Mahindra Scorpio N ownership review after covering 31k km in 2 years

My model is Z8L 2WD Manual Diesel.

This is a detailed review of my N after driving more than 31,000 kms in less than 2 years. I did add on a lot of accessories, and I would like to share my experience/usefulness of all that I added to my N. Might help anyone considering adding these to their Ns.

Got my 30,000 kms service done last month. Cost me 13,000 including tax. Did not have to change brake pads or anything else. Did one additional job of cleaning out the AC ducts (not mandatory). Tyres are fine. Looks good to go another 20K. DEF was at 34% when I gave for service.

First, my experience with N. “My View”s are my personal opinions

My model is Z8L 2WD Manual Diesel.

Fuel efficiency – Initially I had roof rails and during that time my fuel efficiency was just about 10-11 in city 12-13 on highways. From the time I removed those, my fuel efficiency jumped to 13-14 in the city and 14-15 on highways.

My View – Avoid Roof Rails if you can. It not only affects fuel efficiency, but there is a lot of wind noise as soon as you drive beyond 60 kph. Not worth it.

Automatic or Manual – It is true that many times when I am driving bumper to bumper, I do wish I had an Automatic. However, I’m pretty old school and I like to “participate” in the driving. I also love the fact that I can generate the required power “on demand”. This is big for me, especially when I’m driving on two-lane highways. The third gear is “Magic” when you want to overtake.

My View – Go with your gut feeling. I think manual cars may cease to exist in the future. If you prefer convenience over a participative driving experience, by all means, go for a manual. No one will give you extra points for putting in all the extra effort in the manual.

Diesel or Petrol – Mine was a deliberate choice to take the diesel variant. This could be my last diesel vehicle with future regulations that may kick in the next 10 years. So wanted to make the most of it.

My View – It’s a very personal choice. I love the diesel engine of N. Drive both and then decide based on your “Feel”. Hardcore SUV drivers would understand that N is an emotion more than just a car. So go with how you “feel” when you drive both variants. Don’t be too bothered with mileage and all. You should choose Grand Vitara or the like if that is your primary concern.

2WD vs 4WD – I am more of a “Cruiser” than an “Off-Roader”. I love driving cross country. I had Scorpio Classic for 15 years and I never required 4WD. So I didn’t think I would need it. However, I am part of an N group where we go on drives every month. We also do bit of off-roading during these drives and I have not had any issues navigating those. So, I am fine with my 2WD.

My View – Totally depends on the place you live and the kind of terrain that you mostly drive on. Personally, I feel if you are a hardcore off-roader, then Thar 4×4 is a better option. Scorpio N does better as a cruiser than an off-roader. The N has enough power and torque to take you anywhere. The only issue comes when the terrain is such that it makes the rear wheels spin. That is where 4WD comes in.

One word of caution – The N can go really fast but it is not built for speed. Once you cross certain high speeds, the vehicle behaves very differently. It does not stop or even break the way it normally does. The sheer momentum of the N makes it pretty dangerous to maneuver or even control. Therefore, consider and treat N like a Harley Davidson and not a Kawasaki Ninja.

Other than these specific points, the feeling, performance, etc remains the same as earlier. I had given a detailed thread on the N’s performance during one of my long drives. My view remains the same as below.

Now let me share about Accessories one by one.

There is a lot of debate that always goes on about PPF or not PPF. I decided to go for PPF and I chose Stek. Came with a 5-year company warranty and I am very happy with it. During one of our monthly drives, we went through some trees and branches, and at the end of the drive, my N was covered with scratches. However, after one wash and a couple of hot days (for self-healing PPF), my N was back to how it used to be when I got it. It does have a couple of light lines on it, but it is clearly on the PPF and not on the body.

My View – Again a personal choice. My brother-in-law got ceramic done and the shine was way better initially but now it’s the same. Plus, any scratches on his N would directly be on the body. No protection there. My thought process was – If I’m spending about 25 Lakhs on a vehicle, it’s worth spending a lakh or so on PPF.

If you do have PPF, then the best way to keep them clean is to use IPA – Isopropyl Alcohol is a highly effective, general-use cleaning solvent that is used to clean a variety of substrates and remove a variety of soils. This 99.8% isopropyl alcohol is available in a variety of sizes for all types of use. You can get them from any chemical store very cheap. Online it become much more expensive. You just need to put it in a spray bottle and wipe your N down. It will keep the PPF clean and shining.

