Facelifted Mahindra Thar 4X4 Launched in India; Prices Inside

Mahindra & Mahindra has launched the facelifted Thar off roader in India. The new SUV is priced at 8.03 lakh rupees, ex-showroom Nashik, which represents a 50,000 rupee premium over the outgoing model. The Thar gets a slew of functional and visual upgrades, which indicates that Mahindra has been keeping its ears close to the ground so far as customer feedback goes. The new Thar retains its Civilian Jeep 7  (CJ-7) inspired looks, which has been given the Wrangler treatment with a new front bumper and wider fenders.

While the front bumper is an abomination and one that owners of the new Thar are likely to dump even before their rides leave showrooms, the wider fenders are a very good addition. Considering that most Thar CRDe owners upgrade to wider ture with the 255/R16 tyres being the most popular addition, the wider fenders will do their bit to prevent water from splashing onto the sides of the SUV. The headlamps get the clear lens treatment while aluminium side steps make way for more butch looking units. The rear bumperettes are new items as well.

On the inside, the changes are substantial, what with the dashboard borrowed from stablemate Bolero. The beige colour of the dashboard distracts from the off road appeal of the Thar. However, key additions have been made to make the Thar’s cabin a nicer place to be in. There’s the new steering wheel, a new instrument cluster, a lockable glove box, a 12 V charging socket and better seats to make the Thar more comfortable. A center console now comes standard while the AC vents have received a once over. The removable canopy is also a revised item.

Under the hood, the familiar 2.5 liter CRDe turbo diesel engine with 105 Bhp and 247 Nm remains unchanged while the five speed manual gearbox and manual 4X4 Borg Warner transfer case are also retained. The only major mechanical change has to do with the rear differential, which now locks automatically when it detects wheel slip. This is a handy addition that will improve the Thar’s performance off the road. The new Thar CRDe goes on sale from today. The DI variant of the off roader remains unchanged.