Mahindra has over 77,000 pending orders for the XUV700, with the waiting period for top variants being almost a year.

Mahindra has a massive order backlog of over 2.81 lakh units for its range of SUVs. This has led to longer waiting periods.

According to the company, the Scorpio-N and Scorpio Classic have the most orders. Together, both models account for over 1.17 lakh bookings.

Currently, Mahindra has over 77,000 pending orders for the XUV700, with the waiting period for top variants being almost a year. As per the company, around 8,000 cars are booked every month.

Mahindra receives over 10,000 bookings for the Thar every month. This has resulted in an order backlog of over 68,000 units. The waiting period for the Thar RWD is around 15 months, while the 4x4 variants have an average waiting period of 5 months.

The order backlog for the XUV300 and XUV400 is 11,000 units, while the Bolero and Bolero Neo models have around 8,400 open bookings.

Mahindra has been operating its assembly lines at nearly full capacity. The carmaker delivered over 1 lakh SUVs between April and July 2023. It plans to expand its production capacity to 49,000 units per month by Q4 FY2024.

Mahindra receives about 48,000 new bookings, with 33,000 billings every month. Less than 8% of the orders are cancelled every month.

Source: HT Auto

The increased power, driving modes and Adrenox on the Z6 were all worth the premium over Z4.

BHPian hornokplease recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Prologue: I have been a long term (non-member) reader of the TeamBHP blogs for all my wheels including a Ford Figo, Suzuki Ertiga, Yamaha R15 and BMW 310GS as well as casual reading on travel and reviews. A heartfelt thanks for all the good reads and all the previous posts in this thread that helped me zero in on the ScorpioN. So here I am, as a member, writing my first post to share my experience.

I will tell you this, I was not in the market for a bulky rowdy SUV, and Scorpio-N was the last car on my mind. So here goes the roller coaster of events that landed me on Scorpio-N..

With the aging 2010 petrol Ford Figo due for a replacement, I was out looking for the next family car. I was initially open to a pre-loved car but my family managed to convince me to go for a brand new one.

The criteria that I had set for the car hunt was -

• Budget of ~18-20 Lacs.
• Maximum possible safety features I can afford in the budget (high on priority).
• Non-demanding driver friendly car (I’m not a regular commuter but my father and sister are. So, a car with ease of drivability was a must).
• Preferably 7-seater or a spacious 5-seater.
• Good ASC support and network.
• Good ground clearance (Got traumatized due to my Figo scraping the bottom at every speed breaker and pothole... So much so that the gearbox had chipped off on a horrible patch).
• Should not run out of breath on bad roads and hills (Some traveling to my native place with broken roads).
• Good highway stability and acceptable fuel efficiency (Lot of family road trips planned around India).
• Should give a premium experience for the passengers (the reason for targeting mid to top variants... Base variants were out of question)

As I wanted to be well informed before walking into any of the showrooms, after a lot of research, peer discussions and quite a lot of man-hours spent on YT & TBHP, I stepped out one fine weekend with my wife for some showroom visits.

Below is a list of all the cars considered in the sequence of which test drives were taken (going to try and keep this short):

MG Astor – I was absolutely and blindly in love with this car and was sure I will end up buying this for its very stylish design, class-leading premium interiors (esp. the panoramic sunroof), sturdy build quality. But the test drive of the CVT & MT variant was very disappointing, it simply lacked the punch for a 1.5L inline-4. Additionally, my wife felt the cabin was narrow as it tapered towards the front. Also, the rear row was not suitable for 3 adults.

MG Hector – Great premium SUV design and spacious on the inside. User FE reviews were very discouraging, and the center console was not easy to use to say the least, I prefer physical toggles and dials.

VW Taigun / VW Virtus – Loved both the cars in Curcuma Yellow and test driving the GT DSG variants slapped a huge stupid smile on my face. Rejected the VWs as rear row for Taigun was not suitable for 3 adults and Virtus was not roof rack compatible (if ever needed a top box).

Skoda Kushaq / Slavia – Liked Kushaq over Taigun for its design. I did not bother with a test drive as the engine was already tested in VW counterparts. Rejected for similar space issues in the rear row like VWs, and anyways liked the VWs better for their design.

Hyryder/ Grand Vitara – The design and true hybrid drivetrain was very appealing at first. However, in reality it was a rude shock to see how poor the quality of interior was for a 20 lac+ “SUV”. Further, the test drive of the hybrid wasn’t doing it any favors.. I could hear every small pebble hitting the underbody. Final nail in the coffin was the horrible shrill noise the 3-cylinder made during quick overtakes. Absolutely disappointing when compared with the beautiful Honda City Hybrid. Hyryder in comparison did not seem worth at all.

Kia Seltos / Hyundai Creta – Liked Seltos facelift over the outgoing Creta for design. Rejected both by family for safety concerns and design preference.

Note: At this point we were leaning more towards Taigun and weren’t seriously considering D segment SUVs.

Thar – Rejected for not being truly a family friendly car

Scorpio-N – Just a quick look around of the show vehicle had us hooked, keeping aside the obvious size and commanding seating, what was really impressing was the quality/fit & finish of the relatively premium interior as well as comparatively softer design language compared to the classic. I was astonished after test driving the diesel AT & MT and Petrol AT. Having driven the classic on road trips in the past... I had little expectations from this one.

However, in reality I was impressed with how easy it was to drive despite its size. The power, the confidence to drive without a care for bad roads, amazing suspension for rear passengers as well (unlike classic), very little body roll, stability at high speeds, short gear lever, smooth gear shifts, very light clutch, adaptive steering and low NVH levels were some of the many positives this car brought to the table. Most of all, I truly believed it truly suited all my needs with some of the most value for money mid variants.

XUV700 – A very premium car with better fit/finish than Scorpio-N although the monocoque was not so great on the bad patches.

By this time after a lot of TDs over 2/3 weeks, we shifted our stance from C-SUVs that were only just squared up hatchbacks/coupes and almost all of them had abysmal rear row space. As well as decided to go for a MT just for the sheer pleasure of it, as most probably will have to buy another small EV to replace Ertiga in the near future anyways.

Tata Harrier / Safari - At onset we realized these two were the only true competitors to the Scorpio-N. Boasting great design, interiors, build quality and the gem of a monocoque chassis there was no reason to not go for these. Except, during the test drive I realized the ORVMs were way too small for a car this size. Also, the overall view from the drivers was a bit hindered due to the tad bit low seating comparatively. Also, seemed overpriced considering facelift was due soon, and the dealership wouldn’t budge on any kind of discount. So these were eventually dropped.

