Check out our on-paper discussion of the styling, features, and specifications of the second-gen Mahindra Thar
Mahindra & Mahindra has officially unveiled the new-generation Mahindra Thar, and it has managed to spark delight in the hearts of motoring enthusiasts all over the country. For the first time ever, the Thar is available with a petrol engine option alongside the diesel motor, and an automatic gearbox option alongside a manual.
If you’re wondering what the petrol-powered Mahindra Thar has on offer, then keep on reading! Here, we discuss all the detail about the SUV’s design, equipment, and specifications.
Styling
The second-generation Mahindra Thar preserves the iconic silhouette of the original Thar, but adds a lot of modern touches to it. The front-end gets a dual-tone bumper and a new grille design, along with round headlamps. The LED DRLs and turn indicators are mounted on the flared front wheel arches. There is a thick plastic cladding on both the wheel arches, and a sidestep is offered as standard on both sides.
The brakelights are LED, and you also get a tail-mounted spare wheel. The tailgate opens sideways, and the hardtop version also has an upward-opening glass section. You get a fabric roof in the soft-top and convertible models, with the latter offering a folding roof. As for the interior, the new Thar has a much better cabin design than before. It gets an all-black colour scheme, round AC vents with chrome outlining, and a handlebar on the dash for the front passenger to hold.
Features
The 2020 Thar offers much more features than the older models, both for convenience and safety. There’s a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the centre console, and a 3.5-inch MID in the instrument console. The steering wheel gets integrated controls for audio and cruise control, and the car also has power-operated front windows, power-operated ORVMs, adjustable lumbar support (front seats), height-adjustable driver’s seat, and last but not least, removable doors.
Safety features include dual-front airbags, ESP with rollover mitigation, hill-hold assist, hill-descent control, ISOFIX child seat mounts, tyre pressure monitoring system, and an integrated roll-cage. Mahindra states that the body of the Thar is crash-test safety compliant, although it hasn’t been tested by Global NCAP yet, so we can’t comment on the safety factor at the moment.
Engine and Transmission
Here, we are only discussing the ‘mStallion 150’ petrol engine offered on the new Thar. It is a 2.0-litre, inline-4, turbocharged petrol engine, capable of generating 150 hp at 5,000rpm and 320 Nm from 1,500rpm to 3,000rpm. The motor utilises an all-aluminium construction, which helps keep the weight down. The engine can be paired to either a 6-speed manual gearbox, or a 6-speed torque-converter automatic transmission.
There is also a manual transfer case on offer, with a shift-on-fly feature. The 2-high mode disengages the front axle and turns the vehicle RWD, for improved fuel efficiency. The 4-high mode engages regular 4WD system, while the 4-low mode multiples torque by 2.48 times compared to 4-high, allowing the Thar to easily climb over obstacles.