Mahindra Thar 5-door Buy Or Hold: Is The Bigger Off-roader Worth The Wait?

Although there are enough offroaders available in the market already, do the Thar 5-door's practicality and additional features expected on board make it worth the wait?

Update (14/08/24): The 5-door Mahindra Thar Roxx has been launched with prices starting from Rs 12.99 lakh for petrol and Rs 13.99 lakh for diesel (both prices introductory ex-showroom).

The 5-door Mahindra Thar is on its way and it has made us wait for a very long time. It’s finally expected to go on sale shortly after its debut in August, and we expect its bookings to open closer to its unveiling as well. But, should you wait for the 5-door Thar to be launched or are there better options already available in the market? There are other cars in the market, which offer similar off-road capabilities, good road presence, better features, and a more premium experience. So should you buy one of its rivals or wait for the 5-door Thar? Let's find out.

Mahindra Thar: BUY For Off-road Capabilities And Affordable Price

The current Thar, even in its 3-door version, has a great road presence, and comes with good off-road capabilities as well. If you are looking for a good off-roader and don’t mind the less legroom in the second row, not to mention the missing rear doors, the 3-door Thar can be a viable option. It comes with three engine options, has a decent features list, and you can even choose between rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive setups. Also, due to its size, it has a lower entry point compared to the expected starting price of the 5-door Thar (Rs 15 lakh ex-showroom).

Maruti Jimny: BUY For Compact Form Factor, Convenience, Reliability, Good Service Network, And A Comfortable Ride

If you are looking for a good balance between city drives and adventures, then the Maruti Jimny would be a better choice for you. The compact form factor of this off-roader makes it better for city use, and its powertrain along with the four-wheel-drive setup makes it suitable for off-roading. It also has a much better ride quality than the Thar, which not only makes city commutes easy, but also comfortable, and to top it off, the presence of rear doors also adds a bit of convenience, and the extra legroom in the rear seats makes the drives more comfortable. 

Also Read: 5 Cars You Can Choose Over The Maruti Celerio At Similar Prices

Since it is a Maruti model, it has a pre-existing reliability factor, and due to Maruti’s wide service network, keeping it maintained will not be a hassle.

Force Gurkha 5-door: BUY For Bigger Size And 6-seater Layout

If you are not looking for a compact off-roader like the Jimny, and want a car which is big and commands a good road presence, then the Force Gurkha 5-door can fulfil your needs. This bigger version of the Gurkha was launched this year, and it gets the same diesel engine with a four-wheel-drive setup. Although its features list majorly focusses on just the essentials, the Gurkha 5-door offers more functionality over creature comforts, and for a person who wants an off-roader for adventures, this will be a good choice. Also, the 5-door version comes in a 6-seater configuration, which will be better for those who have a big family, which is not available on any of its rivals.

Mahindra Scorpio N 4X4: BUY For Modern Looks, Premium Cabin, Good Features, 7-Seater Layout And Off-road Capabilities

This is for an urban buyer, who will spend more time on the road, than off it. The Mahindra Scorpio N is more of a premium SUV, which also has some off-roading capabilities. This will get you modern and rugged looks, a premium and plush cabin, good features like a 8-inch touchscreen, sunroof, and dual-zone automatic climate control. This is a proper offering for a big family, as it comes in both 6- and 7-seater configurations with all the niceties, and when you want to go off the road, its powertrain and four-wheel-drive setup will make that possible.

Mahindra Thar 5-door: HOLD For Unmatchable Road Presence, More Space And Better Features

If none of the aforementioned models suit your needs, and you are willing to trade off the wait times for the typical ‘Thar’ factor,, then you should wait for the 5-door Mahindra Thar. The elongated Thar is just a few months away and apart from its road presence, it will offer the same powertrain as its current 3-door version, and it will come with better space for rear seat passengers, and new features like a bigger touchscreen, sunroof, and dual-zone climate control. It is expected to come with both rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive setups, making it suitable for both city commutes and off-roading. 

Also See: Watch: Mahindra XUV400 vs Tata Nexon EV: Which EV Performs Better In An Incline Test?

Now, will you pick any of the rivals as your next car, or will you still wait for the 5-door Thar? Let us know in the comments below.

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