Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Which 4x4 SUV should you buy?

Maruti Suzuki will be launching the much-awaited Jimny on June 7th. The primary rival of the Jimny will be the Mahindra Thar. Both are proper hard-core off-roaders. However, one of the reasons that people were waiting for the Jimny is that it is expected to cost less and it comes in its 5-door avatar which increases the practicality quotient. On the other hand, the Mahindra Thar is offered only in its 3-door avatar. Many people will be comparing the Thar to the Jimny so here is a comparison between the two.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Specs

The Thar is being offered with three engine options. There is a 1.5-litre diesel engine, a 2.2-litre diesel engine and a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The 1.5-litre unit produces 113 bhp and 300 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox only that drives the rear wheels and there is no four-wheel drive on offer with this engine.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine produces 128 bhp and 300 Nm whereas the 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine produces 148 bhp and up to 320 Nm of peak torque. Both engines come mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic transmission. These engines also come with a four-wheel drive as standard.

Watch: Maruti Suzuki Jimny SUV: First Drive Review

Then there is the Jimny which is powered by a 1.5-litre K15B, naturally aspirated petrol engine. It produces 103 bhp and 134 Nm of peak torque. It comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox or a 4-speed torque converter automatic transmission. It gets Suzuki's AllGrip Pro 4x4 system as standard. Maruti will not be offering any turbocharged or diesel engine with the Jimny.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Body styles

The Jimny is being offered only in a 5-door avatar. This makes it more practical than Thar's three-door body style. However, Mahindra does offer the Thar with a hard-top or a soft-top. Having said that, Mahindra is working on a 5-door version of the Thar which should launch by the end of this year.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Dimensions

The Thar measures 3,985 mm long, 1,820 mm wide and 1,850 mm tall. On the other hand, the Jimny stands at 3,985 mm in length, 1,645 mm in width and has a height of 1,720 mm. So, the length of both SUVs is the same but the Thar is taller and wider. Because of this, it has more road presence. Then there is the wheelbase where the Jimny has a 145 mm longer wheelbase at 2,590 mm than the Thar. The ground clearance of the Thar is higher at 226 mm.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Off-road angles

If a person will be buying an SUV only for off-roading then he would be considering the off-road angles as they become quite important when the while off-roading. The Thar gets a better approach angle but the Jimny gets a better departure angle. On the other hand, the Thar gets a better break-over angle because of its short wheelbase.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Features

Both the SUVs come with cruise control, a multi-function steering wheel, a touchscreen infotainment system, rear parking sensors, Hill Hold Control, ESP and Hill Descent Control.

The Jimny gets six airbags, a push button to start/stop the engine, headlamp washers, automatic LED headlamps and a 9-inch infotainment system that supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

On the other hand, the Thar comes with adventure statistics, 18-inch alloy wheels, height adjustment for the driver seat, roof-mounted speakers, a tyre pressure monitoring system and a 7-inch infotainment system that supports Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Price

It is expected that the starting price of both SUVs will be quite close. However, Jimny might undercut the Thar because of introductory pricing. It could start around ₹10 lakh and go up to ₹14 lakh. The Thar starts at ₹10.55 lakh for the rear-wheel drive variant and four-wheel drive variants start at ₹13.87 lakh and go up to ₹16.78 lakh. All the prices are ex-showroom.