Mahindra Thar ROXX Base Variant Rs 10 Lakh Cheaper Than Top: Should You Buy It?

The Mahindra Thar ROXX has been a runaway hit in the Indian market. One of its biggest advantages is the long range of variants on offer. The 5-door SUV comes in a total of 18 variants, spread across two trims- MX and AX. A lot differs between the base-spec MX1 variant and the top-spec AX7. The entry-spec variant is almost 10 lakh cheaper than the AX7. In a video by The Car Show, the host pinpoints the differences between these ROXX variants.

The video compares the MX1 diesel manual and AX7L diesel automatic (4×4) variants. The former does not get DRLs, fog lights, front sensors, front camera and ADAS equipment. The front bumper on the AX7 gets a dual-tone finish with a skid plate, while the MX1 gets a plain Black bumper. The top-spec gets 19-inch alloy wheels while the base comes with 18-inch steel wheels. The practical difference is that the top-spec will offer more safety and convenience with its ADAS, notably brighter lighting and front camera and sensors.

The top-spec ROXX comes with a huge panoramic sunroof while the MX1 lacks any. The mid-spec gets a single-pane sunroof though. You also get powered folding and adjustment for mirrors on the top-spec while the MX1 lacks these. At the rear, the MX1 lacks camera, wiper, washer and defogger. The AX7L gets all of these and has an attractive proposition.

On the inside, a lot differs between the MX1 and AX7L. Let’s start with the base variant. It gets a manual Day/Night IRVM, an Android touchscreen and a basic audio system. The air conditioning here is a manual unit. The cabin has a dual-tone colourway. It misses out on a lot of features for sure.

Things are a lot different on the AX7L 4×4. It feels more solid and even the doors feel significantly heavier in comparison. The cabin feels much more premium and upmarket. In fact, you tend to instantly relate it to the XUV 700. The large digital instrument cluster comes straight from the XUV. There are a lot of soft-touch materials inside. The side view mirrors are both powered and power foldable. The unit featured here has Ivory interiors. Mahindra also offers a Mocha Brown interior colourway for the ROXX.

The range-topping variant gets a Harman Kardon premium audio system and a larger touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, auto-dimming frameless IRVM, a one-touch open panoramic sunroof, a fully automatic climate control system, footwell lighting, a lot of storage spaces, cruise control, type C USB ports, wireless charger, ventilated seats, automatic headlamps and wipers, ADAS, top-notch safety and several safety features.

The top-spec variant has ample storage areas. The downside, however, is that the door pads here can house only small bottles. Interestingly, the base variant has two features which have been omitted on the top-spec- a sunglass holder and a 12V power socket.

Which one of these to go for is a choice that you’ll have to make yourself- based on you use case and budget constraints. If you can afford the AX7L and are tech-savvy, it is always recommended to buy the top-spec. If you wish to buy the vehicle and then build it to your tastes, it would be better to go with the base-spec.

Mahindra Thar ROXX Specifications: What’s Underneath the Skin

The ROXX is based on a similar platform as the Scorpio-N. Mahindra calls it the Generation 4 (4G) platform and says it is much better than the previous 3G chassis. It offers a better balance between ride quality and road manners. Talking about the engine, the 2.2L mHawk has stood the test of time and the 4-cylinder unit makes 150 Bhp-330 Nm. (up to 380 Nm on some variants). The range-topping ROXX also comes with proper off-roading tech and hardware.