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manual transmission the Mahindra Scorpio S11 always have power when you need it.
DEPENDABLE: In its latest incarnation the Mahindra SUV is no doubt a vastly improved offering than its redecessor
By Ali Mphaki
In a market segment dominated by top of mind offerings like the Land Rover, BMW X3, Volvo XC90 etc, the name Mahindra Scorpio may still be a snail’s pace away from biting off serious chunks of the competition.
As if to rub it in, the name Mahindra hardly features in the list of the hottest SUV’s for the past three years as compiled by reputable Car and Driver magazine. With Mahindra a mere less than 20 years of changing gears on SA soil, the Indian manufacturer, however, has shown resilience and slowly but surely is beggining to reap rewards – winning new friends while retaining old ones.
And while its become fashionable these days to be cynical, sometimes you got to give due where it is deserved. After living with the new generation Mahindra Scorpio S11 SUV for close on two weeks recently, the experience only served to endear me to the brand.
Daily I woke up to its new shape of supremacy. Rugged, an imposing new front grille, a striking bonnet scoop – the boxy shape ala Land Rover.
Groot kop, in Afrikaans. Even when standing still, the Scorpio S11 still makes a statement, attracting a noticeable curiosity from other motorists and passerbys.
It was not the first time I had to test the Mahindra Scorpio, having done so more than a decade ago when it was first launched in South Africa.
While the memory is fuzzy, what I remember vividly is its choppy ride and how hard its pedals were. It was like horse riding, as my late colleague Louis Mazibuko was wont to say. In its latest incarnation, however, the Mahindra Scorpio is no doubt a vastly improved offering than its predecessor.
Its got three rows of seats and imagines itself as a 7/8-seater large SUV family vehicle. The seats also come with foldable individual armrests for both front passengers. Apart from a leather-trimmed steering (with Steering Wheel Controls) you get a 7” touchscreen infotainment, an HD reverse camera (Intellipark System with rear parking sensors) as well as built-in satellite navigation.
With three rows of seats, it can easily accomodate seven passengers even though space in the last row of seats is pittiable, ideal only for the young ones. The third row of seats is removable, which makes for boot space.
My friend’s young ones just loved occupying the third row. For the driver, the seats are petched at a slightly higher angle which gives that master of all you survey feeling. For added safety, when you turn the vehicle its intelligent headlights move in the direction you taking, lighting up your path for a more sure-footed driving.
with navy fabric inserts, fully automatic digital climate control, and a fully adjustable
driver’s seat to ensure a comfortable driving experience over long distances
Cruise control also makes extended trips easier with the steering-mounted audio and cruise controls, dynamic reverse parking camera, and dual airbags are featured as a standard.
It will set you back for around R389,999 for the 4×2 manual, which is a 7-seater SUV bargain, whilst the 2022 Scorpio S11 SUV 4×4 6S M/T can be had for an RRP of R414,999.
The Scorpio S11 comes standard with a comprehensive 4-year/120,000 km mechanical warranty and a full 5-year/90,000 km service plan.
Why break the bank when you can have all this and more for less than 500k.
