Mahindra Thar Old VS New: From Niche SUV To Dream Car

The name "Mahindra Thar" was first introduced to Indian customers in 2010 as the modern version of the Mahindra Legend SUV. At that time, it was a niche vehicle, chosen by a select group of enthusiasts who loved off-roading. Over the years, as the SUV craze began to take hold, Mahindra realized that their off-road king was gaining attention from families.

In response, they decided to create a new Thar for a new India - one for people who love adventure and are willing to go the extra mile to find answers to all their questions. The second generation of the Mahindra Thar was launched on August 15th, 2020. It changed the landscape of the Indian automotive industry and is largely responsible for why Indians are now head over heels for SUVs.

So today, lets find out how the 1st generation differs from the 2nd generation. Also, make sure to join 91Wheels WhatsApp Community to never miss out on such excting automotive content.

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Mahindra Thar Design

Comparing these two generations feels like observing how times have changed. The older Thar seems built for a specific use case it can't easily serve as your everyday car. It's not practical, lacks space, and just by looking at it, you can tell it's going to be an uncomfortable ride. On the other hand, the new 2nd generation Thar bears a strong resemblance to the Jeep Wrangler, especially from the front, but it's a massive step forward in terms of design. It's also bigger, which translates to more interior space. Like the previous model, the new one can be configured with either a hard top or a soft top.

Another important design element is that the new Thar comes with R18 alloy wheels as standard on all trims. In contrast, the older model came with smaller 15 Inch alloys, and owners had to visit the aftermarket to get alloy wheels that made it look more striking. Now, let's check out the dimensions to understand these satements.

Mahindra Thar Interior

As expected, the interior is also vastly different, with the new Thar having much more character and technological features that are essential in modern cars. Features like automatic climate control, steering-mounted controls, a 7-inch touchscreen, a TFT display, roof-mounted speakers, electrically adjustable ORVMs, and parking sensors make it a vehicle you can use every day.

The older, 1st generation Thar had nothing except a manual AC and an analog speedometer. Additionally, the windows were manually operated.

Mahindra Thar Engines

In the deparment of powertrain, Mahindra hit the ball out of the park with offering two diesel engines and one petrol engine. First one is diesel a 1.5 L CRDe making 118 Ps and 300 Nm of torque, which is only available with a 6-speed manual, and RWD drivetype.

Second one is a powerful 2.2 L mHawk diesel that makes 131 Ps and 300 Nm of torque, where customers can choose between 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic (torque converter). Additionally, 4WD High & Low Reduction Gear arrangement is there with this engine.

The third engine is the 2.0L mStallion, which produces 112 PS and 300 Nm of torque with a manual gearbox, and 320 Nm with an automatic gearbox (torque converter).

Now lets talk about the older Thars engine, which was a 2.5L unit producing 105 bhp and 247 Nm of torque. It came with only a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 4x4 setup.

Mahindra Thar Ride Quality

The best part about the new Thar is its ride quality, and people are amazed at how comfortable it is despite its off-road-heavy nature. People in metropolitan cities like New Delhi and Gurugram take their Thars to work, travel long distances, and feel no discomfort even when stuck in traffic. Talking about the suspensions, the front one is a Double Wishbone With Coil Over Damper & Stabiliser Bar and rear one is Multilink Solid Rear Axle with Coil Over Damper.

The previous generation Thar had an independent suspension at the front and semi-elliptical leaf springs, which were perfect for extreme off-roading but highly uncomfortable on regular roads. This was a major reason why it was such a niche vehicle back then.

Mahindra Thar Price

The 1st generation Thar used to cost Rs 7.79 lakh ex-showroom, while the new one starts at Rs 11.35 lakh. The top model, which comes after 14 additional variants, costs Rs 17.60 lakh. This represents a significant price jump, but it's important to remember how different the new and older Thars are in every aspect.

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