2020 Mahindra Thar is expected to make world premiere at the upcoming Auto Expo next February before going on sale
Mahindra & Mahindra established a cult off-roading status in the modern era with the Thar and it has been in production since 2010. Due to the new safety and emission standards, Mahindra has moved on from the original model and the final hurrah was fittingly signed off with the Thar 700 special edition. The largest passenger UV manufacturer in the country has already been testing the all-new Thar for months now.
The latest set of spy images further reiterate that as the second generation Thar will more likely make its global premiere at the 2020 Auto Expo the coming February. The most apparent change in the 2020 Thar is the increased proportions as the model has substantially grown bigger compared to the existing Thar and it has got safer likewise.
Despite the dimensional changes, the upcoming Mahindra Thar retains its signature design cues such as the seven-slat front grille, round-shaped headlights, more upright stance and muscular wheel arches, as well as bigger wheels. The rear end comprises of vertically positioned taillights as not many changes have happened on the outside.
The 2020 Mahindra Thar will be offered in multiple configurations including a hard- and soft-top judging by the spy pictures. Additionally, different seating layouts will more likely be on sale to address a wide range of customers. The interior is subjected to a major overhaul though as the That finally comes in line with the regular SUVs retailed by the company.
The more premium cabin comes equipped with a brand new dashboard, seats with additional bolstering for improved comfort, new instrument console and multi-functional steering wheel, bigger MID, etc. Some of the key features expected are fabric seats, front power windows, reverse parking sensors and camera, dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, speed warning system, and so on.
As for the performance, the 2020 Mahindra Thar could get a new 2.0-litre diesel engine developing 140 PS and 320 Nm and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission as standard. The BSVI compliant powertrain will have a four-wheel-drive transfer case with low range gearbox. Expect the pricing to be slightly higher than the outgoing model at around Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom).