First the Prado and Everest, now the HiLux and Ranger: Mahindra targeting Australia's top-selling dual-cabs with cut-price ute that's big on off-road capability

Fresh off the launch of the Ford Everest-targeting Scorpio SUV, Indian brand Mahindra is planning an assault on Australia's dual-cab market, with an all-new ute coming to shake up, and undercut, the establishment.

And for just what to expect, look no further than the Scorpio, which debuts a new ute-like chassis, a new turbo-diesel engine, and genuinely solid off-road credentials.

Asked whether the new ute, which will replace the ageing and entirely agricultural Pik-Up, will finally take the fight to mainstream models like the HiLux, Ranger, Navara and Triton, Mahindra's Vice President of International Operations, Joydeep Moitra, told CarsGuide that Australia's mainstream ute players were its new target. 

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"I wouldn't want to give away the entire product plan, but yes. The aspiration is to be a mainstream SUV and ute player in Australia, so therefore definitely we are working in that direction," he said.

"We have a cycle plan for the (ute), we will concentrate on the SUVs for the time being, but we have a cycle plan in place for a brand-new ute."

In terms of what to expect, we look to the just-launched Scorpio – on which the ute will be based – for the most obvious clues.

That model arrives with an all-alloy 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, making 129kW and 400Nm. It channels that power through a good six-speed Aisin-sourced automatic, and then sends it on to the rear wheels. 4WD is a part-time affair, and you can shift between 2WD and 4WD high-range on the fly. 

There's also a proper locking rear diff and some more high-tech terrain modes which make the Mahindra more than solid off road, too. 

But while the ute will share that same engine and platform, Mahindra hints that more power can be unlocked, conceding that 450Nm is about the pass mark for a diesel dual-cab in Australia.

As for price, you can expect Mahindra's new ute to undercut its competitors. Pricing for the Scorpio is sharp, and you can expect Mahindra to continue that strategy with its new dual-cab offering.