Mahindra Scorpio N price in Koppal

The cars you have shortlisted are very different, but based on your usage and your mileage requirement, we would suggest going for the Kia Seltos with the 1.5 litre naturally aspirated engine paired to the IVT automatic.

The new Seltos has grown in size compared to the previous generation, which not only improves interior space, comfort and boot capacity, but also gives it better road presence. While it lacks outright punch, for most real world conditions and sedate driving it has more than enough performance, both in the city and on the highway. The biggest strength of this powertrain is its refinement and smoothness, which makes the Seltos a pleasure to drive, especially in urban conditions. In terms of mileage, the Seltos with this engine and gearbox should come close to your requirement of 12 kmpl or more, something the other two cars are unlikely to achieve. You can get the HTK(O) variant in your budget which is well loaded with features too.

The Tata Harrier petrol, on the other hand, is larger and has more presence, but it is also more expensive. In fact, the Harrier turbo petrol with the 6 speed automatic costs over Rs 20 lakh on road, which is more than Rs 2 lakh over your budget. Fuel efficiency will also be lower than the Kia’s, as the Harrier is heavier, more powerful, and turbo petrol engines are generally more sensitive to throttle inputs.

This issue is even more pronounced in the Mahindra Scorpio N. It is the heaviest car here, uses a large turbo petrol engine producing over 200 PS, and while it delivers effortless performance, efficiency takes a hit. Being based on a ladder frame chassis, it is more rugged, but for everyday use it won’t be as comfortable as the other two. If you want to buy a Mahindra, we would suggest looking at the new 7XO instead, as it is more practical, more comfortable, and will also be more fuel efficient.

If your monthly running is just 500km and all of it is in the city, a diesel car is not the best choice. Diesel cars are best suited for those who cover a lot of distance on a regular basis, as in that way you will recover the initial extra outlay that you pay when buying a diesel. There is also the matter of the diesel particulate filter (DPF), which is a device that burns off trapped soot, but it does so only when it gets hot enough. 

Typically, this is when the car is driven at least once a week on a drive of more than 70 to 80 kms and at higher speeds around 55 to 60kph. If this is the case with you, then it should be fine; if not, you will get a prompt to do a DPF regeneration cycle with would involve a drive as stated above or idling the car for about 10 minutes with the engine above 2000rpm. Since you already have the Scorpio N, we would recommend you keep it for a while and see if this is an issue or not. In any case, keeping the car for a few more years will not greatly impact the resale value. 

The choice between the two really comes down to your usage. The Mahindra Scorpio N has good road presence and a commanding seating position, and is built over a ladder-frame (chassis). The Scorpio N is also better suited to handle some level of abuse from rough roads. So, if this is typical of your usage, this car will do just fine. 

However, over medium-sized bumps and ruts, the Scorpion N will have a jittery shake typical of most ladder frame vehicles. Thus, if your driving is primarily over regular city roads and highways, you will find the ride of the Mahindra XUV7XO far more composed and level.

As for the facelift of the Scorpio N, which should come out in the first half of this year, not much is known about the features. But expect changes to the exterior lighting elements, alloy wheels and the 10.25 inch from the Thar Roxx along with an upgraded sound system. 

An update for the Mahindra Scorpio N is expected this year. The changes will likely include a tweaks to the styling as well as feature enhancements inside. We expect a larger touchscreen and an uprated sound system to be part of the updates. 

There won't be any changes to the engine and gearbox options. But Mahindra could move the Scorpio N to the Thar Roxx's chassis, bringing in advancements in ride comfort and refinement. 

There's no clear timeline for when the updated Scorpio N will launch. So if waiting is not an option, the XUV 7XO is the easy pick of the two Mahindra SUVs. It feels more sophisticated and polished in the way it drives, and it packs in lots more features, such as the three-screen layout. Being a large SUV itself, the XUV 7XO is not short on road presence in its own right.