FIRST DRIVE: Mahindra Bolero Neo: It’s the Neo TUV

Technically and aesthetically speaking the new Mahindra Bolero Neo has started where the discontinued Mahindra TUV300 had ended. While a lot of people liked the TUV300, a lot of people did not like its very boxy appearance. But then the rear wheel drive TUV 300 had its own advantages. That’s where Mahindra & Mahindra capitalized on the rugged looks and pan India appeal of its workhorse brand, the Bolero.

 So instead of completely doing away with a model for its non acceptance among consumers, Mahindra used its shrewd business skills and carved out the Bolero Neo out of the TUV300 with a BS 6 engine. It’s not a full-fledged use of the scalpel but a couple of shots of the Botox to be more precise. And to keep its large Bolero family happy, it continues with the other Bolero vehicles. The Neo is more of a polished model that is bound to appeal to the youth of the country. Or so says the company.

The new 4x2 Bolero Neo has been launched at an introductory price of Rs 8.48 Lakh (Ex-Showroom Price, All India) for the N4 variant. The vehicle will come in trim levels N4, N8, N10 and N10 (O) or optional. The N10 Optional which is still to be launched will have all the features of the top end N10 and will additionally have a mechanical locking differential. We drove the N10 (O) variant. The new Bolero Neo will be available in seven colour options namely Rocky Beige, Majestic Silver, Highway Red, Pearl White, Diamond White, Napoli Black and Royal Gold (coming soon ).

And let me also put it on record that the vehicle was given to us for around 2 hours of which a major portion of time was spent in photography and videography. As for the drive, we were asked to drive up and down a badly tarred road behind some farm houses that was barely a couple of kilometres in length. But I must confess, I did break the rule and took the vehicle out into a dirt track for a tiny diversion. Thus, in this report, we are only giving our first impression about the vehicle. This is not a test drive experience. 

 EXTERIORS

One look at the Bolero Neo and it’s very evident that the Mahindra TUV300 has been reshaped into the Neo. The height has been reduced, the front and rear have been tweaked and the style is now more on the lines of a Bolero.

The front gets the Bolero family grille with chrome inserts and Mahindra logo, classic bolero x shaped bumper, a chunky hood, skid plate and sporty and static bending headlamps with DRLs and fog lamps, though it’s halogen all the way. The headlamps have a follow me home feature.

As you move to the side, you notice the signature body cladding, the door reinforcements, electrically adjustable ORVMs, smart wheel arch cladding, 215/75 R15 tyres with alloy wheels and muscular side step.

The rear has a sporty spoiler, a strong rear side step, X type spare wheel cover in silver with Bolero branding on the cover, besides large attractive tail lamps.

INTERIOR

The interior of the Bolero Neo has been specially styled by Italian automotive designer Pininfarina, a company owned by Mahindras.

Apart from the two seats in front, the second row seats comprise of bench seats while in the third row one gets two side face seats. Entry to the third row seats is from the tailgate area. The Bolero Neo gets centre console with silver accents, premium fabric seats, seven seats, tiltable steering, height-adjustable driver seats, armrest in the front and middle rows, twin pod instrument cluster, front and rear power windows, rear wash and wipe with defogger, remote lock and keyless entry and expandable boot space.

The vehicle gets a 7 inches touchscreen infotainment system, cruise control, driver information system, voice messaging system, Blue sense mobile app, Eco Mode, micro hybrid technology with ESS (Electronic Start-Stop) and intellipark reverse assist.

ENGINE & PERFORMANCE

The new 4x2 Bolero SUV is powered by the Mahindra mHawk100 engine which produces a peak power of 100 bhp and a peak torque of 260Nm. The Bolero Neo is a 4x2 vehicle and is rear wheel driven. The reason why the Bolero has been successful in semi urban and rural areas, especially hilly regions is because of its rear wheel drive feature. We drove the N10 (O) or Optional model which comes with a mechanical locking differential.  Thus, in short, this model has a multi terrain technology.

All those who have decent knowledge about diff locks assume that these are usually found in four wheel drive vehicles. But here in the Bolero Neo, since it’s a rear wheel drive vehicle, it is the rear axle that gets locked in case of wheel spin.  The diff locks are engaged automatically when a situation arises. When one of the rear wheels spins more that the other rear wheel in some sticky situation, then the vehicle automatically senses it and locks the rear wheels, enabling the wheel to retrieve itself out of the situation.

I guess in order to demonstrate that we shall do a detailed video at a later stage when the vehicle is available with us for a longer period.  

Coming back to its other features, the vehicle comes with dual airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD) and cornering brake control (CBC), besides ISOfix child seat. It is built on 3rd generation chassis that was there in the TUV300 and the same one is shared with the popular Scorpio and Thar SUVs.

Other comforting features include high strength steel body shell, automatic door locks, high speed alert warnings, digital immobiliser and seat belt reminder.

VERDICT

With the Bolero Neo, Mahindra & Mahindra has simply repackaged an existing vehicle and given it a shot in its arm. With its fresh structural design and other new features, Mahindra has smartly added another sibling to the Bolero family. It’s perhaps a brilliant move done at a minimal cost.