New Generation Mahindra Scorpio S10: Buying and Ownership Review

[shijose2002]

Thanks Rohit for the detailed explanation. Yes Mahindra has nothing on the booklet for the running in.
I was not aware that we need to speed as well post 1000 kms to smoothen the engine.

Congrates.............

In mumbai from where you did it?

I did the lamination from Harsh Motors at Andheri west. He is right opposite Mega Mall at Oshiwara link road.
The owner Ankur is known to me. In case you go there you can use my reference. My name is Shijo. Please make sure that you personally supervise the job as good fit and finish is important here. Specially when they cut the lamination to fit the vehicle edges and make a holes for the nut bolts etc. Also ensure that seats are screwed back properly.

 

[nakash13]

I did the lamination from Harsh Motors at Andheri west. He is right opposite Mega Mall at Oshiwara link road.
The owner Ankur is known to me. In case you go there you can use my reference. My name is Shijo. Please make sure that you personally supervise the job as good fit and finish is important here. Specially when they cut the lamination to fit the vehicle edges and make a holes for the nut bolts etc. Also ensure that seats are screwed back properly.

Hey Shijo thank you very much.

 

[shijose2002]

Did spend some time last few weeks on the infotainment system. The idea was to
Experiment with the speakers and see if an upgrade is needed
Understand various audio sources like AUX,USB, Bluetooth etc and see which one has the best sound quality
Understand which music player on the phone gives the best sound quality. I think this is an important factor as i noticed sound quality differs with each player.

Speakers
Decided that i will not rush with this as the experience with amp and music system upgrades in the previous Scorpio wasn't that great. Found the front speakers are coaxial and has good sound quality. How ever you can feel the lack of a component here. I thought it makes sense to upgrade the speakers to components first and use it for a while before deciding on an amp. So tried Kicker, Boston and Pioneer components for front and surprisingly the Pioneer sounded the best! I couldn't believe myself here. How ever post the initial shock! decided that I will stick with the speakers that sounds good according to me than any brand. So it was Pioneer . Have been using it for 2 weeks now and it is good. I am not a huge Base fan. So for the kind of clear and crisp sound that I need I think these speakers do a good Job.

Pioneer Component being fitted. original wiring has been used.




For the rear speakers I have few options now.
Fit the front speaks at the rear and add tweeters. This will need some modification like adding a ring and cover to the speakers. The rear door speakers tend to vibrate after a while. Hence a bit more of research is required prior to taking a decision on this.
The second option is to fit components to the middle row doors. This will also need some modifications to the door trim. How ever this would give a better sound as the rear door is too far behind and the speakers are blocked by the third row bench seats.
Third option is to fit speakers inside boxes under the third row seats. This will be the last option I would opt for since blocking so much space on the floor may not be a good idea. This could also hinder the luggage loading with the third row folded.
Will update on the final decision soon.

Music Sources
Mahindra disappoints here. Only Bluetooth streaming provides good sound quality. Both AUX and USB has poor quality of sound. I haven't tested iPhone yet. So for most of the part I will be sticking to Bluetooth streaming. Also noticed that USB do not have option to browse though folders etc. Not Sure If I am missing something here !! Let me know if anyone knows about this better.

Music players on Phone
I use a Lenovo Z2 Pro Android phone. The default player is Android proprietary Google Play Music. Initially this player did not sound good. Later realized that it sounds best with the Equalizer function off. I did try various other players like the Double Twist,PowerAmp,VLC , Equalizer+ etc. I feel Google Play music sounds the best.
Another point to be taken care is adjusting the equalizer on the Infotainment system. The preset equalizers do not function that great. It is better that you adjust the equalizer manually under settings-Sound.
Will update once I upgrade the rear speakers.

 

[shijose2002]

Its been a while I been thinking about writing a detailed review post getting my Redbull Home. Some one on the forum suggested this name and I think I like it!

