Mahindra Bolero Power Plus gets BS VI certification, more safety features

One of India’s highest-selling utility vehicles, the Mahindra Bolero has become the first utility vehicle (UV) in India to be certified as BS VI-compliant.

The Power Plus version of the Bolero has received a BS VI-readiness certificate from the International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT), making it the first Mahindra model to be upgraded to meet the more stringent emission norms. That said, the Bolero Power Plus on sale right now remains BS IV-compliant. The BS VI-compliant Mahindra Bolero range will go on sale in early 2020, the company said in an official statement.

Under the hood of the Mahindra Bolero Power Plus is a 1.5-litre, three-cylinder, turbo-diesel engine that develops 71hp and 195Nm of peak torque. This engine also does duty in the Mahindra TUV300, and the upgraded BS VI version of this unit will make it to the TUV300 in due time. The standard Bolero’s 63hp/195Nm, 2.5-litre, four-cylinder diesel motor will also be upgraded before the April 2020 deadline as per Mahindra’s BS VI engine strategy.

Rajan Wadhera, president, Automotive Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra, said: “As the first milestone in our BS-VI readiness journey, we are delighted to get the BS-VI certification for the Bolero Power+. The Bolero is one of our highest-selling SUVs and has been the first UVto be certified as BS-VI ready by the iCAT.”

While the Bolero’s price will certainly go up with the introduction of BS VI-compliant diesel engines, Pawan Goenka, managing director, Mahindra & Mahindra, recently said the hike in prices won’t push diesel vehicles out of the reach of buyers. What’s also worth noting is that the Bolero is due for another major update, which will help it meet the new crash-test norms that come into effect from October 1, 2019. It’s likely that the BS VI-compliant engines will be introduced with the launch of this updated model at the start of 2020.

Additionally, the Mahindra Bolero range now gets more safety features as standard. We had reported earlier this month about Mahindra starting production of the Bolero that’s equipped to comply with the AIS-145 safety norms. Now standard on the safety features list are a driver’s side airbag, ABS, rear parking sensors, seatbelt reminders for the driver and front passenger, a speed warning system and a manual override for the central locking system. The manufacturer will also remove child locks from the units meant for the fleet and taxi market at the dealer level.

The inclusion of more standard safety features means Mahindra Bolero prices have gone up by around Rs 30,000 across the range.

Also read: Top 5 Utility Vehicles in India in June 2019