Here is the post I did when I installed PPF.

I love Wolfbox G900. The kind of visibility that I get from the display is amazing. Now I think they have a bigger rear-view mirror, but earlier, I felt that the rear view wasn’t good enough (for me). It records both front and rear cameras even when my N is parked. The add-on bonus is the parking lines that I get. It’s very helpful when I need to park between pillars. I have put that picture to show how easy it becomes to use both cameras together. The best part is that you can get it directly from the distributor who is extremely helpful at all times. He is directly in touch with the company and their tech team and he takes pride in giving a great customer experience. I have recommended this to a lot of people purely because of the after-sales support from this young fellow.

My View – These days any dashcam is useful if not required. The recordings help in an unfortunate situation where you have an accident, and the recording helps in a big way. It did for me when someone scratched me and argued with me that it was my fault. Also, it is a one-time investment. Worth every penny (for me)

Please remember that since this will be connected to the battery directly (if you want to record while parked as well), your battery drain will be slightly more than usual. It’s best to carry battery water in the car so that you don’t get stranded. Happened to me once.

• Aozoom LED Projector Lights

When it comes to projector lights, I would say this (any brand) is a requirement for all Ns. I specifically like this one as the throw is fantastic, it is IP67 rated, and it is not pure white light. Also, these are compact but very powerful unlike the massive ones available, which are “cop attractors”. The fitting was done beautifully. Now it looks like stock fitting, and these don’t blind the oncoming traffic. It also has a low beam and high beam.

My View – This unfortunately is a requirement for our Ns. The headlight sucks especially if you are driving on highways and one of the basic requirements when you drive at night is to have really good lights. I got a great installer who fit these to perfection, and I have not had to touch these in the past two years for any kind of readjustment, etc. This is definitely one of my best buys for my N.

Word of Caution – Please don’t go with cheap ones. Make sure that they are all weatherproof. It should not cause any spark or short circuit. Avoid pure white ones. You will realize the importance when you are driving in heavy rain at night (like I did).

The detailed post about my LED Fog lamps is given in this post below.

There is nothing wrong with N’s horn. However, I installed a high-decibel “shrieky” horn additionally with a changeover switch. I use them only when I drive on highways or ghats. These are the ones that are normally used by jeeps that frequent ghats. I have seen a definite advantage as the aim is to make the horn audible to someone in front of me over their music and it does the work beautifully.

My View – I find them very useful during highway driving, especially if you drive fast. The shrillness travels more and is way more audible than the ones Ns have. Also, these are not “Air Horns”. So, they are totally legal to install.

These were done on a whim since I do go on long drives. My family can take their shoes off and sit barefoot with a nice and fluffy carpet under them. So basically, it’s for everyone except me since I don’t drive barefoot. I have the regular mats put over them normally, esp during monsoons to make sure that it does not get dirty.

My View – I wanted it. So, I got it custom-made from a carpet seller. Not normally available in the market. Is this required? Definitely not. Do I like it? I love it

I removed the third row and made the boot flat. I waited for a year to see if/how much the third row was being used. I never used it in the first year. We are a family of three and all of us are tall.

When we travel by road, we pack a lot of stuff. So for me, it was better to have a large boot than to have a third row. For short distances, the kids prefer to occupy the large boot space in an emergency. I haven’t disposed of it. It’s kept at a friend’s place since he had space to keep it. I don’t think I will put it back. The flat boot was done through Mahindra only. These are the parts that are required to be installed and it gives a very nice space for your toolbox.

My View – You need to take a call based on your usage. If you have a large family and many children (kith & kin) then the third row makes a lot of sense. If you are like me, then trust me the extra space gives you a loot of options. You really don’t ever need to worry about space when you go on long drives. Your tents and chairs and everything else can fir into it.

• Reffair QX50 Air Purifier

Another excellent accessory for me. This is so powerful that I can’t even have air fresheners in the car. It removes that smell also. The filter lasted for about a year for me. The filter costs about 1000 bucks. So, it’s worth it. I have installed it behind the 2nd-row headrest. The top tends to come off easily. So, I have to use tape to keep it in place. This is powered through a 12V socket.

