It is knownto all of us that Mahindra has been selling the Bolero SUV since the 2000s. But the fact that this utilitarian people carrier ranks within the top 10 best-selling cars in India even today is something you may not have known. The tough rural road-runner finally gets an urban sibling, and this beauty’s called the Bolero Neo. 

Don’t be fooled by the terminology, as the Bolero Neo isn’t entirely based on the original Bolero. Instead, it’s the new iteration of the now-defunct TUV300. To lend this new seven-seater SUV some added credibility, Mahindra capitalised with the best-selling nameplate. It even considers the Bolero Neo as ‘the new face of Bolero’.

Symmetrical looks
One look at the Bolero Neo is enough for the keen-eyed to identify it as an evolved TUV300. The boxy form of the axed model has been retained but with added cosmetic changes. The Neo gets the Bolero family grille with redesigned bumpers and sporty headlights with DRLs up front, while the rear gets Bolero branded wheel covers. The dimension figures report the same 3995 mm length for both Boleros. However, the Neo gets a wider footprint than the standard Bolero, while the latter is taller.

Features for the urban crowd
Unlike the rugged original Bolero, this Neo variant comes loaded with modern technology and Italian-themed interiors. The cabin gets premium fabric seats while the front passengers are provided with armrests. Occupying the central dashboard is a 17.8 cm infotainment touchscreen with USB and Bluetooth connectivity. There is no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay here, but you do get Mahindra’s Blue Sense app that allows access to connected car features. 

Other driver-centric features being offered include driver-seat height adjustment, cruise control, tiltable steering wheel, electrically adjusted ORVMs and rear parking assist sensors. The automatic climate-control feature would’ve further enhanced the appeal of the Neo, but it makes do with an ECO mode-enabled standard AC unit. Standard safety features constitute dual front airbags, front disc brakes and ABS with EBD.

Strong Mechanicals
The Bolero Neo gets underpinned by the same chassis found in the upcoming third-gen Scorpio SUV while further boasting Multi-Terrain Technology, Mahindra slang for mechanically locking rear differential, for added off-road prowess.Powering this urban SUV is a 1.5-litre mHawk100 engine churning out 100hp and 260Nm torques, 25hp more than the standard Bolero. 

The engine gets paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox, sending power to the rear wheels only. The Neo gets an ECO driving mode to tempt the efficiency-mongering buyer but misses out on an automatic gearbox that would’ve made more sense in the Neo’s targeted urban market. Additionally, this engine-gearbox combo is the sole powertrain available at the moment.

Priced like a Bolero
The subcompact SUV is available in three variants – N4, N8 and N10. Prices start from INR 8.48 lakh for the entry-level trim and go up to INR 10.69 lakh for the top-spec N10 (O) variant. This price range is perilously close to the standard Bolero (INR 8.41-9.41 lakh), but the cars are designed to cater to different sections of society. 

Being a compact SUV, it joins the extensive list of compact SUVs comprising the Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet, Ford Ecosport, Tata Nexon, Nissan Magnite, Renault Kiger, Mahindra XUV300. However, the Bolero boasts seven seats and a mechanical rear-locking differential, a couple of features possessed by none of its competitors.