Mahindra Thar SUV's five-door variant spotted testing; launch next year
What's the story
Homegrown SUV specialist Mahindra has been aggressively testing the five-door variant of the Thar in India. The off-roader was spotted doing test runs, albeit in a heavily camouflaged avatar. The upcoming lifestyle SUV will have a longer wheelbase making it a more practical option than the current-generation three-door model. The four-wheeler is expected to arrive on our shores by late 2023.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The Thar is an off-road-biased SUV in Mahindra's portfolio here. The vehicle is a successor to the iconic MM540 model and bears resemblance to the legendary Jeep Wrangler. The four-wheeler has been received warmly by critics and customers alike and has also aced the G-NCAP's crash test with a four-star rating. The upcoming five-door model is primarily targeted at large Indian families.
Exteriors
The SUV will flaunt a clamshell hood and alloy wheels
The five-door Mahindra Thar will get a typical SUV silhouette and flaunt a muscular clamshell hood, a vertically slatted grille, LED headlights, fender-mounted DRLs, skid plates, and redesigned bumpers. On the sides, it will be flanked by rectangular ORVMs, flared wheel arches with black cladding, and designer alloy wheels. Squared-out LED taillights and a spare-wheel-mounted tailgate will be available at the rear end.
Information
It will be offered with two powertrain options
The upcoming five-door Thar will be powered by a 2.2-liter diesel engine that churns out 128hp/300Nm and a 2.0-liter turbo-petrol unit in two tunes: 147.9hp/320Nm and 147.9hp/300Nm. The mills should be mated to either a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearbox with a four-wheel-drive system.
Interiors
It will feature an infotainment system with off-road telemetry
The interiors of the five-door Thar are under wraps. However, we expect the SUV to feature a minimalist dashboard, fabric upholstery, automatic climate control, ambient lighting, a multifunctional steering wheel, a semi-digital instrument cluster, and a touchscreen infotainment system with connectivity options. Passengers' safety will be ensured by multiple airbags, ABS, electronic stability control, hill-hold, and hill descent control.
Information
How much will it cost?
The details regarding the pricing and availability of the upcoming Thar five-door variant will be disclosed by Mahindra at its launch event in India. We expect the lifestyle SUV to carry a premium over the three-door version, which starts at Rs. 13.59 lakh (ex-showroom).