Mahindra Thar 5 door is expected to go on sale early next year, it will sport the same engines as the 3 door model
Mahindra Thar 5 door version has been spotted on test fully camouflaged. The off-roader is expected to go on sale early next year and will compete against the likes of the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5 door and the Force Gurkha 5 door.
When launched, the 5 door Thar will be a perfect weapon for group adventures, the trend that’s slowly becoming popular across the globe. In addition, it will also be a great people mover in hill stations that still rely on the defunct Mahindra long wheelbase soft top ‘Jeeps’.
The overall silhouette of the test mule looks like that of the highly-acclaimed international Jeep Wrangler. In fact, the second generation Thar has been developed actually taking inspiration from the Wrangler.
All the visible body panels including the bumper, fender, glass area, footboard, and hinges look like that of the 3 door Thar that’s currently on sale. The only differences are the extended wheelbase, 2 additional doors, and Bright Silver alloy wheels.
The 5 door Mahindra Thar should be offered with the same engines (2-litre turbo-petrol and 2.2-litre turbodiesel) and transmissions (6-speed manual and automatic) as the 3 door model. But, it might come with a bit more power to cope with the added heft.
It’s expected to have better boot space and, of course, a proper roof unlike the hard top of the 3 door Thar which does have a few niggles. New developments state that the 5 door Thar will come with better ride quality and, it’s also set to have a lighter steering.
The fender-mounted antenna looks nice. The car will sport Mahindra’s proper 4-wheel-drive system and off-road oriented hardware which will make it a true SUV among similarly-sized front-wheel-drive soft-roader SUVs.
Although potentially a longer wheelbase might rob some of the Thar’s off-road prowess, the trade off would be worth it, for the vehicle will be more liveable and practical. It is said that Mahindra is expecting the 5 door Thar to find a similar response to the 3 door model.