Mahindra Thar
Mahindra Thar is an exhilarating off-road vehicle to drive, offering smooth traverse over knee-deep water, impressive off-road capability and unmatched ruggedness in its segment.
While its ride quality may occasionally be an issue, this SUV remains among the top in its class.
Mahindra Thar Front Seats
Mahindra Thar is an off-roader that takes inspiration from the Jeep Wrangler, boasting functional elements such as tumble-fold rear seats and creative storage solutions. Mahindra could have taken this a step further and made front seats fold flat too for greater convenience but decided against doing so.
The front seats are sufficiently supportive, featuring adjustable lumbar support to add comfort. Furthermore, their fabric finishes help ensure air can freely circulate around the cabin despite our hot climate. Unfortunately, however, their lack of an armrest for daily driving or long road trips makes this vehicle not worth buying.
Accessing the rear seats can be somewhat of a hassle. The front passenger seat slides forward and forward again to aid entry but may limit legroom a little; moreover, there’s only enough room for two people in this seat.
The LX Thar comes equipped with 8-way power adjustable front seats with height and lumbar adjustment, rear aircon, cruise control, 7.0″ touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto navigation capabilities and 4 speakers to create a luxurious cabin environment. Furthermore, two airbags, rear ISOFIX child seat anchorage points and sturdy roll cage ensure it scores four stars on Global NCAP crash test ratings for adult occupant protection.
Mahindra Thar Rear Seats
The Thar has enough rear seat room for two adults, although prolonged sitting there would not be ideal due to lack of legroom in the second row. Therefore, it should only be used occasionally on trips with friends or family.
The seats are upholstered with both fabric and leatherette upholstery materials; high wear areas feature leatherette while the seat base and backrest receive fabric upholstery, creating an ultra soft yet comfy seating experience for back seat passengers.
Control the power windows using steering mounted, backlit controls. There is also a USB A port and 3.5mm jack to charge your phone, as well as coin holders, hand brake lever, and 2 cup holders in the centre console.
Accessing the cabin is simple with side steps provided to aid you as you climb onto the car. Furthermore, front doors can be opened from the boot for added ease when entering and gaining entry for you and your passengers.
Standard features of the Thar are two front airbags, ABS and ESC as well as an electronic stability control (ESC) system. Furthermore, there’s also a seven-inch infotainment system with navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, rear parking camera, cruise control and halogen headlights with LED DRLs; four-wheel drive mechanism (low range transfer case and manual gear shifter); as well as IP54 dust and water resistance build quality making this vehicle ideal for off-road adventures.
Mahindra Thar Front Console
A new front console looks cleaner and offers some additional buttons besides power windows switches, including sunglass holders and cabin light switches. Unfortunately, ORVM switches still remain located on each door – getting used to this arrangement might take some time.
The steering wheel on the TUV300 has been retained with all its functionality intact, such as audio/cruise control buttons and multi-information displays. Furthermore, tachometer is moved up closer to the instrument cluster for added visibility.
As far as comfort goes, the front seats provide generous support to human bodies of all shapes and sizes; additionally, these come equipped with lumbar-adjustment features. However, second row passengers might find it more challenging due to its elevated seating position to access or exit their vehicle Mahindra Thar.
Front doors feature detents to hold them open during ingress/egress, but can still be difficult to manage in windy environments. Boot doors use hook latches to hold themselves open during ingress/egress; however, full rollover situations make getting out difficult as you must simultaneously hold onto both latches while simultaneously opening them with both hands – having detents could provide relief in such instances by keeping one hand on one latch and trying to open both simultaneously – maybe detents could hold them partially open instead?
Mahindra Thar Rear Console
The Mahindra Thar is an authentic off-road vehicle, boasting huge knobbly tires, modern 4×4 system with low range and impressive ground clearance and approach angle. Additionally, this stunning vehicle stands out with its good looks, giving off rugged vibes from every angle and having enough road presence for people to stop and stare – it’s sure to get people stopping and staring! Additionally, this adventure-seeker’s dream vehicle offers unlimited potential both visually and performance wise, making it an attractive blank canvas.
The mStallion engine is an absolute delight to drive, offering plenty of power and torque for off-roading. Thanks to an on-demand 4×4 system that distributes equal amounts of power to each wheel on demand, our test driver easily navigated difficult terrain in no time at all. However, its four-wheel drive feature wasn’t quite effective on wet roads like our slippery muddy track test driver experienced first-hand.
Practicality-wise, the Thar is an admirably-sized car capable of easily accommodating three adults. There is ample adjustment available for the driver’s seat to fit people of different sizes comfortably while the spacious rear seats offer ample upholstered support and comfort. Furthermore, boot space is marginally better than that found on the Jimny and features such as dual front airbags, ESP seatbelt warning, anchor points for child seats are standard features of safety on every Thar model Mahindra Thar.
