Introduction

The Mahindra Scorpio Pik Up is a pickup truck based on the Mahindra Scorpio SUV, one of the company’s best vehicles. Right now the Scorpio SUV is all the rage in Nepal, among general customers to private compa­nies to government agencies alike. The question is: can its truck sibling live up to the old standard? We took the Scorpio Pik Up for a drive to find out.

Exterior

On the front, the Pik Up looks exactly like the Scorpio SUV in its pre-facelift version, with the heavy boxy front fascia with tooth-like chrome accents on the grille, and similar front bumper. The air intake is placed right above the skid plate and over to the side is where you’ll find the front fog lamps.

Above this are clear lens headlight units at either end, with projector lamps to add a modern appeal. Over to the side is where the Pik Up differ­entiates itself from its SUV brother, with its massive cargo bed which is spacious enough to move your flat every other week. Completing the look are black side steps on either side as well as a blacked out rear bumper.

 Rs. 37.95 lakhs

Price of Mahindra Scorpio Pik Up

 

 If you want to drive this car within the city limits, we recommend you install an aftermarket reverse camera

Interior

The interior is not “great” but it’s not “bad” either. But here’s the point, for a pickup truck, at this price point, you have to consider it surprisingly good. You get an all-black treatment inside the cabin; the dashboard is made from strong plastic which might not feel soft to touch but will definitely keep up with all the bashing you’ll put this truck through day in and day out.

The seats are comfortable and pro­vide good back and thigh support. The rear seats have loads of knee room and head room and thanks to the flat floor, seating three at the back for long hours of off-roading is no trouble. The Scorpio Pik Up receives all the creature comforts, such as decently powerful air condi­tioning with rear vents, which do a quick job of cooling the cabin. It also gets a touch-screen display that is both smart and intuitive. Mahindra has not skipped on safety either, as you get ABS, dual airbags and cen­tral locking.

Performance

The Scorpio Pik Up is powered by a 2.2-liter mHawk EV engine that belts out a maximum power of 140 bhp at 3,750 rpm and develops a peak torque of 320 Nm at 1,500- 2,800 rpm. Mahindra offers the new six-speed manual gearbox as stan­dard across all variants and a choice of either 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrain. For a pick-up truck the Scorpio Pik Up is surprisingly quick off the line as all the torque is rationed at the lower end of the rev band. Work the gears smoothly and the Pik Up will hit triple digits with ease.

The steering and the suspen­sion are where this truck scores top marks. The steering wheel is light and accurate and also provides good feedback. That paired with the suspension setup, we can safely say that you will have a wonderful time off-roading without your back screaming for painkillers at the end of the day.

We took some runs off road to blow up a little dust for an epic picture, which involved some fast driving across an uneven track, and the Pik Up mauled through it again and again. The best part is, you don’t have to brace for an impact every time you are closing in on a bump. The shocks are well con­tained; the cabin is well insulated and comfortable. One drawback that this and every other truck has is urban maneuverability. Thanks to the massive cargo bed, tight turns will test any driver and the thought of parallel parking gives you goose bumps. If you are planning to drive this car within the city, we highly recommend you install an aftermar­ket reverse camera.

Verdict

The Scorpio Pik Up is an all-rounder with only one exception; it is difficult to drive around town, just like any other truck. Look past that and you get a vehicle that goes anywhere, has all the com­forts you need, every day, and at a price of Rs. 37.95 lakhs, this pick up is the ultimate steal in this segment.

FEATURES

Fuel Type: 2.2 turbo diesel

Engine: 2179 cc

Power: 138 BHP

Torque: 320 Nm

Ground clearance: 210 mm

Top speed: 196 km/h

• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD)
• Seat belt pretensioner
• Air-bags (driver/ passenger)
• Side impact protection bars
• Collapsible steering column
• Isofix child seat attachments
• Seat belt reminder
• Auto-locking doors