By Otsile Kadiege

The ever-growing and highly-contested SUV segment will be joined by a new player from India – the new Mahindra Scorpio-N. We joined Mahindra South Africa at Gerotek Test Facilities for the exclusive preview of the newcomer which boasts bold new looks, new technologies and enhanced capability to list a few.

Exterior design

The Scorpio-N was designed at Pininfarina, Italy and Mahindra India Design Studio (MIDS), Mumbai. The newcomer has a dominating and head-turning presence. Some exterior highlights include a newly designed Twin Peaks logo on a grille with vertical slats, LED headlights with sequential turn signals and c-shaped daytime running lights (DRLs). Its side profile has contrast body cladding, 18-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels wrapped with 255/60 tyres and roof rails. At the rear, the new Scorpio-N has familiar-looking Tall Stacked LED Tail Lamps, a spoiler and faux skid plate.

It’s available in seven exterior colours, namely Dazzling Silver, Deep Forest, Grand Canyon, Everest White, Napoli Black, Red Rage and Royal Gold.

Interior design and technology

Some interior highlights of the range-topping six-seater derivative of the new Scorpio-N are two-tone brown and black leather seats with second row captain’s chairs, a sunroof, Activated Carbon Filter, a Cooled Glove Box, a flat-bottom multifunction steering wheel, 12-speaker 3D Sony sound system, multiple USB ports, keyless go, wireless charging, wireless and a touch display with an infotainment featuring Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Safety

Some safety features in the new Scorpio-N include dual-zone climate control, six airbags, ABS with EBD, ESC, traction control system, hill-hold control, hill-descent control, tire pressure monitoring system and driver drowsiness detection system to name a few.

Powertrains

Powering the new Scorpio-N is a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 2.2-litre diesel engine paired to a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission. The turbopetrol engine makes 149kW and 380Nm in the automatic whilst the diesel engine with the 6-speed auto develops 128kW and 400Nm.

Mahindra used the next-gen Body On Frame platform for the new Scorpio-N. All diesel powered Scorpio-N models are fitted with a shift-on-fly 4WD system, an intelligent 4XPLOR 4×4 system with Selectable Terrain Modes (Normal, Snow, Mud & Ruts, Sand) and a mechanical locking differential.

Availability

Following its local reveal, the Scorpio-N will embark on a comprehensive local testing programme, before coming to showroom floors in 2023.