Will The New Mahindra Thar Be A No Compromise SUV?

Seems like it’s now aiming to be an all-rounder, especially for the urban jungle, and not just a 4x4 lifestyle choice for enthusiasts

The new generation of the Mahindra Thar is yet to be officially revealed but a lot is already known partly due to multiple spied mules. While the Thar will retain its iconic Jeep-inspired styling and proportions, it will get a host of new features, unlike its barebones predecessor. This will make it a more practical choice suitable for a larger customer base.

One of the biggest mechanical changes that will make it more practical is the introduction of a petrol engine and the choice of new manual and automatic transmissions. The petrol option will likely be a new 2.0-litre turbocharged unit tuned to 190PS while the BS6 diesel engine is expected to be the same 2.2-litre unit, as offered in the Scorpio, which makes 140PS and 360Nm. The diesel-automatic option has been spied while testing while the new turbo-petrol engine should offer an auto as well. The automatic and manual option for both the engines is expected to be a 6-speed unit. 

Mahindra will likely offer the new Thar with a 2WD drivetrain as well which would make it more affordable than the hardcore 4x4 version with a separate low-range gearbox. It will also make it more appealing as a daily driver as a 2WD variant will be more fuel-efficient too.

Apart from these mechanical changes, the new Thar will also get the latest range of basic safety equipment such as dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, seatbelt reminder, disc brakes on all four wheels, and rear parking sensors. These updates by themselves will make the Thar safer than ever with the likely addition of a rear parking camera in higher variants and hill assist in the automatic ones. It will even come with updated headlamps with LED daytime running lights and LED elements in the tail lamps.

The new Thar’s cabin will no longer be spartan. It will be equipped with comforts like auto AC, a touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a digital multi-information display in the driver’s instrument cluster, steering-mounted controls and cruise control. All of these will make the Thar a more versatile car than before, one that can be used for longer journeys as well as around the city. Mahindra has made the Thar more family-friendly as well. How? By fitting it with regular, forward-facing rear seats for the first time instead of the usual jump seats. In fact, both front and rear seats look way plusher than the older model.

Opting for the first-ever factory-fitted hard top over the soft top will make it more pragmatic. Even here, Mahindra has designed a manual-convertible soft top to be more versatile like the Jeep Wrangler. That way, Thar buyers can also enjoy the jeep-adventure lifestyle when they want to make the most of good weather and cover up the cabin afterwards with relative ease. Makes the standard sunroof option seem a bit timid, doesn’t it?

So it is quite apparent that the new Mahindra Thar will no longer be just a lifestyle choice for the beachside holiday goers or off-road enthusiasts. It will now be a full-fledged, practical SUV with rugged iconic styling and plenty of creature comforts. The 2020 Thar is expected to be launched by August 2020 at a starting price of over Rs 10 lakh.

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