Scorpio-N Booking Experience

After doing a lot of back and forth.. whether to go for a diesel or a petrol, finally decided to book Z4 D MT (E) i.e. variant with ESP, Hill descent and traction control. ESP was a must for me as a safety feature due to the higher center of gravity of this beast.

Interesting thing is none of the dealers across India (Pune, Mumbai, Nashik, Chandigarh, Delhi) that I called had the E variant listed in their price lists. Surprisingly, none of them were even aware that such a variant exists. A couple dealers also tried to sell me the Non-E Z4 variant saying that ESP is now standard on Z4. I tried confirming this with Mahindra customer care and found that the Z4 (E) variant should be technically available with dealers as it was available to book online. An email complaint was lodged, although I got no response. However, this was a blessing in disguise as I would realize later.

Next best VFM option was Z6 D MT which I booked and had it delivered (non-intro price). The increased power, driving modes and Adrenox were all worth the premium over Z4. Have been thoroughly enjoying driving the car since I got the delivery last month.

Much is to like about the Scorpio-N so here are some misses / niggles that I feel are bugging me in the Z6 MT:

• Rear washer wasn't working from Day 1 (waiting for 1st service to resolve)
• Vanity mirror and Auto IRVM are petty omissions.
• Sorely miss the telescopic adjustment for steering.
• The middle seat of the 2nd row is way too stiff to be comfortable.
• Much has been said about the 3rd row already in this thread.
• Zip mode seems to do little to increase FE in urban jungle, don’t understand the point of it, except for stop-n-go traffic maybe.
• Rear camera that I bought as an official accessory is pathetic.

OEM/Aftermarket Accessories Installed -

• Genuine Alloy Wheels (such a waste of good steel wheels though)
• Official Rear Camera (useless)
• Illuminating scuff plates (looks cool)
• 3M flooring (carpets are nightmare to deep clean)
• 3M underbody rust coating (Rust is car cancer, cannot go overboard with this)
• Aftermarket (though Genuine) fog lamps – having weird issues where the fog lamp doesn’t turn off even after locking the car.. However, turning on the follow-me-home low beam from the key and then turning it off the same way seems to do the trick. I had a real panic attack with this one where I thought it was going to drain the battery. Also, with fog lamps being installed aftermarket I cannot find the option to turn the DRLs off/on through the infotainment system. Has anyone else faced this?
• Aftermarket 75W LEDs, halogens were not good enough for the nighttime non-illuminated roads.
• Aftermarket 70mai TPMS
• Aftermarket parking sensors
• Planning to get PPF done on the white Scorpio-N soon, against very well-intentioned suggestions in the respective threads. More on this and car detailing later in a different post.
• Seat covers and interior work pending

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Driving the XUV700 right after driving a low-slung sedan was not a big day & night difference because it drives like a car, whereas the same can't be said for Harrier and Scorpio-N.

BHPian sachin_cs recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Finally, the car is here in my city and I went for a test drive along with my old friend. A little background, my friend is currently driving a Ford Freestyle 2019 and he is car shopping, so most of our views are compared to Freestyle and Rapid DSG. Before driving the Harrier, we also took a test drive of XUV700 AX L MT and Scorpio N MT Z8.

Harrier Fearless A/T:

Pros:

• Easily one of the most beautiful SUVs out there, no questions about it
• Well appointed interiors
• The quality of plastic in the interior doesn't feel tacky like the XUV700.
• Rear seat comfort
• Winged headrest ala Range Rover
• EPS has changed the driving experience
• Feels like a well-built product and abuse friendly
• Having worked with JLR, Harrier does feels like a Discovery Sport at a bargain
• Did I say looks??

Cons:

• Doesn't feel like a polished product and lacks finesse.
• Stiff ride quality on the 18 inch wheels, especially the low-speed ride makes you aware of the road surface.
• Usual Tata fit and finish legacy, I could see a misaligned door window strip
• I have OCD and just cannot withstand that indicator desynchronized chime
• For a 28L rupee car, the engine was loud at higher revs and vibrations could be felt at the steering wheel and pedals
• I didn't like the gearbox calibration, it was too slow

Comparison to XUV700:

• I found the dynamics of the XUV to be superior
• XUV feels like a one car designed from the ground up wherein there's something not organic about Harrier, I don't know how do I put it in words
• Midspec variants are similarly priced for both the cars
• Screen integration in Mahindra feels better
• Mahindra loses out in terms of plastic quality, it feels cheap

Driving the XUV700 right after driving a low-slung sedan was not a big day & night difference because it drives like a car, whereas the same can't be said for Harrier and Scorpio N.

After the test drive, I appreciated my Rapid even more, what a beautiful piece of engineering it is, the 1.5TDI even after doing 85k felt smoother than the new cars, there were too many vibrations and noise during acceleration in Harrier. And seriously, the DSG has spoilt me, I believe I expect way too much from gearboxes. Car buying in today's age is an exciting exercise especially when our homegrown manufacturers are churning out such worldclass products. My friend is inclining more towards the XUV now and if I want to add any other car in my garage, it's either going to be a Slavia/Virtus. I just cannot let go of the driving pleasure and finesse of ze Germans.

P.S. Scorpio N is out of contention, we both despised the ride quality of the Scorpio, it's all over the place and way too softly sprung. Can't handle that much body roll, not a cup of our tea since we both are used to good-handling cars.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Note that the diagnostic test was executed by showroom guys in my presence using their own laptop /device.

BHPian MHW recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I would like to enlist your expertise as I am about to take delivery of Scorpio N Z8L Diesel 4x4 automatic.

I did the PDI and noticed that the diagnostic test using Mahindra configured laptop/device of the car shows red next to ABS, IC,I S AND GASOLINE options. While the gasoline option is clear, i am not convinced with the showroom argument that ABS comes as ESP and ESP is showing green, hence the ABS part can be ignored. They have no clue nor any explanation around what is IC and IS and why both of these are showing as red during the diagnostic test. If these options have been superseded or decommissioned then there should be proper documentation in place.

Please let me know if it is ok to take the car with the above mentioned options as red. I am quite skeptical considering the frequent issues posted by fellow BHP members for Scorpio-N.

Note that the diagnostic test was executed by showroom guys in my presence using their own laptop /device.

Appreciate your kind input as I have to make a decision within this week.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

It was a part of the Mahindra Futurescape event where the company showcased the Thar.e Vision and the Global Pik Up.

