Mahindra Thar Roxx Diesel MT Review: The 5-door SUV to Buy?

Mahindra’s Thar has always been one of the best off-road beasts in the budget SUV segment. A rugged body, a boxy design, and a capable 4x4 system make it the perfect set of wheels for conquering trails. It is so popular now that spotting it regularly on roads has become a norm. However, it is not the most spacious or practical offering for daily use. Enter the Thar Roxx – the five-door iteration of the SUV, and the more mature of the two siblings. It now aims to do more than just satisfy your desire for rough and rugged adventures, for it promises to take care of your entire family, given its increased interior space and upgraded features. So, how well has Mahindra done in that respect? It’s time to find out!

Mahindra Thar Roxx Review: Design & Styling Changes

Along with the obvious changes in the proportions compared to the regular Thar, the Thar Roxx has also undergone some cosmetic updates, including a new six-slat grille, flanked by LED projector headlamps. The grille has garnered a lot of attention online, and I must say that I, too, am on the fence with this one. Neither do I hate it, nor do I love it. I’d, however, say that it would be interesting to see Mahindra try something different with future versions of the Roxx. The new headlamps, along with the C-shaped DRLs, look smart, and the reprofiled bumper looks sharper. In profile, you’ll notice that the SUV has grown in length – compared to the three-door version, the Roxx is 443mm longer, with a wheelbase that is longer by 400mm. The height and width of the SUV have also increased, although they might not be as apparent.

Another stand-out aspect of the SUV in profile is the shiny new 19-inch alloy wheels, which look dazzling. The extra pair of doors have been embedded with a high-mounted door handle, and there is a triangular quarter glass, which also looks well integrated. The rear is characterized by a boxy design, a split tailgate, and a hidden washer for the glass. The tail lamps have the same rectangular shape as those of the smaller Thar, but the light elements inside have a new layout, which looks more contemporary. Overall, I find the Roxx to be a smart and proportionate-looking SUV. The Thar already had a commanding and menacing road presence, and the Roxx further adds to it.

Mahindra Thar Roxx Review: Interior Space & Features

Once inside, you may find yourself rubbing your eyes to ensure that you are not dreaming. While very similar to the design of the three-door Thar, the dashboard of the Roxx looks significantly better, and the quality levels of the materials have also improved. For instance, you now get a soft touch material on the top section of the dashboard and the doors. There are some piano black and shiny silver surfaces here and there, adding a bit of class. Even the leatherette seats add to the feeling of luxury; however, the bright cream-coloured interior can be a cause for concern – it can easily get dirty, which means that you’ll have to always be ready with a cleaning cloth.

The Roxx gets a lot of feature additions, including a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Adrenox and Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity. It is complemented by an equally large fully-coloured digital instrument cluster. If you’ve ever experienced the cabin of the XUV700, you’ll find the interface here to be very familiar. While there is no dual-zone climate control on offer, the front seats are ventilated. There is even a wireless charger, along with a pair of USB ports (Type-A and Type-C). This SUV also gets a unique split armrest – the driver’s side of the armrest can slide back and forth for adjustment. I think it would have been better if both could be moved. In terms of storage spaces, there is a compartment underneath the armrest, a cooled glove box, two cup holders in the middle, and door pockets, although they are not very big.

Also read: Mahindra Thar Roxx 5-Door vs 3-door Model: What's Changed?

The second row is quite impressive too. I am six feet tall, and even after adjusting the driver seat to my preference, there was a good amount of legroom and knee room left in the second row for a person of a similar height. The bright colour of the seats and roof, combined with a very big panoramic sunroof, gives the feeling of being in a spacious cabin. The seat cushioning is nice and has a recline function, although it’s not the best in terms of under-thigh support. You can either recline it all the way back for maximum comfort or have it more upright to slightly increase the space in the luggage compartment. The floor is flat throughout, and the bench can either house a third passenger in the middle or use that space for the armrest. Since the rear doors open at a nice 90-degree angle, getting in and out is very easy. You also get AC vents for the second row, and just below them is a single USB Type-C charging port, along with a cavity to hold your smartphone. I only wish that the doors had bigger pockets to at least hold a one-litre bottle – for now, you can barely fit anything in them.

