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Journalism of Courage
The reigning champ from the Mahindra 038; Mahindra brigade is back after a heart transplant and is now available in its new avatar as Scorpio mHawk 2.2. The big changes in the popular urban sports utility vehicle SUV are all under the hood and in the interiors. The Scorpio fans can breathe a sigh of relief as the automobile company has not tinkered with the SUV8217;s butch and brawny looks, and the imposing presence is now complemented by a lighter and more powerful engine. Another innovation is a read-out on tyre pressure located next to the speedometer, so you can skip the guessing game when it comes to knowing the tyre pressure. The SUV also gets a classy metallic badge 8216;Powered by mHawk8217; on the side panels, which unlike many others, does not scream for attention.
Exterior
The styling remains the same and this is not necessarily a bad thing. Scorpio still has an imposing size and the aggressive looking grille, which can be a nightmare for any puny hatchback. The looks could have been more contemporary if Mahindra had worked on the boxy rear. The top variant VLX gets 16-inch alloy wheels and makes it perfect for the urban Marlboro man. Many may think the air scoop on the bonnet is too macho, but it actually provides air to the intercooler for a smoother drive.
What puts one off is that the VLX comes with graphics on the bonnet and the side panels making the car look like a muted chessboard. Sorry Mahindra, but simple still works for most of us.
This is one area where most Indian car manufacturers fall short of the mark compared to other world-class vehicles. The Scorpio too fails to do so. There are good innovations like cup-holders for passengers in the middle row and lots of space to keep knick-knacks near the gearbox area, but the plastic looks tacky. The air vents on the central console look at least a couple of generations old. The top-of-the-line mHawk gets armrests in the front seats and the middle row gets two comfortable chairs, not a bench. How practical the seating arrangements are, only time will tell, but it does increase the space, with enough room for two lumberjacks to stretch their daddy long legs.
The new Scorpio is tech-savvy too and comes with tyre monitoring system called the Tyre-tronics. The SUV also has a light sensor with a button on the central console, which switches on the lights according to the driver8217;s needs. Another important feature is the rear-mounted parking sensor, which animates on the rear-view mirror if there8217;s any obstruction. The steering wheel in the VLX has mounted on it controls of the music system which, incidentally, also plays music from USB devices and SD card slots8212;a first in its class.
Engine
The mHawk is powered by a 2.2 common-rail diesel engine similar to the new Tata Safari8217;s 2.2 Dicor engine. Even though the new Mahindra engine gives out 5 bhp more than its predecessor, providing a total power of 120 bhp, the Tata beast punches out a massive 140 bhp. But the Scorpio8217;s engine is extremely refined and quite unlike the Safari8217;s. What many people don8217;t know is that the mHawk is tuned down to 120 bhp. It can be easily increased to provide more power. The engine is 82 kg lighter then the older one, which makes handling better and allow easy zigzag in peak metro traffic. The SUV sails over bad roads without a whimper, but starts to wobble a bit. The new variant8217;s gear ratio is very good for city and highway drives. The Scorpio reaches 147 kmph without batting an eyelid.
Fuel Economy
Even though fuel economy should never be the main criterion for an SUV buyer, in recent years, automobile companies have improved the milege of these beasts to an extent that fuel bills don8217;t really burn a hole in pocket. The mHawk also makes sure that the driver doesn8217;t dread forking out money for diesel. The SUV returns a good 11 kmpl in city limits, and for a spin on the highway, one should not expect less then 14 kmpl. So don8217;t shudder when you feel like driving down to Jaipur.
Last Word
The Scorpio mHawk is great to drive in city conditions. You are not only at eye-level with bus drivers, but can also manoeuvre it easily in traffic and parking lots. The SUV is capable of off-road driving, but is predominantly a tarmac vehicle. The top variant is less value for money than the lesser trims of its rivals, Safari and Toyata Innova. The mHawk VLX at Rs 10.86 lakh on road in Delhi is an SUV lover8217;s delight.