One of the reason for delaying the review was that I wanted to drive it for at least 2000 kms to write a detailed review, rather than just put pictures of features of the new car. I have driven the car for 2250 kms now. That is pretty much for a 22 days old car! Since I work away from Mumbai has to make a weekend trip back to Mumbai to do music systems upgrades, seat covers etc. That is how I managed to clock this much kms in such a short period of time! I know this is nothing new for all petrol heads like us!

I will use the word " An elevated Scorpio Experience" to summarize my feelings in the last 22 days with this vehicle.
The car is very much Scorpio still. A typical Scorpio fan will not miss anything here. The engine is still the same peppy powerful one but much more silent in doing its job.

Changing gear is till a job while its much smoother. You can literally bring the car to a halt at third gear and then take off without changing the gear. On highways you hardly have to down shift from 5th!

While Mahindra claims to have reconstructed this vehicle except the roof and the doors, you would pretty disagree to this while using the car for a while. They have done an amazing job with the front look of the vehicle leaving the side and rear profile pretty much the same. Same can be said about the interiors. The Dashboard is a giant leap where as rest of the interiors matches old Scorpio to every minute details.


few Pictures of Redbull from above! Parked at my office
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Yesterday I was in a Chauffer driven Scorpio. This was the outgoing top end model which was micro hybrid. During the long 300 kms drive I started noticing the interiors and features of the car and started comparing with mine. The rain sensing wipers, auto headlights and stop start system and steering mounted controls were there in the old model as well. The middle row and the roof etc looked exactly like the new one.
The driver was doing 70 on not so sooth road between Baroda and Bhavnagar! Occasionally the vehicle was loosing the road grip but stabilized itself quickly. Post few hours of inspection and comparison few things that distinguished the new one from old are
The Interior quality is refreshing and modern. Keep aside the features, the quality of materials on the dashboard and over all fit an finish is way ahead of the our going model. So you feel being in a modern car while not loosing all the pleasures associated with Scorpio.


The light colors in the cabin gives a refreshing and airy feeling




The Dashboard plastics quail is much improved.

 

[shijose2002]

Coming to the handling and ride quality, being an ardent fan of Scorpio I must admit I am a happy person! This may not be the case with a person who has driven monocoque vehicles. For Ladder on Frame standards this is real good driving dynamics. On smooth patches and turns I must say Scorpio has zero body roll even you try to turn her at 100. Its only on un even surfaces that she gets unsettled a bit, specially you push here beyond 80. The bouncing has almost gone away. Steering is much lighter.
Most of my 2200 km drive has been on the highway. Post the 1000 kms run in, I have pushed her to 120 and the drive has been smooth. I am waiting for the running in to complete to test Scorpio on higher speeds and pickup as well.

The mighty Scorpio pitched against her rival!


The new bonnet design gives a broader feel. Its better to look at as well.



With the parking lights on


Regualr low beam. You can see the light is not aligned correctly. Looks like a problem in this car. Will have it checked during first service. The low beam is just sufficient.


High beam. The throw here is really good.


The indicator switches are not that smooth to operate. The kind of ease with which you can blink the indicators a few times by just an up or down touch is not possible on Scorpio.
All the below pictures reminds you of the old Scorpio






All these years of research and no way this welding can be hidden!




The rear bumper is really weak! It bends when you stand on it. I wonder what would happen if left exposed. A rear guard?


The side steps are much narrow. The cute lights on them as well disappeared!


The cover for the front towing hook. You better preserve this as the vehicle will look really ugly with the cover gone!


With the seat almost touching the side, you need to ensure that seat belt doesn't get stuck while adjusting seats. Observe the picture. You need to stop the car adjust the backrest to pull that seat belt out!



Wondering why a nice cover for this cup holder and not for others? They are hiding few screws here!


The 17 inch alloy looks stunning. In accessories list there is an option for 15 inch alloy as well. This is definitely an option for some one looking at better ride quality. I had a 15 inch alloy on the previous Scorpio and it did make a difference while driving at high speeds and cornering.


The horn sits right behind the grill. Sounds decent. Any way on the road the mere presence is enough to get attention. So horn is secondary!


to be continued.............

