Mahindra launched the first generation of the legendary Thar in 2010 and it soon became an icon. Fast-forward 10 years, Mahindra has launched a modern and refined version with more features. The new Thar has received several upgrades from the old one yet there are glimpses where it resembles its predecessor. The old Thar was known for its outstanding off-roading capabilities and the new one carries its lineage forward. It is offered in two trims with both petrol and diesel variants along with a manual and an automatic gearbox option.
Pros – Macho Design, Off-Road Capabilities
Cons – Rear Seat Space, NVH Levels
Mahindra Thar Exterior
The Thar borrows most of its design cues from the mighty Jeep Wrangler. At the front, the Thar gets a 7-slider grille surrounded by large round headlamps. There is mHawk badging on the front fender which would change to the mStallion badging on the petrol variant. It gets a small antenna next to the badge. The Thar gets square-shaped sports mirrors with the name ‘THAR’ embossed. The Thar is offered in two variants, hard-top or convertible. At the rear, the spare wheel is mounted on the tailgate. The rectangular-shaped taillights are LEDs with the ‘THAR’ badging. The muscular alloy wheels on the car would bring back memories of the Mahindra Scorpio. Overall the design of the car looks boxy and muscular with body cladding running all-around.
Mahindra Thar Interior
Head inside and one will notice the modern car-like cabin, shared with other Mahindra cars. The dashboard design is all black. The headroom at the front is excellent. The dashboard feels rigid and sporty. The multi-information display gets dual-tone combi meter rings. One thing to note is the placement of the power window controls which are located near the gearbox. Speakers are placed on the roof. The rear windows are large and airy. The Thar gets reverse parking sensors, however, it doesn’t get a reverse parking camera or a centre armrest.
The Thar gets a segment-first electric driveline disconnect for a seamless transition from 4×2 to 4×4. The multi-infotainment system gets Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, USB, and Navigation. It also gets an Advanced Statistics System equipped with an altimeter, a compass, and a roll and pitch meter. The Blue Sense App lets one link their smartphone or smartwatch with their Thar.
Mahindra Thar Space
The front seats are spacious and supportive while the upholstery is part fabric, part faux leather which is comforting. At the rear, the legroom and knee room are not the best. Even though the rear seat gets adjustable headrests the experience is just about average. While the headroom is decent, one could feel claustrophobic due to the all-black cabin. The boot space is quite limited with the second-row seats up. Folding them down increases the space to 600-litres.
Mahindra Thar Engine Performance
The Mahindra Thar is offered with a 2.0-litre mStallion petrol engine mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic torque converter. The manual produces 150 BHP at 5000 RPM and 300 Nm of torque at 1250 RPM. The automatic produces the same power but with 320 Nm of torque at 1500 RPM. It goes from 0-100 km/hr in 10.65 seconds.
It is also offered with a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine mated to either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic torque converter. Both produce 130 BHP at 3750 RPM and 300 Nm at 1600 RPM. In the manual, the refinement levels are good. The motor does not feel the most punchy around and there is some amount of turbo lag lower down. It gets vocal past the mid-range and redlines under 5000 RPM while performance is linear for the most part.
Mahindra Thar Mileage
The ARAI mileage of the Mahindra Thar for the petrol manual is 15.2 km/l. One can expect around 10-11 km/l in the city and 11-12 km/l out on the highway.
The ARAI mileage of the petrol automatic is 9.1 km/l. One can expect around 7-8 km/l in the city and 9-10 km/l out on the highway.
The ARAI mileage of the diesel manual is 15.2 km/l. One can expect around 12-13 km/l in real-world conditions.
The ARAI mileage of the diesel automatic is 12 km/l. One can expect around 11-12 km/l in real-world conditions.
Mahindra Thar Handling
Being a boxy SUV, handling is not the Thar’s strongest point. One can feel body roll and is not the one to be taken over corners at high speeds. The gearbox offers slick shifts and the clutch is on the lighter side. The Thar doesn’t get a dead pedal sadly. The steering is on the lighter side but it doesn’t offer a great feel and feedback. At 41.8-degrees, the approach angle is slightly lesser than the old Thar for the LX variant while the departure angle is 36.8-degrees. The ramp over angle is 27-degrees and the water wading capacity now stands at 650 mm (a 100 mm gain).
Mahindra Thar Comfort
The seat comfort at the rear is just about fine. The recline angle of the seat could have been better though, nevertheless they are sporty and are offered with lumbar support. The front seats are the place to be in the Mahindra Thar.
Mahindra Thar Safety
In terms of safety, the Thar gets crash-safety compliant bodyshell, ESP with Rollover Mitigation Technology, Dual Front Airbags and ABS, Hill Hold, and Hill Descent Control System. It also gets ISOFIX child seat mounts.
Mahindra Thar Service
Being an Indian manufacturer, Mahindra has a well-established service network across India. It is known to offer high-quality services to its customers.
