2021 Mahindra Thar review, road test

Apart from the name, there’s quite literally nothing that’s carried over from the first-generation Thar. Underpinning this second-gen is a hydroformed ‘Gen-3’ chassis (same as the Mahindra Scorpio’s) that’s much stiffer than the older one’s tubular ladder chassis, and its body shell is a mix of mild and advanced high-strength steel that’s lighter, yet a lot more rigid. Further adding torsional stiffness to its structure are stabiliser bars at the front and rear, as well as an integrated roll cage.

What’s reassuring is that the Thar has been awarded a respectable four stars in Global NCAP crash tests for adult and child protection, thanks to its sound structure as well as a host of safety features like ABS with EBD, ESP and ISOFIX child seat mounts on the rear seats, to name a few. An interesting fact is that this new-gen Thar was also introduced with side-facing rear seats for a short while (alongside the four-seater). However, as it wouldn’t have secured a score as good, Mahindra discontinued that version around the time it was nominated for Global NCAP crash tests; it is a configuration that is unlikely to return.

The new Thar’s design certainly has a wowing effect on onlookers and manages to attract eyeballs wherever it goes. This handsome SUV is both, longer and wider, sits a lot more squat and looks more proportionate compared to the older version. There’s simply no mistaking the new Thar for any other car on the road, except perhaps the Jeep Wrangler. True, both share the same heritage but the Thar looks embarrassingly similar, and no effort was made to give it an identity of its own.

The front grille has been reimagined to avoid any (legal) conflict with Jeep’s signature seven-slat design. While the Thar’s grille isn’t as bold or as powerful at first impression, it is a design that we’ve warmed up to. Exposed bonnet clips, door hinges, side steps and the body cladding have been very well executed and are rugged touches owners just love. The massive 18-inch alloys and 255mm all-terrain tyres (on the LX variant) and the full-sized tyre mounted on the tailgate is an intrinsic part of the Thar’s rugged, 4x4 appeal. There are lots of interesting design details, too, and the jerry-can shaped LED tail-lamps with Thar branding neatly embossed is particularly well executed.

Owners this time around have three roof options – there’s a fixed soft-top (like before), a factory-fitted hard-top, as well as a convertible soft-top. Those planning on longer drives must opt for the hard-top, which seals off the cabin from road and tyre noise much better than the soft-top options. Owners using the Thar purely as a recreational vehicle are likely to find appeal in the convertible option for that open-top experience. The convertible’s mechanism needs some practice to operate smoothly, but it’s well engineered and takes a just a few minutes for a single person to open and close.