Since the introduction of the five-door Maruti Suzuki Jimny in India, it has inevitably been compared to the Mahindra Thar by prospective buyers of lifestyle off-roaders. Both SUVs target a similar audience, with the Jimny positioned as a smaller alternative to the Thar. A comparison video of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny and Mahindra Thar is available, providing insights into how these two vehicles perform in real-world conditions.
The YouTube video by “Small Town Rider” offers a brief comparison of the five-door Jimny and Mahindra Thar in terms of size, performance, and off-road capabilities. The video starts with a size comparison, clearly showing the Jimny’s smaller stature compared to the Thar.
Both the Maruti Suzuki Jimny and the Mahindra Thar share a similar length of 3985 mm. However, the Thar stands out with its wider and taller dimensions, measuring 1820 mm in width and 1850 mm in height, whereas the Jimny is narrower at 1645 mm and shorter at 1720 mm. This significant difference makes the Thar 175mm wider and 130mm taller than the Jimny, establishing its size advantage. Additionally, the Thar boasts a higher ground clearance of 245 mm compared to the Jimny’s 210 mm.
However, there is one aspect where the Maruti Suzuki Jimny clearly outshines the Mahindra Thar—the wheelbase. The Thar has a wheelbase of 2450mm, whereas the Jimny boasts a longer wheelbase of 2590mm. This indicates that the Jimny offers slightly more interior space than the Thar, which is why it features additional rear doors, while the Thar remains a strictly three-door SUV. It’s important to note that both SUVs can accommodate up to four passengers.
Due to its five-door layout, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny offers easier ingress and egress for rear-seat passengers compared to the Mahindra Thar. However, both SUVs only provide sufficient seating for two full-sized adults at best, with the Jimny having a slight advantage in terms of knee room, legroom, and boot space. The Jimny also boasts more comfort and convenience features, such as a larger touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, push start-stop button, LED projector headlamps, and headlamp washers.
Jimny gets only petrol engine
The video then shows to compare the performance of both SUVs. The Jimny is equipped with a 1.5-liter 105 PS naturally-aspirated petrol engine, available with 5-speed manual and 4-speed automatic transmissions. On the other hand, the Thar offers two engine options: a 2.0-liter 150 PS turbocharged petrol engine and a 2.2-liter 130 PS diesel engine, both paired with 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions.
Regarding the four-wheel drive hardware, the Jimny lacks a manually locking rear differential, a feature present in the Thar. However, both SUVs offer 2H, 4H, and 4L modes. Both vehicles are based on ladder-on-frame chassis and feature high ground clearances, with the Thar sitting higher off the ground compared to the Jimny. While the Thar is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive versions, the Jimny is exclusively offered in a four-wheel drive configuration as standard.
Keyword: Maruti Suzuki Jimny Vs Mahindra Thar: How do they perform off-road?