Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus

Introduction

This is what we are filming today, and yes, as no doubt many of you will say, it is an updated Tuv 300, but Mahindra called it the Bolero Neo. Yes, they have named it after this guy over here. The bolero may be simple and basic, but that would be missing the point. You see, it’s supposed to be a rugged, reliable anywhere vehicle built to take on the rough and tumble of the country around us, and it does that incredibly well. Just ask the thousands of owners around the country. Still, Mahindra says there’s an increasing number of them that want an added layer of style and comfort, and that’s what they say is offered in the neo, so let’s take a look and begin with the style, on the whole, the design is more tub, but Mahindra has added a few boleros elements to help with the association.

Bolero Neo dimension and styling

Now over at the front yes the rectangular headlights are featured and prominently they do have a new drl signature the grille of course the typical mahindra grille is present and the bumper over here gets the kind of slatted or the sloping cuts on the lower edge moving over to the side you probably may not notice this on the camera but it does look a little shorter and that’s because it is mahindra tellers they’ve lowered the body by about 20 mm and the bonnet another 20 mm further still now how they’ve done this is they’ve just lowered the body onto the chassis so the chassis and the ground clearance they say remains the same the alloys you get a new pattern and they look quite smart and go with the kind of upright and straight lined edges around the car one addition is this thick molding now this is a typical bolero signature which they’ve added bringing in that boleroness because it needs that to carry off the new nameplate now what remains as you can see is the sloping b-pillar i’m personally not a fan of it but there are people who like it it’s well an aesthetic choice there is one thing though when you do open the door it tends to come a little close to your face over at the rear things are pretty similar to the tuv though the x-shaped wheel cover now carries the bolero branding the tail lights are a little different and the rest of it of course yeah you do have a spoiler atop on the higher variant and your grab handle here to open the hatch which you can see here has two jump.

Bolero Neo 7 seater

They are not the best place to sit as I have a sawmill with me, and we’ll demonstrate [Music], so yes, as you can see, space at the rear is quite tight. Samuel and I must adjust our feet and knees to fit here. It is broader and has a smidge more headroom than the regular bolero. Now, over the regular bolero, you also get these butterfly windows, which will help with ventilation. Having said all this, though, remember space isn’t the problem. Rather, it’s a matter of safety. There are no seat belts, and in case of a crash, this isn’t the right place or the position to be in, so we’d suggest you use it as a boot only and stick to the seats up ahead.

Bolero Neo rear seat comfort

Space could be more generous at the rear or in the second row. Yeah, I do have about a little legroom here. This seat is adjusted to my driving position. I’m about five foot eight, and there is some space underneath that you can tuck in your feet. However, it doesn’t give you that sense of openness and feel like a big SUV. The windows do compensate for that because they offer you a very nice view outside and the sloping pillars that I didn’t like of course, they do help now in that they don’t block or obstruct your view headroom is quite a lot and will be more than sufficient for most people. Yes, you also have an armrest here; the seat cushioning is firmer and feels better over the regular bolero.

Bolero Neo interior

Supportive and that holds through at the front too now here at the front uh things are quite comfy the seats do feel fairly supportive and the armrests here fall to hand quite nicely and you can reach comfortably for the gear lever in terms of the dash and equipment though things are pretty similar to the tuv earlier though the ip here features a new 3.5 inch tft display the dashboard yes mahindra say it has been designed by pininfarina it does look quite nice and symmetrical and balanced uh in terms of equipment you do have the touchscreen disappointingly though it doesn’t have android auto and apple carplay uh the other bits around the car yes you do have ac controls down here and you do have an eco mode for the ac this car also features a micro hybrid or a start stop technology other bits there are storage areas up here the glove box is just about okay uh there’s a little pen holder and there are a few cubby holes here and that pretty much makes up the interior storage space power window switches interestingly are in the center so they’re not on the doors here there’s just one console for both you and the passenger as for the equipment and variants mahindra has launched three variants and the fourth that will add on a mechanically locking differential will come in a bit later i’ll get to what the mechanical locking differential does.

