Mahindra Scorpio-N vs Volkswagen Tiguan

What's the difference?

It may seem like I've been harsh on this Mahindra but I reckon the Scorpio Z8L+ is a positive product for the company.

It’s nice enough to drive on-road – reasonably refined and comfortable – and it’s also a capable 4WD, with some trade-offs.

But this seven-seat wagon remains a good value-for-money prospect with the addition of more driver-assist tech onboard boosting its safety and adding to its overall appeal.

The new Tiguan is as confident as ever in its identity, even in such a crowded mid-size SUV space where there are so many models worthy of your attention.

No matter which version you choose, this is still the mid-size SUV for a driving enthusiast who doesn’t quite have premium dollars to spend.

While it may not quite expand its appeal as much as the brand hopes precluding a hybrid variant, those who are choosing this as their family hauler for the right reasons won’t be disappointed.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Nothing has changed on the Scorpio’s exterior. It still reminds me of the early-generation Hyundai Terracan – long bonnet, generic cabin (i.e. inoffensive, soft lines, nothing to set it apart from most other mid-sized SUVs) and, though its off-road angles check out (more about those later) it looks quite low to the ground.

So it’s all standard for a 4WD wagon.

The Scorpio also has 18-inch alloy wheels, side steps, roof rails and a sunroof.

Potential main rival GWM Tank 300 holds sway in the looks department.

The new Tiguan is a bit of a mind-bender. Its new design seems to make it feel smaller than the outgoing vehicle, despite it being both slightly wider and longer.

This, I have decided, is because the design creates a visual effect, where the upper curvier parts seem to shrink it down, and the additional length makes it seem narrower than the more boxy visage of the previous model. Also, it’s 20mm shorter than the previous design, which we’re told combines with the new bodywork to make for a 15 per cent drag reduction.

Either way, it’s nice not to see a mid-size SUV not continually engage in an arms race to get bigger and bigger. Volkswagen will also introduce the dedicated seven-seat Tayron later in 2025. It’s a half-size up and replaces the outgoing Tiguan Allspace, and this time it features a much more distinct design from its Tiguan sibling.

The third-generation Tiguan not only embraces a more curvy design aesthetic than its predecessor, but it also features many more contemporary design elements. The headlights and curvy accents over the wheelarches feel like they more closely associate this SUV with the new ID.4 and ID.5 EVs, while the light bar across the front on some grades combines with the new light bar across the rear to give it a trendy silhouette. It tops things off with the ‘Tiguan’ letterwork on the tailgate, and, as usual, a sporty spoiler fitting giving the rear hatch a bit of depth.

As usual, VW’s array of gloss-black, chrome or plastic garnishes on the outside, depending on grade, offer a subtle and tasteful finish to the exterior appearance.

The inside is revolution rather than evolution, now heavily screen-centri, and featuring an array of lighting features like many of its rivals.

The screens look the part and have fast and mostly straightforward-to-navigate software, while the seat designs are a real highlight, being both aesthetically pleasing and nice to the touch in all grades.

The ambient lighting features add a sense of presence to the cabin, and unlike the outgoing car, the new one feels a bit more driver-centric thanks to the design of the dash and screens effectively pointing their way down the road from the driver’s point of view.

It does away with the sparse feeling of the previous car, elevating things a notch with an increase of nice materials throughout.

While some may find the abundance of gloss-black finishes a bit harder to maintain, it’s hard not to feel like this new Tiguan is a major generational jump from the previous one. Mission accomplished, VW.

Nothing much has changed inside the Scorpio, either, except for the addition of an electronic park brake.

The cabin has a neat layout with a 8.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system that is easy to operate but it needs to be bigger.

The synthetic leather trim looks and feels only adequately premium and if you more closely scrutinise the Scorpio’s interior it lacks the build quality, storage spaces and USB charge points of rival wagons.

Driver and front passenger get adequate room, while the second row is actually satisfactorily spacious without being capacious; behind my driving position I had more than enough leg, head and shoulder room – but, take note, I'm the size of a garden gnome. The third row is the stuff of nightmares – only joking, but it should quite rightly be limited to use by small children or your mate the jockey.

