[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by The Mechanic

Isn't that a Panhard Bar/Rod and not a stabilizer bar

Yes it is the Panhard bar.

The picture in the initial pages have the stabilizer bar visible , mounted ahead of the rear axle.

[Aditya]

Originally Posted by The Mechanic

Isn't that a Panhard Bar/Rod and not a stabilizer bar

Forgive me if I am being stupid

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=liR1...st=LL&index=11

Thanks. Corrected accordingly.

[theqca]

Thanks for the review gentlemen.

As an existing 2015 TUV300 owner I do feel they've made the vehicle slightly less "posh" by removing some things like ski rails, lumbar support, drawer below the driver seat etc. Not sure if these minor changes helped them in cutting costs in anyway but I really like these on my TUV.

I live in South Bombay and at a farm near Raigad in the interiors of rural Maharashtra - It's difficult to make a city dweller understand rural requirements but since I live at both places I'll try and list them down.

A relatively well to do person living in a rural area needs a car which -

1) Has to look big and make its presence felt. This is very important. All those flowing lines and curves (in a car) which we'd drool over just don't work here at the farm. My top end Honda automatic is looked at as a toy whereas the TUV is given more respect even though its cheaper.

2) Has to have the ability to look good with chrome and flags / logos.
3) Has to be able to take a lot of punishment (most places in the interiors would feel like an obstacle course to a city dweller)
4) Has to be able to carry a lot of equipment, tools, grocery etc (markets are far away and you have to buy stuff in bulk). Also most people just dump stuff on the rear seat - for example a muddy crowbar or shovel. No one thinks oh this guy has Stanley seat covers so I shouldn't dirty them etc.
5) Has to be able to carry more people than a regular car for short distances (comfort for people in the last row is not very important. As long as they can sit there - its better than walking). The usual distance for a fully packed vehicle with people in the last row would be around 20 to 30km.
6) Has to be able to cruise comfortably between 40kmph and 80kmph on all types of roads.
7) Large tank and good fuel economy - the closest fuel station is atleast about half an hour away and not just round the corner. (Scooter & motorcycle riders buy petrol sold in bisleri bottles from the local general store. Its a few rupees more than the official rate but works out cheaper because you don't use up fuel in driving to the petrol pump)

No one really cares about cornering and about going from 0 to 100 in x seconds. Max speed on interior roads is between 60 to 80kmph.

I think Mahindra has understood this particular type of customer really well.

The challenge though will be be in getting this customer to buy a Bolero Neo instead of a Scorpio. Maybe the lower price will help.

[H0RSEPOWER]

This vehicle is a niche car primarily meant for tier 2/3 cities & rural India. A huge amount of prospective car buyers over there would seldom take their vehicle into triple digit speed territory. 0-120 acceleration or acceleration post that really do not matter much to them. Rather capability to handle extra load & bad roads matter most to those people. And a known nameplate like Bolero would help those ‘safari’ clad (pun intended) elderly people to take their decision of putting the money in it more easily.
And for different types of SUV, Mahindra is already having various vehicles in their portfolio. One need an urban FWD small crossover- XUV 300 is there. Bigger cousin of it is required- XUV 700 is going to be launched; want to go off-roading or want a lifestyle vehicle- Thar is there; RWD powerful BOF SUV is needed- Scorpio is there; even if hybrid of both, i.e. robust BOF vehicle with refined & FWD car like manners is wished for, they have Marazzo in the lineup. So they did not want to add a product in the categories where it is already having a vehicle. Rather they made it for those people who needs a rugged workhorse, and made it very competitively priced by making it sub 1.5 litre diesel engined. And made it seven seater as well, in spite of being sub 4 metres long. Thus it got the maximum tax benefits to keep the price lower while giving the maximum number of seats, both of which is more required to this vehicle’s intended major customer base than the power to weight ratio.

[twin-turbo]

Launching the Plus variant for it will make the biggest change, guaranteed on the niche community ,somewhat on the casuals.

[Omkar]

Originally Posted by The Mechanic

Isn't that a Panhard Bar/Rod and not a stabilizer bar

Hey,

Sorry for the confusion. The rod you see in the picture is indeed a panhard rod.

The stabiliser bar is situated ahead of the rear axle (not visible in the picture).

Panhard rod wasn't mentioned earlier because it is one of the 5 links of this multilink suspension setup at the rear.

Hope that helps.

[The Mechanic]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Yes it is the Panhard bar.

