Saar: It is the fifth trim level of the potent all-rounder and is approximately Rs 62,000 dearer than the Scorpio S7 (140PS).

In a bid to strike a better balance between the S7 and S11 trims of the Scorpio, Mahindra has launched a new trim level. Tagged simply as the S9, it is priced at Rs 13.99 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). That means the Mahindra Scorpio S9 is approximately Rs 62,000 dearer than the S7 (140PS) trim. Is it worth paying the extra amount? Let’s find out.

First up, the engine. The Mahindra Scorpio in its S9 trim comes with a 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that puts out 140PS of power and 320Nm of torque. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission and a two-wheel-drive system. No points for guessing, that’s the same setup you get in the S7 (140PS) trim as well. In other words, both trims in question are mechanically identical. And no, the four-wheel-drive system isn’t available with the new trim level either.

Where you will find the difference between the two trims is in the list of features. Over the S7 (140PS) trim, the Mahindra Scorpio S9 brings LED DRLs, front fog lamps, automatic climate control, audio and cruise control buttons on steering wheel and turn indicators on OVRMs. The new trim also gets anti-pinch & anti-roll-up driver’s window, extended power window, static bending lights at the front, 5.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, on-board GPS navigation and gear shift indicator.

In our books, the premium that Mahindra is charging for the Scorpio S9 over the S7 (140PS) trim is justified. However, we do believe that the carmaker will further expand the Scorpio’s variant list with four-wheel-drive as an option either with the S7 (140PS) trim or the S9. If that were to happen, customers will finally get the flexibility of getting the four-wheel-drive system without having to spend over Rs 16 lakh (ex-showroom).

The Mahindra Scorpio has always been a good all-rounder. In terms of pricing, the Scorpio ranges from Rs 10-16.37 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). In that price bracket, the Scorpio competes with the Tata Safari Storme, Isuzu D-Max V-Cross and other compact SUVs such as the Hyundai Creta, Renault Captur and the cheaper trims of the Jeep Compass.