*Rear knee room with standard 1m driver’s leg room.

950-1155 640-1000755*10

00 935

785 810

870

575-865

1755

720

Innova

470

585

470

505

Wheelbase 2750 Length 4555

Shoulder room 1415Width 1770Wheel track F/R 1510/1510 MEASUREMENTS in millimetres

Tyres 205/65 R15 Bridgestone B390Spare wheel Full size

490

600

The Scorpio offers much better space all round but the Innova has a more comfortable third row and recline-able middle row as well

PICTUREs: Pawan dagIa

*Rear knee room with standard 1m driver’s leg room.

1070-1200

1000 10

50

850 880

970

670-840770*

1995

740

Scorpio

540

550

540

550

Wheelbase 2680 Length 4456

Shoulder room 1460Width 1820Wheel track F/R 1520/1500 MEASUREMENTS in millimetres

Tyres 235/65 R17 Bridgestone Dueler H-TSpare wheel Full size

540

600 840

The new Scorpio is here and we couldn’t help but wonder how it would compare to India’s favourite people mover, the Innova

T he new Scorpio might look like a mid life facelift but in fact there is a lot that

has been done to the behemoth. Along with a new face it has become safer, more comfortable and with a lot of features on board and on option. So natu-rally we had to ask a question,

which is better a people mover or an SUV

The quesTion of aes-TheTic appeal There is no doubt here that the Scorpio post its makeover is the better looking of the two. Even though the overall shape of

the Mahindra is identical to the outgoing model, the designers have made it look even more butch.

The angry headlamps with the LED brow the flared snout of a grille marked by sharp teeth and the intercooler hood-scoop all scream testosterone. Also,

there seems to be no short-age of chrome either. Be it at the front or the rear where the LED tail lamps are mobbed by chrome surrounds and so is the front grille. The new 5-spoke brushed aluminium style alloys complement the looks of the car quite well.

A clash of the kingsroad test

38 www.autobild.in Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014

Mahindra Scorpio vs Toyota Innova

Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014 www.autobild.in 39

The Innova on the other hand looks well, like an Innova, though the India’s favourite people mover does get some gener-ous chrome treatment it isn’t as visually appealing as the Scorpio or for that matter the older Innova.

The inside man Though from the exterior it might seem that the Scorpio has only had a bit of nip and tuck but once you peer inside do you realize that it has been on the operation table longer than you think for the interior is almost completely redone. The steering is now

smaller than before and feels good to hold. The entire dash itself has been pushed towards the bonnet and the front seat squabs have been lengthened to improve comfort.

The entire layout of the dash looks flush and quite funky es-pecially at night with its cool blue lighting. In addition you now also get climate control, a touchscreen infotainment sys-tem with Bluetooth, automatic headlamps, rain sensing wip-ers and a rear AC vent. On the

The Scorpio’ s interiors are now plusher and the dash has been pushed back which results in more space for the passenger and less intrusions for the driver. The screen though is a tad too low

Mahindra has successfully made the Scorpio more drivable with lesser body roll and a slightly stiffer suspension though it still handles like a large SUV

The mHawk engine remains bulletproof though a tad noisier, rear occupants get AC vents and the infotainment now comes with touch controls. Though the touch isn’t as intuitive

scorpio’s plastics are still not up to the mark

The interior of the Innova is rather staid. Though it does now come with climate control. The steering is on the larger side but the steering mounted controls are easy to use

The Innova too has retained the same shape over the years for it has worked quite well amongst the Innova’s customers. But we do feel it is up for a generation change

The engine is on the nosier side especially at higher speeds, storage space is aplenty all round and the new touch screen system works well and better than the one on the Scorpio

downside however, the Scorpio has virtually no cup holders up front. The door pockets are for papers and wrappers only and the centre console has two cubby holes which can hold one water bottle a piece but little else. The plastic quality too leaves quite a bit of room for improvement, something that can’t be said about the Innova.

The interior quality of the Innova though better than the Scorpio has a few issues of its own. It is just too staid and plain looking compared to the fresher Mahindra. The steering feels a tad too big to hold and there is just too much silver on the dash. The seating and driving positions though are comfortable and it even gets a touchscreen

not just nip&tuckThe Scorpio has improved as a car. The changes aren’t visible but become apparent when you drive it

!

road test

40 www.autobild.in Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014 Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014 www.autobild.in 41

Mahindra Scorpio vs Toyota Innova

enGine mahindra ToyoTaMade of al head, iron block al head, iron blockCapacity (cc) 2,179 2,494Cylinders 4 4Installation Longitudinal LongitudinalValvetrain 4 valves/cylinder, dOHC 4 valves/cylinder, dOHCBore x stroke 85.0mmx96.0mm 92.0mmx93.8mmMax Power 120bhp@4,000rpm 102bhp@3,600rpmMax torque 280nm@1,800rpm 200nm@1,200rpmMax engine speed 5,000rpm 5,000rpmspecific output 54.5bhp/litre 40.8bhp/litreP-t-w 70.1bhp/tonne 60bhp/tonnegearbox 5-speed 5-speeddriven wheels Rwd RwdFuel efficiency (aRaI) 15.4kmpl 13.5kmpl

