rpm and 400 Nm @ 1,750-2,750 rpm. 

Both engines are offered with a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission. It gets all-wheel drive with Mahindra’s 4xplor terrain management system with low range and four terrain modes: Normal, Grass / Gravel / Snow, Mud / Rut and Sand.

Mahindra sold 43,068 SUVs in January 2024, registering a growth of 31% compared to the previous year. The carmaker’s total exports for the month of January stood at 1,746 units, compared to 3,009 units in the same month last year.

The Z4 variant now costs Rs 34,000 more, while the prices of the Z6 variant have gone up by Rs 31,000.

Mahindra made some changes to the standard list of features offered in the Z4 and Z6 variants of the Scorpio-N. More specifically, some features have been deleted or replaced.

According to a media report, the Z4 and Z6 variants no longer get the cooled glove box. This feature is now only available in the top-spec Z8 and Z8 L trims.

The 7-inch colour TFT screen has been deleted from the Z6 variant. It has been replaced with a 4.2-inch monochrome display from the Z4 variant. The Adrenox Connect with built-in Alexa compatibility has also been removed.

It is said that the changes made are part of the usual Integrated Material Cost Reduction (IMCR). That being said, prices of the Scorpio N have gone up in the new year. The Z4 variant now costs Rs 34,000 more, while the prices of the Z6 variant have gone up by Rs 31,000.

Source: Autocar India

DPF issues were the main reason why I let go of my Toyota Fortuner.

BHPian himanshugoswami recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Initial Thoughts on the Scorpio-N

I bought the Scorpio N Petrol Z8L AT on 12 January and have completed 1100 kms in 4 days. Here are my initial thoughts:

Note: My immediate point of reference is a Toyota Fortuner 2.8 D AT which I drove for 15 months and replaced with the Scorpio N.

• Engine - Both SUVs have great engines. The Toyota has grunt and raw power with a terrific midrange. The Scorpio is smooth as silk! There have been many instances where I just could not tell if the engine is running. It is so smooth, silent and vibe free. The MStallion is a fast motor and masks speeds very well. Before you know it you are at 100+ but it seems as if the car is doing 60-70. Kudos to M&M for this motor, and this motor alone makes it worth buying the Scoprio or the XUV petrol!
• Ride - No two ways about it, the Scorpio trounces the Toyota Fortuner. Be it smooth roads, potholes, rumble strips, imperfections or expansion joints, the way the Scorpio handles them, the Toyota Fortuner can only dream of!
• Handling - I would give it even-steven here. The Toyota Fortuner has a firmer suspension, so it corners slightly flatter, but the Scorpio's shorter length makes it more agile. The wheelbase is roughly the same for both.
• Interior quality - The materials used in both are at par, with some good finishes and some obvious cost-cutting. Passenger comfort in the front is at par. The middle row in the Scorpio is way better both in terms of seat comfort, and the ride quality.
• DPF - This was the main reason I let go of the Toyota Fortuner. Toyota has really not mastered the DPF and every 150 kms saw regen starting which was a pain in the cities. My Scorpio is a petrol, so no worries there.

So far, a positive start to my Scorpio N Ownership. Let's hope it stay this way!

Hope this is helpful for fellow members

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.