Okay, the Mahindra Pik-Up isn’t completely new to the local auto scene (having arrived in 2007), but our road testing is, so when TMI offered me a Pik-Up for a week, I was happy to accept the keys. The fact that I was moving house had absolutely nothing to do with it… at all.
I must confess to an unnatural interest in Indian and Chinese auto manufacturers. The coming years will see them become a part of the Australian automotive landscape and a close-up look at their products is a fascinating proposition.
Mahindra is an Indian manufacturer that started out assembling Willys Jeeps in the last year of WW2. From that inauspicious start, the company has grown to the point where it is now one of the world’s largest tractor manufacturers and, at one stage last year, was teaming up with Tata to buy Jaguar and Land Rover. Mahindra’s specialty is rugged and tough working vehicles.
The Pik-Up is the ‘second coming’ for Mahindra, who first tried to break into the Australian market with their Bushranger and Stockman 4×4’s back in 1990 – they lasted three years. This time around, according to their Australian importation company, TMI Pacific, they are here to stay.
The Pik-Up on test was the 4×4 double cab, which was driven with some verve out of the dealer’s workshop to screech to a halt in front of me - wearing the plates PIKUP3. The driver handed me the keys and a warning: “She’s a chick magnet mate!” Righteo then.
The pre-flight inspection revealed what looked like a ruggedly built 4×4, with distinctive if somewhat dubious looks. Think Russian utilitarianism, made in India. The design is basic but sturdy; with a double-walled tray and reasonable panel fit and finish, you get the feeling that the Pik-Up will take a bit of punishment.
The 4×4 double-cab on test retails for a rock bottom $29,990 and for that you get a comfortable if patchy interior, air-conditioning, electric windows, remote central locking, a Kenwood MP3 stereo with iPod jack, rotary switch selectable 4WD engagement and automatic locking front hubs.
The cabin and tray area are both well-sized and the Pik-Up sports a set of comfy seats for both front and rear occupants. If you are familiar with Japanese manufacturers’ offerings in the dual-cab ute segment (mostly made in Malaysia these days) then the interior quality of the Pik-Up will be a let down. There are plenty of rough edges to the plastic, and some poorly fitting trim pieces - but it all works and nothing fell off or broke in my week behind the wheel.
Motor vehicles in general have improved immensely over the last decade and occupant safety is a particular area that has improved in leaps and bounds. Unfortunately, the Pik-Up appears to be a good 10 years or more behind the eight-ball in this regard and ANCAP crash-testing has seen the Pik-Up score a lowly two stars. There are no airbags and ABS brakes are optional, but TMI Australia has advised that both driver and passenger airbags will become available sometime in 2008.
I’ve somewhat unwittingly covered the Pik-Up’s major downsides early in the piece - safety, quality and looks - but that’s not to say that the Pik-Up doesn’t have its charms. You have to view this vehicle with one eye firmly fixed on the price. Remember, for $29,990 you are getting a rugged, roomy and comfortable 4×4 diesel twin-cab ute.
All Pik-Up variants are fitted with the same modern 2.5-litre common-rail turbo diesel engine producing 79kW and 247Nm between 1800 and 2200 rpm. It might be light on kilowatts but its packing some handy torque low in the rev range and punting the Mahindra around town is a cinch.
The only gearbox available in the Pik-Up range, a five speed manual, is relatively friendly, on occasion needing a little more effort than normal to coax it out of third gear, but on the whole it was an easy drive. Arguably, the Triton is the class leader for ride in this segment, yet the Pik-Up can hold its head high, with an impressive ride quality given its ‘truck-like’ origins. Sure, it will get a little ruffled on mid-corner bumps, and undulating roads will set-up some bounciness in the rear, but on the whole it handled suburban work quite comfortably.
2010 BMW 120d Hatch manual (E87) 
2009 Holden Commodore SS Sportwagon 
2009 Aston Martin V8 Vantage 
2009 Ford Mondeo MB (Titanium) 
2009 Honda Civic Type R 
2009 Nissan 370Z Auto 
2009 Volkswagen Passat CC V6 FSI
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Um…yeah…okay. Glad you enjoyed your week in it.
