Some cars whisper sophistication. Some cars hum refinement.
The Mahindra Thar? It rolls in, kicks open its own door, and yells, “Bhai, chal off-roading pe!” — even if you’re just going to buy bread.
Born in 1949 (yes, older than your father’s first transistor radio), the Thar has evolved through nine generations, countless facelifts, and millions of muddy adventures. The 2025 facelift takes the legend, gives it a protein shake, a new touchscreen, and just enough modern features to keep your spouse from saying “why didn’t we just buy a Creta?”
💸 Pricing: From Budget Adventurer to Lifestyle Statement
The range starts at ₹10 lakh ex-showroom, going up to ₹17 lakh for the top-spec LXT 4WD automatic — which is exactly the version we’re driving today.
The convertible soft top is now RIP 🪦 — Mahindra has discontinued it. Hard top is standard, because let’s be honest, nobody enjoyed getting drenched during monsoons at toll plazas.
And if you’ve always dreamed of taking the entire mohalla on an off-road picnic, the 4-door Thar Roxx starts at ₹12.25 lakh. Think of it as Thar’s “family man” alter ego.
🧱 Design: Retro Muscle With a Desi Protein Diet
From the front, the new dual-tone bumpers, vertical slatted grille, and round headlamps with Follow-Me-Home function give it that classic Willys-jeep silhouette — but now with more LED than a Diwali light shop.
The fender-mounted LED DRLs and indicators look ready for war, and the 18-inch deep silver alloy wheels (255/65 R18 MRF Wanderers) are basically saying: “Yes, I can climb that mountain. Also that divider outside your housing society.”
Dimensions:
- Length: 4m
- Width: 1.8m
- Height: 1.8m
- Ground clearance: 226 mm
- Water wading: 650 mm
- Approach angle: 41.2°
Yes, that’s right. It can climb more things than your neighbour’s cat.
Tail-mounted spare wheel, retro LED tail lamps, welded tow hooks at both ends, and that Tango Red paint (also available in black, white, green, grey, blue) make it look like an action figure that escaped its box.
🛠️ Chassis & Off-Road Tech: Old School Meets Engineering College
The Thar is still a body-on-frame SUV, with a 3rd-gen chassis straight out of Mahindra’s “Let’s build tanks” playbook.
Underneath, you get:
- Independent double wishbone front suspension
- Multi-link solid rear axle
- Coil-over dampers with stabiliser bars
- Vacuum-assisted dual hydraulic brakes
- Mechanical + electronic brake locking differentials
- Manual shift part-time 4WD transfer case with high/low ratios
If this sounds like engineering jargon, here’s the short version: it’s the kind of SUV that looks at slush, rocks, or half-finished Indian roads and says, “Bas itna hi hai?”
🧠 Safety & NCAP Drama: 4 Stars and a Gentle Warning
Global NCAP gave the Thar 4 stars — pretty solid. But they also noted its “unstable body structure” at high speed. Translation: Drive fast and take corners like a sports car, and it might try a yoga pose called The Rollover.
Still, Mahindra has thrown in everything from:
- ESP & Rollover mitigation
- Hill hold & hill descent control
- Tyretronics TPMS
- 2 airbags, ABS, EBD, seatbelt reminders, panic braking signals
- ISOFIX mounts, roll cage, rear camera, defogger, and sensors
Basically, they’ve armed it like a commando, but it’s still a good idea to respect physics.
🧳 Interiors: Retro Vibes, Modern Amenities, and Washable Floors
Step inside, and it’s surprisingly… not spartan anymore.
You get a black-themed dashboard, roof-mounted speakers, tilt steering, height-adjustable driver’s seat, and a dead pedal for those long expressway cruises.
The floor is washable with drain plugs — because Mahindra knows that Thar owners treat mud like confetti.
The infotainment system is a 10.24-inch waterproof HD touchscreen supporting wireless Android Auto, wired Apple CarPlay, voice commands, and even shows off-road stats like pitch, roll, tyre direction, altimeter, compass, and Mahindra Adventure notifications — basically, a geeky off-roader’s Instagram story generator.
Boot space? 100 litres. Yes, just about enough for a couple of backpacks or a small dog that doesn’t mind sitting sideways.
🏁 Engines & Transmission: Choose Your Power Fantasy
There are three engine options, each with a distinct personality:
- 🛢 2.2 L mHawk Diesel (130 hp / 300 Nm)
- 6-MT or 6-AT
- 15 kmpl average
- The classic torquey workhorse.
- 🛢 1.5 L D117 Diesel (117 hp / 300 Nm)
- Only for RWD models
- 45 L tank
- Basically “I want Thar looks without terrifying my fuel bills.”
- ⛽ 2.0 L mStallion Petrol (150 hp / 300–320 Nm)
- 6-MT & 6-AT (Torque Converter)
- 15 kmpl manual / 12 kmpl auto
- This one says “I’m an urban cowboy who also enjoys drag races at traffic lights.”
Top speed is 155 km/h, but frankly, if you’re doing that in a Thar, either you’re testing wind resistance or starring in a Rohit Shetty film.
🧢 Accessories: Because One Thar Is Never Enough
Mahindra offers 120+ official accessories — from chrome mouldings and decals to camping gear, recovery kits, seat covers, sound systems, adventure cameras, and even Thar-branded clothing.
Basically, if you’ve got money, Mahindra’s got a catalogue thicker than your engineering textbooks.
📝 Verdict: Not Just a Car… It’s a Character
The Mahindra Thar is not the most practical SUV. It’s not the smoothest. It doesn’t have a massive boot. And at high speeds, it sometimes feels like a Labrador on a slippery floor.
But — and this is a big, muddy, mountain-climbing BUT — it has soul. It has presence. It makes every speed breaker, every puddle, every rainy evening feel like the start of a National Geographic special.
If cars were people, most compact SUVs are your polite, well-dressed office colleagues.
The Thar? He’s that one friend who shows up on a motorcycle, drenched in rain, grinning ear to ear, shouting, “Adventure karna hai kya?”
“The Mahindra Thar isn’t just a car. It’s a lifestyle statement that occasionally rolls up its sleeves, gets muddy, and still makes it home in time for chai.”
