[locusjag]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Personally; I find the TUV300 to be one of the most unappealing pseudo SUV's around.

Well, it is the least pseudo among pseudo SUVs. I can understand the TUV being unappealing to you. But I disagree with it being called a pretender. Even without 4x4, it goes to 80% of places where only 4x4 vehicles go and where no monocoque FWD CSUV can go. It is to establish this that I tried offroading with mine last year at Arka's offroading course in Chennai (Arka's Tbhp handle is ex670c). My TUV followed an Endeavor 4x4 faithfully through almost everything that the offroad course threw at it.

Of course, wherever only 4x4s could tread, I was asked to stand aside. That's a given...

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Sanidhya mukund

When the TUV was yet to be launched, people were speculating it to be the next generation Bolero. I sincerely hope that Mahindra give us an all new bolero soon, because the current model is too old now.

We are getting what we asked for, Lets take two people. Person A from Mangalore now staying in Bangalore, office use and trips to Mangalore. Person B from Coimbatore - a farmer (a wealthy farmer), lives in Coimbatore , comes to Bangalore sometimes to visit his daughter. Both of them owned a Bolero, both were looking for a change - Person A gets TUV T10 - touch screen and the works, Person B? Another Bolero, this time a Power+ ZLX. There is a market for Bolero, for them money does not matter, nor do looks they want a Bolero period. When its time to carry the farm produce, leaky pumpsets, tools etc in the boot - Bolero do not care.

So Mahindra did launch new Boleros, they were named Scorpio, TUV etc, but we demanded the old one, so we continue to get it.

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

On price, well, it is the same story if you were to buy a Thar crde. It is 12 lacs on road. Is it worth that much? No but there is a small market for it. With a Bolero, you get better weather sealing for the cabin.

Personally; I find the TUV300 to be one of the most unappealing pseudo SUV's around.

Thar CRDe is a handbuilt restomod of a classic Jeep, you can trace it back to the 50s - and for a Jeep enthusiast who can afford it, Its cool. It was not meant to be a VFM vehicle, it was purely an indulgence that turns heads wherever it goes.

TUV is not an SUV in the Sport Utility sense at all, its more serious utility vehicle, it maybe same in length, comes in the same tax bracket, similarly priced to crossover sub4M SUVs , but where the road end and you still have some way to go on a daily basis, you would wish you had a TUV rather than a crossover.

I have driven almost all models of Bolero, from the most commercial grade DI Super to the latest BS4 Power+ and many inbetween. The Power+ feels so much different in comparison to old Boleros, and given the all metal body, abuse friendly nature and the fact that you dont have to worry about its infotainment gong bust after 5 years, I think the price is okay for BS6 considering the increase is less than 40K from the Power+.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

There is a market for Bolero, for them money does not matter, nor do looks they want a Bolero period.

Or something like the Bolero with more space all around, bit more of modern design (e.g., no exposed door hinges) and a few more features (like cornering headlamps) and overall - with the same no-nonsense outlook that we get from a Bolero. Some of us mostly want a rugged vehicle that is truly built for Indian roads.

[rakesh_r]

If it wasn't for the 3 cylinder engine, I would have picked up the Bolero eyes closed, for the simple reason, it's the cheapest ladder on frame SUV I can get. Throw in a 4 Cylinder engine and a 4wd this could be the cheapest all-rounder one can buy- office drive on weekdays-offroading and highway mile-munching on weekends.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by rakesh_r

If it wasn't for the 3 cylinder engine, I would have picked up the Bolero eyes closed, for the simple reason, it's the cheapest ladder on frame SUV I can get.

If 4WD is not a must , I would encourage you to take a test drive whenever corona permits you. The 3 Cylinder is super cool to drive, it does not feel underpowered at all, it felt a lot better than the old engine.

[doxinboy]

I feel like crying looking at the bumper design. That first generation classic is a gold. How can someone do this? Now since it is equipped with airbags, it might be difficult to mod the bumper. I would have plonked my wallet eyes closed just for the classic design in green. So what better alternative do I have? Though I am not in the market anytime soon, I cant resist for a classic looking ride

[PrideRed]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

If 4WD is not a must , I would encourage you to take a test drive whenever corona permits you. The 3 Cylinder is super cool to drive, it does not feel underpowered at all, it felt a lot better than the old engine.

When I test drove power+ I found it more than adequate for city drive,state roads(best in mud roads) however found it to struggle on 4 lane highway(though this is not my requirement from Bolero). Even a 6lac rupee car was blazing past me. One thing I would love to test is how will this engine perform when loaded to brim. I am looking for a Thar DI replacement, 4x4 is not needed 90% of the times. However load carrying is important. Thar DI can easily carry 500KG+ of luggage +7-8 ppl without braking sweat, thanks to big engine.

[daywiz]

The new Thar is a classic example of Mahindra marrying the Utility & Lifestyle concept for once. The time they have spent developing it shows that they have started to not only listen and understand what people want but finally deliver them.

I don't see any reason why the Bolero can't follow the same formula. Just like the AX & LX series of the Thar, the Bolero too can be had in UX (utility) and LX (Lifestyle) configurations. Just like they dropped the dreaded Nuvosport, they should concentrate on unifying the TUV & Bolero brands (no guesses which is more popular as well as successful enough to be retained ).

With that unification, they can develop a vehicle that still fulfills the 5+2 criteria, meet the suburban & rural needs but provide different modern comforts to those who require it. A more comfortable interior, better space management and improved safety can be the new hallmarks.

Obviously, since the off-road prowess will be less compared to the Thar, they can even opt for a detuned 1.5L mstallion (petrol) to hit around the 120-130hp and the new gen M-hawk 2.2 (diesel) at 110hp. This will ensure it meets power, fuel and emission standards for the next few years at the bare minimum.

Hopefully after the launches of the new XUV500 and Scorpio, we would hear something on these lines.

[SaurabhB]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Personally; I find the TUV300 to be one of the most unappealing pseudo SUV's around.

So which vehicles in your opinion are true blue SUV's ? Or are not pseudo SUV's ?

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by SaurabhB

So which vehicles in your opinion are true blue SUV's ? Or are not pseudo SUV's ?

At a minimum, All Wheel Drive or Four Wheel Drive. Don't think we have any of the former in India. The latter, you've got the Thar and that is pretty much it, now that Mahindra no longer sell a XUV500 AWD.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

At a minimum, All Wheel Drive or Four Wheel Drive. Don't think we have any of the former in India. The latter, you've got the Thar and that is pretty much it, now that Mahindra no longer sell a XUV500 AWD.

I don't seek to insult you but rather, my intention is to set the record straight. A SUV is meant to tackle the challenges posed by the prevailing conditions, because of which normal cars cannot tackle. To the extent that it meets those challenges, it is deemed true.

AWD makes most sense in snow and ice. Take an AWD for dune bashing and its clutch plate will overheat.

But let's talk about prevailing conditions which pose a challenge to most Indians. It is broken roads that we're talking about, that's it. Ain't no snow/ice for 95% of us in these lower latitudes to deal with.

Scratch off AWD as a determinant of a true SUV in most of India.

What do you need a 4WD for? Do you live in the desert? Up in the hills? Do you need to go seriously offroad daily. Go for it. It doesn't make sense for 95% of us though. For those among the 95% who still buy 4WD cars, there are so many who seldom or never engage 4L or 4H modes...to the extent that those mechanisms are rusted from disuse. I feel glad about those who do justice to their 4WD machines by at least taking part in the Great Palar Challenge in Chennai for instance.

Scratch off the 4WD as a determinant of what a true SUV is for most of us Indians.

What we're left with is a utility vehicle that can be driven willy nilly over bad roads. That's the prevailing challenge almost all of us face in the Indian market. That, is a true SUV in the Indian sense. The TUV 300 is truer than hatchbacks on stilts that pose as "SUVs". It is truer a SUV than costlier XUV 500s that will fall apart where mine will sail through with no damage whatsoever. Monocoque CSUVs are meant to be softly driven over bad roads even though they offer higher GC.