Thanks to the extended dimensions, you now get a much larger boot – one that you can actually use on a daily basis. The tailgate has a split design, which makes the Roxx look rather cool. If you still think that the 644-litre boot is not enough, you can drop the second-row bench, which has a 60:40 split. I am thoroughly impressed by the space, equipment, and quality levels of the Thar Roxx. It no longer feels like a utilitarian SUV.

Mahindra Thar Roxx Review: Engine Options & Driving Experience

In terms of powertrain options, Mahindra offers the Thar Roxx with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine. These engines can then be paired with either a 6-speed manual or an automatic gearbox. Both engines are further available in two different tunes – a lower output version for the lower trims and a more powerful version for the higher trims. We drove the diesel manual model, which delivers 150bhp of peak power and 330Nm of peak torque. That makes it 20bhp and 30Nm more than the most powerful diesel engine-powered 3-door Thar. On the road, you will feel that it has plenty of grunt for reaching and maintaining triple-digit speeds. Although not a super-fast SUV, the diesel engine is surprisingly very smooth to drive. Combine that with a silent cabin experience, and you will begin to doubt whether you are actually driving a diesel-powered SUV. Even the gearbox is very smooth and easy to operate – a bit too easy, perhaps!

Where the Roxx lets you down is in terms of ride quality. You see, the ladder frame chassis construction and the bouncy suspension result in a less-than-ideal drive on city roads. This setup might be great for tackling gravel, rocks, and boulders, but city speed breakers and potholes leave you jostled in the cabin. Hard braking causes the SUV to nosedive, followed by a few seconds of unsettled rocking. Similarly, the electronically assisted steering wheel, although very light, is a bit vague, and you will have to be a bit careful with your inputs.

While we didn’t get the chance to properly test the Roxx off-road, we did put its 4x4 system to use on the beach (our shoot location). Needless to say, the Thar Roxx had absolutely no trouble finding traction in the sand. It also features an electronic locking rear differential, which is likely to prove useful in more challenging situations. Mahinda has introduced two new off-road-focused features in the Roxx – SmartCrawl and Intelliturn. Smart Crawl can be used in low-speed off-road scenarios, as it adjusts the throttle inputs to navigate obstacles. The Intelliturn feature can be used while making tight turns. It locks the front inside wheel at low speeds to achieve a tighter turning radius.

The Thar Roxx is also equipped with cameras and radars. So, you get a 360-degree camera, which makes parking easier. It also has an option to make the ‘vehicle’ disappear, allowing you to see the obstacles underneath the SUV. It also gets 10 Level 2 ADAS features, including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, emergency braking, and more. I did notice that the ADAS functions need a bit more refining, as the emergency braking kicks in a bit prematurely.

Mahindra Thar Roxx Review: Price & Verdict

After experiencing the Thar Roxx, I can justifiably say that Mahindra has successfully adopted the right approach to creating a family-friendly SUV. Unlike most manufacturers, who start with FWD vehicles with little to no off-roading prowess but an SUV-like appearance, Mahindra approached the task from the opposite direction. They began with a capable 4x4 SUV, stretched it a bit, and installed a few creature comforts to give us the Thar Roxx. While the formula is not yet perfect – evident from its less-than-ideal ride on city roads – it nonetheless manages to combine the persona of an action star and a caring father rather convincingly for the most part.

Also read: Mahindra Thar Roxx MX1, MX3, AX3 L, MX5, AX5 L, AX7 Variants Explained: What’s Different?

Now, we do not yet know the prices of the 4x4 models, as Mahindra has only revealed the prices for the RWD models. The base price of Rs 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom) definitely looks attractive, especially when you consider that it has a lot to offer. I suspect that the full-fledged Roxx might be around the Rs 22 – 23 lakh mark, which is definitely a lot. But, then, Mahindra is also offering you a lot in return.