Mahindra Bolero Neo Pros And Cons: Can It Survive the Test?

The Mahindra Bolero Neo is one such SUV that stands out in its segment for a lot of good as well as not-so-good reasons, but there is a conversation hovering around it. With a solid road presence, let's look at its top pros and cons that you need to know before you buy. But before that, make sure you join our 91Wheels Whatsapp Channel, specifically curated for all the avid petrolheads with extensive coverage of the latest news and insights from the automotive space.

Also Read- Mahindra Bolero Key Features Explained: Enough Or Just Enough?

Pros

1. Excellent Price For A 7-Seater SUV

The Mahindra Bolero Neo is the only 7-seater SUV in its class that cleverly incorporated a 3rd row in a sub-4-meter compact SUV. Owing to this, it offers an excellent value for money that starts at Rsa. 9.95 lakhs for a 7-seater SUV. It comes in handy when you need to adjust a couple of more passengers on your shorter-duration drives. But since it is a sub-4-meter car, you should not expect a lot from it.

2. Roomy Cabin And Solid Road Presence

The first and second row on the Boleo Neo is a roomy place to be. While both offer good enough legroom, the big glass windows and its beige interiors exude an airy cabin space and you will not feel claustrophobic at all even with a full house. With its tall boy stance and the big glass house, it has a solid road presence, unlike any of its more urban-centric rivals. This is something that it takes a major leap ahead of its competition.

3. Mechanical Lock Differential

A mechanical locking differential is a crucial component in vehicles designed for off-road or challenging driving conditions. A mechanical locking differential can lock the two wheels on an axle together when needed. This is achieved through a set of gears and clutches inside the differential housing. When the system detects that one wheel is spinning faster than the other, such as in slippery or uneven terrain, it engages the locking mechanism. This locks both wheels together, ensuring that they rotate at the same speed. This improves traction and stability by delivering power equally to both wheels, which helps the vehicle move through difficult conditions like mud, snow, or uneven surfaces. This makes the Bolero Neo a lot more effective when venturing off paved roads

4. Only Rear Wheel Drive SUV In Its Class

Mahindra Bolero Neo puts another feather in its cap by bringing the only SUV in its class with a rear wheel drive set-up. While this offers improved performance over slight off-roading patches, it gets you better handling and braking capabilities. This SUV enjoys exclusivity in this sense when compared to its rivals.

5. 1.5L Diesel Strikes Balance Of Urban Drivability And Fuel Economy

The 1.5L engine of the Neo churns out 100PS power at 3750 rpm and a peak torque of 260 Nm at 2250 rpm. This engine feels fun to drive in city limits and offers a good balance of performance and fuel economy. It offers a mileage of around 17 kmpl which is a good enough number for a vehicle its weight and class.

Also Read- Mahindra Bolero Variants Explained: The Simple And Rugged OG SUV

Cons

1. No Petrol Option

Although SUVs are favored with a diesel engine option, as per the latest rulings where 10-year or older diesel cars need to be mandatorily scrapped, a petrol engine's 15-year validity is sounding more sensible to a slowly but increasing subset of buyers. However, if you don't keep the vehicles for that long, this might be something that can be overlooked.

2. Just A Manual Gearbox And No Automatic Transmission

Taking the forcible selection, a notch up, is the omission of an automatic gearbox. While you were already stuck with a diesel engine and its 10-year handing sword, you have to do with just a 5-speed manual gearbox. This makes driving in heavy and bumper-to-bumper traffic a little exhausting as you start to feel the weight of the heavy clutch and accelerator after some time,

3. Deletes Features From The TUV300

The Bolero Neo takes the place of the shelved TUV300, that it came to replace and carries almost the same styling. However, in a derived model, we expect a richer set of features, but the contrary has happened. Nifty features like leatherette seats, lumbar support adjustment, under-seat storage, and roof rails have been given a miss, which in my opinion, could have stayed.

4. Lacks Features When Compared To Rivals

This SUV was never meant to be a tech fest and it shows. When compared to its rivals, the Bolero Neo misses out on a range of features including automatic climate control, sunroof, ventilated seats, rear AC vents, auto-dimming IRVM, and a few more even from its top-spec variants. However, this SUV does offer a lot of mechanical superiorities, but the in-cabin features are practical and just enough.

5. Cramped 3rd Row Seats

The third row of Bolero Neo houses 2 side-facing seats and makes it a part-time 7-seater. Why part-time? Because the spacing is a bit cramped where it will be best suited for children or leaner individuals. Still, these are not very -comfortable over longer drives. However, children would enjoy the space over extended periods as well.