 

[rajanysvv]

Hi, I was looking for foot mats for Scorpio S10 in delhi, one accessories shop has quoted Rs 8000 for 3d mats without mat for dickey space, is this resonable or any other decent options available in black, kindly suggest. Also seat covers by auto form u fly plus model being quoted at Rs 12000, is it ok or any other options.

 

[shijose2002]

Focus on the technical aspects of the vehicle in this session.

Noticed a few aspects of warranty of the car in the manual this morning. Thought of sharing the same.
The Car comes with a standard warranty of 2 years and 75k Kms.
The emission Warranty is for 3 years and 80k Kms
Battery warranty is for 12 months from the date of sales of the vehicle or 15 months from the date of manufacturing
Infotainment system warranty is for 3 years or 1 Lakh Kms.

While the warranty exclusion list is pretty standard like consumables etc noticed a few important aspects of warranty.

Wheel and master cylinder kits are not included in warranty.
All services of the vehicles should be done on time to claim an warranty.
All services should be endorsed by the respective service stations in the warranty manual.
Using oil or lubricants not recommended by the company can void you warranty if the damage is caused by the same.


Unable to identify the use if the ACK button on the Steering!


Below error appeared on the screen twice in the last 1 month. Once the error occurs, infotainment system doesn't work including the reverse sensors
You need to remove the key out and lock the vehicle for a while and then start again to get rid of this.


Technical details of the vehicle based on variants. Notice the turning radius difference between 2 WD and 4WD versions. There is also a height difference between s2 and other variants. S2 is 65 mm shorter than others. Is it the 15 inch tyres?

Safety features on Variants. Mahindra is offering Airbags on all versions as an option.

Technology and Technical features across variants


List of Apps available for Smartphones.

I havent tried the last two. For the remaining I have written a review here of Blue sense and Mahindra Scorpio Apps.

Regarding the mileage of the car, I have been religiously monitoring the same till now. Every filling has been full tank. With 1500 Kms of the 2200 done on highways, got an average of 13.5. Pretty decent and close to the Mahindra's promise. Expect this to improve post first service.

The Mahindra App has a great option to keep fuel record and calculate fuel efficiency.
Every time you fill fuel input the liters and price per liter. It calculates the the cost of the filling, average fuel efficiency so far and also the cost per KM.

The fuel records are not displayed properly on my phone. Also wonder what would happen to this record when we change the phone?

 

[Storme_on_d_way]

A gem of a review. Rated it a well deserved five stars. Enjoy your ride

 

[shijose2002]

Hi, I was looking for foot mats for Scorpio S10 in delhi, one accessories shop has quoted Rs 8000 for 3d mats without mat for dickey space, is this resonable or any other decent options available in black, kindly suggest. Also seat covers by auto form u fly plus model being quoted at Rs 12000, is it ok or any other options.

Rajan
The prices quoted are obviously high. 3D floor mats come in the range of 3.5 to 5 K and a good seat cover cost below 10 k. I am talking about leatherette seat covers and not pure leather seat covers.

 

[shijose2002]

A gem of a review. Rated it a well deserved five stars. Enjoy your ride

Thank you for the kind words. I am yet to finish the review. Will complete remaining parts soon.

 

[Storme_on_d_way]

Thank you for the kind words. I am yet to finish the review. Will complete remaining parts soon.

An eye for detail is a rare virue, which you surely got. Looking forward to the continued updates

 

[rohit_navigator]

@Shijose
Noted your updates after a long time just WoW
This error with the infotainment system seems quite troublesome.
Any particular situation when it arises, eg while the flash drive is inserted and playing for some time?
Because got a tip from one of the XUV owner regarding a similar kind of error, though not very sure of the code.
In his case it was due to the Usb drive.
It had .exe virus which was finally scanned and deleted with Kaspersky!
Secondly,
Live Young, Live Free app is a must have for all the road trippers. You can plan your trip and know about all the necessary information required.

 

[shijose2002]

Rohit

In my case the error was not associated with pen drive as I was not using one at that time.The file mentioned in this error AVN2013.exe is Audio Video Navigator.Will keep a close watch on this to see if it repeats.
Will check out the App for sure!