BHPian CrAzY dRiVeR recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Tradition - The word that comes to my mind when I think of Mahindra and Independence Day! It all started with the Thar launch on the 15th of August 2020, during Covid times, everyone was confined to the idiot boxes. Followed by the XUV 7OO in 2021 and Scorpio N in 2022 - watching a Mahindra unveil had become part of the Independence Day holiday experience. But all of it only on the big screen!

Milking the 'Make in India' narrative and sentiments? Maybe so, but all three of these products did make our markets sit up and take notice. The waiting periods are proof enough! All three made me want one too - the Thar for its looks and capabilities, the XUV 7OO for its superb feature list and drivetrain combinations and the Scorpio because nothing else would do! So, when GTO passed on this opportunity to attend the Mahindra Independence Day event this year - I signed up, hoping to be one of the first to experience the Thar 5-door!

Well, as we all know by now - that did not happen! Instead, the event this year was called the "Mahindra Futurescape" - an attempt at showcasing the bold future of Mahindra farm and automotive divisions. The event was held in Cape Town, South Africa for two reasons - 1. South Africa is an important market for Mahindra's global aspirations and 2. The Independence Day connections - As Mahatma Gandhi once said - “I was born in India but was made in South Africa” and Mahindra wanted to showcase their new calling from this land. There were two product unveils from the automotive side - the Thar.e Vision and the Mahindra Global Pik Up.

Both these products were prototypes though! The drive experience was with two regular Mahindra cars - the XUV 7OO and the ScorpioN. The agenda was fairly simple - take the cars for an entire day and experience Cape Town and some of its attractions. The rules were also simple - Drive safe and experience the competencies of these Mahindra cars in a global setting and that lunch would be arranged at Cape Point and you get to avail it if you visited during lunch hours. The cars were to be handed over to us in the morning by 8am and returned by 7pm - a good 11 hours at our disposal. Thank you, Mahindra for making it so simple!

The route that we ended up taking for these 12 hours - Onward in the XUV 7OO to Cape Point and return in the ScorpioN:

PS: A big shoutout to Deep Majumdar from Business World for being such a wonderful drive companion, photographer and above all - a safe driver!

Disclaimer: Mahindra invited Team-BHP for the Futurescape drive in Cape Town, South

Cape Town is a very beautiful city, and has stunning landscapes surrounding it - I had realized as much when the Ethiopian Airlines flight started descending below the clouds. Since the logistics would be handled by PR, I did zero research and watched no vlogs before landing up! Needless to say - Cape Town was nothing like my expectations and far exceeded them. That said, the drive experience was going to change my perceptions even more...

After a quick breakfast and drive briefing, we had a small photo session before heading out to the parking lot.

Full credit to Mahindra where due - they had a very large fleet of cars present for the drive, parked in the basement of a nearby convention center. My initial allotment was going to be the XUV 7OO AX7L in Red Rage colour. We quickly made our way to the cars and proceeded for the flag off!

Flag off was held in batches and thankfully we were in Batch 1. However, the timelines were slowly delayed by an hour and we were out on the roads only by 9AM.

Heading out of the city was a slow affair, but not as chaotic as our Indian cities could be! Traffic was manageable and flowing most of the time and above all - people followed road rules. We were soon out on the beautiful M6 coastal highway, heading towards Chapman's Peak

Presenting our morning drive companion, the Red Rage Mahindra XUV 7OO AX7L

This coastal drive towards Chapman's Peak has incredible scenery on offer and multiple viewpoints where you would want to stop every other minute! Clean blue skies, deep blue waters and beautiful green scape - a beautiful day to be out on a drive. Moreover - the temperatures remained very pleasant throughout the day - slightly hovering around 20 degrees.

With the XUV 5OO, Mahindra had claimed that the colours were chosen to feel good in natural environs. Not sure if any such claims were made for the 7OO, but this Red Rage colour did stand out in this South African landscape

In South Africa, the car comes featured with the 2.0 Turbo petrol that produces 149KW (199hp) and 380Nm, only mated to an automatic transmission. This combination proved potent to keep up with the traffic at all times and also derive some excitement out on the open roads.

We stopped at a viewpoint a couple of minutes ahead of Chapman's peak without realizing the same. The views all around are just stunning!

The view from Chapman's Peak:

South Africa seemed to have a very large divide between the rich and the poor - with the middle class not as prominent as we see in India. It is common to find people requesting alms and also street vendors for multiple items. This one guy had beautifully arranged his collectables for tourists on the side walls of Chapman's Peak, one of the only moments where I wished I was carrying some local currency on the drive!

This road features on many lists as one of the most beautiful coastal road experiences in the world. The road, locally known as “Chappies”, is also claimed to be a popular destination for international car ad campaigns, from the likes of Mercedes and BMW.

The scenic drive "Hewn out of the face of sheer mountains" seems true here:

Back in the 7OO to the next destination:

The cars slowly headed down the winding roads into Kommetjie.

One corner suddenly opens up this landscape view and my jaw drops! The pictures don't do justice, but this was one of the most surreal landscapes I have ever seen and it just suddenly appears into view, post a corner. To top it all - there were horses running on the beach then, gone by the time we found parking and doubled back. If you zoom in, you can see the ranch nearby! Even the house looked right out of a smurfs movie!

The blue of the trapped water body contrasted well with the blue in the sky and of the ocean. The sands were clean and white! Man, what a landscape - and what a shame the photographs can't capture the beauty of what I felt in person!

The last of the mountain sections awaited as we rolled into the plains of Kommetjie:

Guess this was the last time we were part of the convoy, for soon we would be betting on a hunch and diverting on to a beautiful secluded beach.

Clear water and sand, sunny but the temperatures still hovering around the pleasant 20s - this was a good place to relax for a few minutes

Not to mention - secluded and without any disturbance:

After a few minutes of silence and soaking in the views, we hit the roads again - onwards to Cape Point.

Continue reading about CrAzY dRiVeR's driving experience for BHPian comments, insights and more information.

The crawl function in AT is a boon. The Scorpio N crawls at two speeds. 9kmph and 15kmph.

BHPian keeprevving recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I took delivery of Scorpio N Z4 DL AT on January 2023. Everything happened in such a short time that it doesn’t feel that months have passed and the beast has already covered 15000kms without any major fuss (fingers crossed).

Search for a new car:

My garage had 2 vehicles. One diesel (2001 Tata Indica DLS) is still working as intended. It has covered 2.12 lakh kilometers and has served me well. I usually don’t use it now due to its age and safety concerns. My second steed is the 2012 Honda City i-Vtec. With 90,000 km on the odometer, it still purrs, just the way it did on the 1st day. Eventually, had to sell it as I was looking for an upgrade.

