autoX Awards 2023: Mahindra Thar RWD Performance, Quality and Value for Money Ranked

autoX Awards 2023: While the Mahindra Thar is the kind of car that you desire to be seen driving, it is also the kind that you would dread to see in the rear-view mirror.

autoX Awards 2023: While the Mahindra Thar is the kind of car that you desire to be seen driving, it is also the kind that you would dread to see in the rear-view mirror. However, if you want to own one, especially the cost-efficient Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) variant, I don’t think there are a lot of reasons that justify it. You see, the real value of the 4x4 variant of the Thar lies in its off-road capabilities; however, the RWD variant falls short in this department. Similarly, the comfort aspect of the Thar RWD is also rather limited, given its stiff rear suspension, which results in a rather bumpy ride. Further, its two-door configuration considerably limits rear-seat accessibility. Not to mention, the quality of the materials used inside the cabin has a lot of room for improvement. And that’s why the Thar RWD scored poorly in all these categories of our test.

Mahindra Thar RWD Steering Controls

To make matters worse, it is powered by a small 1.5-litre diesel engine, which produces 117bhp and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. Sure, this combination of the engine and manual gearbox allows for a more competitive pricing of the Mahindra Thar RWD than the 4x4 variants, but frankly, this drivetrain does not feel powerful enough for a car of this size. And given that you have to work the engine to extract the most from it, its fuel efficiency takes a noticeable hit. Lastly, even the refinement of the Thar RWD can do with a lot of improvement.

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Despite its shortcomings, the Mahindra Thar RWD does have an inherent stand-out appeal, an elusive quality that is difficult to quantify in traditional categories. Thank heavens that we have an ‘X Factor’ category precisely for such situations, accounting for a substantial 20 points out of 100. Do I even need to say that the Thar scored excellently in the category? To give you an idea, it was second only to the Lamborghini Urus Performante in the ‘X Factor’ category, tying with the likes of the Toyota Hilux and Lexus LX.