The picture in the initial pages have the stabilizer bar visible , mounted ahead of the rear axle.

Saw it now. Thank You

Originally Posted by Aditya

Thanks. Corrected accordingly.

Originally Posted by Omkar

Hey,

Sorry for the confusion. The rod you see in the picture is indeed a panhard rod.

The stabiliser bar is situated ahead of the rear axle (not visible in the picture).

Panhard rod wasn't mentioned earlier because it is one of the 5 links of this multilink suspension setup at the rear.

Hope that helps.

I felt that the picture and title was a bit misleading as someone who is not reasonably well versed with suspension components might look at that picture - title combo and mistake the panhard bar for the stabilizer bar.

[Steelneo]

An excellent review as always

One thing i don't understand with M&M is the way they name cars. Never got good names except Bolero and Scorpio. They name in characters with incremental numbers for most of their models. Despite any upgrade and re-names, the old bolero looks still has it road presence and fan following.
Many other OE's have thrashed the jump seats and changed to regular bench seats. Don't understand why M&M is sticking to it. It seriously not giving any comfort to the person sitting there. Highly inconvenient in long drives.

To make volumes i think M&M need to work on Mileage and catchy names for sure.

[Ganapathy]

As a person who currently owns a 2015 TUV 300 T8 - 75 BHP, I am currently considering the N10 (O). Forgive me if you think I have gone bonkers but honestly I have been satisfied overall with the TUV 300's performance over the last 5 plus years.

I have done quite a few road trips with 5 passengers and loads of luggage and the TUV 300 never disappointed. I did add accessories like an Android head unit with SIM, TPMS , a rear view camera and a Dash cam to provide me with the creature comforts that I wanted. Also did change the speakers and added tweeters and a sub woofer to take care of the audio quality part. ( Honestly the stock speakers were shockingly basic ).

Yet a Rs 13 Lakhs vehicle on road ( I am assuming the on road price for the N10 (O) variant would not be more than Rs 13 lakhs ) is indeed a value proposition in my opinion, I am also one of those dying breeds for whom a SUV has to be ladder on frame with a RWD. Body roll ? part of life.

Yes the Scorpio would be the perfect answer, but apart from the delay , I am assuming that the on road price of the top 2WD variant without the frills and fancies like sun roof etc would be north of Rs 20 Lakhs. Yes you get a lot more real estate for the price but do I really need it / Honestly No. Also there is the small issue of saving about 7 - 8 Lakhs.

Would appreciate some feedback regarding my line of thinking and any other options I have.

[Emvi]

Originally Posted by Ganapathy

Would appreciate some feedback regarding my line of thinking and any other options I have.

I see no fault in your line of thinking. Since you are a TUV owner since 2015, I am pretty sure that you are well aware of the limitations and capabilities of the vehicle. If you are happy/satisfied with your current TUV, I see no reason for you to be disappointed with the new TUV..err.. Bolero Neo. I personally like the updated looks. Yes, there are quite a few other options in the price bracket that you have considered, but none in your favoured configuration- RWD, ladder on frame SUV.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Ganapathy

As a person who currently owns a 2015 TUV 300 T8 - 75 BHP, I am currently considering the N10 (O). Forgive me if you think I have gone bonkers but honestly I have been satisfied overall with the TUV 300's performance over the last 5 plus years.

I undertand the rationale behind the choice but I dont think it makes financial sense. A new car is a lot of investment and there are enough resources on the forum that talk about why its cheaper and smarter to continue owning an old car instead of investing in a new one. Will help if you can elaborate on why you are thinking about replacing TUV with the Neo.

[Ganapathy]

Originally Posted by procrj

I understand the rationale behind the choice but I dont think it makes financial sense. A new car is a lot of investment and there are enough resources on the forum that talk about why its cheaper and smarter to continue owning an old car instead of investing in a new one..

Hi Procrj - You are spot on . This decision cannot be justified logically or rationally. Just that the TUV 300 is almost 6 years old. Tyres are due for change, Extended warranty is over. Maintenance my become more expensive , and then that URGE to change to a new car. I normally change my car after 5 years. I had actually set my sights on a new Scorpio considering the fact that i had owned 2 Scorpios prior to the TUV but am worried if it is worth spending another maybe 8 Lakhs or so vis a vis the Bolero NEO which should do the job

[garybella]

I don't understand why Mahindra is not getting it right, it is a very good product and should be targeted as a lifestyle product. A very potential product from M&M but I think they are missing out on something. I think following changes would do the wonders to this car.

