Comparison: Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Scorpio N

Enjoying undying popularity every month, SUVs have indeed taken over the industry by storm. Offering the advantage of better space, comfort, practicality and dynamics when compared to both sedans as well as hatchbacks, SUVs cater to all kinds of buyers. This is the reason behind the popularity of cars like the Mahindra Scorpio, which now commands a legacy of over two decades. Setting itself apart with its ladder-on-frame chassis, the Scorpio has catered to millions of Indians over the years. And now, with the Scorpio N adding a modern touch to the Scorpio’s go-anywhere performance, the Scorpio badging has gracefully evolved.

But despite the Scorpio’s charm, the competition has just gotten interesting with the launch of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny, Maruti’s latest SUV offering that is being praised for its off-roading capabilities and tough all-around performance. With both SUVs locking horns to tap both adventure-oriented and lifestyle buyers, which one truly delivers exceptional value? Well, that’s what we are hoping to find out with a head-on comparison of the Maruti Jimny against the Mahindra Scorpio N.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Scorpio N: Dimensions

As far as dimensions go, the head-on comparison of the two SUVs reveals a class difference. But that doesn’t make any of the two SUVs less than the other. The choice here comes down to the body style and the overall utility. This is because the Scorpio N is more of a lifestyle SUV than just a rugged off-roader. 

When seen from that perspective, the Scorpio N comes in as a taller, higher, wider and much more spacious SUV that can comfortably seat up to seven passengers, with a good boot space of about 460 litres for the entire family’s luggage.  

On the other hand, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny is a compact SUV that, despite its size, locks horns with the Scorpio N with its utility. Nonetheless, being a compact SUV, the Jimny brings a narrower, smaller, and a more compact bodyline. Moreover, since the Jimny is pitched more as an off-roader, it offers seating of up to four passengers and a boot space of 219 litres which is far less than what the Scorpio offers. The choice, therefore, comes down to the buyer’s use case where the Scorpio N shines bright as a tough, rugged and dynamic lifestyle SUV, while the Jimny inclines strongly towards the off-road lifestyle.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Scorpio N: Engine and Transmission

The petrol powertrain comparison is where things get interesting between the two cars. While the Maruti Suzuki Jimny is offered only with a sole 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol unit that comes with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed Automatic, the Scorpio N, on the other hand, offers a bigger 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine that’s offered with a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic. 

As a result, the Scorpio N’s engine outperforms the Jimny’s smaller unit with more power and torque. It is the mileage game, where the Jimny shines with idle start-stop technology that helps deliver a mileage of up to 16.94 km/l. Nonetheless, when pitched against one another, the Scorpio’s performance outshines the Jimny. But what works in favour of the Jimny is the fact that Maruti offers a 4×4 drivetrain as standard with the Jimny that proves to come in handy, especially when the roads get tough. The Scorpio N, on the other hand, misses out on a 4×4 drivetrain in its petrol avatar altogether.

The Diesel powertrain, however, is what makes the Scorpio N a true champion. With the Jimny missing out on a diesel powertrain, the Scorpio N shines with its 2-litre diesel engine that comes with a 6-speed manual/automatic onboard. This engine packs in a punch and delivers exceptional performance and is also offered with an optional 4×4 drivetrain setup. 

Overall, the engine comparison also gives an edge to the Scorpio in terms of overall performance and power figures, while the Jimny manages to match up the hype with its decent mileage and standard 4WD drivetrain.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Scorpio N: Features and Comfort

The head-on comparison above proves why both the Maruti Suzuki Jimny, as well as the Scorpio N, are two popular choices in their respective segments. Both cars come well equipped with several premium features such as a touch infotainment system, cruise control, climate control and much more. 

