The seats will also give the Mahindra Scorpio-N a more premium positioning over its predecessor.
Mahindra recently revealed interior images of the all-new Scorpio-N SUV, giving us a glimpse at the seating arrangement. These images also confirm our previous report about the new Scorpio-N getting forward-facing third-row seats, marking an important shift over its predecessor. This is the first time the model gets forward-facing third-row seats instead of the side-facing jump ones.
- Front facing third row to give Scorpio-N more premium positioning
- Could help achieve a higher GNCAP safety rating
- Scorpio-N will come in both 6- and 7-seater configurations
Case for forward-facing third row seats
As the old Scorpio will continue to be on sale alongside the new model, Mahindra, of course, needed to differentiate the new Scorpio-N as a more premium and upmarket offering. So, as opposed to more utilitarian jump seats on the current Scorpio, the Scorpio-N will get two individual forward facing third-row seats with adjustable headrests and three-point seating belts. The seats also come wrapped in dual-tone leather upholstery.
And while these images only reveal the interior of the top-spec Scorpio-N, it is likely that all variants will come with forward facing third row seats; the SUV will be sold in both, 6- and 7-seater configurations.
Apart from marking it out as the more premium SUV, safety is also an important aspect for Mahindra here. The brand has previously gone on record to say that all its new SUVs would be high on safety, with good scores from GNCAP crash tests. Side-facing third-row seats would, however, diminish the chances of a high safety rating by GNCAP for the new Scorpio-N.
This is the same reason why Mahindra previously discontinued the base variants of the Thar with side facing bench seats – to retain the 4-star safety rating it had achieved from GNCAP. Side-facing jump seats typically miss out on seatbelts, thus offering little to no protection in the event of a crash.
Side facing seats had their advantages
Ever since its launch in 2002, side-facing seats on the Scorpio have been one of its main USPs. For a large part, the Scorpio has been used as a people mover, particularly in tier II and tier III cities, where side-facing seats have allowed for more accommodation.
The Scorpio has also been a key model in political and security fleets, as the jump seats allow easy access and the ability to quickly exit the SUV in case of emergencies. This would not be possible with front facing third-row seats.
While there’s still good demand for the Scorpio’s side-facing seats, given its target audience, it remains to be seen what configuration Mahindra opts for in its due update. Post the update, its name will also be revised to Scorpio Classic.
Also See:
Sting operation: The Mahindra Scorpio origin story
New Mahindra Scorpio N to bridge gap between Thar and XUV700
New Mahindra Scorpio-N vs Scorpio Classic: design changes