2026 Mahindra Scorpio evolves at last: Affordable 4WD SUV steps up against Toyota Prado, GWM Tank 500 and BYD Denza B5 as Mahindra tailors safety for Australia

Mahindra has modified its crash-testing procedures as well as safety specifications of all future models coming to Australia, to factor in regional requirements, essentially “doubling up” on the processes and expense.

The upshot of the unexpected zero-star result delivered to the Scorpio body-on-frame 4WD wagon in 2023 by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), the goal is to gain a four-star rating at a minimum moving forward with existing older-generation models and five stars with all-new vehicles, starting with certain 2026 cars.

Why just four stars at best for Scorpio?

It is understood this is the maximum achievable rating with older-gen vehicles based on the current standards, due to the limitations of their existing electrical architectures in adopting some of the latest advanced driver assist (ADAS) technologies like rear-cross traffic alert (RCTA), as well as the prohibitive expense in re-engineering core body structures so late into their lifecycles.

First cab off the rank is the Scorpio, which is about to gain autonomous emergency braking (AEB) at last, amongst other ADAS features, for Australia before the end of this year. As a technology that applies the brakes should the driver fail to do so during certain speeds, this is expected to bump up its future ANCAP score.

Surprisingly, another recipient will be a slightly-updated version of the new, MY25 XUV 3XO.

Although the Chery Tiggo 4-rivalling small SUV is on sale from this week complete with level-two ADAS tech like AEB, forward collision warning, lane keep assist, lane-departure warning and adaptive cruise control, it was not initially designed to meet ANCAP’s 50km/h frontal off-set impact test, amongst other requirements like having RCTA.

@carsguide.com.au 2026 MAHINDA XUV 3XO -- 82kW/200Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine 6.5L/100km $25,000 - $30,000 before on-roads. -- You’re about to witness a future version of a brand-new model collide with another vehicle at 50km/h, which is 30mph.So, what’s going on? The Chery Tiggo 4-chasing Mahindra XUV 3XO is upon us, and the Indian giant has big plans in the affordable small-SUV segment in Australia.This is just one of a series of impact tests going on right now in its new advanced crash-test facility in India, meaning all future models will better meet Australia’s unique ANCAP crash-test requirements. #Mahindra #XUV3X0 #Chery #Tiggo4 #SUV #car #carsguide #fyp ♬ original sound - CarsGuide.com.au

While ANCAP has yet to test any 3XO, Mahindra has now started the many series of tests required to satisfy as many of ANCAP’s procedures as possible given the age of that model’s architecture, being a substantially-modified version of the SsangYong Tivoli released in Australia back in 2018.

The plan is to have the modified, MY26 3XO ready for some time next year, should ANCAP purchase an example for testing.

With a new world-standard crash-test laboratory fully operational since last year at the massive MSPT Mahindra SUV Proving Track as well as at the MRV Mahindra Research Valley design, engineering and compliance facilities (both near Chennai), the company now has the resources and know-how to meet and even exceed foreseeable global crash-test requirements, including ANCAP’s unique frontal off-set impact and ADAS specifications.

According to Mahindra President of Automotive Technology and Product Development, Velusamy R, while meeting global crash-test standards is now the top priority, he also is adamant that in the real world the vehicles are already as safe as possible due to the extensive engineering and development undertaken over the past three years.

“I am not very sure we are struggling on safety, but I would say we may be struggling to meet the one of the regulations of (ANCAP) safety… the offset crash test,” he told the Australia media at the MY26 3XO crash-test demonstration at MRV earlier this month.

“We recognise that Australia is a critical market for us… and we need ANCAP, so we are working on ANCAP for our future programs that we are launching.

“And the new vehicles that will come out will have these things. Conceptually, if you look at safety of the car, our cars are safe. You might have seen that 45 per cent of our car is (high and ultra-high strength) steels and we have all the elements of the safety technology (as required).”

Velusamy R added that the ANCAP-mandated modifications have to do with minor adjustments to steel deformation rates of some smaller front-end components, rather than any critical intrusions into the vehicle passenger cell, meaning the strength of the structure is not in question.

“It's just the tuning that you have to do,” he revealed. “The difference in ANCAP and (India’s NCAP-style independent crash-test organisation) is in the front end, not in the passenger cab.

“That's a single message that I want (Australians to understand).”