However, when pitched head-on, the Scorpio N truly leaves the Jimny behind with class-apart luxury, comfort and features, some of which include an electric sunroof, dual-zone climate control AC, digital instrument cluster, power adjustable driver’s seat, rear AV vents and much more. The Scorpio N comes forth as a much more comfortable and equipped choice among the two. The Jimny, on the other hand, despite being decently loaded, does not come across as a premium offering. The rugged and tough approach of the exteriors is carried on the inside as well by using tough, scratch-resistant materials that feel a bit boxy.

Overall, the Scorpio N is a clear winner here, with several top-notch features over and above the Jimny, elevating the SUV’s overall appeal.

New Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Scorpio N: Safety Features

When it comes to safety, Maruti has truly progressed, while Mahindra has shined as well. Both the Mahindra Scorpio N as well as the new Maruti Suzuki Jimny perform exceptionally well when it comes to safety, with top-notch safety features onboard on both SUVs.

When it comes to safety features, it is the Maruti Suzuki Jimny that truly emerges as a winner. The reason is simple. All of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny’s safety features are available as standard across all variants. This means features like 6 airbags, hill assist, ABS with EBD and ESC etc., are all offered as standard. On the other hand, the Scorpio reserves safety features such as 6 airbags, TPMS and rear disc brakes for higher trims.

But with that said, it is crucial to note that despite missing out on some safety features in the lower trims, the Scorpio N still offers a robust body structure that has scored a perfect 5-stars in the GNCAP crash tests, that usually conduct the tests on the lower end trims.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Scorpio N: Price Comparison

When it comes to the price comparison, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny comes with a two-trim lineup that includes Zeta and Alpha. The trims are spread across 6 variants. On the other hand, the Mahindra Scorpio N’s variant lineup is spread across 5 trims, including the Z2, Z4, Z6, Z8 and Z8L, which is spread across 30 trims.

Thus, the Jimny offers everything it has in the top Alpha trim, which starts from Rs. 13.69 lakh going all the way up to Rs. 15.05 lakh, offering an exceptional value for money quotient. On the other hand, the Mahindra Scorpio offers more trims than the Jimny, thereby providing more choices within each variant spectrum. However, an important thing to note here is that since the Mahindra Scorpio N is more of a comfort-oriented lifestyle SUV, even the Z6 mid-trim of the SUV, which starts from Rs. 16.05, is decently equipped to match up to the value-for-money quotient of the Jimny. So by shelling out about one lakh more than the Jimny, you can enjoy the Scorpio N’s added space, comfort and technology. 

But with that said, since the Jimny is pitched more as a tough offroader than as a true lifestyle SUV, the Scorpio N’s Z8 and Z8L diesel trims should be considered to match up to the Jimny’s all-terrain performance. These models start from Rs. 18.55 lakh onwards. This means that if you are looking for a tough off-roader or an all-terrain vehicle that could be your perfect adventure partner, then the Jimny is an aggressively priced, value-for-money option that can be matched by the Scorpio only with a premium of about Rs. 4-6 lakh.

Thus the choice again comes down to the use case. With that in mind, it cannot be denied that if comfort, technology and practicality is your concern, then the Scorpio N offers a lot more in its package than just being a tough all-terrain SUV.

New Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Scorpio N: Summary

Be it the Maruti Suzuki Jimny or the Mahindra Scorpio N, both SUVs offer a highly attractive package that has a lot that one needs in an SUV, including features, performance, ruggedness, comfort and value. While the Mahindra Scorpio N comes as a lifestyle SUV filled up to the brim with comfort, practicality, safety and style, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny comes as a tough and rugged off-road focused compact SUV that offers all-terrain performance along with great safety and a tough bodyline.

While in terms of dimension, the choice is more or less based on segment and body preferences, when it comes to the powertrain, the Scorpio offers two extremely capable and peppy engines, while the Jimny brings a sole petrol engine onboard that offers better mileage at the cost of lower output and engine size. Nonetheless, both cars are very well-equipped in terms of onboard features and offer a lot to enjoy in every trim. Even there, the choice again comes down to the use case, where the Scorpio N offers great value as a lifestyle SUV, while the Jimny completely outshines the Scorpio N, a tough off-roader.