Why an upgrade was needed?

2012 Honda City i-Vtec was doing fine with no issues whatsoever. As a driver in his early 30s, problems started for me in regard to posture, fuss-free driving, etc. I had never thought of parting my ways with City. However, with time, the urge to have an Automatic vehicle with high ground clearance and capability to tackle bad roads grew. The car performed flawlessly in the city and on the highways. Bring in the bad roads, and you could feel every bit of it in the cabin. Michelin didn’t help much. The car would shake as if it was going to fall apart, but in 10 years of ownership, it is surprising that no panel squeaked or rattled. Speaks a lot about the materials used in the cabin. Every time, out in the open highways doing 80+ kmph speeds, I had to look out for bad patches, illogically designed speed breakers, etc. to prevent underbody hits. It’s a fun machine but then these factors kept me guessing and stressed during every road trip.

2012 Honda City helped me decide what should I expect from my next ride:

• Must be an Automatic
• Safety (at least 4* rated)
• Sufficient Ground clearance
• Good ride quality
• Spacious cabin
• Ability to tackle bad roads
• Mile munching ability
• Budget set at 20 Lakhs

Options Checked:

Toyota Hyryder Hybrid:

• Pros – Mileage, Good ride, features,
• Cons – Questionable build quality, 3-cylinder engine noise, Evident cost cutting interior

Tata Safari:

• Pros – Awesome design (Safari), engine grunt, healthy GC, brilliant seats, proper 7 seater (thanks to middle row sliding seats), easy ingress/egress, good build quality, awesome ride quality, good fuel economy, proper competent AT, spacious cabin
• Cons – Heavy steering at parking speeds, engine note (NVH), Pricey not VFM, Useful features missing in my budget, low seat height CSUV-like seating,

Mahindra XUV700:

• Pros – Premium feel, features, ride quality, handling, light steering, space
• Cons – Suspension on bad roads, too many electronics (not a fan), white interiors, low seat height C-SUV seating

Pros:

• Proper SUV – BOF, 2WD
• Awesome size, Decent looks
• Proper true SUV seating
• Thanks to its size, traffic shows respect
• Healthy GC
• Solid build quality – Door closes with a thud/thump
• 2.2L is a gem of an engine, a driver’s delight
• Supreme mile-munching capability
• Takes the rough with the smooth – Quite literally
• Superlight steering at parking speed
• Surprisingly easy to drive for a vehicle of this size
• True value for my money, especially Z4 DL AT (introductory price)
• AC is a chiller, even in a 45* set blower at 2 or 3 and it’s enough
• Good paint quality and even panel gaps on the outside
• The crawl function in AT is a boon. N crawls at two speeds. 9kmph and 15kmph. Seems it depends on your previous accelerator inputs
• 4 speakers set up is good. I am no audiophile
• Infotainment is decent. No hiccups. Apple Car Play and Android Auto work seamlessly.

Cons:

• Irritating auto stop/start function – manual override needed
• Z4 AT DL clatter is felt higher than Z8L (better insulation)
• OEM Halogen bulbs are pathetic
• Seat fabric is more synthetic than cotton; should be the other way round
• Steering adjusts – Tilt (limited movement), No telescopic
• Rear Suspension seems unsettled on speed bumps
• Ugly panel gaps in the interior, an eyesore
• Steering feels awkwardly heavy at 100+ speeds
• Key quality is mediocre, 2nd key in Z4 is even worse
• Ingress/Egress is difficult
• 3rd row is strictly for kids or adults (max height 5’.5”)
• The placement of power window buttons and other controls on the door is a bit odd
• Rear parking sensors are a big help. Guides well.
• Door pockets aren’t deep enough to hold a 1L bottle. A bit more depth needed
• The steering grip is slippery. A steering cover/wrap is needed
• Rear windows don’t go down fully. My daughter doesn’t like it. AC is always ON so not bothersome
• AC blower noise levels are too high for my liking. The stark difference in air flow decibels; from Level 1 to Level 2

Faults/Niggles:

• Faint ‘click-click’ sound from the steering when you move it left/right at parking speeds. One can hear when windows are down. I checked. All Scorpio Ns have it and as per Mahindra service, there’s nothing to worry
• Requires more effort to close rear doors if rest doors are closed. It’s not the weight, it has rather to do with the air pressure inside the cabin
• Smell of burnt rubber/plastic from rear tire well area, if driven after a recent wash – Had complained, need to check if it still there
• Faint squeak from the central console. Press it slightly and the noise disappears. Seems it could do with a bit more padding
• Flap-flap noise is heard when windows are rolled down and the vehicle is running close to dividers. The noise frequency of flap-flap noise increases with speed. It is not audible on open roads. Same noise I had in my 2012 CITY as well
• When the N is kept at a 45-degree or more steep incline, the rear wiper leaks windscreen fluid. I will raise it in my 20000kms service.

Accessories/Modifications:

• OEM 17-inch alloys
• Rear bumper guard – Stainless steel
• Pricol H7 LEDs – 55W each
• Rogerab suspension buffers
• 7D Mats
• Mud Flaps
• Sill Plates (front only). Mahindra doesn’t manufacture rear doors
• ‘Live Young Live Free’ decal

Dealership Experience:

Overall experience with Utkal Mahindra was pretty good. I have requested multiple test drives of the vehicle and was provided with the same without any fuss. Special thanks to our Sales person Mr. Ashutosh. He was cordial, courteous, and helpful throughout the buying process and post that as well. The delivery experience was good as well.

Overall experience:

With 10500+ km on the odometer, I can say that it has been a pleasurable journey. Till now, I have not taken the beast for long trips. Weekend gateways and everyday city drive is what the N has seen till now. The gearbox is tuned for performance and every time you press the accelerator, the N leaps forward. There is a quarter-second delay but it's liveable. The engine never feels out of breath and power is always there at your disposal. This makes overtaking an easy job. I have tried all the 3 modes (Zip, Zap, Zoom – sounds cheesy – would have liked it if it was named Eco-City-Sport). In Zip mode gear changes happen at 1900-2000 rpm, while in Zap it's 2200 rpm. The clatter gets in when you push it hard from 1500 to 2500 rpm. Once it reaches higher gears 4th, 5th, and 6th, it is hard to say if you are driving a diesel or a petrol. The engine is meant for mile munching. At speeds say 133kph, the rev counter hovers at 2200rpm. The engine never breaks a sweat. However, such speeds are possible on straight-open highways. N’s steering and chassis are not comfortable at 100+ kmph speeds on roads with curves. The steering gets unusually hard, wind noise creeps in and it is not confident-inspiring. Body roll can be felt but it is not unnerving. 80-110kph is ideal. Beyond that, it is not advisable. It is almost a 2-tonne, tall BOF after all. Throw bad roads at N and kind of annihilate broken patches and potholes. Zero road noise from OEM Apollo Apptera HT+ tires. I would have liked Bridgestone, and seen them on other Z4s in the stockyard. The damping by FSD does a great job, but there are times when you can feel that it works a little too much. Watt's linkage is used in the rear axle to help negate the sideways movement, however, there is always a bit of vertical movement on uneven road sections. This has now been addressed by installing Rogerab suspension buffers. Fuel efficiency is decent enough. N manages 11-12kpl in city conditions, while on the highway it's 14-15kpl. Both figures are calculated by the tankful-to-tankful method.