Design
1. Wheel arches are very small considering the size of this car, they should increase to accomodate 16/17 inch wheel size.
2. They have blacked out c pillar, i dont think its a good idea, the car was looking better with blacked out d pillar, the can black out some part of the c pillar from the top like 3-4 inches.
3. The car could have been a better looking if the rear of the car would have more flat design just like the defender or jimny for instance.
4. The bumpers both front and rear should have been made more rugged with better use of cladding and mixing well with the wheel arches.
5. The overall height should be decreased by some more millimetres to decrease the body roll and improving overall proportions.
6. Better roof rails are must have.
7. I don't like the strip they have added to make it feel like a Bolero, it should be removed immediately.
8. They have blacked out some portion just beneath the window line, that's also a not great idea. It should be clean looking.

Mechanical
1. The platform should have been derived from xuv300. The monocoque chassis these days are capable of handling bad roads and also provides better ride comfort and handling.
2. The engine too should have been derived from xuv300, 4 cylinder more powerful with better refinement.

Interiors
1. There is a lot of room for improvement in interiors. The overall quality should be enhanced.
2. Ergonomics is an issue, placement of power window switches, no space for Mobile phones and other stuff.
3. Information system needs android auto and apple carplay, reverse parking camera, TPMS, etc.
4. The car should come as a proper 5 seater with removal of last benches and keeping a parcel tray instead.
5. Inclusion of rear AC vents.
6. Auto climate control.
7. More luxurious cabin experience at par with xuv300.
8. Inclusion of central console.
9. Dark interiors will give sporty feel.
10. Leatherette upholstery.
11. Inclusion of sunroof (can skip skyroof )

I know Mahindra needs to work from start building this car but making these changes will surely bring to us an economical version of the iconic Defender.

Also please stick to your original name tuv300.

[procrj]

Originally Posted by Ganapathy

TUV 300 is almost 6 years old. Tyres are due for change, Extended warranty is over. Maintenance my become more expensive

change tyres, change that battery, change whatever needs to be changed as long as the car is running fine. If there are no issues with the engine, drive train, suspension, then there is no real reason for an upgrade to the new Neo. Anytime in the future, If you see signs that point to something going majorly wrong, then you can decide to dispose the TUV and pick up the Neo OR the new Scoprio OR any other car that suits your needs.

that URGE to change to a new car. I normally change my car after 5 years.

This is something natural as you get bored with the vehicle. Find small changes/upgrades that will keep you interestd in the car.

I had actually set my sights on a new Scorpio considering the fact that i had owned 2 Scorpios prior to the TUV but am worried if it is worth spending another maybe 8 Lakhs or so vis a vis the Bolero NEO which should do the job

If the Neo is sufficient for your needs and checks all boxes, there is no sense in investing in the Scorpio. But you dont know how the new Scorpio will look, drive etc. Its quiet possible that the new Scorpio, when launched, turns out be a really good value proposition and you will regret the decision to invest in a Neo. Buying a car is a mix of rational and emotional decision making.

IMO, You are in a great postion right now:
- Have a car that is working fine
- Have a suitable replacement identified
- Possible upgrade that will be launched next year
If I was in your position, I would keep a lookout for the Neo Plus as this would be the best of both worlds - good ergonomics & space of the TUV AND that beautiful 2.2 mHawk and 6 speed transmission from the Scorpio. My recomendation would be to wait at least another year before making a decision on your next car.

Originally Posted by garybella

I know Mahindra needs to work from start building this car but making these changes will surely bring to us an economical version of the iconic Defender.

What you have listed above would almost describe the new XUV700, if you ignore the way it looks. I think the Neo is targeted at a very different audience and I dont think Mahindra is going to change it a lot over the next few iterations.

[Kosfactor]

Originally Posted by Ganapathy

I had actually set my sights on a new Scorpio considering the fact that i had owned 2 Scorpios prior to the TUV but am worried if it is worth spending another maybe 8 Lakhs or so vis a vis the Bolero NEO which should do the job

Scorpio is already ~ 21L in our city with nearly 60 days waiting. But certainly worth it once you test drive it , there is no going back. All black or all white

Neo is a parallel upgrade for all Bolero / TUV models apart from T10 and the plus. This time around they are clearer about the vehicle's purpose, it is a utility vehicle rather than a sub 4M SUV.