The ruling for all new vehicles sold in India to be mandatorily fitted with dual airbags as standard only came into effect from January 2022. Prior to that, several budget vehicles such as the Maruti Suzuki Alto and S-Presso, Renault Kwid and the Mahindra Bolero came fitted with only a driver side airbag, or were available with a passenger airbag as a paid option or on the top-spec models.
Now, Mahindra has silently updated the Bolero with dual airbags as standard, thus complying with the latest safety regulations. The Bolero is currently priced between Rs 8.85 lakh-9.86 lakh (ex-showroom, Mumbai).
- Mahindra Bolero now gets dual airbags as standard
- Addition of passenger airbag brings minor tweaks to the interior
- Prices have gone up by Rs 14000-16,000
2022 Mahindra Bolero: dual airbags now standard
With the addition of an airbag to the passenger side of the dashboard, Mahindra has also had to tweak the interior slightly. Previously, the Bolero came with a chunky grab handle on the passenger side dashboard. That, however, has now been replaced by a regular dashboard panel and a new faux wood garnish on the passenger side, similar to the wood-finish on the central console around the AC vents and music system.
Mahindra was also expected to introduce new dual-tone colour options on the Bolero, examples of which were also spied on test before. However, the Bolero continues to be on sale with just three monotone paint options – white, silver and brown.
2022 Mahindra Bolero: features and engine details
Apart from the addition of a passenger side airbag, there aren't any other changes to the Bolero’s equipment list. This means that it continues with features such as a Bluetooth-enabled music system with AUX and USB connectivity, manual air-conditioning, keyless entry, power steering and a semi-digital instrument cluster. Other safety features include ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors and speed alert as standard across the range.
Under the hood, the Bolero continues with the same 75hp, 210Nm, 1.5-litre, three-cylinder diesel mHawk75 engine, which comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox sending power to the rear wheels only.
2022 Mahindra Bolero: hike in price
The addition of a passenger side airbag has obviously come at a cost. The Bolero is available in three trim levels – B4, B6 and B6 Opt – and depending on the variant, the prices have gone up in the range of Rs 14,000-16,000. The Bolero does not have any direct rival in the Indian market.
Do you think the ageing Bolero still needs more safety features and creature comforts? Let us know in the comments below.
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