Mahindra Bolero Neo Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

The Bolero Neo is the only SUV in its class you would want to take with you for some off-road driving. With the locking rear differential, the Bolero Neo will have no trouble leaving its peers in the dust.

If the SUV-ness of the Bolero Neo is precisely what you were looking for in a sub-4m SUV, then this variant breakdown report should help you pick the right variant based on your feature preferences and budget.

Mahindra Bolero Neo Prices

The new Bolero Neo is available in 4 variants with a starting price of Rs. 8.48 lakh for the base N4 trim. The N8 cost Rs. 9.48 lakh while the N10 costs Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom). The top-spec N10 (O) variant is currently not on sale and Mahindra haven’t announced its prices either. We’ll update this article when the N10 (O) prices are available.

2021 Mahindra Bolero Neo N4 Base Variant Features

The Mahindra Bolero Neo’s N4 variant costs Rs. 8.48 lakh (ex-showroom).

The base variant of this SUV offers the following notable features:

The base variant of the Bolero Neo looks very basic. It’s missing a music system, steering-mounted controls, power-adjustable outside mirrors and day-night inside mirror. We’d suggest you consider upgrading to a higher variant.

Mahindra Bolero Neo N4 vs N8 Variant Features

After the base, the N8 variant of the Bolero Neo costs Rs. 9.48 lakh, which is Rs. 1.0 lakh more than the N4. The notable additional features of the N8 variant are as follows:

The N8 variant of the 2021 Bolero Neo gets several must-have features like a rear washer, wiper, defogger, music system with steering-mounted controls, remote central locking, day/night inside mirror and wheel covers. However, it’s still missing some critical features like power-adjustable outside mirrors, front and rear centre armrests and chrome grille. For budget buyers, the N8 looks more balanced from a feature perspective. Although, it’s not a value-for-money option as its features don’t justify the Rs. 1.0 lakh price difference. Therefore, we’ll suggest budget buyers consider the N4 variant and accessorize it to suit your needs.

Mahindra Bolero Neo N8 vs N10 Variant Features

The N10 variant of the 2021 Bolero Neo costs Rs. 10 lakh before taxes, registration and insurance expense. The Bolero Neo N10 variant is only Rs. 52,000 more expensive than the N8. The notable additional features of the N10 variant are as follows:

Even the N10 variant of the Bolero Neo lacks some essential features that we expect from a car at this price. For example, it’s missing an auto-AC, projector or LED headlamps, Android Auto and Apple Carplay for smartphone connectivity. Since this is a 7-seat car, we also expect it to offer rear AC vents at least for the second-row seats. It can greatly improve the cooling for third-row occupants. Even hatchbacks like the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios offer this feature.

The N10 variant not only justifies the upgrade over the N8 variant, it even justifies upgrading from the N4 variant.

Mahindra Bolero Neo N10 vs N10 (O) Variant Features

The price of the top-spec N10 (O) variant is currently not available, and neither is the N10 (O) variant itself. This variant will go on sale later. But, we know that this variant will only get 1 additional feature - a locking rear differential. This is what makes this SUV an SUV. Since the N10 itself costs Rs. 10 lakh, the N10 (O)’s price will breach the Rs. 10 lakh mark. Thus the top variant will become quite a bit more expensive for most buyers because of higher taxes. If you plan to go off-roading, then we would highly recommend waiting for the N10 (O) trim. For everyday city and highway use, though, the N10 will do just fine.

2021 Mahindra Bolero Neo Variants - Which One To Buy?

The base N4 variant is pretty basic. The N8 offers a decent balance of features but it also offers poor value for money. Therefore, budget buyers should consider the N4 variant instead of the stretching to accommodate the N8. If you have the budget for the N8 variant, then you should skip it and jump straight to the N10 as it offers far better value than the N8 trim.

Right now, we don’t know when the N10 (O) variant will go on sale and how much it’ll cost. But when it comes to the market, we’ll update this article and our verdict.

2021 Mahindra Bolero Neo Engine Specs

The new Mahindra Bolero Neo 2021 is only available with a diesel engine, which makes 100PS of power and 260Nm of torque. While the demand is growing for petrol engines and automatic transmissions, the Bolero Neo stays true to the Bolero roots and offers neither.

It has respectable power and torque output for its class. However, the Neo is a ladder-frame car and much heavier than the front-wheel-drive monocoque cars. This extra weight will affect its torque-to-weight figures, everyday drivability and fuel efficiency figures.

2021 Mahindra Bolero Neo Dimensions

The Bolero Neo’s 184mm ground clearance may not seem like much until you factor in the ladder frame construction. This car can take a hit on its underbelly and shake it off like it’s nothing. The Neo’s 384-litre boot space is also respectably large. The fact that you can accommodate 2 extra occupants in a pinch also earns it a few extra points.

The Bolero Neo is about as wide as you’d expect any other car in this segment but it’s significantly taller for its class. Similarly, its 2680mm wheelbase is also far better than the rest of the sub-4m SUVs.

What Are The Colour Options for 2021 Mahindra Bolero Neo?

The 2021 Bolero Neo is available in the following colours:

• Black
• Silver
• Solid white
• Metallic white
• Red
• Beige (Off-white)