As the name suggests, Mahindra is Indian.

It is in fact a very big multinational company centred in Mumbai and manufacturing just about everything, including four-wheel-drives.

Its biggest claim to fame though is probably in tractors, of which it is reportedly the biggest producer in the world, by volume.

Although perhaps not well known, the brand has been in Australia for quite a few years and is steadily making some inroads into the 4WD utility and commercial scene.

I confess that I’d never driven one until doing this review, but I was looking forward to finding out more about this lower priced, simple alternative in the crowded, offroad utility and dual cab arena. 

Shirwin Govinder, the manager at Perth Mahindra in Burswood, kindly offered to loan a current model S11 demo of the dual-cab version Pik Up to test drive and look over.

This heavily customised cherry red offering certainly stood out impressively compared to the more standard utilities alongside it on the lot, but what really interested me was its personality and features, rather than its looks.

A vehicle’s specs and capabilities tend to be one of the first points of consideration when purchasing a 4WD.

This particular dual cab Pik Up (with fixed high sides) comes with a 2.2-litre common rail, intercooled turbo diesel.

The Euro 6 edition four-cylinder puts out 103kW of power with a peak torque of 320Nm and is coupled to a six-speed Aisin automatic gearbox (as found in the Hilux).

This more recent development over previous manuals is enhanced by an automatic self-locking Eaton diff lock that will provide some practical appeal and credibility for the regular offroad user.

The backbone is pretty much a conventional, rigid ladder frame chassis with leaf spring suspension at the back.

The independent front suspension however has upper and lower wishbones that utilise torsion bars rather than coils.

Brakes are discs at the front and drums at the rear with the package combining to provide 2.5 tonne of braked towing capacity.

So, with those specifications what does the Mahindra dual cab Pik Up feel like and how does it perform?

To begin with the interior is a mixture of attempts to provide modern day appointments and tech while retaining a priority list of basic features.

The result is pleasing, albeit with some obvious limitations, but Mahindra would make no apology for those, preferring functionality that results in a lower purchase price.

The driving position is high and quite comfortable with good seating although some extra lumbar support would help.

Even with the high driving position the headroom is great.

Controls are simple and solid with the typical adjustments for some being on the steering wheel.

Simple cruise control, Android and Apple car play with bluetooth connection, rain-sensing wipers and an effective colour reversing camera are all there.

Storage though is limited with narrow door pockets that wouldn’t accommodate a drink bottle.

A real plus to my mind for this type of vehicle and its intended market are the fold-down armrests for both driver and front seat passenger on the inside centre.

Lots of folk will appreciate this little extra, especially on long hauls.

On road the Mahindra drove and handled pretty well without too many concerns.

It’s clearly not a 4WD Lamborghini Aventador but it was surprisingly responsive, smooth and quiet on the Bridgestone Dueller ATs.

The ride exhibited some typical bounciness on uneven surfaces that comes with a leaf sprung vehicle designed to handle carrying loads in the back.

It brought back some memories of previous old flames, like the original FJ45 and a later HJ47 Toyota to mention a couple, but that said it still drove much better, even with the slightly heavy steering.

The Mahindra’s turning circle wouldn’t win too many prizes either, but then I think it’s more at home in the bush, on the beach and across broad expanses of farmland than tight urban shopping centres.

The engineers have certainly done their homework in terms of mating the engine and gearbox.

The match works really well and is a major positive.

It also contributes a lot to the Mahindra’s offroad performance, which is actually pretty good.

The diff lock clearly adds to that, with the whole package working well in the sand and on climbs.

This Mahindra’s ground clearance is fairly average at 210mm and although the front approach angle is fantastic at around 34 degrees the back end is only 15 degrees.

In the end I think it will hold its own in the offroad stakes but will struggle on steep, rutted, rocky trails where its long tail end will lead to it coming unstuck.

The biggest winner I think is fuel economy.

At just under eight litres per 100 kilometres this little pickup will go far and save some dollars at the bowser in the process.

We all know how much fuel prices are impacting these days and an 80-litre fuel tank is standard which means a potential range of 900-plus kilometres.

This new S11 MHawk dual cab model was sporting the Black Edition customised package that includes a black steel bull bar, black side steps, black alloy sports bar, black wheel arch flares, black custom decal kit and, of course, black 17-inch rims.

It’s a popular theme these days, but for many the standard half tray rather than the ‘tub’ back would be more practical I reckon.

This special edition comes in at around $48,000 with new four-year capped price servicing, five-year limited warranty and five-year roadside assist.

The more basic variants are much cheaper than that.

For anglers, tradies, farmers or a mix of all of those who are looking for something a little more basic but still capable and with a price tag to match, the Mahindra will give some folks a fair bit to think about.

I doubt that diehard big-brand devotees will be swayed in their droves but there are definitely pluses, especially for those who have to consider something with a lower price tag.

I think the concept or objective is to appeal more to those seeking functionality over expensive flair and established brand.

The biggest question will be around long-term reliability and durability.

I’d be confident the solid little 2.2TD diesel will punch on for plenty of kilometres with the effective drivetrain, but it’s the overall bodywork and other mechanicals that will only be tested over time.

One thing is apparent and that is the huge company that is Mahindra is not standing still in terms of vehicle development.

It’s looking beyond the Pik Up concept to AWD sedans as evidenced by its Scorpio and new XUV700 models, soon to be released this year.