2023 Mahindra Thar five-door variant spotted testing: Check design, features
Mahindra has been spotted testing the five-door version of the Thar in India, albeit in a heavily camouflaged avatar. The SUV will likely be launched next year. The new model will have a longer wheelbase making it a more practical option for Indian families than the current-generation three-door model. The car will likely retain the 2.0-liter petrol and the 2.2-liter diesel engines.
Why does this story matter?
The Thar is an off-road-focused lifestyle SUV in Mahindra's portfolio. The third-generation SUV is a spiritual successor of the MM540. The four-wheeler has been praised by critics and customers alike for its handling characteristics on all terrains and has also received a four-star rating in G-NCAP's crash test. With the upcoming five-door model, the homegrown automaker is planning to widen its audience base.
The SUV will flaunt all-LED lighting setup and alloy wheels
The five-door Mahindra Thar will retain the boxy silhouette and feature the signature black grille, LED headlights, fender-mounted DRLs, a muscular clamshell hood, and redesigned bumpers with skid plates. The SUV will be flanked by a side-mounted antenna, rectangular ORVMs, flared wheel arch with black cladding, and designer alloy wheels. Spare-wheel-mounted split-type tailgate and squared-out LED taillights will be available at the rear end.
It will be offered with two powertrain options
The upcoming Thar will be powered by a 2.0-liter turbo-petrol engine in two tunes: 147.9hp/320Nm (automatic), 147.9hp/300Nm (manual), and a 2.2-liter diesel motor that churns out 128hp/300Nm. The mills should be mated to a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic gearbox with a shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system.
It will feature a touchscreen infotainment system and multiple airbags
The details regarding the interiors of the five-door Thar are under the wraps. However, we expect the SUV to feature a redesigned dashboard, fabric upholstery, ambient lighting, automatic climate control, multifunctional steering wheel, touchscreen infotainment system with off-road telemetry function, and a semi-digital instrument cluster. Passengers' safety will be ensured by multiple airbags, ABS, EBD, ESP, hill hold, and hill descent control.
2023 Mahindra Thar five-door variant: Pricing
The details regarding the pricing and availability of the 2023 Thar five-door variant will be announced by Mahindra at the time of launch. We expect the SUV to carry a premium over the three-door version, which starts at Rs. 13.53 lakh (ex-showroom) in India.
