Mahindra’s just thrown another curveball at the commercial vehicle space – the Bolero MaXX Pik-Up HD 1.9 CNG has landed, and it’s asking for Rs 11.19 lakh ex-showroom.
Look, we’ve all seen pickup trucks come and go, but this one’s different. It’s Mahindra’s way of saying “hey, you want clean fuel without giving up on grunt?” The timing’s spot-on too – with diesel prices making everyone’s wallet cry and emission norms getting stricter by the day, fleet operators are desperately hunting for alternatives. And here’s the kicker: this thing can haul 1.85 tonnes, which is basically the heavyweight champion of the CNG pickup world.
Engine and Performance
So what’s powering this beast? A 2.5-litre turbocharged CNG mill that puts out 82 horses and 220 Nm of twist between 1,200-2,200 rpm. Now before you go “meh, that’s not much,” remember – this engine’s been tweaked specifically for when you’ve stuffed the truck fuller than a Mumbai local during rush hour.
The power flows through a 5-speed manual (no fancy automatics here, folks), and thankfully, Mahindra’s thrown in power steering because nobody wants to arm-wrestle their truck through Delhi traffic. The real party trick? That massive 180-litre CNG tank that Mahindra reckons will take you 400 km on a single fill. That’s proper highway-munching territory right there.
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Features and Technology
Here’s where things get pretty cool. This is the first CNG pickup from Mahindra to get their iMAXX connected tech. Think of it as your truck’s personal assistant that keeps track of everything – fuel consumption, trip logs, engine health checks, the works. For guys running fleets, this kind of data is like having X-ray vision into your business.
The cabin’s not exactly spartan either. You get AC (thank goodness), a heater for those bone-chilling winter mornings, and a driver seat that actually adjusts for height. The D+2 setup means you can squeeze in an extra body when needed – pretty handy when you’re running crew-based ops.
Cargo and Build Quality
The loading bay stretches a proper 3,050 mm, so you won’t be playing cargo Jenga every time you need to haul something bulky. It rolls on 16-inch rubber with leaf springs front and back – yeah, it’s old-school tech, but it’s the kind that just keeps working no matter how much punishment you throw at it on our lovely Indian roads.
Market Positioning
At Rs 11.19 lakh, this Bolero’s sitting pretty in that goldilocks zone – not too cheap that you question the quality, not so expensive that your accountant starts hyperventilating. Mahindra’s already the king of the sub-2-ton SCV jungle with over half the market share, and this launch feels like them saying “yeah, we’re not going anywhere.”
The target audience? Pretty much anyone who needs to move stuff without burning a hole in their pocket. Small business owners shuttling goods across town, logistics companies trying to go green without sacrificing their bottom line – you name it. In a world where every rupee saved on fuel is a rupee earned, that combo of CNG efficiency and serious hauling capacity could be the secret sauce many have been waiting for.