Mahindra Thar: The Adventure SUV That’s Made For The Wild The Thar isn’t just a car, it’s an expression for people who love adventure and freedom and exploring life beyond the confines of civilisation.
Ever since receiving a modern revival, the Thar has been a blend of rugged and charming with slightly more comfort and safety, and has managed to become the perfect butch SUV for lifestyle buyers.
But like any vehicle that tries to do it all, the Thar has its trade-offs too.
Design and Road Presence
Clock it from any direction; the Thar looks purposeful.
Its boxy styling, straight-up stance, flared wheel arches and chunky tyres ensure that it’s unlike anything else.
The fact that it looks like an old-school off-roader, such as the Jeep Wrangler, is only icing on the cake.
Whether its deep red or black or olive green, the Thar makes a statement wherever it goes.
What adds to its charm are the hard-top and convertible soft-top versions available.
These enable buyers to customize the Thar to their adventure level. T
he three-door configuration gives plenty of character but also means a bit of compromise — particularly in practicality.
Performance and Off Road Capability
At its core, the Thar is built to explore where regular SUVs fear to tread.
In the Thar there is a 2.2-litre diesel mill and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, both of which ensure enough torque to overcome difficult terrain.
In the case of the diesel, that includes some good old-fashioned low-end grunt which means its easier to crawl up and over obstacles.
Buyers have a choice of a six-speed manual or automatic gearbox, and all 4×4 variants feature a low-range transfer case and mechanical locking differential.
Off-road, the Thar shines. With 226mm ground clearance, good approach and departure angles and a wading depth of 600mm, it’ll scamper up rocks, slip through mud, vapourise sand and churn through slush.
If you legitimately like going off the grid, it’s tough to beat what the Thar offers in this price bracket.
City and Highway Comfort
As much as the Thar impresses in the rough, its on-road behavior is where things began to unravel.
It can be bouncy all right, at low speeds or on broken surfaces.
The car is heavy at parking-lot speeds, and the wide stance makes it cumbersome to slip through city lanes.
On the highway, the Thar feels sure-footed but it’s not as polished as more road-oriented SUVs.
Then there is the fuel economy factor. Anything between 11-13 km/l from the diesel and 7-10 km/l from the petrol, depending on your driving style and conditions.
That may seem thirsty to buyers who are used to compact S.U.V.s.
Interiors and Features
The Thar’s cabin is a far cry from the spartan interiors of the earlier models.
It has a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, roof-mounted speakers, power windows, steering mounted controls.
Safety too has gone upwards with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, ESP, and even a four stars rating from Global NCAP.
That said, it remains a vehicle oriented more toward toughness than toward plush comfort.
Ride in the back is cramped and getting someone into the rear seats can be awkward thanks to the three-door set-up.
Boot room is awfully tight also if you’re using the rear seats.
Pros
Excellent off-road capabilities; very well designed for its purpose
Aggressive assortment of unique, bulky-style design offering wide presence on the road
Potent diesel and petrol engine options
Comes with both manual and auto gearboxes
Enhanced safety with a 4-star Global NCAP safety rating
Cosn
The ride is firm, so it is jiggly over bumps, particularly in the city.
Fuel economy is not good especially in the petrol versions
Boot is on the small side and rear can be snug
Not great for the city ride or long family trip everyday wings parties.
Lacks certain extras found in same-priced crossovers
Mahindra Thar :Final Word
For anyone looking at a proper blue-blooded off-roader that won’t break the bank, the Thar is it! It doesn’t apologize for being purpose-built.
If your weekends are for the trails and you need something for getting there, the Thar has you covered like no one else.
But if daily comfort and convenience are at the top of your to-do list, other products in the precincts of the urban SUV segment are better suited to the task.
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