Introduced in India over two decades ago, the Bolero has been a key contributor to Mahindra’s sales in India. The latest one from Mahindra, the Bolero Neo is aimed at luring in the young buyers with a set of modern styling and feature list. The latest compact SUV from Mahindra, the Bolero Neo has been introduced at a starting price of Rs 8.48 lakh and it is limited to a mHAWK100 diesel engine option. At this price, there is a wide range of cars with a petrol engine option too. However, we shall limit this comparison to the cars that offered are with a diesel engine option.

Kia Sonet

Apart from a petrol engine option, the Kia Sonet is also available with a 1.5-litre diesel engine option that starts at Rs 8.35 lakh (ex-showroom). The stylish compact SUV is one of the popular choices in its segment owing to sporty styling elements and a range of segment-first features. The 1.5-litre diesel engine is available in two power tunes. The 1.5 CRDI WGT engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission to generate 97bhp at 4,000rpm and 240Nm of torque between 1,500-2,750rpm. The 1.5-litre CRDI VGT is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission to generate 112bhp at 4,000rpm and 250Nm of torque between 1,500-2,750rpm.

Hyundai Venue

Hyundai Venue has emerged as the second bestselling SUV in India in the first half of 2021 with 54,675-unit sales. The Hyundai Venue diesel prices start at Rs 9.45 lakh (ex-showroom), which is nearly a lakh rupees over the starting price of the Bolero Neo. The Venue is characterised by distinctive styling elements which include a large grille, diamond-cut alloy wheels, and squared tail lamps. The LED DRLs are smartly positioned where one would generally see the headlamps. As for the interior, it gets an all-black theme. The vehicle is loaded with features such as an electric sunroof, an eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system, projector headlamps with LED DRLs, automatic climate control with rear AC vents, and more. Under the hood, the 1.5-litre diesel engine produces 99bhp at 4,000rpm and 240Nm of torque at 1,500rpm. This engine comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Ford EcoSport

Ford EcoSport, one of the early entrants in the compact SUV segment has a fair share of fan following. The diesel iteration of the Ford EcoSport starts at Rs 8.89 lakh (ex-showroom). The vehicle offers HID projector headlamps, LED DRLs, projector fog lamps, sunroof, red accents on various parts, and more. As for the interior, the vehicle gets a nine-inch Sync 3 infotainment system, push-button start, cruise control, paddle shifters, and more. Ford’s sub-four-metre SUV is powered by a 1.5-litre engine that generates 99bhp and 215 Nm of torque. This engine comes mated to a six-speed manual transmission.

Tata Nexon

Tata Nexon, the five-star Global NCAP safety rated compact SUV is available in both petrol and diesel engine options. The diesel version is available at a starting price of Rs 8.50 lakh (ex-showroom). The updated version of the Nexon is now sleeker and features a chiselled look instead of the earlier muscular and rounded-off look. The vehicle now gets a new dual-barrel projector headlamp setup with integrated tri-arrow LED DRLs. As for the interior, it gets a new steering wheel with a smaller horn pad and premium looking multimedia and cruise control buttons. The vehicle also gets a fully digital instrument cluster along with an updated seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Furthermore, it comes with an electric sunroof. The 1.5-litre diesel engine produces 108bhp at 4,000rpm and 260Nm of torque at 1,500rpm. Transmission options include the same old six-speed manual gearbox and an AMT unit.

Mahindra XUV300

The diesel version of the Mahindra XUV300 is available at a starting price of Rs 9.00 lakh (ex-showroom). The vehicle gets projector headlamps, LED taillights, 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, sunroof, contrast coloured skid plates, dual-tone roof rails, and front and rear parking sensors. As for the interior, it gets a seven-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, dual-zone climate control, mood lighting, six-way adjustable driver seat, cruise control, push-button start, automatic headlamps, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. The diesel version is powered by a 1.5-litre engine which generates 115bhp and 300Nm of torque. This engine is mated to a six-speed manual unit and an AMT unit.

Mahindra Bolero

The iconic full-sized Bolero is available at a starting price of Rs 8.41 lakh (ex-showroom). Back in March 2020, the Bolero received a BS6 compliant engine along with a fresh set of cosmetic and feature upgrades. For freshness, the Bolero received new headlamps, a new air dam, tweaked fog lamp housings, and revised tail lamps. As for the interior, the updated model received newly-designed seats and an updated dashboard. Additional feature highlights include a digital instrument cluster, power windows, central locking, keyless entry, remote fuel lid opener, and more. Mechanically, the vehicle gets the mHawk75 1.5-litre three-cylinder diesel engine which generates 75bhp of power at 3,600rpm and a peak torque of 210Nm between 1,600-2,200rpm. This engine comes mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.

Conclusion

The Bolero Neo might be overshadowed with all the bells and whistles in the modern compact SUVs, however, it scores additional brownie points for its rugged character. The go-anywhere potential is what characterises the Bolero nomenclature. Going forward, Mahindra plans to launch the optional N10 (O) with multi terrain technology (manual lock differential), which is further expected to spice things up in this segment.