Mahindra Thar five door SUV spotted testing ahead of imminent launch

Mahindra and Mahindra is gearing up for the first launch of the year with upcoming models like the five-door Thar at final stages of their test runs. The two SUV was spotted testing together in Himachal Pradesh last weekend, confirming several features the model is expected to be offered with. Mahindra is likely to launch the new Thar SUV with five doors, a larger version of the iconic off-roader aimed to take on Maruti Jimny, some time later this year.

The five-door Thar SUV test mule confirmed that the model will come with a new set of circular LED projector headlamps, a larger and updated grille at the front, redesigned alloy wheels, sunroof, and a tweaked tailgate with the mounted spare wheel. The overall size of the SUV appears much larger than the three door version. The rear door handles of the test mule was positioned next to the window sill, unlike the front door handles.

As far as the interior is concerned, the dashboard of the five-door Thar will be fresh with dual-tone theme. The touchscreen infotainment system is larger in size and is expected to be an updated unit as well. The SUV will also come with a digital instrument cluster. Among other features on offer are armrests for front row, leather-wrapped steering wheel with mounted controls and circular AC vents.

The new Thar will be based on Mahindra's third generation ladder frame chassis which was first introduced with the Scorpio-N in 2022. The features it offers are MTV CL (Multi-tuned Valve - Concentric Land), Pentalink Rear suspension with WATT's Linkage and FDD (Frequency Dependent Damping), and Double Wishbone Front suspension with Coil over Shocks. Additionally, the higher variations have mechanical and brake locking differentials and an electric shift-on-the-fly 4XPLOR 4x4 System with numerous terrain modes (sand, snow, gravel, and normal).

Under the hood, the 5-door Thar will get the same 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine and the 2.2-litre diesel engine, mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic gearboxes, that are used in the three-door version. However, Mahindra is expected to tune the engines to suit the weight and characteristics of the five-door Thar.

Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India.