But how about road testing something we actually want to read about.
Like a BMW, Porsche, or Aston. Hell, even that new Jag, or a Evo X or something.
Very open-minded of you Marc. Motoring is about more than just the cars we want; it’s also about the newer brands that are appearing on the scene. Obviously not many people aspire to own a Mahindra, but it’s a car available on the Aussie market, and we tested it to see whether it was any chop.
We posted the review because, as I said, it’s not just about what we want. The fact that you’re not personally interested in whether the car’s any good or not is great, but I was interested, Steane was interested, and I suspect a few more readers are as well.
For some of us, the article only confirms our suspicions. For others, they might have been surprised to discover the car’s actually not a bad choice for certain folks.
Try being a bit positive next time, hey?
I totally agree and would like to see many more reviews of regular cars that might be bought by every day people!
We have enough reviews of super cars on Top Gear other than for entertainment value they are pretty much useless to normal folk…..good on you at The Motor Report and keep it up!!!!
I tend to agree with Marc on this one.
Mahindra Pickups aren’t exactly an every day car, are they now? I haven’t seen one yet on the road. People I talk to aren’t even interested in them either.
So if you’re going down the “everyday” path, then why not Peugeots, Volkswagens, Hyundais, Kias, etc.
And as for new brands, road test the Skodas. They’re supposed to be quite good.
Keep on doing what you are doing TMR!
Driving a car that obviously is a world beater is an easy and enjoyable part of a Motoring Journalists week. But to drive something you may already have an opinion, feeling or bad suspicion about is much harder, especially when by all reports and that ‘gut’ feeling you have in your stomach says that this car is going to be a dog! You just know you are in for a long week.
TMR has the keys to the press fleet and within that fleet are all sorts of cars, some we all would be happy to call our own, and others still, you wouldn’t wish on an enemy. And it’s for this reason I take my hat off to Steane, as driving a Mahindra for a full week rather than drive something you would aspire too is one full week Steane will never get back! But that’s not where my praise stops for Steane.
To give you some insight, Test Driving a car and then having to give it a fair review all the while keeping your readers entertained is not an easy proposition, but when the subject matter is as basic and un-inspiring as the kiddies slide at a McDonalds like in the case of the Mahindra, it multiplies the difficulty in getting a good result. To use an Olympic term, the Mahindra is the equivalent to the reverse triple summersault with a two and half twist in the pike position in difficulty.
It’s for this reason I can only applaud Steane for taking his time to give the readers his verdict on the little Indian.
I am with Daniel McCoey on this.
Beats the usual Ford and Holden coverage any day (i.e. Wheels and Motor anyone?)
TMR, keep up the wonderful road test reviews and articles.
On a different note, I’d like to see how long the Ford/Holden cover page streaks will go on on the Wheel/Motor mags.
Marc - we’ll be reviewing cars like the ones you mention but the reality is they are far less relevant to the avg person than something like the Pik-Up. Doesn’t mean we won’t enjoy writing about a Porsche though.
PaulB - we are not going down any path as such. We will test all types of cars and bikes (coming soon) ordinary, unorthadox, performance, commercial, whatever. They won’t all appeal to everyone, but they’ll all appeal to someone.
Yup… you’re right there: Skodas are real surprise packages. (Some of us remember when they used to explode mid-way between fills of the tank. Not any more.)
Now they go like stink, are fun to drive, and are as robust as Volkwagen (who now owns 100% of the Czech brand). What happy days we live in.
Coming up soon reviews of the Octavia and Roomster. Better watch this space Paul.
