Mahindra Thar 5-door, rival to Maruti Jimny, spied again with similar features
As Maruti Suzuki gears up to launch the Jimny SUV in June, its key rival Mahindra Thar is getting ready for a major update. The flagship off-road SUV from Mahindra stable, which is currently sold in three-door version, will get a five-door version too this year. The SUV was recently spotted testing on Indian roads ahead of its expected launch later this year. The recent spy shots have revealed more details about the five-door Thar SUV as it confirms some features its smaller wheelbase version misses out on.
A video of the Mahindra Thar five-door SUV wrapped in camouflage was recently shared on social media. It shows that the iconic off-road SUV in its long wheelbase version will come with a fixed rear glass with rear wiper and split window for rear passengers that can be opened. The existing Thar SUV comes with fixed windows for rear passengers while the rear glass can be opened. The same features are also available in Maruti Suzuki Jimny, which will launch in first week of June.
The recent spy shots also reveal that the Thar five-door SUV will also get LED taillights and alloy wheels along with rear door handles mounted on the C-pillar.
The interior of the five-door Thar SUV is also expected to get certain updates. Mahindra is likely to introduce automatic climate control, a feature the existing version does not have. The touchscreen infotainment system is likely to measure 8 inches. The cabin is likely to retain its all-black theme with certain tweaks.
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Under the hood, Mahindra is likely to keep its trust on the two engines already on offer. The 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine is capable of churning out 130 bhp of power and 300 Nm of peak torque. The 2-litre turbo-petrol churns out 150 bhp of power and 320 Nm of peak torque. Both engines are likely to be offered in tune with either a six-speed manual or an automatic gearbox.
Watch: Maruti Jimny SUV to launch in June: What the carmaker expects from one of its biggest ever launch
The price of the existing family of Thar SUVs start from ₹10.55 lakh and goes up to ₹16.78 lakh (ex-showroom). It will rival the Maruti Suzuki Jimny in the lifestyle SUV segment. Though bigger and more powerful than its rival, Thar may have a bit of edge over Jimny with multiple choice of powertrain, especially the diesel unit. However, expect the petrol variants of the five-door Thar to be costlier than Jimny.
