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The first Indian-built vehicles are expected to reach the U.S. market next year, when Indian auto giant Mahindra brings a pair of low-cost pickups stateside. The automotive press has been skeptical of the trucks, but until now, auto writers had only second-hand reports to go on. Now, for the first time, a U.S.-based publication has been behind the wheel of a Mahindra truck, and while no one is convinced the trucks will instantly leap to the top of the compact truck class, the do seem to think that Mahindra has a place in the U.S. market.

PickupTrucks.com did the test drive, sampling a small pickup and a compact SUV designed for the Australian market that, Mahindra says, closely resemble the pickup that will reach U.S. shores next year. “Overall, we’re impressed,” they wrote, “Much more so than before we drove it.”

Autoblog characterizes the review as “impressive discoveries tempered by the mild question marks: the diesel sounds good, shifting into third is a bit tricky; visibility is fantastic but the interior is a bit tight; the bed is good for swallowing loads, but the external tie-downs and styling are a little dated.”

The interior of the truck is a particular concern. PickupTrucks.com notes, “Controls and materials…are about two generations behind U.S. trucks and that all over the map in terms of quality, refinement and feel.” But the truck strikes a nice balance between workhorse and daily driver. Mahindra promises that its diesel-powered trucks will be extremely capable for their small size, managing “30 mpg, 1.3-tons of payload and 5,000 pounds of towing ability.” Yet, PickupTrucks.com reports, “so we expected a joltingly stiff ride, but the version we drove has surprisingly good road feel. The steering isn’t numb or loose, but is reasonably solid. When we turned corners or changed lanes at highway speeds there was very little body roll or handling slop. The truck goes where it’s directed with minimal fuss.”

The company took a major step toward bringing the trucks to market yesterday. The Wall Street Journal reports Mahindra “plans to assemble its Scorpio model in the U.S., a senior executive said Friday.” The company won’t begin building the trucks here immediately. Instead, Mahindra “plans to sell the pickup in the U.S. from January by importing it from India.” But company executives have reportedly begun looking for manufacturing facilities in the U.S. – and with U.S. automakers contracting in the current recession, it may be possible to find unused manufacturing facilities at a discount.

If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.