I faced a DPF clog warning at 12857 km. Felt no changes in engine driving speeds or drop in rpm. After driving it for 20kms REGEN showed up. I went ahead with the REGEN process. Engine revved constantly at 2400 rpm and the whole process lasted for 25 mins. Switched off and started again to find an OBD error sign. It was attended by the service centre and the error was cleared. They tried twice and it appeared again after a few kilometers of testing.

Additionally, I saw oil in the engine bay while this OBD error sign was being sorted. I have cleaned it for now. Under observation. Already covered 400kms. No leakage signs yet.

Things that could have been better or need fixing:

• The 12V socket placed at the rear is kind of useless when you use a tire inflator. It never reaches the front wheels. Now the issue is sorted due to the extension cable bought online from the Maruti Suzuki Official Accessories portal.
• Parking light goes off when you turn off the engine. There’s a reason why it is called a parking light. This needs to be fixed. The brake light is off as well when the car is off. Never come across something like this in any other brand.
• Seat belts when not in use dangle around loosely. You can hear noise when you go over a rough patch as they hit/rub against the hard plastic. Should have a dedicated arrangement to keep them in a place when not in use.
• The seat belt reminder is quick to respond. Just crawl for 2-3 feet and there goes the buzzer. Mahindra is too safety conscious.
• IRVM vibrates. Need to check with other owners or get it tightened/replaced at the service center
• The radio is always on after you start the car. Quite an irritating feature. Needs immediate fix
• Wipers are too quick to react. There should be some time gap between the spray and the swipe. Also, one can not just use the mist/spray function, wipers get activated instantaneously.
• The positioning of the DEF tank (plastic) is too close to the rear bumper. Any impact to the bumper can break the tank as well.
• While reversing the car the hazard lights should be ON. They get activated automatically during panic braking or when the bonnet is open
• The current horn setup misses out on shrillness. I like the setup in Safari, Harrier, Crysta
• AUTO On/Off needs to be switched off manually every time you start the vehicle. It’s either too sensitive to the stops, or I don’t know how to use it. I am trying my best to feed it to my muscle memory. The moment I start the vehicle, I switch it off.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The fuel economy while doing city runs has been quite low, however, it climbs up when I get a chance to stretch its legs.

BHPian vivekgk recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

It's been almost 9 months since I got the Beast, and I have just crossed 5000 kms. I have been meaning to update the thread for months, but just couldn't get down to it. I've been writing this in bits when I can find a bit of free time, and 5000 kms sounds like a nice round number to post an update, so here goes.

Getting used to the Beast:

With the exception of three out-of-town journeys to Munnar, Aluva, and Thodupuzha, the majority of my driving has been in and around the city, with the occasional weekend jaunt of 100–150 km. I'll be posting a separate write-up for the Munnar trip, as it was quite special.

A snap from the Munnar trip in February, taken at a cardamom estate on the way to Munnar.

The Beast has been serving as my daily commute, and it has happily—if slightly gluttonously—performed its duty. The one-finger-light steering is a boon, enabling effortless "Zip"-ping through traffic. ZIP is better suited for a very leisurely commute because it has less power than the other two modes, plus the steering is light, almost too light. Acceleration happens gradually, and the throttle response is somewhat muffled. It resembles driving a Suzuki K15+AT, in my opinion. Furthermore, it's the perfect mode if you're handing the car over to someone who hasn't operated a vehicle this powerful or large.

I have to avoid narrow gullys as it is easy to get stuck. Unfortunately, the way to my home is through such a narrow road, with there being barely enough room for the Beast and a 2-wheeler to pass. Thankfully, it is a rather short road and I got stuck only a couple of times, when somebody had left their vehicle parked unattended, or if a 2-wheeler was a bit lavishly parked too far out into the road.

Fuel Efficiency:

The FE for these city runs has been quite low, hovering around 7-9 kpl. This was not unexpected though, as my commute is barely 4 kms and through dense traffic. I've had to do the DPF regen once, at about 3500 kms. It came up again recently for a second or so but then disappeared. If you give it a chance to stretch its legs, the FE immediately climbs to above 12 after just a few kms, and rises further with longer trips. Best I've gotten is 14.7 kpl on a Tvm-Aluva trip. The return journey was through MC road's heavy traffic, which resulted in a lower overall figure.

The first big scratch

This happened in January, while I was still getting used to the size of the Beast. I was a bit careless while reversing and swiped a parked auto rickshaw. It was in a narrow lane near my home, and I had moved to the extreme left to let him pass comfortably. Since there was an electric post right in front, I needed to reverse a bit to get moving again. I assumed, wrongly, that the auto had moved on, but he stopped to pick up a phone call. I backed into him, and got a long scratch on the right side bumper and fender. Despite this, the auto driver did not create a scene. I suspect that the contraption didn't have any papers and neither did the driver...

As I didn't want to claim insurance for the small scratch and the ASC was all the way across town, I opted to get it touched up at a FNG that I knew. Took two visits to clear it up properly, and I'm still not fully satisfied. Never going back to that place again.

Modifications Done So Far:

LED Lighting:

I made the decision to change the headlamps to LED before leaving for the Munnar excursion. I had learned a lot from my trials and errors with the Ecosport, so this time I was better prepared. With the Scorpio-N, I could upgrade the low and high beams separately because they come with separate beams. Both beams had a nice beam pattern, with the high beams having good reach and the low beams having nearly no dark areas. I'd say that the factory-fitted 55W halogens were adequate.

