Cut-price 4x4 safe for now? 2024 Mahindra Scorpio off-road SUV's future confirmed as AEB safety mandate kicks in

Mahindra’s cut-price off-roader, the Scorpio, will miss the March 1, 2025 cut-off of for being imported to Australia without autonomous emergency braking (AEB).

But the brand has confirmed to CarsGuide that customers will still be able to purchase a Mahindra Scorpio and it doesn’t expect sales to be impacted by the change.

For reference, the new Australian Design Rules (ADR) related to AEB is called ADR 98/00, and requires all new cars imported or built for sale to be fitted with auto emergency braking (AEB), which can automatically brake if a potential crash is detected.

“Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd is committed to adhering to all regulatory standards,” a Mahindra Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide.

“We plan to introduce Scorpio with AEB in Australia by the end of this year.”

While this means there won’t be any new shipments of Mahindra Scorpio until late 2025 when the brand has AEB fitted, the spokesperson added that customers should still be able to find and buy a pre-AEB Scorpio until then.

Mahindra has “adequate stocks in 6- and 7-seat Scorpio to see [it] through to that model update,” according to the brand.

The Scorpio isn’t the only model this ADR change has impacted, with a slew of other cars either on hiatus or off the market due to their lack of (or insufficient) AEB systems.

Notable models include the Mitsubishi's Pajero Sport off-road SUV, Eclipse Cross small SUV and the current-gen ASX, all cars Mitsubishi won’t reengineer with AEB. The latter, however, will be replaced by the next-gen, Renault Captur-based model.

The Suzuki Ignis, LDV G10, plus entry grades of the LDV T60 ute and Suzuki Vitara also face the chop.

For the same reason, Toyota has discontinued the Granvia people mover.