There’s one cupholder (between the driver and front passenger), door pockets are narrow and there are few other storage spaces. In this respect, the Scorpio cabin lacks general functionality.

The Scorpio also cops a mark down because of its third row. With the third-row seats in use, there’s a small rear cargo area, and those seats don’t fold flat so when they’re not in use they occupy a lot of what could be useable storage space.

As a result, the Scorpio is one of the few modern 4WDs I’d consider removing the third row every time long-distance loaded-up travel was on the cards – just so it’s a more practical touring vehicle.

Some features, such as the directional air vents, feel flimsy. Otherwise, the Scorpio’s cabin is adequately practical, rather than overly impressive.

Suffice to say, in terms of practicality, the Scorpio’s rivals have it beaten.

Like the previous model, VW hasn’t forgotten its pragmatic touches for the interior, despite its increase in complexity and appointments.

Finding a driving position was easy for me at 182cm tall, with both a healthy adjustment range for the seats and steering wheel. The digital instrument cluster remains one of the best on the market in terms of usability and customisation, while the multi-function steering wheel commits to buttons rather than the widely-disliked haptic feedback panels, which have appeared on various other VW models.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t entirely extend to switchgear for key functions, with the climate control exclusively controlled via touch sliders, a touchscreen menu or the Tiguan’s new voice control suite, none of which are as intuitive as just having a physical dial for temperature and fan speed and buttons for recirculate, auto and on-off.

However, the Tiguan does have a central dial on the console, which can cycle through volume control, drive modes or ambient lighting modes when pressed. A welcome addition.

Moving the shift stalk to the steering column, like the ID.4 and ID.5, has also allowed additional space for the centre console area, which is now quite versatile. It includes a variable-height armrest console box with either dividers or a dual-bottle-holder fitting, which can be interchanged between the two areas, while the dual-charging bays up front have a rubberised cover, which can be pulled down as to not waste the storage space. This has the additional feature of making the cooling system for the wireless charging phones more effective.

There are two large bottle holders and pockets in each door, which have a carpeted finish to reduce vibration, and there’s also a passenger glovebox.

The rear seat offers a healthy amount of space behind my own driving position. I had leagues of knee room and a healthy amount of airspace above me, however the presence of a tall raise for the transmission tunnel eats into the amount of room a centre passenger would have for their feet.

The comfortable seats continue and are on rails if you need to increase the amount of room in the boot, or simply want a more aggressive recline. When it comes to storage, there are bottle holders in each door, a drop-down armrest with dual bottle holders, dual USB-C outlets on the back of the console, as well as dual air vents with a touch control panel for the independent third climate zone. The only thing it seems to be missing is built-in window shades, which are offered on some Skodas and the now-discontinued Passat (RIP).

The boot helpfully features a powered tailgate on all grades, and measures in at 652 litres with the second row up, or 1650L with the seats down. Numbers can be deceptive, but it does seem large for the class, and there’s a space-saver spare wheel under the floor.

Volkswagen is attempting to broaden the appeal of the Tiguan this time around. As such, it hasn’t jacked prices up massively like some recent new-generation versions of rivals, despite a comprehensive cabin tech overhaul and big lift in standard equipment.

As a result, the range is vast, with six variants covering a wide price spectrum and, as the brand says (or hopes), a wide range of potential buyers.

Kicking it off is the base model 110TSI Life, which, at $44,990 plus-road costs, is only $1000 more than the outgoing version. It sports a carryover 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, although it has a new version of VW’s seven-speed wet dual-clutch automatic sending power to the front wheels, replacing the derided dry dual-clutch that marred the base version of the old car.

Standard equipment on the base car is high, including 19-inch alloys, a full array of LED lights both for the headlight clusters and rears, it also includes a 12.9-inch multimedia touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster with the brand’s signature digital cockpit software, tri-zone climate control, ‘comfort’ cloth seats (said to be benchmarked against the best in-class) with manual adjustments, a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel, dual wireless phone chargers, ambient dashboard lighting and even an electric tailgate.