Bolero Neo performance

at the end of the video now, as far as driving the Neo goes well, there’s a lot to expect from the engine, especially since Mahinda does such a fantastic job with their power trains. Hence, the engine is the familiar 1.5-litre three-cylinder max unit. It continues to make the same amount of power and torque as the Tuv did, though, for the BS6 norms that this car is now launched with, of course, they do have an edge, and that has improved the drivability just a touch bit, of course, it was always good. Now, on the Neo, it’s that little bit better. Power also comes in quite early at about 1500, and you get a strong surge. Then it tapers off at about three and a half thousand, and you’d have to shift up because there’s no point going beyond 4000 in terms of refinement. The engine is smooth. Still, sound levels are quite audible inside the cabin, but it’s something you can look for in this class of vehicle.

Bolero Neo ride and handling

Some of you would have guessed we are at the Mahindra test track in Pune, and it’s a rather small and simple one, so we can’t say much about the ride and handling, but the steering feel was well weighted, and it seems to be a little less body roll compared to the tub.

Bolero Neo off-road

So unfortunately we can’t head out of the plant and really test the bolero over the kind of terrain it would typically be used but mahindra have a small little off-road course for us over here just to simulate a bit of rough roads and harsh conditions and yes the bolero does perform expectedly quite well obviously it is a controlled environment and things are designed to make sure the bolero goes through all of them easily but in doing so it does it in a very effortless manner and quite fuss free the chassis and the suspension just takes up everything quite well and i think it should be really fine out on the rough and tumble of our roads and a little bit of the off-roads too one thing that the bolero neo does have though to help it off-road is an automatic mechanically locking differential now what that is is for example like so if i were to get one wheel up in the air and well the differential would obviously just send the power out to the wheel up in the air spinning it helplessly the differential here would lock automatically and send power to the wheel on the ground so as soon as the rpm increases there you go you have a lock and you.

Bolero Neo price and verdict

Get power, so the Neo is quite capable, but is it a bolero? The bolero is a rugged model that screams that out with its style and character. The Neo style, however, does not convey the same message underneath; though Neo’s new generation chassis is just as tough, if not tougher, the engine is the same. Here, it puts out more power, and then there’s the cabin. Both are similar in size. Still, the Neo is much more refined, better put together, and with a load of extra equipment. What’s more, is the pricing. In some cities, the neo is more affordable; in others, the gap is only about 30 to 40 000 over, so if you look past the news exteriors, you’ll find quite a capable bolero underneath.

Bolero Neo rear differential explained.

Okay so as promised how do differentials work well in a straight line when i’m driving like this the engine power is going equally to both wheels the left and the right wheels if however i were to take a turn then the inner wheel travels a smaller part and the outer wheel needs to travel a larger part and that’s where the differential comes in what it does is for instance like now it’s going to be sending a little less power to the inner wheel and more to the outer wheel and it does that in a very simple fashion it’s a pure mechanical device resistance on the inner wheel causes some of the power to be transferred to the outer wheel and that’s it that’s quite simply it very clever little device but it does create a little bit of a problem in off-road conditions there are times when you could have a wheel up in the air and the differential would just send the power to that wheel and it would spin helplessly now what you can do is you can just break that wheel and which is what is called an electronic locking differential or a brake locking differential where the brake just stops the wheel from rotating and therefore the differential sensing the resistance sends the power down to the wheel on the ground or you could also have a locking differential a mechanically locking differential which is what we have on this bolero neo interestingly you don’t have to select a lever or anything it engages automatically so for example i’m gonna be getting onto an axle twister like this and now we have one wheel up in the air the outer wheel is up in the air the inner wheel is down on the ground and if i were to rev you’ll see as soon as the rpm difference goes over 100 the mechanical lock will kick in and we’ll have power you can actually feel that lock and that engage engagement and it’s a bit harsh of course but as i said it’s a mechanical device so you would probably feel the engagement and that little bit of a kick when the lock does engage.

Conclusion

The Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus is a robust and reliable option in the compact SUV segment. Its rugged design, spacious interior, and capable performance, it caters to customers looking for a vehicle that can easily handle urban commutes and off-road adventures. The refined engine delivers sufficient power and efficiency, while the comfortable seating and ample cargo space enhance practicality for everyday use. Although it may lack some advanced features in higher-end models, the Bolero Neo Plus compensates for its durability and affordability, making it a compelling choice for buyers seeking a budget-friendly SUV without compromising performance and versatility. Overall, the Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus offers a balanced package that appeals to those prioritizing reliability, functionality, and value for money in their vehicle purchase.

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