All-new Mahindra Thar revealed

The famed offroader from Mahindra is back with new underpinnings, refreshed styling, and an arsenal of modern-day features. The official launch is slated for 2nd October 2020.  

After what seemed like an endless wait, Mahindra has finally revealed its most iconic product in an all-new avatar. The Mahindra Thar is back to woo adventure and offroad junkies in the country, and this time, it's back with a bang! This time, folks at Mahindra have taken their time to give the car a new-age design and construction. You can check out our first-drive review of the 2020 Thar here.

As a result, the 2020 Thar is built on Mahindra's new 3rd-gen chassis (body-on-frame) and features independent front suspension and multi-link rear suspension setup. Thanks to the new underpinnings, the 2020 Thar has also grown in proportions. It is wider and offers a longer wheelbase than its predecessor. With 226mm ground clearance, a water-wading tolerance of 650mm and departure, ramp-over & approach angles of 37 degrees, 27 degrees, and 42 degrees, respectively, the 2020 Thar remains as capable offroad as ever.

There will be six colour options to choose from – Red Rage, Mystic Copper, Napoli Black, Aquamarine, Galaxy Grey & Rocky Beige.

The 2020 Thar retains the silhouette of its predecessor but gets plenty of updated design elements, such as the new seven-slot grille, reworked bumpers, new alloy wheels with upsized tyres (255/65 R18), and, of course, the addition of an optional soft-top, convertible top, as well as a factory-fitted hard-top. It gets a refreshed interior layout as well, with the first-ever forward-facing second row of seats (bench style, 50:50 split) and a new 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

As we informed our readers, the new Thar will arrive in dealerships with two engine options. A new 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit, better known as the mStallion 150 TGDi (150bhp and 320Nm), will make its debut on the 2020 Thar. For those not aware, Mahindra had showcased its new mStallion range of turbo-gasoline-direct-injection (TGDi) petrol engines at the 2020 Auto Expo. For diesel enthusiasts, a heavily reworked version of the tried & tested 2.2-litre mHawk 130 engine will be available (130bhp and 300Nm).

To make the new Thar a machine that's a capable offroader but also a vehicle suited to everyday use, Mahindra has fitted it with a six-speed manual transmission and a new six-speed torque converter automatic gearbox (a first for the Thar) option. Both engine options will be offered with both transmission options. Like before, a manual shift-on-fly 4x4 transfer case will be standard across all variants, as will be a brake locking front differential and a mechanical locking rear differential.

On the feature front, the 2020 Thar's 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The instrument cluster too gets a colour Multi-Information Display (MID) and roof-mounted speakers, a reverse-assist (sensors + camera), cruise control, steering-mounted audio & phone controls, power-folding mirrors, etc., adding to the new Thar's modern-day appeal. 

The 2020 Thar is also decked-up with some top-notch safety features like ABS with EBD, dual airbags, Hill-Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, ESP, a factory-fitted roll cage with three-point seatbelts for all passengers, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.

This time, the Thar will be offered in two variant lines/trims – AX and LX. The Thar AX will cater to the adventure enthusiasts, whereas the Thar LX will offer more lifestyle-oriented features. The AX trim will be offered with both petrol & diesel engine options, but only with a manual gearbox. The LX trim, on the other hand, will be offered with petrol-automatic, diesel-automatic, and diesel-manual powertrain options.

Also, don't forget to check out our quick exterior walkaround video of the new Thar below.