The Honda looks much better from the rear three quarters

TesTed mahindra ToyoTaAcceleration0-60kmph 5.5s 6.3s0-80kmph 8.4s 10.1s0-100kmph 15.5s 16.2s0-120kmph 21.8s 23.8sTop speed 160kmph 150kmphDriveability 30-80kmph 7.1s 9.6s 40-100kmph 12.9s 17.4s 80-120kmph 11.5s 17.1sBraking80-0kmph 28.3m 27.1m100-0kmph 15.2m 42.9mIn cabin noiseat 50kmph 62db(a) 64db(a)at 100kmph 67db(a) 72db(a)at 130kmph 70db(a) 75db(a)CO2 235g/km 241g/kmFuel efficiency 11.2kmpl 10.9kmpl

3gear

4gear

5gear

Body mahindra ToyoTaChassis Ladder on frame Ladder on frameno of seats 7 7suspension F/R double wishbone with anti roll-

bar/Multi link with coil springdouble wishbone/four link with

lateral rodBrakes F&R disc/drum disc/drumwheels F/R 17in alloys 15in alloyssteering Rack and pinion with electric

assistRack and pinion with electric

assistTurning circle dia 11.2m 11.0mFuel diesel dieselTank capacity 60 litres 55 litresBoot space 223 litres 300 litresKerb weight 1,710kg 1,700kg

equipmenT mahindra ToyoTaModel scorpio s10 Innova 2.5 Z

airbags 2 2

aBs/EsP Yes/no Yes/no

aC/Climate control Climate control Climate control

Power windows Yes Yes

sound system Radio/ aux/ UsB/ Mp3 Radio/aux/UsB/MP3

sun roof no no

Headlamps Projector Halogen

warranty 2 years/75,000km 3 years/1,00,000km

price (OTR, delhi) Rs 11.30 lakh Rs 17.67 lakh

Rear bench space was always the Scorpio’s forte and hence has been left untouched. The seats are comfortable and can seat three easily. The rear most seats though are not front facing. and you sit in the boot. There are no seatbelts either

There’s good reason that Innova is India’s favourite people mover. It offers plenty of space along with comfort, especially thanks to the captain seats in the middle. Thre rear most row too can seat two adults with relative ease and still have some space for luggage

The fog lamps on the Scorpio come on automatically to light up the corner

system along with Bluetooth and steering mounted controls.

ouT for a ride These two cars drive as differ-ently as they look.

The Scorpio is powered by Mahindra’s tried and tested mHawk diesel engine which has been retuned and the results have shown progress. There is still the prevalent engine clatter

when it turns over but it does tend to settle down. Though still a bit noisy it doesn’t interfere with the driving. Mahindra has tuned the engine for better torque delivery at lower revs which translates

to quick getaways off the line and also the ability to cruise at 60kmph in fifth gear.

The gearbox has also been im-proved over the previous model though it still isn’t as sharp as

it should’ve been. The overall ride however has improved dra-matically. The stiffened chassis and reworked suspension have worked wonders (no exaggera-tion).

The Scorpio has lost a lot of the body roll that plagued it earlier. Also, it had a tendency to wallow on seemingly smooth roads, a problem which has been taken care of now thanks to the

road test

42 www.autobild.in Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014

Mahindra Scorpio vs Toyota Innova

Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014 www.autobild.in 43

Mahindra Scorpio S10294 PointsThe new Scorpio offers a great package with an exhaustive fea-ture list and is the ideal car for someone looking for road pres-ence on a budget 

Toyota Innova 2.5 Z291 PointsA  car  that  you  prefer  to  be driven in is the ideal choice for someone who travels  long dis-tances frequently, usually with the entire clan in tow 

final placinG

1

2

'Best driver's car' and 'most comfortable car' placings are specific to this test only

Verdict The new scorpio is a huge improvement over the outgoing model and not only in tems of aesthetics. It drives much

better than before and also offers a much better ride than the previous car. It now offers a much better all round pack-age with airbags and the 4wd option available on all variants s4 onwards. In addition it offers much plusher interiors which are loaded to the teeth with features. Hence it is the winner of our test but it managed to win only by the skin of its teeth as it was up against the Innova, one of the best selling people movers in the country. The Innova offers great value for money along with a fuel efficient engine. Though it does fall short when it comes to interior space and outright visual appeal. But is still a good option for a large family.

Max

Poi

nts

ma

hin

dr

a

Toyo

Ta

The scorpio trumps the Toyota in cabin space both up front and at the rear. Though, the Innova does sport better interior quality and is also better built compared to the Mahi-ndra. The surprising part however was that the scorpio features more safety equipment than the Innova like cornering lamps, xenon lamps and tyre pressure monitoring

Though both cars are almost equally matched here, the scorpio is more manoeuvrable in traffic despite its size compared to the Innova. The engine too feels more refined and less noisy. It also offers better low down torque than the Japanese. The gearbox too is marginally bet-ter than the one on the Innova. Both cars are equally fuel efficient.