Mahindra Thar Prices
The following are the prices of the Mahindra Thar (on-road Mumbai) :
- AX 4-STR Convertible Petrol MT : Rs. 15.42 lakhs
- AX 4-STR Convertible Diesel MT : Rs. 15.91 lakhs
- AX 4-STR Hard Top Diesel MT : Rs. 16.03 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Petrol MT : Rs. 16.12 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Convertible Diesel MT : Rs. 16.63 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Diesel MT : Rs. 16.75 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Convertible Petrol AT : Rs. 17.76 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Petrol AT : Rs. 17.87 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Convertible Diesel AT : Rs. 18.30 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Diesel AT : Rs. 18.42 lakhs
Mahindra Thar Resale Value
The Thar had a long wait, much after a year its launch. This itself tells the story of how popular it is. The resale value of the Mahindra Thar should not be a matter of concern. The resale value also depends on the number of kilometres driven and the condition in which the vehicle is in.
Mahindra Thar Colours
Mahindra Thar is available in 6 different colours –
- Galaxy Grey
- Aquamarine
- Rocky Beige
- Mystic Copper
- Red Rage
- Napoli Black
Mahindra Thar Specifications
Engine: 1997cc, 4-Cyl, Petrol | 2187cc, 4-Cyl, Diesel
Power: 150 BHP @ 5000 RPM | 130 BHP @ 3750 RPM
Torque: 320 Nm @ 1250-3000 RPM | 300 Nm @ 1600-2800 RPM
Transmission: 6-Speed MT / AT
Fuel Consumption: 12-14 km/l (diesel)
Fuel Type: Petrol | Diesel
Tyre Size: 255/65/18 (Front & Rear)
Suspension: Independent (Front), Multi-Link (Rear)
Brakes: Disc (Front), Drum (Rear)
Safety: 2 Airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, Hill Descent Control, Hill Hold, TPMS
Overall (LxWxH): 3985 mm X 1820 mm X 1844 mm
Wheelbase: 2450 mm
Ground Clearance: 226 mm
Fuel Tank Capacity: 57-litres
Mahindra Thar Variants
Mahindra Thar is offered in the following variants in the petrol manual :
- AX 4-STR Convertible Petrol MT : Rs. 15.42 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Petrol MT : Rs. 16.12 lakhs
Mahindra Thar is offered in the following variants in the petrol automatic :
- LX 4-STR Convertible Petrol AT : Rs. 17.76 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Petrol AT : Rs. 17.87 lakhs
Mahindra Thar is offered in the following variants in the diesel manual :
- AX 4-STR Convertible Diesel MT : Rs. 15.91 lakhs
- AX 4-STR Hard Top Diesel MT : Rs. 16.03 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Convertible Diesel MT : Rs. 16.63 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Diesel MT : Rs. 16.75 lakhs
Mahindra Thar is offered in the following variants in the diesel automatic :
- LX 4-STR Convertible Diesel AT : Rs. 18.30 lakhs
- LX 4-STR Hard Top Diesel AT : Rs. 18.42 lakhs
Mahindra Thar Rating
We gave Mahindra Thar a rating of 4.5/5.
Mahindra Thar Upcoming Models
Mahindra is planning to launch the 5-door version of the Thar next year. If this happens, then the 5-door Thar may be put up against the likes of Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector Plus and the Tata Safari.
Mahindra Thar vs Kia Seltos
Mahindra Thar has received a 4-Star global NCAP rating compared to 3-Star scored by Kia Seltos in the global NCAP. The Thar is offered with dual airbags compared to six offered in Seltos on the top-of-the-line variants. The Kia Seltos gets a reverse parking camera which is not available on the Mahindra Thar.
Mahindra Thar vs Renault Duster
The Renault Duster is not available in the diesel trim which might be a deal-breaker for some. The Duster gets an option of a turbocharged engine which is missing in the Thar. Nevertheless, the naturally aspirated motor of the Thar makes nearly the same power at a lesser RPM than the Duster. Having said that, the Duster is more fun to drive and also has a higher torque figure. In terms of space, the Duster undoubtedly has an upper hand. The Thar is 375 mm shorter, 2 mm slimmer, and 225 mm taller than the Duster.
Mahindra Thar vs Tata Nexon
The Mahindra Thar gets more powerful petrol and diesel engines than the Tata Nexon. The torque output is also more in the Thar at lower RPMs than the Nexon. The Nexon is a front-wheel-drive car whereas the Thar comes with a four-wheel-drive. The Nexon is a family car with limited off-road capability whereas Thar is one of the most affordable off-roaders in the country right now but is best suited for 2 passengers due to the tight rear seats.
Mahindra Thar vs Skoda Kushaq
The Skoda Kushaq is only offered in a petrol trim compared to petrol and diesel trims on the Mahindra Thar. The Thar’s top of the line variant makes 300 Nm torque output at a lesser RPM band compared to Kushaq 250 Nm at 1500 RPM. The refinement level are exceptional in the Skoda Kushaq in comparison to the Mahindra Thar.
Mahindra Thar Image Gallery