The only options available while I was upgrading the Ecosport bulbs were obscenely expensive branded options like Philips Ultinon or unbranded Chinese items from AliExpress or accessories stores. This time around, accessible branded alternatives were available online. After a few weeks of consideration, I decided to go for Osram 25W LEDriving lamps from Amazon which cost me around Rs. 3600/- per pair. These came with a separate driver unit, which meant that the heat dissipation from the actual LEDs would not affect the driver unit and damage it. Since they were only 25W and came with a fan, the heat would be less of an issue. The Chinese units that I had on the Ecosport got so hot that I was forced to take off the rear dust caps from the headlamp housing. I faced no issues here, even after continuous night drives.

I had Car Park, Tvpm fit them on the Beast. Despite the fact that I had bought them online, they readily agreed to fit them and charged a very fair rate, IMHO. For the parking lamps, I got a pair of Osram T10 LEDs from them. The LED headlamps deliver excellent performance and are an improvement in practically every aspect. We drove at night a lot on our Munnar+Vattavada tour, and the LEDs lighted up the road like day. What I did miss, though, were some fog lamps to highlight the sides as I navigated several steep, tight twisties.

I also upgraded the reverse lamps (PY21W spec) to really bright LEDs. The right one was easy to replace and I did it myself, but the left one was obstructed by a humongous DPF/Adblue unit that completely obstructs it. Again, the Car Park guys came to the rescue and got it fitted somehow without removing the bumper.

Here's how the LEDs look like at night

Coming to the negatives of the LEDs, I would have liked a slightly lower 4300-5000K color temp, as the 6000K is pure white and has scattering issues in heavy rain. But then, it is the same case or worse with every LED-equipped car. At least these are powerful enough that some light penetrates the rain and lights up the road. I also feel that the beam is now higher than the original, so I need to set the beam adjustment from 0 to 1 or 2 to lower it a bit.

Silver Accents:

Initially, I had considered going for a full-on "Mafia-Black" look, but decided that it wasn't for me. I opted for the "Tasteful chrome/silver accents" look, but you guys be the judge on how tasteful it turned out...

At the time of re-touching the scratched bumper, I also opted to get the front and rear skid plates, and the lower door claddings painted silver to match the top variants. I forgot about the roof rails though, so they're still black.

Re-painting the skid plates and sides cost me about Rs. 2000/-. The silver skid plate accessories would have cost me twice as much on m2all.com, and I'd still have to get the sides painted.

One unintentional benefit was how well the silver finish on the door trim matched up with the aluminium footsteps.

I also decided to switch back to the OEM wheel caps at this point. They are quite durable and held on through the Munnar trip even without the zip ties. The ones I bought off Amazon did not survive a pressure wash unscathed. The paint finishing was not up to the mark and ended up getting peeled off in places. That was a waste of 1700 bucks, as the looks lasted just about 2 months.

By this time, the side window chrome garnish that I had ordered was also delivered (after about 2 months). Local Accessory stores were unwilling to fit them for me because these replaced the original beading and were a screw-in replacement rather than a taped-on affair. The chrome trim for the rear quarter glass was a simpler taped-on bit. This means that the finish doesn't quite match up between the two. The door trims have a satiny finish while the rear quarter glass trim is glossy chrome. The only way to match it up is to replace the whole rear quarter glass with the one from Z8. Thankfully, it doesn't show unless you're closely inspecting them.

Around this point, CBC Mahindra opened their service centre just about 2 kms from my home, and they got it fitted for me for a very nominal fee. They forgot to return the original beadings to me though, and I didn't realise it until much later. By then, they were unable to locate them. I didn't follow up further and let it go.

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The Scorpio N has a supremely comfortable ride. Absolutely no fatigue at all

BHPian Dodge_Viper recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

The first 500km highway drive experience:

Went for a trek near Nashik over the weekend so got to know the beast's highway manners. Pune Nashik road is now all the way 4 laned so it has relatively became much stress free than what it was before. Kept a steady speed of 80-90 throughout.

• The cabin is very well insulated from outside noise
• Supremely comfortable ride. Absolutely no fatigue at all
• Rock steady at 100kmph. Didn't go beyond 100kmph though. All rough patch works, minor potholes just disappeared below.
• At no point did the ride got unsettled due to painted rumbler strips or the shoddy patch works.
• Body roll is well controlled as well
• There was a dam near the fort for which Google maps was showing a long route. However on maps there was a trail which led to the dam, so no second thoughts on taking it. This is the main reason why I preferred this car over anything else
• Average FE was hovering around 12-13kmpl

All 4 laned Pune Nashik highway:

The rough road trail towards the dam. It was quite slushy at few places. No issues for Scorpion N. The primary reason for getting this car:

Posing:

A much needed foam wash post the trip:

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So far I seem to have liked Honda Elevate reviews. But not sure if I should really switch from 2.2L Dicor to a 1500 cc engine.

BHPian mayuresh recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I have been a happy user of Tata Safari Dicor for 12 years.

I can still continue with it, but for some knee trouble that I have developed, use of clutch in heavy traffic causes a lot of soreness now. So, wish to switch to AT/CVT car. So AT/CVT is the primary requirement.

Usage pattern: City usage of about 100km per week, occasional long distance trips, may be around 4/5 times a year.

• 4 seater is ok but it should be spacious. 5 seats of Safari got utilized on very few occasions in my usage.
• Should drive well on rough roads, pothole ridden city roads as well as somewhat rough roads when we go for outings.
• I am a little over 6' and prefer tall cars with good leg room, also prefer good leg room for the rear seats.
• Would prefer higher GC and largish wheel base.
• Among comfort features: Good air conditioning for both front and the rear seats and low NVH levels. Prefer good thigh support for tall passengers.
• I am not much into ICE or other gizmos. All those are welcome but aren't a primary requirement.
• Basic safety features will do, whichever are a norm today. I am not very demanding about those.
• Good boot space for outstation travel. Safari has really spoiled us for this, but can settle for a little less.
• Good road presence and good view of the road, something I am used to in a Safari.

Budget : 20L (extendible).

So far I seem to have liked Honda Elevate reviews. But not sure if I should really switch from 2.2L Dicor to 1500 cc engine. How much will I miss the power of Safari on long drives? (I am not particularly sedate style driver when it comes to outings with good highways.)

Overall I find that there is a lot of crowding of SUVs in the under 20L range and then at the higher end they start close to 30L range, nothing much in between in terms of price. Curious why is that so.

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

Since you are already a Safari owner and well familiar with the pros & cons of Tata ownership, why don't you take a spin in the 2023 Tata Safari? Great looking SUV, but has its cons (refer to our official review). The AT & engine are well-matched.