Therefore it can be installed somewhere at the back only.

My View – Totally worth it if you like clean air and no smell in your car (including car fragrances as well).

• 3 Socket cigarette lighter splitter

Very useful especially since a lot of accessories still take power from a 12 V socket and we have only one in the N. As of now, I have only connected the Air purifier, but I have two more available for use as and when required.

My View – Essential for the N if you plan on having accessories that use this socket.

• Bergmann Cordless Vacuum cleaner

I don’t use it very regularly, but this becomes very handy during long drives. The car invariably gets littered with fragments of chips and other stuff (which is an integral part of our road trips ). During these times, this becomes very handy to clean the car in the minimum time.

My View – Very useful if you go on road trips or if your car tends to get littered. It’s way better to use this than to stop kids from enjoying the drive because if you are particular about cleanliness in the car, they will end up more concerned about keeping the car clean then enjoying the drive. Go for a cordless one if you are buying one. Makes cleaning much easier.

• Bergmann Typhoon heavy duty tyre inflator

Excellent and essential according to me (any brand). I have used this one for my N. It’s quite fast and not too much noise.

My View – Comes under essentials. There are many times we may have a slow puncture. You reach the car only to see a flat tyre. This gives you the ability to inflate the tyre so that you can take it to the nearest repair shop. Very very handy accessory.

• Cigarette Lighter Extension Cord

Essential for N. The “strategic” placement of the 12-v socket makes it impossible to reach the front tyres. You really need this extension. Not just for this, but life becomes easier when you can connect any device sitting in the front seat.

My View – Essential. Without this, you may as well not invest in an inflator.

For me, this has been very useful. I used to get back pain during long drives after driving for about an hour. More than pain, it’s discomfort. This has removed it altogether. The N’s lumbar support is good, but not good enough for me. I use this only when I go for long drives.

My View – If you tend to tire your back during a long drive, just pick it up. Your body, especially your back will thank you. Just remember that you will need to push your seat further back to get to your comfortable driving position. That would mean that the person sitting directly behind you will have lesser legroom.

• USB 3 Card Reader & Memory cards

You need this only if you use a dashcam that needs a memory card. Wolfbox G900 needs a memory card. I suggest having 2 or 3 cards with you, especially if you plan to drive through scenic landscapes. You will have 4K quality videos of your travel. The only issue in having only one is that it gets overwritten the next day. I suggested 3 so that you can keep changing the cards every day and you will have the bandwidth to transfer some videos to your laptop. This card reader is very compact, and it stays in my N.

My View – Definitely go for multiple cards. I realized my mistake after an amazing drive through my home state Kerala over three days. When I checked, it only had the previous day’s recording, that too just of boring expressways. Normally the card holds three days of recording, but that is when it’s mostly parked and not being driven throughout the day. When it actively records, it holds just one day’s recording.

I find this very handy. It fits snugly next to the seat and you can put a lot of things in it. I normally put candies. My wife keeps her mobile there.

My View – Very useful accessory. Avoid putting it on the driver’s side. It interferes with putting on your seatbelt. You have to keep moving it up and down which is an irritation. Also, you don’t really need two of these.

• Motion Sensor Closet lights

It’s good to have these lights especially after I removed the third row. However, it’s better to have ones without motion sensors. These light up randomly at times and it interferes with the rear view because of the reflection it gives on the rear camera (In my case since the camera is mounted inside the rear door).

Very useful and personally I consider this as essential. In fact I have two. One outside and one inside after opening the lid. Can’t depend on the efficiency of the attendants at the filling stations.

My View – Once we were on a safari from the Indian Navy and we had Tata Safari Petrol as one of our sponsored vehicles. At one filling station in Rajasthan, the guy promptly filled it with Diesel (since petrol safaris were rare). You can imagine how much time we wasted on that. Better to be “Doubly safe” than regret later.

Something very simple, but one of the most used. I find it very useful as I have the habit of resting my elbow on the centre console.

My View – If you do rest your elbow, then by all means get one of these. There are newer versions now I believe. I use it so much that it has started showing signs of deterioration. Definitely getting another one.

