On well-paved or unpaved roads, the Mahindra Scorpio maintains its composure. (CDN PHOTO/BRIAN J. OCHOA)
It may not be among the flashiest sports utility vehicles (SUV) in the market at present but the Mahindra Scorpio is one tough vehicle that can get things done without much fanfare.
Just like the other vehicles being sold by this Indian automobile giant in local soil, such as the Xylo multipurpose vehicle and the Enforcer pickup truck, the Scorpio lives up to the company’s strength, which is to produce affordable and durable vehicles.
(CDN PHOTO/BRIAN J. OCHOA)
This we found out after having driven the Scorpio for a weekend through the efforts of Mahindra Cebu of the Gateway Group.
Some of us may be familiar with the Scorpio because just this year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) chose this to be their patrol cars, following the footsteps of its sibling, the Enforcer. That the PNP gave the Scorpio its trust already, speaks much about this SUV.
(CDN PHOTO/BRIAN J. OCHOA)
Although it lacks the usual flashy stuff found in the new-age SUVs such as touchscreen audio head units, traction control, collision sensors, futuristic styling, among others, the Scorpio still makes a good choice as it has the stuff that matters.
It has a rigid frame, reliable turbodiesel engine and a well-tuned suspension system that gives the Scorpio a comfortable ride no matter what road it tackles.
(CDN PHOTO/BRIAN J. OCHOA)
Powering the Scorpio is a NEF TCI 2.5-liter turbodiesel engine that produces a maximum of 100 horsepower and 240 newton meter of torque.
At first these numbers may look pale compared to some of the newer SUVs in the market, but the engine did carry the huge nine-seater frame well when we (four adults and two kids) travelled through the Transcentral Highway on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
(CDN PHOTO/BRIAN J. OCHOA)
With the seating configuration a bit high and the windows low, driving was made easy since we had a clearer view of all four corners of the SUV.
One feature we really liked is how the Scorpio’s suspension handled both paved and unpaved roads. Its double wishbone front and multi-link (with stabilizer) rear setup eats up road imperfections easily, and the presence of a snorkel and breather kit gives it more confidence to tackle any obstacle, be it a flooding road, which is common in Cebu.
(CDN PHOTO/BRIAN J. OCHOA)
The interior isn’t one that’s as classy too but again, the important stuff is present such as cup holders, compartments (lots of them), front and rear aircon vents, power windows, and a basic audio unit that can at least accommodate usb and SD card and an auxiliary jack. Not bad for a vehicle that’s priced way lower than any other SUV its size.
With the Gateway Group handling Mahindra’s dealerships in Cebu, we’re sure we’ll see more of this workhorse on the streets soon.