Mahindra and Mahindra have launched the new Bolero Neo at a starting price of Rs. 8.48 lakhs ex-showroom. It gets modern styling and equipment over the regular Bolero. The Bolero Neo will be replacing the TUV300 which was discontinued when the BS6 emission norms kicked in last year.
The Bolero Neo is available in four variants – N4, N8, N10 and N10(O). Prices start from Rs 8.48 lakh (ex-showroom) for the base N4 variant, although Mahindra hasn’t yet revealed the price of the top-spec N10(O) variant. Here’s a summary at the prices of the first three variants.
The new Mahindra Bolero Neo gets a fresh look upfront. The headlights have been re-profiled and it looks a lot sleeker with the LED DRLs now positioned on the upper half. It also gets a re-worked front bumper with new fog lamps. The face also been updated with Mahindra’s new six-slat chrome grille design. The C-pillar is now blacked-out while the D-pillar is body coloured.
The Bolero Neo also draws some classic design cues from the standard Bolero that includes a clam-shell bonnet, squared-off and marginally flared wheel arches and a thick plastic cladding that runs along the length of the SUV. The Bolero Neo rides on new dual five-spoke alloy wheels finished in silver, while the roof rails from the TUV300 have incidentally been given a miss. At the rear, the Bolero Neo gets a new X-type spare wheel cover with ‘Bolero’ branding and a spoiler as well.
The interior of the SUV has also been designed by Pininfarina. Other updates to the interior include new beige fabric upholstery with a textured effect, a new tilt-adjustable power steering wheel, and arm rest for the second row seats. As before, the Bolero Neo gets a pair of jump seats behind the second row, making it a 7-seater compact SUV.
Top-spec N10 variant gets standard features such as a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth, steering mounted audio controls, cruise control, air conditioning with Eco mode, front arm rests, height adjustable driver ’s seat and electronically adjustable ORVMs.
The SUV is based on the third generation of the ladder frame chassis that is shared with the Thar and the Scorpio. This should help in making the ride quality better. However, as it is still a ladder frame chassis, it should handle bad roads better than the monocoque chassis.
The engine that will be doing duty on the Bolero Neo will be the 1.5-litre mHawk diesel engine. It produces 100 PS of max power and a peak torque output of 260 Nm. The engine comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox that drives the rear wheels. There is no automatic transmission on offer. It also comes with micro-hybrid technology that can electronically start/stop the vehicle. This can help in saving some fuel when you are standing at a traffic light. Mahindra has also equipped the Bolero Neo with Multi Terrain technology which should optimize its performance over rough terrain.
The Mahindra Bolero Neo has been positioned above the standard Bolero and both models will be on sale alongside each other.