The mid-spec Elegance grade can be chosen with either the 110TSI engine in front-wheel drive, or the new 150TSI 2.0-litre engine in all-wheel drive, priced at $50,690 and $60,690 respectively. It increases the equipment to include chrome styling on the exterior with alternate 19-inch wheel designs, rear privacy glass, improved LED headlights with a lit-up centre strip and dynamic cornering functions, leather interior trim, power adjustments with heating, ventilation, and message functions for the front two seats, and a heated steering wheel.

Alternatively, there is the 150TSI R-Line which starts at $55,690, representing a $4600 price reduction compared to the outgoing 162TSI R-Line. It is also all-wheel drive only and features an R-Line styling pack inside and outside, with sporty but manually adjusted cloth bucket seats featuring integrated headrests up front (which miss out on the heating and ventilation of the Elegance grade), black headlining, an R-line steering wheel with additional contouring, 19-inch alloys in a sportier design, a wider wheel and tyre package for enhanced grip, and the VW’s signature progressive steering tune.

Both 150TSI cars also add adaptive chassis control and hill descent control as standard, with an additional off-road and snow driving mode, while the Elegance specifically scores a larger 15-inch multimedia screen.

Finally, topping out the range is the new 195TSI R-Line priced at a massive $70,490. Not only does this grade score its own 195TSI engine sourced from the Golf GTI, but it also adds everything available in the range, swapping out the 150TSI R-Line’s cloth seats for the leather-trimmed, heated, cooled and massaging ones otherwise only available on the Elegance, along with the larger 15-inch screen, sporty steering wheel and R-Line appearance package inside and out, along with its own set of 20-inch alloy wheels.

Option packs include a black styling pack for the R-Line at $1500, a panoramic sunroof available on the Elegance and R-Line grades at $2100, and the Sound and Vision package, which adds premium audio and the larger 15-inch multimedia screen to the 110TSI variants for $2700.

This makes the Tiguan range span from surprisingly good value at the low end, to a real enthusiast-only proposition at the pinnacle, with VW even pitching the 195TSI R-Line at the lower-end BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC buyers.

In reality many of its mainstream rivals should include options like the dominant Toyota RAV4 ($42,260 - $58,360), Subaru Forester ($38,690 - $50,140), Nissan X-Trail ($38,025 - $59,265), Hyundai Tucson ($39,100 - $61,100) and Kia Sportage ($32,995 - $55,420).

The surprise, some will note, is all of the Tiguan’s rivals have at least one hybrid variant, where VW has chosen to stick with combustion only for the time being for its new-generation mid-sizer.

The Mahindra Scorpio Z8L+ has a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine, producing 129kW and 400Nm and it’s matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.

This engine-and-auto combination is sluggish at times but it’s generally okay.

The Scorpio has a part-time 4WD system (with high- and low-range) and an automatic rear diff lock.

Worth noting the Scorpio must be in neutral and stationary for the driver to shift into '4WD low-range', but the driver is able to shift between '2WD' and '4WD High' on the move, up to 80km/h.

This 4WD wagon’s '4Explor' system’s drive modes include 'Normal' (2WD for sealed surfaces), 'Grass/Snow' (4WD), 'Mud & Ruts' (4WD) and 'Sand' (4WD).

The Scorpio lags behind its rivals here.

There are three engine options in the Tiguan range, and it is notable none are even mild hybrids (MHEVs) in 2025.

The base engine present in 110TSI variants is even a carryover 1.4-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, providing 110kW/250Nm to the front wheels. The big news for these base cars is the dry-clutch DCT has been swapped out for the better-performing wet-clutch version, which also has various improvements made to it for this iteration. Notably, VW has stripped-out the stop-start system with this engine and transmission combination. 

The brand says it opted not to use the more recent 1.5-litre MHEV version of this engine as it simply didn’t need it to meet Australia’s new emissions standards and it would have added a prohibitive amount to the cost of entry-level variants to justify its inclusion in the range.

Next up is the new 150TSI engine. It is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder unit, which replaces both the 132TSI and 162TSI engines from the previous-generation model. It provides 150kW/320Nm and drives all four wheels via the same seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. This engine also reintroduces stop-start.

