Mahindra Lifestyler ute a lock for Australia

Mahindra has unveiled its new Lifestyler ute in Mumbai, with the fully fledged ladder chassis or 'body-on-frame' pick-up truck set to launch in India in April 2027 before expanding into export markets including Australia and New Zealand.

The ute will have a 3500kg towing capacity, powered by a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine and will wear the Scorpio Lifestyler badge in India, with the standalone Mahindra Lifestyler name adopted for export markets.

South Africa, the Middle East and Latin America are also among its priority destinations and design boss Pratap Bose says it is a ute “inspired by how our customers work, play and explore”.

First shown as the Global Pik Up concept in Cape Town in August 2023 and all but confirmed by senior execs last year, the production version was penned at Mahindra’s India Design Studio in Mumbai and engineered at the Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai.

It succeeds the long-serving Pik-Up, which bowed out this year after two decades, and squares up to the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger.

Mahindra is chasing serious workhorse numbers, with a 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity, a one-tonne payload and a 6300kg gross combination mass – figures that would put it line-ball with the HiLux.

Those targets aren’t locked in yet, with pre-production examples shown so far.

Power is tipped to come from Mahindra’s 2.2-litre mHawk turbo-diesel, expected to be tuned to around 130kW and 450Nm, paired with manual or automatic gearboxes in 4x2 and 4x4 form.

A 2.0-litre turbo-petrol exists in the wider family but is unlikely here. Hybrid versions have been hinted at for later launch as well.

Mahindra's auto division CEO, Nalinikanth Gollagunta, reckons the new ute will have broad spectrum appeal across export markets.

"As we prepare for its India launch, we see a growing appetite among customers for a vehicle that delivers authentic capability without compromising on technology, safety, comfort or everyday usability."

Tellingly, the brand says it’s aiming for ANCAP compliance and developed the ute for global markets ahead of its home market, studying how Australians use their utes and South Africans their bakkies before signing off the design.

"We are investing in building awareness, strengthening our network and creating the right ownership experience for this category," he added.

Underneath sits a stretched version of the Scorpio’s ladder frame, with double wishbones up front and leaf springs at the rear – though this is a standalone ute, not an SUV with a tray bolted on.

Inside, a portrait touchscreen headlines an all-new dashboard, joined by a digital driver display, dual-zone climate control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an electronic park brake and selectable terrain and drive modes.

Three themed versions were shown in Mumbai: the Valley in Artemis Grey for work and leisure, the Reef in Aquareef for outdoors and coastal use, and the adventure-focused Trail in Sahara Beige, complete with snorkel, side steps and chunky all-terrain rubber.

Dr Velusamy R, president of the automotive business division at Mahindra & Mahindra said the objective was to develop a ute that would compete on the world stage, across key global new car markets.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a world-class global pickup that raises the bar for the segment while remaining true to Mahindra’s strengths in authentic capability and value," he said.

"The Scorpio Lifestyler is a testament to the strong product development capabilities at Mahindra Research Valley (MRV). Built on our advanced next-generation body-on-frame architecture, it has been engineered to deliver the capability, durability, safety and refinement demanded by customers around the world."

Mahindra's chief design and creative officer, Pratap Bose, said the new Indian pick-up truck will take on established utes by delivering a "....bold exterior design, plush interiors and SUV-like comfort with unmistakable Mahindra toughness..."

Indian pricing opens below 19.79 lakh – about $A29,000 by direct conversion – though that’s no guide to local pricing.

While its rivals have been teasing car-based lifestyle utes in the form of the Toyota Stout and the BYD Mako, the Indian brand's fully-fledged body-on-frame pickup has Australia is firmly in the crosshairs.

The timing is pointed. BYD’s compact Mako is a monocoque, car-based ute due internationally from 2027, while Toyota is widely tipped to resurrect the Stout nameplate on a unibody platform.

Ford’s popular Maverick remains left-hook only and off-limits locally, and Ram’s body-on-frame Dakota isn’t landing until 2027 either.

Mahindra, by contrast, has a ladder-frame contender all but ready to roll, arguably stealing a march on the segment’s bigger names.

Australian timing, specification, engines and final pricing are all still to be confirmed.

For local buyers, the big question is how faithfully the Australian-market Lifestyler follows those global targets, particularly on towing, safety kit and price.

More to come.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au