Ride quality has always been the In-nova’s strong point and so it remains. The slow speed bump absorption is significantly better on the Innova than it is on the Mahindra. at higher speeds however the scorpio is able to tacke the bumps better. due to its taller stance getting in and out of the scorpio can be taxing.

There is only a point’s difference be-tween the two cars here as both dis-play their pros and cons. The scor-pio’s steering feels more responsive especially during sudden direction changes whereas the Innova offers better directional stability especially at high speeds. The scorpio though does feel more manoeuvrable

Up until now the Innova was trailing behind the scorpio but here is where it almost catches up for there is little that can beat the phenomenal resale value and the warranty the Japanese car maker offers. despite the Innova being significantly more expensive it beats the scorpio hands down here.

Clear winner,  fair grading – cars are rated over 500 points, with 100 points  for each section.  Also,  each  section  focuses  on  a single aspect for easier understanding

BODYFront space 15 14 10Rear space 15 14 11Feeling of space 10 7 7Boot space/flexibility 15 15 15Visibility 5 4 3Feel of quality 15 9 11Payload 5 4 4safety 20 5 3Intermediate results 100 72 64

Driveacceleration 15 6 6Top speed 5 2 2driveability 10 7 5Engine characteristics 5 3 2gearbox 10 6 6Fuel efficiency 40 20 20Range 5 3 3Environment 10 5 5Intermediate results 100 52 49

COmfOrtRide quality 30 20 22Front seats/ingress 10 7 8Rear seat/ingress 10 7 8driving noise 10 7 5Handling 15 10 10Comfort equipment 15 8 7Operability 10 6 7Intermediate results 100 65 67

DYnamiCssteering response 15 11 10directional stability 15 11 12Manoeuvrability 20 13 12Braking 25 19 19grip 10 6 6Turning circle 15 12 12Intermediate results 100 72 71test results 400 261 251

COstPrice 60 13 10Resale 20 12 16warranty 20 8 14Intermediate results 100 33 40tOtal 500 294 291

Final position 1 2

The AUTO BILDpoints system at work

BesT driver's car118/200 points

mosT comforTaBle car137/200 points

sCoRECARD

My personal choice would have to be the Scorpio for not only it looks aggressive and rather cool, but the interiors are well designed and comfortable as well. Then there is the sheer amount of features the car offers. The Bluetooth system works well though the touchscreen is a bit cumbersome but I can live with that.

Lust fACtoR This is about taste and does not affect our final rating

To die for , Enticing , Likeable Could be better , Boring

CategOrY mahinDra tOYOtadesign

Character

Handling

wellness

Image

tOtal

The Scorpio’s aggressive stance and butch looks will appeal to the SUV enthusiast whereas

the Innova remains a functional option

Kshitij Sharma

Height max 1110mm

Width max 1420mm

Depth max 1400mm

Height max 765mm

Width max 1320mm

Depth max 1660mm

The Scorpio has a massive boot but the seats here don’t have seatbelts

The Innova has decent boot space even if the rear most row is occupied

stiffened chassis. The steering response too has

improved by a great margin and actually feels sharper and more balanced not only compared to the old car but to its contender here as well. Sharp changes in directions seldom upset the car and the steering no longer feels vague while accelerating.

However, it does tend to get vague at higher speeds. The stiffer suspension too works well and we will even go on to say that the Scorpio can even take on corners. But don’t expect to hit the apex and go for the chicane for the body roll has been re-duced by a few notches but it

still exists and makes itself felt from time to time if you’re not careful.

The Innova on the other hand tends to feel underpowered on the move especially when you put your foot down. Though it

is stable on the highway and can tackle corners better than the Mahindra, it is too noisy not only near its top end but also whilst accelerating. The ride quality though is good and it is clearly a car that you pre-

fer to be driven in than drive yourself.

The niGGlesThough both cars have their pros and cons there are a few concerns that we feel should be addressed here. The Scorpio’s new touchscreen infotainment system though looks funky and fresh, is placed lower on the dash which makes it distracting to operate while driving. The touch controls too are a tad cumbersome and not intuitive enough.

The interior door handles feel flimsy and the central lock lever even more so, with addition of being tiny and cumbersome to use. Also, though, the car can seat seven there is no front fac-ing row but rather two chairs in the boot and they don’t get seatbelts either.

The Innova’s gearbox is a bit vague especially between the third and the fifth gears, the silver treatment on the dash and the steering looks unappealing (putting it mildly).

The steering on the scorpio is responsive

road test

44 www.autobild.in Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014 Vol. 7, Issue No 08, November 5, 2014 www.autobild.in 45

Mahindra Scorpio vs Toyota Innova