Mahindra Thar is currently the most affordable off-roader 4×4 SUV that you can buy in the Indian market. The SUV is currently a hit and is experiencing long waiting periods. Since its launch, the off-road enthusiasts have been tackling off-road courses with their Mahindra Thar. Here, is one such video.
The video is uploaded on YouTube by Explore The Unseen 2.0. In the video, we can see the SUV going through some off-road trails. Along with the 2 Thars, there is also a Tata Harrier which is a front-wheel-drive SUV.
There is a steep decline through which the Thar has to go through. Then the vlogger climbs a steep slope where the tyres do start to lose grip because of the sandy surface but the SUV does come up. Then both the Thars come down a sandy surface. The Thar then tries to climb a very steep incline and then when it is about to reach the top, the front tyre loses grip. The video gets cut after that so we do not know whether the Thar was able to climb the incline or not.
Then another guy goes down a steep decline and goes up again without any issues. The Thar was running on all-terrain tyres so that also helped in this case. Till now, the Thars were using 4 low modes but this time the vlogger decides to attempt the climb in 4 low mode. The SUV is able to climb without any fuss. However, the second Thar did face some trouble as it got stuck because the momentum was not enough.
Mahindra Thar prices and variants
The Thar starts at Rs. 13.53 lakhs ex-showroom and goes up to Rs. 16.03 lakhs ex-showroom. Earlier, the starting price of the Thar was lower because it was sold with side-facing seats but that version has now been discontinued. The Thar is offered in two variants, there is AX(O) and LX. You can get the Thar as a hardtop or a soft-top.
Engine and gearbox
Mahindra offers the Thar with two engine options. There is a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that gets direct injection or a 2.2-litre diesel engine. The mHawk diesel engine produces 130 PS of max power and 300 Nm of peak torque. The mStallion petrol engine produces 150 PS of max power and 300/320 Nm of peak torque. Both the engines come mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Thar gets a 4×4 system as standard across all the variants. Moreover, you also get a low-range gearbox with 4 High, 4 Low and 2 High modes. So, you can opt for any variant and you would be getting a proper off-roader.
Rivals
The only direct rival to the Mahindra Thar is the Force Gurkha which is only offered with a diesel engine and a manual gearbox. It is being said that Maruti Suzuki is also working on launching the Jimny in the Indian market which will also compete against the Thar and Gurkha.
Keyword: Mahindra Thar shows off its off-road capability [Video]