Mahindra has been keeping the off-road enthusiasts entertained for well over a couple of decades now. The homegrown carmaker started to do so with the licensed Willy’s CJ3B Jeep, followed by its successors – MM540, MM550, Classic, Legend, and Thar. While other models have been great at making people follow the sport of going off-road, the Thar has helped the brand with increased accessibility. Thanks to its better everyday usability. Well, after being on sale for around a decade now, the Mahindra Thar has finally received the much-needed generation change
2020 Mahindra Thar – Exterior
In the new-gen avatar, Mahindra Thar looks modern, while it continues to keep the last-gen model’s retro charm intact. This change comes up as a well-perceived evolution. Moreover, some might feel that 2020 Mahindra Thar and the Jeep Wrangler are a cut from the cloth. Well, they are, and they have to, because they carry forward the pedigree of the legendary Willy’s Jeep. However, not even one panel of the Thar is identical to that of the American off-roader’s.
With the new and upscaled front-end, Mahindra has modernized the Thar. Also, it packs in some Jeep elements, like the round headlamps and a functional radiator grille. The latter, however, looks a little out of place. The bonnet now features some creases and indents. The metal fenders here are a part of the body, and thus, help the 2020 Thar differentiate itself from its distant American cousin. They also house the LED DRLs and turn indicators
On the sides, the silhouette has been updated but looks familiar. Also, it is now available with a hardtop or a convertible soft top. Depending on which the silhouette changes a little. The most welcoming change here, however, are the 18-inch alloy wheels. The bigger rims fill the wheel wells nicely. Also, the wheel arches are of different shape at both the ends. The front ones are squared-off, while the rear ones are circular. To enter the cabin with ease, there are nice-looking footsteps too.
With a 2-door layout, the Thar measures 3,985 mm length. It is 1,855 mm wide and 1,896mm tall. These dimensions help it with some notable road presence. The rear fascia of the 2020 Mahindra Thar packs in the old charm but with a new dual-tone bumper and LED tail lamps. The spare wheel continues to sit on the tailgate, which opens sideways. Interestingly, the rear windscreen on the hardtop variant comes with a defogger as well. The bumper houses parking sensors, but there’s no back-up camera, which is a must on such a vehicle. On the whole, the 2020 Mahindra Thar’s design is a great upgrade over the last-gen model. And it won’t be wrong to say that Thar has finally started to follow the route of modernism.
2020 Mahindra Thar – Interior
With a ground clearance of 226 mm, the 2020 Mahindra Thar sits quite high from the ground. Thankfully, kind folks at Mahindra have fitted it with a set of side steps to make the cabin access a bit easier. Once inside, the new cabin impresses with its design and fit-finish levels. The dashboard is a new unit and looks appealing. Also, it boasts of IP54 dust and water resistance rating. In the centre, it houses circular AC vents and right beneath them sits the 7-inch infotainment unit that comes with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and satellite navigation. Also, the climate control knobs sit below the screen, along with an array of toggle switches.
The steering wheel is a direct lift from the TUV300, and therefore, it now houses audio and cruise control buttons. Behind the steering wheel is an easy-to-read instrument binnacle, which also gets a multi-information-display. On the passenger side, the dashboard comes with a grab handle. There is a rather tiny glovebox as well, which is lockable. On the lower part of the dashboard, Mahindra folks have fitted a pair of speakers. And the remaining two units are fixed on the roof. Together, they offer good sound output.
Unlike the last-gen model, 2020 Thar comes loaded with features. The list includes power windows, power-adjustable and foldable ORVMs, remote locking and more. While the ORVM controls on the driver’s door, the power-windows switches are in the centre console. We felt that getting used to their position might take forever. Mahindra claims that the doors on the Thar are removable, and for the same reason the windows switches have been moved. This justification does not sound convincing at all since the mirrors controls are already there on the doors.
In terms of space and seat comfort, the 2020 Thar feels superior as well. Front seats offer generous support to humans of all shapes and sizes. They come with lumbar-adjustment as well. With a tilt-adjustable steering column on board, finding a perfect driving position in the Thar is easy. The second-row seats are designed for two occupants, and they can recline to a pretty decent angle. They sit higher up the floor as well. However, ingress and egress for the second-row occupant is surely a task. Thus, they are better left folded flat to get some additional boot space, because the 2020 Thar doesn’t get any with the second-row of seats in place. In summation, the Thar’s interior is now car-like. It is comfy, and four adults can spend hours here. Moreover, the occupants will stay safe, thanks to the 4-star Global NCAP crash test rating.
Vehicle advisor 