The new Thar is a car you can rely on both on and off the road, with its Gen-3 hydroformed chassis providing balanced modernity that makes driving enjoyable.
The cabin boasts superior refinement and meets contemporary smartphone connectivity standards, featuring a 7-inch touchscreen that displays adventure statistics.
Design
Mahindra Thar is one of the best off-road cars in India. Its popularity lies in its rugged design, and this new edition stays true to that style. Reminiscent of Jeep Wrangler in appearance with seven-slot grille, circular headlights and squish fenders reminiscent of Jeeps from years past, it also now offers larger cabin space as well as three roof options including soft top.
Reimagining an iconic vehicle like the Thar is no small task, yet Ananthan and his team managed it by modernising its classic lines while making them bolder.
At the core of their minds was safety; therefore, the team took great care to make sure the Thar complied with Global NCAP standards. Equipped with dual airbags, ABS + EBD brakes and ESP with rollover mitigation; hill hold/descent control as well as hill-hold/descent control features as well as tyre pressure monitoring system and multi link rear suspension features; they all make for an impressive safety package!
Internally, the Thar feels more premium than its predecessors. The cabin is more spacious than before and boasts a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – too big for the dashboard but easy to use – along with additional smart touches such as screen within dials for vehicle and trip information and steering mounted audio/cruise control controls. In addition, ISOFIX child seat mounts ensure maximum safety.
Features
Mahindra Thar offers both hardtop, soft top and convertible roof options. The exterior embodies its rugged off-roading character with black-cladding on both sides and a wide 18-inch alloy wheel base housing all-terrain tires.
Interior features of this brand new cabin are extensive. There are circular AC vents located in the centre, along with a 7-inch infotainment unit featuring Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and navigation; also included is dual USB charging ports and voice control to go along with music system; additionally there is an Adventure Statistics Display showing various off-road data like roll/pitch angle data, gear position data, 4WD mode status indicators as well as G-meter readings and compass heading.
Safety-wise, there are dual airbags and ABS with EBD as standard features, along with a roll cage and disc and drum brakes at both ends for stopping power. Steering feels lively at city speeds but becomes somewhat heavier over longer distances.
The cabin provides plenty of legroom for all occupants, though front seats may be slightly firm. Also, due to being constructed using body-on-frame design, this vehicle tends to lean a lot during sharp turns or emergency lane changes; on broken roads this feeling of shifting can become very unnerving for front seat occupants.
Engine
Thank goodness the new Thar is not as thirsty as its predecessor and features a much smoother petrol engine that pairs well with an automatic tranny that may not be the fastest, but certainly makes up for it in terms of refinement and sophistication.
The new mStallion petrol mill produces 117bhp and 300Nm of torque. Although it might initially seem lacking power beyond 3,000rpm, once you begin driving the Thar quickly and confidently you can enjoy its performance with ease and confidence.
Still pitch and bob around at slower speeds over poor patches of road, but does an effective job of masking any sudden jerks. Steering feels slightly heavier than before but remains agile enough in city driving conditions as well as providing great highway cruiseability.
However, one issue we identified was cabin noise levels rising at higher speeds, due to its rugged chassis. Furthermore, rear seat belts do not include ISOFIX anchorages making transport of children unsafe; hence Global NCAP did not award it with any stars for child occupant safety.
Price
The new Thar is both retro-cool and far more modern than before, thanks to the Gen 3 platform and more powerful diesel engine that make driving it feel much sprightlier than before. Furthermore, this version boasts dual-tone bumpers as well as three roof options (removable hard top, soft top and full window convertible). Perfect for adventure seekers and their families looking for off-road trails.
As much as some may not enjoy its bouncy ride quality, ladder-on-frame SUVs are sought-after by adventurous drivers for this very reason. As their high seating position leans a lot around corners, this car may not be the ideal choice for regular office workers who plan to use this as their primary car; additionally, its rear seat comfort may differ significantly than one found in unibody hatchbacks or sedans.
However, the new Thar surprisingly feels refined at speeds up to 100kph. Its easy access to torque enables it to scale steep hills with ease and navigate city traffic with relative ease. On highways it keeps up with standard SUVs while remaining relatively quiet during high-speed travel; a significant improvement from its older predecessor that would become noisy at higher speeds. As a family SUV it may challenge rivals like Force Gurkha.
