The year 2020 may not have been lucky for everyone but that's not the case for Mahindra Thar's fans, as they finally got the 3rd Generation of the Thar on the 2nd of October. It was nearly ten long years since Thar had received any major mechanical and design updates. Even though Mahindra did delay updating the Thar, it now seems that the delay was worth it. The all-new Thar also managed to receive a great response from the public, as it crossed 15,000 online bookings within a month of its launch.
Design
The 2020 Thar gets a whole new front and an updated back without compromising its jeep-ish character. The new Thar is wider and bigger than its predecessor. At the front, it gets some muscular curves on the bonnet and shortened fenders with flared out wheel arches contributing to its macho stance. It now gets clear lens round halogen headlamps, DRLs on the fenders along with fog lamp placed below on the bumper. However, the new slat grille does not appear as rugged as on the older one. At the back, the most noticeable change is the all-LED taillamp with the Thar badging in the centre.
Exterior
The major issue faced by the old Thar customers was the soft-top roof, which used to tear up easily and wouldn't be able to filter the road noise. Well, this won't be an issue anymore, as the new Thar comes with three options of roofs: Soft top, Convertible top, and Hardtop. Depending upon the variant, the SUV will be available with 16-inch steel rims or 18-inch alloy wheels.
Interior
On the inside, Mahindra has tried to make the iconic off-roader much more comfortable and feature-rich to meet modern requirements. The Thar gets an all-black cabin with sporty seats and faux leather upholstery. It also gets a 7-inch infotainment system along with apple car play, android connectivity, and navigation. The infotainment system also displays the incline/decline angle, side tilt angle, gear position, a compass for directions, water wadding depth, and vehicle temperature whenever you go off-road. The instrument cluster is basic and clean but it does get a MID display in the centre of the console. At the centre of the dashboard, it gets an aircraft-inspired switch placement and the entire interior is waterproof. It also gets roof-mounted speakers along with tweeters and the option of front and side facing seats so that the buyers can choose based on their preference.
Off-Road Capability
The new Thar is still unbeatable off the road, as it continues to get a mechanical 4x4 transfer case with four-wheel low, four-wheel high, and two-wheel drive modes. However, the rear axle now comes with a mechanical locking differential. The new version also gets an improved water wading ability of 650 mm and a higher ground clearance of 226 mm. This means it has a better approach angle of 42 degrees, a ramp-over angle of 27 degrees, and a departure angle of 37 degrees.
Powertrain
Under the hood, the new Thar comes fitted with two engine options: a 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine and a brand new 2.0-litre mStallion turbocharged petrol engine. The diesel engine generates 130 bhp and 300 Nm of torque, whereas the turbo petrol engine produces 150 bhp and 320 Nm of torque without any fuzz. Both the engines will be available with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque converter automatic transmission.
Safety
In terms of safety, the 2020 Thar again gets the upper hand, as it's now equipped with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, hill-hold, hill descent control, ESP, cruise control, ISOFIX child seat mounts, speed-sensing door locks, and much more.
The Thar comes in 2 variants: LX and AX. AX stands for 'Adventure', while LX stands for 'Lifestyle'. The prices for the base AX trim start at Rs. 9.80 lakh (ex-showroom, India) and go up to Rs. 13.75 lakh (ex-showroom, India) for the top LX trim. We all know that the Thar is very capable on and off the road, but is it practical enough to be 'the only vehicle' in your garage? We will tell you our views as soon as we get to drive it. So, until then stay tuned for more automotive news and updates!
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