Mahindra Scorpio Classic Review: The OG Big Daddy!

If you are in the market looking for a rugged SUV that has a road presence like no other vehicle in the Rs 15 lakh price bucket, you have come to the right place. The Mahindra Scorpio Classic was launched 2 years ago, and is an SUV which cannot be ignored. While it does have some drawbacks of its own, it has its strengths too. But, is the Scorpio Classic for you? Will its old school charm still make a strong case? And would it still make sense to consider it over its premium and more sophisticated version, the Scorpio N? Let’s find out: 

Exterior 

The boxy design of the Scorpio Classic remains unchanged for the most part, and has the same silhouette as the older version. Even though the looks of the car might seem a bit dated in the modern era, it still gets noticed on the road and stands out among other SUVs, and yes, people do make way for it. 

While looking at the car, you initially wonder if you would like to see a newer design or something more modern. But, as you spend time with it, the design grows on you and draws your attention towards it. The Scorpio Classic is not the widest or the longest SUV, but it sure is tall, and in fact, it's even taller than the Scorpio N. 

Boot Space

The Scorpio Classic offers plenty of boot space, as it shares its boot with the third row seats, which have to be folded for you to keep your luggage. In case you have too many suitcases and need more space, you can further fold down the second row seats as well. 

Interior 

Old school yet practical would be the right way to describe the interior of the Scorpio Classic. The cabin feels solid and durable, and is built for a purpose. The dashboard would have felt better with soft touch materials at some of the places, but the quality doesn’t feel cheap and it has a nice texture to it. The door handles and the buttons for the power windows are of inferior quality and you would expect something better for the price. 

The dashboard gets a beige theme with some gloss and wooden inserts which uplift the look and feel of the cabin. The retro design of the interior complements the exterior of the SUV. 

Even though the front seats are comfortable and offer soft-cushioning, the door tends to eat into seating space and you will find that you need to sit more ‘inside’ the cabin that you would want to and elbow room is also limited for the same reason. ,. 

Features

The equipment list on the Scorpio Classic could have been better, and you will definitely end up wanting more. The 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system to start with, is an aftermarket unit and is simple to use. However, it's not very smooth and misses out on Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which is offered in almost every car in 2024. The interface is also not as polished as you would expect and is a little on the slow and laggy side in operation too.

The good thing is that the Scorpio Classic gets steering-mounted audio controls, which means you won’t have to reach out to the centre screen to control the audio system. Other notable features include automatic climate control, rear wiper and washer, rear AC vents, cruise control and all power windows. 

The Scorpio Classic provides “most” of the features which you would require on a daily basis. But, at this price point you would expect Mahindra to provide more niceties and comforts. 

Safety Features

The Scorpio Classic is a let-down when it comes to the safety aspect. In recent times, most carmakers offer 6 airbags as standard but the Scorpio still gets only dual front airbags. Other misses include seatbelts for the third row and a reverse parking camera. In 2016, the Scorpio Classic was crash tested by Global NCAP and had scored a disappointing 0 stars out of a total of 5. 

The lack of safety equipment is probably its biggest flaw and Mahindra should really give it some updates. 

Cabin Practicality And Charging Options

The Scorpio Classic is not a very practical SUV in terms of storage space in the cabin. The front doors miss out on bottle holders, the glove box is small and the storage in the lower centre console is inadequate. To compensate, it gets 2 bottle holders in the centre, a sunglass holder and an anti-slip pad for your mobile phone, but that doesn’t feel sufficient. 

For the rear passengers, there are bottle holders on the door and 2 cup holders below the AC vents, which are tilted and can only be used to keep smaller bottles or cans. The only place where you get storage is the front seat’s back pockets. 

Charing options include a 12V socket, and a USB type A port placed in the lower centre console. For middle and third row passengers, there are no charging options, which feels like a miss. Overall, the practicality could have been much better with minute changes in the cabin.  

Second And Third Row Seats 

Yes, the Scorpio Classic has its flaws, but the space offered with the second row seats is not one of them. Three passengers can sit comfortably in the second row and you get ample underthigh support, which gives the passengers an enjoyable experience during longer journeys.

Taller passengers will also not have a problem here, since the knee, leg and headroom is sufficient. The only defect in the second row is the centre armrest, which is positioned very low, making it less suitable for tall people. 

A bonus here would be the large windows that offer a nice view, and give the cabin an airy feel. 

The third row seats are not a place you would want to be in or you should be in. The reason being the lack of comfort and no seatbelts, which make it unsafe to sit in the third row. 

Performance

To begin with the numbers, it gets a 2.2-litre diesel engine which produces 132 PS and 300 Nm. For those who want the convenience of an automatic, there is bad news, as the Scorpio Classic only comes with a 6-speed manual transmission. The diesel engine is refined, and has lesser vibrations, especially when compared to older models of the Scorpio. 

Driving the Scorpio Classic is the fun part, as you get good performance from its diesel engine, and it doesn’t feel lacking in any terms. In city conditions, the diesel grunt in the lower-end of the revv band is pretty impressive and you won’t need to downshift when overtaking a slower vehicle. In bumper-to-bumper traffic won’t be an easy task, as the clutch has a long travel which means you will have to stretch your legs longer to control the gears. 

Out on the highway too, the engine is no slouch either, and it can cruise easily at high speeds. The performance offered is enough to take it to speeds north of 80 kmph, but that is not what you would want to do in the Scorpio Classic. In one of our tests, it was able to go from 0-100 kmph in 13 seconds, which is commendable for its size and weight. 

It is a ladder-on-frame SUV with a rear-wheel drive option only, unlike the Scorpio N, which gets a 4x4 system as well. 

Ride And Handling 

Mahindra has significantly improved the ride comfort and handling of the Scorpio Classic when compared to its predecessors. However, the ride could have still been better and more comfortable. At lower speeds, there is not much to complain about,  but when you take the SUV around the corners, there is a lot of body roll and you will feel the sideways movement. That being said, the Scorpio Classic manages to absorb most of the potholes, and you wouldn’t worry too much while taking it over bad roads. 

At higher speeds, the Scorpio Classic does not feel planted to the road, and you will notice a lot of movement inside the cabin, especially if you decide to quickly change lanes. Even though the car is capable of being driven at high speeds, you won’t feel very confident and comfortable when you drive it fast. 

Price

The Scorpio Classic is priced from Rs 13.62 lakh to Rs 17.42 lakh (ex-showroom), and is available in two trims: S and S11. It is offered in both 7-and 9-seater configurations. The pricing is slightly on the higher side, keeping in mind the equipment on offer, and the availability of the mid-spec variants of the Scorpio N at similar prices. 

Verdict 

As mentioned earlier, the Scorpio Classic is an SUV for those with a classic taste, and for those who want a vehicle with a powerful road presence. It’s a vehicle that they can take anywhere without worrying too much but also asks for some compromises. There are more comfortable crossovers at the same price that offer better comfort and more features So  buying the Scorpio Classic will always be a heart over mind decision rather than a practical one. 

Alternatively, if you still want to get a ladder-on-frame rugged SUV, you can opt for the mid-spec variants of the Scorpio N, which offers more features, petrol and diesel engines and  the convenience of an automatic gearbox, and a more premium, comfortable cabin too.