Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus will be powered by the same 2.2L turbo diesel engine as TUV300 Plus
What is better than a 7-seater SUV for Indian masses? A 9-seater SUV (duh!). Because, why not? This seems to be the thought process behind some of Mahindra’s 9-seater vehicles. Mahindra has been toying with 9-seater SUV form factor for a long time now and have found decent success. We had the Bolero Maxx decades ago, Bolero Plus after that and then recently, TUV300 Plus.
Mahindra’s products like Bolero are a fan favourite among rural masses because of its robustness and simplicity they bring with them. That’s the reason why TUV300 was renamed Bolero Neo to get it more acquainted with rural masses. But Mahindra also had a bigger version of the now-discontinued TUV300 called TUV300 Plus. Mahindra is now bringing it into the Bolero family to get more acquainted with rural masses.
2022 Mahindra Bolero Neo Plus
Ahead of launch, the 2022 Bolero Neo Plus has been homologated; giving us a peek into its engine specs. Mahindra will power 2022 Bolero Neo+ with their 2.2L turbo-diesel engine making around 120 bhp @4000 RPM and 280 Nm @1800-2800 RPM. This engine will come with an eco driving mode with a different throttle map. In this mode, the vehicle’s performance will be capped at around 95 bhp.
2022 Bolero Neo Plus will measure 4400 mm in length, 1795 mm in width, standing 1812 mm tall with a 2680 mm wheelbase. Gross vehicle weight stands at 2,390 kgs. Looking at the dimensions and the engine specs, we can’t help but say that Bolero Neo Plus is more or less a rebadged version of the TUV300 Plus with minute design changes. These design changes will be similar to what Bolero Neo received over the TUV300.
For the passenger segment, variants on offer with 2022 Bolero Neo Plus include P4 and P10. These are further divided, as per the seating layout on offer. Mahindra will also offer an Ambulance variant, which is based on the P4 trim.
Speaking about seating layout, leaked document reveals that the SUV will come in two seating options. First is a 9-seater layout and the other is a 7 seater option. The 9 seater Bolero Neo+ will get the same layout as we had seen in the TUV300 Plus. Two in the front, 3 in the middle row and 4 at the rear on side facing bench seats. The 7 seater option will have three rows of seating, all facing the front.
Launch and Price
Mahindra hasn’t revealed a timeline as to when it will launch Bolero Neo Plus. But considering that it has now been homologated, launch is expected sometime this month. We may also see the mechanical locking rear differential of Bolero Neo on the top-spec Bolero Neo Plus P10 model.
When launched, it will compete with modern monocoque MPVs like the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. In comparison, Bolero Neo Plus will boast a weird 9-seater layout with a robust ladder-frame chassis. In terms of pricing, it could cost about Rs. 1 lakh more than Bolero Neo, that is currently priced from Rs 9.3 lakh to Rs 11.8 lakh, ex-sh.
