The Mahindra Bolero Neo compact SUV received a 1-star rating for both adult and child protection in Global NCAP's latest round of crash tests under its Safer Cars for India programme. The SUV that was tested was only equipped with two airbags as standard and received low ratings on multiple parameters.
Mahindra Bolero Neo: GNCAP crash test rating explained
According to Global NCAP, the Bolero Neo was tested under the latest protocols and secured 20.26 points out of a maximum of 34. The report stated that the SUV has an unstable structure and footwell area, and additionally, it also showed weak chest protection and poor feet protection for the driver. The Bolero Neo does not offer curtain airbags or seat belt reminders for all passengers.
As far as child occupant protection goes, the Bolero Neo scored 12.71 points out of a maximum of 49 points. The lack of three-point seat belts for all passengers, lack of a passenger airbag switch and only one child restraint system (CRS) resulted in low scores in this area, even though the child protection showed “acceptable dynamic performance”.
Another reason for a low overall rating for the Bolero Neo is the presence of side-facing third-row seats. The report calls out Mahindra for falling “disappointingly short” of Global NCAP’s safety expectations with the continued use of this seating setup in its SUVs.
Also see: Top rated cars, SUVs in new GNCAP crash tests: updated list
While Mahindra has secured good ratings for its products like the Scorpio N, the XUV700 and the XUV300 SUV, the Bolero's low rating should not come as a surprise given that it's based on an old platform. The Bolero Neo is essentially a heavily updated TUV300 SUV that has been on sale since 2016, and is due to be replaced within two years by a new platform that's already under development at Mahindra.
Apart from the Bolero Neo, Global NCAP has also tested the Honda Amaze and the Kia Carens MPV in this round of assessments. The safety body also announced that these assessments are among the final tests in the Safer Cars for India campaign as Bharat NCAP becomes fully activated.
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