At the top of the range, solely available on the R-Line, is the 195TSI engine. VW says this offers buyers of the previous Tiguan R somewhere to go, but also an option for those who wanted more than the previous 162TSI R-Line offered. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged 195TSI engine is sourced from the Golf GTI and produces 195kW/400Nm, driving all four wheels via the same seven-speed dual-clutch. It reduces the 0-100km/h sprint time from 7.1 seconds to 5.9 seconds.

It is a shame in the current environment VW hasn’t chosen to make a splash with the 1.5-litre plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant, which is available overseas. This Tiguan features a 25kWh battery paired to the 110kW engine to make for an estimated 100km electric-only driving range. It even features both 11kW AC charging and 50kW DC charging for convenient top-ups.

If you want it, tell your dealer. VW tells us they’re working on a business case for the PHEV in the background, but if you want electric driving for now, it’s pointing current customers to the ID.4 (from $59,990 before on-roads).

Official fuel consumption is 7.2L/100km on a combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle on regular unleaded fuel.

Actual fuel consumption on this test was 9.0L/100km, which is better than the 9.6L/100km I recorded on my last Scorpio review a couple of years ago.

The Mahindra Scorpio Z8L+ has a 57-litre fuel tank so, going by those fuel figures, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 633km from a full tank. It also has a 16-litre Adblue tank, so keep that mind.

Remember, that 633km is a best-case scenario figure and has not had a 30-50km safe-distance buffer subtracted from it. And it doesn't take into account the fact that, when being used for touring, the Scorpio may be loaded with people, pets, camping gear and more.

Rivals such as the GWM Tank 300 easily outclass the Scorpio when it comes to off-roading and all-round touring suitability.

Efficiency is remarkably even across the Tiguan range, with the new engines and updated transmission helping to make things reasonably straightforward.

The base 110TSI versions have an official/combined fuel consumption of 7.6L/100km, as do the 150TSI versions thar benefit from the stop/start system but have the added heft of all-wheel drive.

The top-of-the-range 195TSI R-Line, meanwhile, is said to consume 8.5L/100km. All versions require 95RON mid-shelf unleaded. And for those who care, the 110TSI and 150TSI produce 173g/km of CO2, while the 195TSI produces 194g/km.

Interestingly, the 110TSI variants have a 55-litre fuel tank, while the 150TSI and 195TSI have a 58-litre fuel tank.

On road the Scorpio is reasonable. It’s comfortable and refined but can be a bit firm on the suspension it has – double wishbone and coil springs at the front, live axle with multi links, Watts link and coil springs at the rear. But for a four-wheel drive wagon it's quite nice on sealed surfaces.

The powertrain is generally a reasonable set-up, although there is lag between foot-down and acceleration and it holds onto gears for too long before upshifting.

There have been no mechanical changes to this Scorpio over the previous generation and that's fine because this Mahindra’s tractable engine offers reasonable power and torque across enough of a rev range to make it an effective 4WD.

The Scorpio feels comfortable and reasonable off road. And when it’s time to tackle ‘4WD-only’ territory, it is generally capable. High- and low-range gearing is decent, and as mentioned earlier, its off-road drive modes adjust traction control, among other aspects, to best suit the terrain you’re tackling.

Its no rock-crawling beast but as a result of these mechanical and technical elements this 4WD wagon is able to drive the kind of terrain you’d reasonably expect to be able to cover in a standard off-roader that's been engineered for 4WDing across light to moderately difficult terrain.

The Scorpio’s off-road angles and ground clearance are on par with mid-size SUV rivals. Ground clearance is a listed 227mm. It feels quite low, but if you drive it with care and consideration, you should be fine.

The rear diff lock doesn't feel as clunky in its application as it has in the past. Maybe I'm more forgiving in my old age because, as I mentioned earlier, there haven't been any upgrades mechanically or in terms of off-road-specific driver-assist tech or in diff lock operation.

Hill descent control works reasonably well, although it's not the greatest, allowing for some free-wheeling before it bites.

The Scorpio’s road-oriented Bridgestone Ecopia (255/60 R18) tyres are fine on formed dirt tracks but are found wanting on anything rougher than that.