 

[shijose2002]

Spend some time examining things under the hood.
The first thing you notice while opening the bonnet is the quality of the body and the hard martial with which its built. The heaviness of the bonnet as you lift gives you the feeling that its no lightweight hatchback that you are dealing here. No wonder this vehicle weights over a ton.
The hydraulic support system for the bonnet is a welcome addition. Do not have to worry while opening and closing the bonnet. Specially in our country where the car is inspected when you enter every mall and hotel by the security. In my previous car one of the security staff managed to damage the bonnet by not placing the level back in its original position. Didn't get covered under insurance and that cost e a 10k to repair
View attachment 154805

Coming back to the engine bay, it is much more organized and upmarket. The older models had lot of horse pipes running all over. They are reduced or the ones seen are much smaller in radius. Good use of color coding for easily identifying various mechanical and electrical components.
View attachment 154806
Amron is the battery partner!

This spring attached unit aids the smooth opening of the bonnet

The ABS unit color coded.


Procedure to operate fuel filter pasted on the side of the engine cover.


If you have to work on the head light unit, its a breeze on the right side and bit of a trouble on the left.



Tested the wiper and wash functionality. Feel its not up to the size of the front windshield. The Through of the water to the driver side of the windshield is not sufficient.
Once important thing noticed is that Wiper moves first followed by water sprinkling on the windshield. In the process the driver side wiper is moving back to its position while the water is on the windshield taking the water down with it. This results in keeping the washing process on for longer duration to get things cleaned on driver side. During my trials the sprinkler could not provide sufficient water to clean the dirt on the driver side specially on the areas where its neat to be clean for a perfect vision.
Most of the cleaning process sprays water first followed by a wiping sequence which carry the water with it to the entire windshield.






RFID!


The grills needs to be cleaned and polished regularly to maintain the look of the vehicle.


Insulation Tapes


An Important safety warning on the passenger side sun visor. The Airbags could hurt children.


Is this a manufacturing defect or the Scorpio standard!


All the logos put together!



Should you buy one?

Well by now most of you might be pondering over the idea of buying one. Well I feel for 14 lacs this s the best you get out there!

or you can wait for Safari Storm update if ready to shell out a bit more and like the TATA ownership!

Go for a Duster if not needing a full size SUV. You might save some bugs as well.

Think of XUV if you need a refined ride and comfort and have another 2 lacs extra.

This is the refined New generation in fact for the Scorpio fans. A tall stance, lot of space, lot of respect on the road, great mile muncher and highway cruiser and probably the bets SUV to drive in our maddening city traffic.
Much more reliable and easy on pocket as well!

Its short comings can be forgiven for the pure thrill it provides.


Should I upgrade from my existing Scorpio?

Another question in the mind of lot of us.

if you own the outgoing model, it has to be the interior, and look that has to help you take that decision. The ride quality and engine are not really factors that worth an upgrade from the previous version.

If you own an older version(more than 4 years). This upgrade would take you all together to a different Scorpio experience. The best part is you wont miss anything that you like about old Scorpio with the upgrade.

If you think of waiting for the next upgrade, that could be mostly cosmetic. Considering the chassis and Dashboard upgrade in this version. I have really not researched enough on the Mahindra's future plan for the Scorpio. So might me missing some thing here.

Will the next major upgrade be a monocoque? If so guys this is our last chance for a rough and tough ladder on frame real suv!

Signing off with few pics of the Redbull. Will keep you all posted with updates. Planning a long trip post first service to kerala!

 

[shijose2002]

Unable to identify the use if the ACK button on the Steering!
View attachment 154290

One of the Mahindra representative visited this weekend for a demo of the car. Got to know the use of the ACK button on the steering .
This is to acknowledge the Audio warnings for seat belt, fuel reserve etc. You can press this button to acknowledge and stop the warning message from playing continuously.

Also there is a Car illumination control option in the Entertainment system. The representative said the same is to control the dashboard illumination, how ever do not work at present.