Mahindra Thar: A Modern Off-Roading Beast. Its Price, Specifications and Features are here.

The Mahindra Thar has proved to be well worth it, evolving from a basic off-road vehicle to a stylish contemporary terrain tamer that can handle multiple tasks. When you consider the price, the Mahindra Thar always felt more basic and coarse than it needed to be. However, the Thar is now a genuinely cutting-edge off-road SUV that can tackle rough terrain without forcing you to rough it out as a punishment.  

Design

While updating a classic design without offending anyone is never easy, Mahindra has, for the most part, done it well. The front end appears to be inspired by the vintage Mahindra Armada Grand, and the front grille lends a retro, if contentious, charm. Although you do get LED DRLs mounted on the fender, both the fog lamps and the headlights themselves are powered by standard halogen bulbs.

Its interior is a genuine revolution. It comes with a brand-new dashboard that is beautifully designed and feels well-made. The dashboard is fairly flat in the traditional off-road SUV design to keep you near the windscreen. The dashboard has an IP54 waterproof rating, and drain plugs are included for washing the cabin. Thankfully, the plastic doesn't have an excessive amount of texture mixed in; instead, it feels thick and sturdy.

Specifications

Engine and Gearbox 

Mahindra provides three engine options for the Thar: a 2.2-litre diesel engine (130PS/300Nm) and a 2-litre turbo-petrol engine (152PS/320Nm), both of which can be mated to a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The 1.5-liter diesel engine (118PS/300Nm) in the RWD model is smaller and only comes with a 6-speed manual gearbox, while the turbo-petrol unit only has a 6-speed automatic.

Performance

The cabin of the Thar is unsettling due to road imperfections and the ride quality is notably stiff. Its ride is unsteady on small bumps, but it will easily navigate through large potholes. It doesn't take long to realise that this isn't an SUV you can sit back into a corner without your heart rate skyrocketing due to the abundance of body roll.

Features

It features a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also has manual air conditioning, halogen headlights with LED DRLs, cruise control, and controls mounted on the steering wheel. Mahindra has also added removable roof panels and a washable interior floor.

 

Safety

In terms of safety, it has rear parking sensors, traction control, ABS with EBD, dual front airbags, and a seat belt reminder for the driver and front passenger. The Mahindra Thar has received a four-star rating in Global NCAP crash tests for both adult and child occupants. 

 

Variants

The two main variants available for purchase are AX(O) and LX. Six colour options are available for purchase: Napoli Black, Galaxy Grey, Red Rage, Aquamarine, Blazing Bronze, and Everest White.

Pros

• Design that grabs attention. looks manly and has more presence on the road than ever.
• Both petrol and diesel engines are supported, and 6-speed manual or automatic transmissions are available for each.
• A more off-road-friendly design than before. notable gains in ground clearance, breakover angle, and departure angle.
• Superior interior quality combined with increased practicality. Now, the Thar is a more family-friendly place.
• Enhanced harshness control and noise vibration. Driving no longer feels old or out of date.

Cons

• Rigid riding experience. Handles rough roads with ease, although the cabin can become uneasy very quickly due to sharp bumps.
• The SUV has an old-fashioned ladder frame and acts like one. a lot of body roll, even on small curves
• The pedal box in the automatic and thick rear windows does not provide a suitable area for you to rest your left foot, and the rear windows cannot be opened. Large blind areas are created to the side by B pillars.
• Although it is a much more refined and improved version of a dedicated off-road vehicle, it is not a replacement for more sensible, cosy, and feature-rich compact or sub compact SUVs.

Price

The base price of the Mahindra Thar is Rs. 10.98 Lakh, while the top model costs Rs. 16.94 Lakh. There are 13 different models of the Thar. The AX Opt 4-Str Hard Top Diesel RWD is the base model, and the Mahindra Thar LX 4-Str Hard Top Diesel AT is the top model.