Since you have increased your budget to 30-lakhs, the segment best is the XUV700 IMHO, followed by the Scorpio-N. If not an urgent need, you could also wait for the 4-door Thar that's coming in 2024. Will be style with practicality.

Also TD the Innova Hycross Hybrid. I'm a huge fan of this car. The mid-variants fall in your budget. It's now very SUV'ish in terms of styling and offers unbeatable practicality + fuel economy.

Here's what BHPian Arjun.hb had to say on the matter:

Scorpio N did have an AT in Z4 trim. Not as spacious as Safari but close. Does everything else better than the Safari.

Here's what BHPian 07CR had to say on the matter:

Scorpio N is something what TATA should have done with Safari facelift. You would not miss anything from the Safari, but feel upgraded in almost all parameters. Z4 AT seems best bet for you.

Mind you no other car in your budget will provide you the road presence and driving position of OG Safari. If you ready to let go that, Seltos FL (GT Line/HTX+ iMT), might be another alternative.

Elevate has good driving position. But road presence is a little awkward. Have read conflicting reports regarding the interior space for taller occupants. Many have found it uncomfortable due to angled flooring, which results in poor underthigh support. That along with the lazy 1.5 NA CVT Combo is something which might disappoint you on the highways.

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

If you are a happy Safari Dicor owner, you’ll have no problem dealing with TATA service in my opinion. Based on this, I’d suggest that you test drive the TATA Harrier (not Safari). You will be able to compare it with the Dicor and see if it fits your requirements.

This should be followed by the ScorpioN test drive combined with the XUV700 also. You can then shortlist the one among these three cars and compare it with the next car (i.e. Seltos) that is different than the three you have test driven.

Seltos is not in the same leagues as the Dicor in terms of space but excels at all other areas. If you like the Seltos after driving larger cars, then you should be able to pick Seltos easily without confusion.

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

You have owned a Tata for 12 years hence I understand you would be quite familiar with Authorised Service Centres as well as FNGs. You are familiar with tata as a brand as well.

I would recommend Tata Harrier XZA (if sunroof isn’t a requirement) it gets all must haves plus some good to have features as well. This should cost you 24-25 lacs OTR pune.

The ride quality is great , drives really well and has street CRED. It’s spacious for a 5 seater and has a great AC performance. The automatic is really tuned well. It’s quite well balanced between efficiency and performance. I get a mileage of 10-11 km/ltr in heavy pune traffic and on highways I am able to get 17-19 km/ltr.

Since you will be going for an automatic variant you won’t be a victim of “knee console issue” as well once you have figured out a good seating position.

The boot space is good and 60:40 split seats can be utilised to get some more space. Also the front driver seat gets a lumbar support that you can adjust to provide adequate support to your back.

The one con that I would like to highlight is that I am 6’1 tall and I feel the under thigh support of front seat could have been tad bit better than what it is currently. However, a fellow Harrier owner who is as tall as me didn’t have any issues with under thigh support from his Harrier, so it’s better you check it out for yourself. Under thigh support won’t be an issue for your passengers though as the seats are really comfortable.

You can consider XUV 700 AX7 variant but won’t a 7 seater be overkill for you? AX5 variant isn’t speced out well for the price which it comes at.

Regardless I would say you can either go with ScorpioN, XUV 700 or Harrier.

Creta, Seltos or Elevate won’t appeal to you coming from a behemoth like Safari Dicor irrespective of how you look at it, whether it’s the build quality, engine power and feel or the road presence.

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I had eyes fixed on the Bolero Neo as my upgrade. My requirement was very simple. A robust go anywhere body on frame vehicle.

BHPian Dodge_Viper recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

"KD ye gaadi out and out tere liye bana hai" (KD, out and out this car has been made for you).

A photo had popped up with this statement in Whatsapp from BHPian cartman. I downloaded it sometime later and saw a photo of Scorpio N and Thar side by side. He knew my love for Thar so I assumed he was talking about Thar. But no.

The upgrade itch:

I was driving a humble Hyundai i10 1.2 Sportz which served me very well for almost 12 years. Never even in those 12 years it let me down. It worked flawlessly all the time. Never face any kind of issues. Clocked close to 1.20 lakh kms on it. It could have gone for another 10 years easily but then at some point you do realise that you have to upgrade. Given the road conditions and idiotic traffic, safety takes priority over emotional value. i10 was without airbags and ABS hence the need for a safer car was a must.

Till this time I had eyes fixed on the Bolero Neo as my upgrade. My requirement was very simple. A robust go anywhere body on frame vehicle. I didn't care about all those fancy features. I simply needed a robust car which will take me beyond the limits of my i10. My treks take me to some remote parts of Maharashtra. Since we stick to unknown and least popular treks, almost everytime we suffer due to the non existant roads/mountain trails to reach the base. Bolero Neo ticked almost all boxes. A 4x4 was nice to have but given my initial budget of 15 lakhs, I didn't have any option available. Thar was never considered due to it's limitations of 2 rear seats and lack of boot space. It had to be a single car do it all. Scorpio N was launched way back in June 2022. It looked promising but I knew by the time I am in a position to buy there will be a couple of price hikes and it will not fit in my budget. I had for a short while considered the Scorpio Classic base version as well. But paying 15 lakhs for a absolute zero features car was something I couldn't digest

But that particular photo changed everything. It was at that time I had decided, my next car HAS to be Scorpio N. Its either Scorpio N or nothing else.

Booking process:

Around January 2023, I had finally decided to go ahead with my car purchase. I looked up on the current prices of Scorpio N. Z4 4x4 MT variant was something I could stretch a bit from 15 lakhs. Went over videos again and again. It was a variant with basic features but I was not bothered with all fancy features. Now Mahindra had only prioritized the top end variant Z8L, hence only this variant was available at all showrooms. I had to rely only on few Youtube videos for Z4. It was some unritten rule of mine that I will test drive only the variant which I will actually buy . Went to Sahyadri motors at Baner and got the current price list. This was the first close look of the Scorpio N. Checked it inside out. Space and comfort wise it was perfect. Since Z8L was equipped with all the bells and whistles I did not test drive it on that day. Got the pricing details and promised the sales advisor of booking in few days. It was confirmed that it will be the Z4 4x4 ESP MT variant. Family had no issues with the Scorpio N. They were ok with any car as long as it was a new car. On the booking day I was told the official waiting period was a whopping 1.5 years! I knew Mahindra had prioritized the production and deliveries of only the top end variant, but I still decided to go ahead with Z4. Z8L was obviously way way out of my budget. Paid 21000 as booking amount. This was the first time I decided to have a test drive since my family had also come. Test drive vehicle was Z8L as none of the showrooms had Z4 for a test drive. I secretly wished if only I had the budget to get Z8L or Z8 atleast to get all the premium features. Who knew what was destined later. Test drive lasted for 10-15 minutes and those were enough to seal the deal. Color? RED RAGE, it had to be red, my lucky color.

