While priced in a similar ballpark, the two old Indian SUV rivals are today very different from one another. The Mahindra Scorpio N stays true to its roots – it’s built on a ladder-frame chassis, has tough suspension and underpinnings, and features rear-wheel drive or 4×4, which is great for hills and rough terrain. While it has been refined in its newest avatar, it is still a little rough around the edges, with a bumpy ride, over-eager power delivery, ergonomics that aren’t great, and a sub-par features list for the price. Buy only if you require its tough underpinnings, or value its rugged appeal.
For most other situations, the Tata Safari is the better bet. It is more refined, sophisticated, and spacious, with a truly usable third row. It has a far more comprehensive and modern features list, and a new petrol engine option was recently introduced as well. Its biggest advantage over the Scorpio N is its comfortable ride quality, which is good in the city or on the highway. And while it doesn’t offer 4×4 as the Scorpio N does, an electric version is expected at the end of the year with AWD, but that will be outside your Rs 25 lakh budget.