We’ve spotted the South African-bound Mahindra Lifestyler double-cab bakkie, replete with camouflage wrap, in Johannesburg.
Scheduled to launch in South Africa in 2027, we had a (very) quick sighting of the Mahindra Lifestyler on-road in Johannesburg. Wearing a camouflage wrap, the Indian automaker’s new lifestyle-oriented double-cab bakkie is likely undergoing homologation for our market.
Billed as a truly global pickup, the Lifestyler — or Scorpio Lifestyler as it is known in its home market — was revealed on 14 August 2026 in Mumbai, India. The Lifestyler was designed at the Mahindra India Design Studio in Mumbai, with development taking place at the Mahindra Research Valley in Chennai.
According to the company, its new Toyota Hilux, Ford Everest, and Isuzu D-Max rival was conceived to redefine the midsize pickup segment. Said Dr Velusamy R, President of Automotive Business at Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., “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.”
Mahindra has yet to reveal technical details on the Lifestyler. However, we expect the leisure-focused double cab will employ the same engine as the current-generation Scorpio-N. That’s to say, the manufacturer’s 2.2-litre mHawk unit. In the Scorpio-N, the four-cylinder turbodiesel powertrain produces 129 kW and 400 N.m of torque. Power is delivered to the road via either a 4×2 or 4×4 drivetrain, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission.
Mahindra Lifestyler South African launch date
Mahindra’s local arm has confirmed the Lifestyler will launch in South Africa in the first half of the year. Local pricing and specifications are expected to be announced closer to launch timing.
The Lifestyler isn’t the only new bakkie penned in to launch in our market in 2027, however. Indeed, as highlighted in the December 2026 issue of CAR magazine (on sale now), next year will also see the introduction of the new Toyota Hilux GR-Sport and Chery Grootman, which we’ve driven in China ahead of its local launch, to name but a few.