Footnotes:
* AWD and 4WD for Indians are like Nuclear Carriers for the Indian Navy; smug but ignorant Westerners like to say that the gas powered INS Vikramaditya is not a true Aircraft Carrier. But hey, what do they think India is - a warmongering nation seeking to conquer the world? When India could pound East Pakistan into submission in 1971 with the non nuclear INS Vikrant, do you think any of us were ashamed of it? Our Aircraft Carriers suit the purpose that we seek and are true to that purpose. Period.
* The Australian market is flush with superb 4WD cars because of the great outback that needs to be tamed by their customers.
* The American and Canadian markets are flush with AWD cars for their customers to deal with snow and ice. They have 4WD cars and trucks to tame farm and sandy conditons depending on what their prevailing challenge is.
* Most car-buying Indians do not live on farms, ranches or the like. I recommend a quick reading of the predominant employment profile of car buying Indians and their lifestyles. Urban and highway use is the usage that most of us require. Comparing our cars with those of other markets makes no sense at all because the customers in those other markets have other lifestyles and needs.

[vj_torqueaddict]

There has not been much update on this thread, so thought of adding something from my end here so that it might help other potential buyers. Note to mods: Please feel free to move this post to the appropriate thread if this is not the right one.


I recently purchased the BS6 version , it was all smooth sailing , except for one minor hiccup. Related thread here: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/india...-now-what.html (Federal Bank wants 6 blank cheques for car loan - Now what?)
Delivery experience , right from enquiry to booking to delivery, was really great.

Let me briefly summarise the things I liked in BS6 version ( as compared to the older models , as I was looking for used Bolero initially) and things that could have been better. I have clocked 600 kms so far after the delivery, which includes a short trip to Bandipur from BLR.

Things I liked - Now I must mention , I am fully aware of what I am getting into with a Bolero.

- The mHawk75 is super refined and silent. ( Compared to the older CRDE and power plus model as well ). In fact the refinement is much much better than my Punto evo MJD. My wife loves and prefers this one over my Punto.
- There is very minimal diesel clatter, the NVH is very much controlled. ( Again , scores well above my Punto ).
- I just love how all the torque is available down low. Just a minor tap and it pulls cleanly without a fuss. Second-gear launch with 3 members on board can be easily done. I rarely slot the gear in 1st.
- Cabin is well insulated from outside noise ( comparing this to the older models here ) . There is no tyre noise , wind noise seeping into the cabin. I have not taken speeds above 90 till now.
- I personally liked the ergonomics. I find the seat cushioning and under thigh support to be adequate and comfy. I feel the rear seat cushioning, space and under thigh support has been improved over the older models.
- Static bending headlamps is neat. Really helps!
- I was not expecting much from the Kenwood music system. But it exceeded my expectation here, Iis no Harman or JBL. But has decent quality.
- I like how easy it is to drive in the city too. But I will be using it mainly for the highways and our trips to western ghats. I will be spending quite a lot of time in my native ( Tier-2 city) where the roads are non-existent.

Things that could have been better:

- Mahindra should have provided passenger side airbag while they plonked Driver side airbag.
- Break feels spongy , but is much better than older models. Takes some time to get used to.
- Engine start/stop feature can be a bit annoying.
- The driver side door does not close properly at times. Needs multiple attempts. Will get this checked during the 1st service.
- Headlights are not that powerful. It is just average. But then I don’t drive on the highways during the night, a strict no no!

Hopefully will have a long and fuss-free ownership as my Punto , which has done over 1 lakh kms in 5 years so far.

[vj_torqueaddict]

Hey folks,
Does anybody know what is the water wading capacity of the Bolero? I could not find any mention of it in the manual , nor I could find anything concrete in the forum as well. Not that I will go water wading with it, I wanted to know, just in case if I come across a situation where there is no other option.

Thanks in advance!

[zalaps]

Originally Posted by vj_torqueaddict

I recently purchased the BS6 version

Congratulations vj_torqueaddict on new Bolero. Wishing you happy million KMS! Please add your experiences like services regularly to this thread. This would add an immense value to the followers & owners of the car.

[vj_torqueaddict]

I completed 10k kms in approx 5 months now. I have been using my Bolero, for mainly highway drives between my native and BLR and also for getaways to western ghats.Wanted to add some some observations here after covering more than 10k kms and first service. I have already mentioned my likes and dislikes earlier in this thread, will try to add some new observations.