The MOST useless accessory I have purchased for my N. It is very small and it has to be at a particular angle for it to be truly useful. Every time, the N gets washed or even dusted, the angle goes for a six. Luckily I put it only on one mirror for experimenting. Now I keep it there because I don’t know how to take it off without scratching that mirror.

My View – The N has really nice big mirrors. You don’t need these tiny things.

• Car Door LED warning light

Another useless accessory. Think about it. If someone can’t see the tail lights (which are three in number), do you really think this will help them see your door? Looks fancy but really not of any use. You also need to keep changing the battery.

My View – Avoid

Yes, this one works. However, it starts looking very different from how it was when you installed it. It still does the job. Yet to find a good quality one that stays the same after a few months.

My View – Yes, it does help. No doubt about that. Try and find a good quality one.

• Amkette Car Mount for Dashboard

Very useful for me if you use Google Maps a lot. Apple car play is not dependable at all (at least as of now). This helps me a lot when Apple car play takes a break (which is pretty often). I don’t need to look down for the map. It is also very useful if you do video calls. You can show your face without really looking into it all the time.

My View – Very useful as it can be set to show your face and show Google Maps almost at your line of sight. The only challenge is that during summer or hot days, the silicon just gives away and the whole thing falls down. You just need to wash it and put it back, but still an irritant. Also, if you have an iphone, it tends to get heated very quickly when you keep it on and then the iPhone starts acting weird. Also, when you drive at night, the phone brightness puts a reflection on the windscreen and that can be very distracting. That’s where the next one comes in.

• Mobile Holder for Air vents

I got this one due to the issue with the dashboard I explained above. Since this is on the vent, there is no chance of your phone overheating. Since this is on the vent, there is no chance of any reflection on the windshield as well.

My View – If you use the dashboard one, you might want this one as well as a backup. Has helped me many times when the silicon of the dashboard one given away. Please put it on the small vent on the right side and not on the main vent. Once you fix this, you really can’t change the angle or direction of the vent. Don’t get stuck with the main vent. Not pleasant especially during summer.

• Cup Holder garbage small can

Very useful little thing. Fits nicely into the cupholders.

My View – Keep it. It’s a great tool to help teach your kids to use dustbins wherever they are. I find it amusing to see people throw things out of a running car. It’s as if everything outside of their car is the dustbin.

Another handy accessory. If you have the third row, you really don’t have much space to keep a lot of things. This holds things properly instead of being strewn all over the place.

My View – I use two types. This one is mostly used for keeping cleaning liquids, wipes, etc.

I find this very useful. I do go on long drives and this provides me with the cushion as well as the little bit of ventilation.

My View – If you go on long drives, it’s good to have these. The only issue is that since it’s not attached to anything, it tends to move around and interfere with the buckling of the seat belt. You just need to make sure that it’s away from the seat belt buckle when you get into the driver’s seat.

• Back seat universal hanger hooks

Useful little things. I use it to hang some bags when we go on long trips. I hang them behind the second row. The sharp edges make them like flying missiles directly in line with your eyes in case of an accident.

My View – Very useful as there is nothing much you can put into the seat back pouches of the N. Just get safer ones.

I moved on to these. These help elderly people climb onto the backseat as well as hold covers and packets. Since it is firmly locked in place, there is no danger as well.

• Turtle Wax Rain repellent, Wavex Tyre Polish, Wavex dashboard and leather conditioner, Wavex Silicon emulsion for dashboard, plastic & trim.

Turtle wax rain repellent is really good. I use this regularly and I keep one bottle in the N also. Works beautifully and has helped me a lot. Keeps the glass clear even in heavy showers. All Wavex products are excellent in my experience.

Very good one but quite expensive according to me. The Wavex Silicon emulsion (in the previous point) is multipurpose and works well for trims too.

I find these very useful. I always thought that any kind of tint would affect the visibility. However, when you wear these, it blurs and softens all the lights around you. You would need a little time to get used to this and you won’t be able to read anything on mobile because even the mobile text gets slightly blurred.

My View – Keep it if you do night/early morning drives. The visibility becomes much more with these glasses. I wore these during a night drive with heavy downpours and this really helped. The road ahead lights up due to its yellow tinge. It’s like having yellow fog lights

Good quality. I use them regularly

There are a few more and I will share as the next post!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.