The Insider
Well done review.All like to read about Lambos,M3s and Astons but feedback on what most of us are likely to purchase makes sense.Plenty of Triton Hiluxs and BT50s in the supermarket carpark but can’t recall ever seeing too many DB9s or Scagliettis tucked in amongst the shopping trolleys.
so for the people with closed minds to new things
i own a mahindra pik-up and am very happy with my curry puff express
it was purchased on the basis that i could not afford a japanese dual cab ute that had what the pik-up had to offer for the price
10000 km on the clock and nothing has fallen off or given up the ghost
i just hope that mahindra does make it in the sales competition here in australia as i for one would put my hand up to buy another mahindra vehicle in the future
fair go give the indian ute a fair go not a closed minded idiot attitude
I also have purchased a Mahindra not only on price but it’s 4×4 ability.Having test driven all of the so called Jap utes(built in numerious asian countries)I found the Mahindra to be the one with the best view of the road from the driving position.It is one of the few vehicles where I can drive it for hours and not become a cripple from back ache.It is what it was designed as, a no nonsense 4×4 with a good ground clearance and good low gearing unlike the others on the market that have been built for the weekend tourist who wants speed and comfort.Am not interested in looks but the ability to go places where an old landy would go.At nearly 13k per litre I am happy to David.
Well, I just bought a single cab Mahindra 4 x 4 ute and I’m also the proud owner of a Skoda vRS wagon. Both are sensational vehicles.
The Mahindra has been with me for only a short time, 2 weeks thus far and a lot of the comments in this review and others are true.
Yes it is ugly, yes the interior is crap. But, thus far it has proved very capable. It has 2000km on it in that short time. It has had a tonne in the back for a 130km trip in the Blue Mountains which it handled faultlessly, it gets great fuel economy and nothing has yet broken or fallen off.
The only worry I have is the general perception that it’s longevity is not what it might be, and the importer stops importing.
I think that this vehicle has what it takes so far.
To David Whitehead, ease up your worries, think of it this way, if it can last on Indian roads, then OZ farmlands should be a breeze. They are relatively easy to fix and pretty much indestructible, not to mention cheap as chips if something were to break down. The Indian versions of the pick up seem to be doing pretty well and are considered pretty reliable.
Update:
To Vikram Rao
I am not a farmer, but an electrical contractor.
My Mahindra 4 x 4 single cab now has 10,000 km up and is still going well.
Problems so far:
1) CD player will not play or even allow a CD to enter the whole way.
It may have been like this from day 1. I tend to use the USB input. My daughter discovered this fault.
2) Instrument cluster has somehow moved forward approximately 10 mm in the dash toward the front of the vehicle.
3) Stereo unit tends to turn itself off when vehicle interior is hot.
Aside from these rather minor items. All is well!
Good Im glad, that the problems are small and insignificant, Im hoping in another 10-15 years Mahindra and the other Indian giant Tata will make giant leaps forward like Hyundai and Kia have made.
I too hope they become a little more “mainstream”. It is currently a 100 km return trip to get oil filters from the closest dealer!
I live in the biggest city in Australia!
Oucho McGroucho !! that does suck and yes I do hope they become more mainstream. Mahindra is looking to enter the US market and from what I see here, it is ripe for small frugal pick ups and SUV’S. Mahindra is banking on the Indian community here to be its main buyers, not to mention it is the 4th largest tractor manufacturer here in the States. I wouldnt mind buying a Scorpio, which is the SUV version of the pick up, but I do not want to have to drive down to their base in Georgia from New York City, to get oil filters.
Observation:
Mahindra Pik-Ups et al in AUS market trim have the safety of a rear fog light, AND carry a “hazard-warning triangle” to European/UN specification (for vehicle break-downs and crash scenes). The triangle is located under the rear seat trim area typically.
When adding a ‘tradies tray’, ensure the coach builder re-installs the factory supplied rear fog lamp; seen a few of these trays around and it seems the constructors keep (steal?) the right side individual rear fog lamp, leaving a fully working rear fog ISO switch and tell-tale, but no lamp!
Not a fault of Mahindra, but ‘dumb’ aftermarket people with limited brainpower.
12 PIN flat trailer plug recommended for these and Great Wall utes.