In terms of towing capacity, the Scorpio is able to tow 750kg unbraked and 2500kg braked. So if you're looking to haul anything larger than a small box trailer, camper trailer or tinny, you'll have to look elsewhere.

GVM and GCM are 2610kg and 5155kg, respectively.

Main potential rival GWM Tank 300 has it over the Scorpio in terms of off-roading prowess and, even though it’s not a towing beast, the GWM wagon is better suited to life as a touring platform than the Mahindra.

The Tiguan range has some significant upgrades from behind the wheel this time around, but there are a handful of areas where I was surprised to find it didn’t quite live up to expectations.

Firstly, the seating position and driver-centric cabin design make the Tiguan feel like more of a driver’s car than ever before. The bucket-style seats and the high beltline combine to make the seating position feel like more of a hatchback than an SUV. Yet visibility out of the cabin is healthy thanks to large windows and mirrors.

As you set off, the Tiguan feels smoother through its drivetrain than its predecessor, thanks to the new dual-clutch automatic being sandpapered when it comes to its initial engagement and shift-mapping. Even the base 110TSI, which can sometimes struggle for initial torque thanks to a dollop of turbo-lag, has a decent roll-on, and with no stop-start system this time, it’s much more friendly when hopping on the accelerator from a standstill.

The steering tune is great in all grades, helping to make this new Tiguan feel light and reactive, despite its slightly expanded dimensions. This lightness is a trait which shines through on this new version, making it feel much less pedestrian than almost all of its rivals.

On the base variant, this can be to its detriment at times, with the 110TSI engine occasionally overcoming the grip of the front tyres when a lot is asked of it, however all-wheel-drive versions are much more confident in their footing, not only delivering power in a more linear fashion, but also putting it to the ground more smoothly.

R-Line variants, with wider and more expensive tyres, are reactive, grippy, and simply outstanding to drive in this mid-size segment, with the 195TSI bringing a strong additional lump of torque and a throatier engine note.

Indeed, this version of the Tiguan leans into the nameplate’s best traits and solidifies its position as the driver’s option in the segment. The 150TSI R-Line in particular stood out as raucous amounts of fun for a mid-sizer for a fair price, as it could be driven significantly harder than the more powerful 195TSI.

However, this new Tiguan was also not without some disappointments. The amount of road noise in all grades was notable, and while VWs are usually known for their balanced ride quality, all Tiguan variants also featured a certain seemingly inherent firm response to sharper blemishes in the road, perhaps a cost for the otherwise superb body control.

These blemishes in driving ambiance were relatively minor in scale, but surprising to find nonetheless.

Every new Tiguan gets the full array of modern active safety kit, including freeway-speed auto emergency braking with vulnerable road-user protections and intersection features, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, both rear and front cross traffic alert, a 360-degree parking camera suite, driver attention alert, traffic sign recognition, adaptive cruise control and exit warning.

It also features an emergency assist feature, and there’s a suite of nine airbags, including a centre airbag. VW is anticipating a maximum five-star ANCAP rating, although at the time we put this review together, the SUV’s score was yet to be released.

The Mahindra Scorpio Z8L+ has a seven-year/150,000km warranty and comes with seven years' of roadside assistance if your Scorpio is serviced by Mahindra.

The first service is scheduled at the 1500km mark, then every 12 months or 10,000km. Pricing details were not available at the time of writing.

Five years of capped price servicing is available at an average cost per visit of $471.

For reference, the GWM Tank 300 offers a seven year/unlimited km warranty, five years' of roadside assistance, and five years of capped price servicing (starting at $360 for the first service and topping out at $1035 for the sixth). Service intervals are scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km.

At time of writing there were reportedly about 80 Mahindra dealerships spread across Australia. According to the company, "the dealer network spans all states and territories, including locations in major cities like Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth". Your Scorpio can be serviced at any authorised Mahindra dealership.

Volkswagen offers the Tiguan with its usual five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty. While this is still the prevailing standard, the warranty wars are back with more manufacturers pushing into the seven-to-10-year category.

The Tiguan requires servicing once every 12 months or 15,000km, although pricing for the service packages was yet to be revealed at the time we put this review together.