Opinion: Has Mahindra Already Previewed The Next-gen Bolero?

The brand’s best-selling SUV is in dire need of updates to be ready for the future

Mahindra has already announced that it’ll be introducing a new generation of the Bolero sometime between 2023 and 2026. It recently debuted the all-new Bolero Maxx commercial pick-up and we believe that this new truck gives us a preview of the next-gen Bolero SUV.

How does the new pick-up hint at the new SUV?

Usually, the Bolero pickup is based on the Bolero SUV with minimal changes to the cab design. However, every panel of the new Bolero Maxx’s cabin has been redesigned and not based on the current Bolero SUV. Given the extremely unlikely circumstance where Mahindra would undertake the investment of new body panels solely for a commercial pick-up, the new cabin panels will likely be used for the new-gen Bolero SUV as well.

Differences on the Bolero Maxx

The bonnet of the new Bolero Maxx looks a lot shorter than that of the current Bolero SUV. We expect this redesign is part of keeping the Bolero a sub-4 metre offering. Its still big enough to house the pickup’s 2.5-litre m2Di diesel engine while the SUV gets a smaller 1.5-litre displacement mHawk diesel engine. At one point during the presentation, Mahindra showed the front fascia design sketch of the various generations of the Bolero family with the new Maxx at the front. This was one of the biggest giveaways about the next-gen SUV.

The interior of the new pickup is also more modern than that of the existing SUV thanks to an entirely new dashboard. It has a protruding housing for the infotainment system much like the Thar, a phone holder slot to the left of the steering wheel, and a larger digitised instrument cluster. We expect some of the cladding seen on this dashboard could be hiding possible vents and storage areas that will be seen on the next-gen Bolero SUV. The overall design looks neat as well as minimalistic and more importantly ergonomic. It is still recognisable as a Bolero cabin with the amount of plastic and the passenger-side grab-handle on the dashboard.

Bolero is Mahindra’s top-seller

The Indian SUV specialist has enjoyed a streak of success with its recent models, the Thar, XUV700 and Scorpio N. All three models have large order books but their monthly numbers are consistently bested by Mahindra’s output for the Bolero SUV. The model has received minor updates over the years to keep it compliant with the latest safety regulations. However, a new-gen Bolero with more features and a slightly modernised design is expected to be extremely popular. 

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Potential for electrification

The underpinnings of the Bolero SUV go back a couple of decades. As a body-on-frame (BoF) SUV, it is rugged and built for durability over comfort. While Mahindra has not yet announced any plans for electrified BoF SUVs, it is likely working on them already. Globally, a few brands have showcased plans for dedicated EVs with ladder-frames such as Jeep, Hummer and Ford.

Since Mahindra is currently not focussing on strong hybrid powertrains, the new-gen Bolero may be followed by an EV-only Bolero only in the next decade.