The painful wait:

A month or so later I got to know that there is no plan of producing Z4 for now. I was quite upset with this approach of Mahindra. Cartman again called up and brainwashed me to upgrade to Z8 atleast if not Z8L. As per his info and sources there was "hope" to get this variant early or atleast against some cancellation, since maximum bookings Mahindra had were for Z8 and Z8L, and there was greater scope of cancellations against these. My brain worked overtime doing financial calculations for the next few days and finally I decided to follow the YOLO approach. So from Z4 MT 4x4 ESP I went for Z8 MT 4x4 . The endless wait began. I was praying and praying to get it soon since I did not want any further price hike. These manufacturers are now notorious to hike prices every quarter. Finally almighty answered my prayers when I got a call from dealership on my car being allocated. One special mention for Sahyadri Motors, entire process was smooth. At no point they forced any insurance plans or accessories. They were ok for me to get insurance from outside in case they were not able to match, no questions asked.

Final price breakup:

• Ex showroom: 2110500
• BH registration: 35698
• TCS: 21105
• Fasttag: 500
• RSA: 2021
• Extended Warranty: 18879
• Insurance from outside: 63776 (Showroom quoted 94781. Bhpian F50 to the rescue!)
• Accessories: 11440
• Total OTR: 22.63

Initially I had denied for any accessory pack. It was mentioned 50000 in the quotation. Later however decided to get the 3D mats, mud flaps, bumper corner protector and screen guard. These basic ones were anyways needed. I also got the ceramic package done. Ceramic coating with 3 year warranty and 3 times recoat, underbody some rubber coating, PPF on ORVM and insides of door handles, all this at 30k.

The first look of this beauty at stockyard:

PDI was done. Did not find any issues, everything was working fine. ODO reading was 64kms. Did all the formalities, payment was done, loan was processed and RTO formalities began. Decided to take delivery on auspicious Shravan Monday. First time ever in my life I was eagerly waiting for Monday to come and prayed for the weekend to vanish.

And then finally the beast was ready to come home:

A bag of goodies from Mahindra. A beautiful Ganesha idol, nice coffee mug, keychain and microfibre cloth plus a box of chocolates!

The MOST stressful 30 mins of my life. Driving it from showroom to home!

Coming to the Scorpio N:

Its HUGE. I was driving a little hatchback for 12 years. The only time I had driven a huge car ever was my friend's Hexa from Mumbai to Udipi. It will take some time to get used to it.

New iterations of Scorpio N come with a flat floor in boot:

Tools are neatly integrated:

There are 2 sections to keep stuffs. I have put a tool kit and puncture repair kit. Unfortunately the air pump which I have doesn't snug fit:

Jack has been concealed. This is a different jack as compared regular ones. Not sure if other SUVs also come equipped with this:

Cockpit view:

Second row view. Coffee brown leather interiors feel premium all around:

4x4 knob should have been placed elsewhere. This I feel is a major risk if kids tend to fiddle around:

Fancy AdrenoX connected car feature. I can do some stuffs remotely. Cool. All these things are new to me. The specs sheet had mentioned that it comes with 1 year of free subscription, however after KYC update and registration the validity is shown as 2 years:

Z8 has plenty of features over Z4 which I had initially considered and it was all worth the budget stretch.

With approximately 3.xx lakhs over Z4 (comparing the ex-showroom price) I get the below extra features:

• 6 airbags (This alone was a worth upgrade as compared to 2 airbags in Z4)
• Coffee brown leather trim all around compared to fabric seats, making the cabin far more premium than Z4
• All LED lights. LED projector foglamps which are missing in Z4
• Auto headlamps and wiper
• Sunroof
• Z4 has only parking sensors at the rear and no camera. For SUV this size rear view camera is a must have
• Electric PS as compared to hydraulic
• Dual zone Full Automatic Temperature Control
• ArenoX connect
• Wireless AA/AC as compared to wired in Z4
• Color TFT cluster as compared to monochrome
• Push button start
• Z4 does not have 4XPLOR modes
• Mechanical Locking Differential and Brake Locking Differential
• TPMS. Its a boon to have it
• Inbuilt navigation

These are definitely worth it. Anyone who plans to go for Z4 4x4 please stretch and opt for Z8. Each and every additional feature is worth it.

Initial Driving Impressions:

• Disclaimer: This is the first time I am owning/driving any diesel SUV so these observations are my own viewpoint.
• The clutch is very light and combined with the impressive electric power steering, its a breeze to drive
• In my i10 I had to slow down for even small rough patches on road. With this I can fly over it
• AC is a chiller. Even at 24 degrees it is reasonably chilly. There is a max mode as well which lowers the temperature and with full blower speed, cools down the big cabin in no time
• With all 4 disc brakes, stopping time is excellent
• Can easily chug along at low speeds in 2nd/3rd gear. By habit I tend to lower the gear only to realise I could have carried on in the same gear
• With the driver seat at the highest position it gives a commanding view of the road ahead
• There have been complaints about the LED headlight setup being not upto the mark. I am yet to take a night highway drive, however in the city I do find it sufficiently illuminated. Still these all LED lights are going to be a problem in rains
• Parking this behemoth is a pain for me. I am not used to reverse park using camera hence this is going to be a learning exercise for a long time
• Will wait for sometime to update on the highway manners
• DEF was at 87% while at delivery and after 200kms it is 86%. This is completely new to me and need to learn about it
• The cluster backlight is quite bright so Mahindra have give a digital speedo with an option to turn off the backlight illumination. Useful for night drives

The not so good things:

• Steel rims on a 20+ lakh rupee car. Seriously Mahindra?
• Android Auto and Apple Carplay are not activated from factory. One has to manually do a software update later from service center
• Hopeless luggage space with all rows up
• Third row is not split seats, neither it folds flat. It is a problem when you travel with 6 people and have bit of luggage
• Bridgestone Ecopia tyres. No idea how they will perform. My i10 came with Bridgestones as stock and I absolutely hated them. However tyre upgrade is not on the cards immediately. So will have to live with them
• 360 degree camera should have been provided, given the size of this car
• As mentioned earlier, 4x4 knob should have been placed elsewhere or atleast some sort of locking mechanism should have been provided for accidental engages

I believe red Scorpio N is quite rare on road.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.