• Engine is getting even more smoother as I am munching more miles and so are the gear shifts.
  
• 10k kms service bill was 3800/- for all the consumables , labour is free. Note that I still have not topped DEF tank as the SA mentioned there is still 6 litres left. Overall DEF tank capacity is 20 litres. Recommended change interval is 10k kms. I saw some videos on youtube where DEF was over for some within 10k kms. I guess it depends on usage and driving style. Service was satisfactory , no complaints.
  
• I like how easy it is to wash the vehicle as no muck gathers on the body. This is because of those fenders.
  
• Coming to the performance on the highway - 96 kms/hr comes at relaxed 2500 rpm. I drive at 90-95 kms/hr max even on a six lane. Even with my Punto I stick to these speeds. With these speeds the MID displays 17-19kms/litre as the efficiency. On State Highways , with speeds aronud 60-70 kms/hr , the MID displays 21-23 km/ltr. I have not really checked the tank-tank method, but the MID is pretty close is all I can say. Anything above 95 kms/hr makes it a stretch. Lot of wind noise creeps in, no engine noise though. Spongy breaks does not add much confidence either. Steering is calibrated nicely for high speeds. Inputs are precise and direct, this is coming from a Punto owner.
  
• Over-takes are very easy as the gearing is long. I simply love how it performs in the ghat sections. No need to change the gears quite often. It’s absolutely beautiful what Mahindra engineers have done with the the gear ratios. Now, I am not surprised why cabbies prefer these "Jeeps" in the ghats. It’s simply effortless not just economical. Surprisingly , even the body roll is well controlled.
  
• I had initially mentioned that the ride quality is good, even better than my Punto. I still stick to that. May be its because of those 16 inchers and low profile tyres on Punto. Now I understand how much difference tyres can make on ride quality. Bolero simply decimates "mild" bad roads even with that leaf springs at the rear. With 4 ppl on board ride quality gets better. Yes, it can get jumpy on those horrible concrete roads. Now when there are huge craters, we need to be sure to take them slowly, else the occupants will be thrown around. Recently we went to Hampi from Hospet with 6 members on board. I did not see any difference w.r.t engine performance. Even with 6 members, second gear launch is easy. Love the torque!
  
• I like the vantage point that I get from the Bolero. I don’t think I can go back to low slung vehicles now. Even when I am driving Punto, I feel weird , as if my ass is grinding the tarmac and the Dios might just run over me.

Dislikes after 10k kms:

• Minor squeaks and rattles are creeping from the dashboard. Hard to isolate where it’s coming from. Doors take some effort to close, if they are not closed properly then we can hear lot of rattling on bad roads.
  
• It’s hard to tell when the Bolero crash on bad roads and when it will glide. Sometimes when I expect the vehicle to crash with loud thud, it simply glides over like a magic carpet and on occasions where I expect it to glide it crashes with a thud.
  
• There was some oil leakage near the engine, I pointed it out during the first service, they have corrected the torque settings. So far I do not see any leakage, will be monitoring. I noticed the leakage as I have a habit of opening the hood and inspecting the engine bay before a long drive.

Not many dislikes as of now apart from mentioned earlier. Its serving its purpose well so far.

Cases of mistaken identity

Bolero ownership is incomplete without those cases of mistaken identity.

• I parked my vehicle in front of a store to get some stuff, the security guard came rushing waving not to park. I was wearing this camo jacket from Jungle lodges and resorts, so the security guard asked me if I am cop. To which I nodded pretending not to hear him. He let me park and got my stuff within few mins and went away.
  
• At a signal an auto driver was waiting next to my vehicle for it to turn green. He looked at me , smiled and then a gave a salute. I returned the salute back.
  
• Most hilarious of all was when I was returning from Hubli to BLR, there are few deviations on the highway, so on one of those deviations a drunk villager was crossing the road, on seeing the vehicle he gave a salute. It was funny the way he gave a salute as he was barely able to walk properly, but somehow managed to give one, not sure if he was a regular offender as the fear of cops was real. Cant find that video in my dashcam now.

Few pictures of the vehicle

On the way to Gopinatham - Need to write a travelogue, its an absolute gem



Our drive to Blaze homes , Coorg