[DrivenByHills]

Originally Posted by Mike_Schumacher

Lot of good points made, but this is absolutely incorrect.

I know opinions differ etc., but I doubt anyone who has experienced the seats of both the cars will make this statement in such a definitive tone.

Thanks, and apologies if I’ve hurt any sentiments. You do realize my statement was different and not covered in reviews, don’t you…? It’s something that can only be experienced or assessed firsthand. I can only assume that people judge based on the driver seat experience, and even a slightly thicker lumbar cushioning might result in a different perception. Add to that the overall overwhelming experience of sitting in a Thar that has evolved many generations in just one iteration.

I "had" to spend a good amount of time assessing the seating of the Thar, Thar Roxx, and Scorpio-N (luckily the showroom had all 3) - and let me explain why. My wife (45 yrs old, 5’6”, and my co-passenger and navigator on all our road trips) found the Scorpio-N’s front passenger seat (and even our Duster's stock seats) significantly better and kept complaining about the Roxx’s under-thigh support even with her seat pushed back, while as a driver, I found mine at par with the Scorpio-N’s driver seat. I felt it was due to the new, flatter seats in the Scorpio-N, while the Roxx’s are still curved downwards like the Thar (lacking measurements, I can only assume the same mechanical structure was used). I had to visit the showroom thrice with her (desperate attempt to convince her), and upon careful assessment, it turned out her seating position was slightly higher in the Scorpio-N, whereas the Roxx had the same lower seating - and that made all the difference under the thighs, at least for her height. Since I could raise my seat, I didn’t feel that difference. Again, I don't see any reason why the height would also be the same unless the same structure is used - so apologies if I was quick is assuming But good to hear that it works for you.

I promised her that I'll manage a jugaad to flatten the seat end for her, to give her some comfort, and was able to retain my booking (my delivery is due on June). Could’ve easily fixed it with seat covers if it weren’t for the airbags and ventilated seats in the AX7Ls. Again, as a driver, the height adjustment makes it work just fine for me.

[Globetrotter_91]

Hi All,

Does anyone have the new prices for Thar Roxx after price hike of upto 3% announced by M&M for all their vehicles?

[Mike_Schumacher]

Originally Posted by DrivenByHills

Thanks, and apologies if I’ve hurt any sentiments. You do realize my statement was different and not covered in reviews, don’t you…? It’s something that can only be experienced or assessed firsthand. I can only assume that people judge based on the driver seat experience, and even a slightly thicker lumbar cushioning might result in a different perception. Add to that the overall overwhelming experience of sitting in a Thar that has evolved many generations in just one iteration.

I "had" to spend a good amount of time assessing the seating of the Thar, Thar Roxx, and Scorpio-N (luckily the showroom had all 3) - and let me explain why. My wife (45 yrs old, 5’6”, and my co-passenger and navigator on all our road trips) found the Scorpio-N’s front passenger seat (and even our Duster's stock seats) significantly better and kept complaining about the Roxx’s under-thigh support even with her seat pushed back, while as a driver, I found mine at par with the Scorpio-N’s driver seat. I felt it was due to the new, flatter seats in the Scorpio-N, while the Roxx’s are still curved downwards like the Thar (lacking measurements, I can only assume the same mechanical structure was used). I had to visit the showroom thrice with her (desperate attempt to convince her), and upon careful assessment, it turned out her seating position was slightly higher in the Scorpio-N, whereas the Roxx had the same lower seating - and that made all the difference under the thighs, at least for her height. Since I could raise my seat, I didn’t feel that difference. Again, I don't see any reason why the height would also be the same unless the same structure is used - so apologies if I was quick is assuming But good to hear that it works for you.

I promised her that I'll manage a jugaad to flatten the seat end for her, to give her some comfort, and was able to retain my booking (my delivery is due on June). Could’ve easily fixed it with seat covers if it weren’t for the airbags and ventilated seats in the AX7Ls. Again, as a driver, the height adjustment makes it work just fine for me.

Hey, first, no need to apologise, all good here. It's just a car, no sentiments were hurt!

I think you said that the seats of ROXX and Thar, the 2D one, are the same, which I disagreed to. I have driven both the cars, and I felt the ROXX driver's seat is way superior than the Thar's. The difference widens if you compare the passenger's seat if I have to go by my friends' feedback, but that's another conversation.

Between ScorpioN and Roxx, I don't have an opinion. I haven't experienced the SN extensively, so it's difficult for me to compare.

Regarding ROXX, I feel that it's important to find the right position in the driver's seat and that takes some time. If you go back in this thread, I had initially complained about lower back pain, and I actually bought an external lumbar support which seemed to give relief.

However, in my last trip, a 1000Km drive of Bangalore-Kerala-Bangalore, I decided not to use the lumbar support. Rather I tweaked around the seating position, like height, incline angle, distance from steering etc. and I am happy to report that I didn't experience any abnormal back pain. Much has been spoken about thigh support, and I feel there's some merit in that discussion as well. For me, however, there hasn't been any issue from day 1. I am 5-11, mind.

Coming from a well-seated sedan, I honestly anticipated the ride quality to be much harsher than what I am actually experiencing.

[Mike_Schumacher]

Haven't posted on this thread for a while, so would like to share some updates.

Did a couple of road trips: Blr-Chennai-Blr, ~700 km, Blr-Bekal-Blr, ~1000 km.

1. Feels like I have finally found the right seating position. Huge relief and bye bye back pain.

2. Got to test the Adaptive Cruise, and it works like a charm. I now have 50% confidence that I will not start braking manually the moment I see something far ahead

3. Hard to get double digit mileage on the petrol avatar. I had 9.5 kmpl in the Bekal trip, but there were lot of ups and downs and twists and turns Madikeri onwards, so that's a factor.

4. Got to appreciate the usefulness of ventilated seats in the humid weather outside of Bangalore.

5.Still a head-turner!

My service center has confirmed the avalibility of the software update with carplay activation. I would get that done in the next couple of days.

[DrivenByHills]

Originally Posted by Mike_Schumacher

Hey, first, no need to apologise, all good here. It's just a car, no sentiments were hurt!

Oh trust me, Thars can incite a completely different level of emotions I really love what Mahindra is doing, but have had bad experiences passing on honest opinions to my friends about their Thars!

Originally Posted by Mike_Schumacher

I think you said that the seats of ROXX and Thar, the 2D one, are the same, which I disagreed to.

Yeah, my bad - I meant the structure and the height, the cushioning is far better and I should've clarified that. It's disappointing that they couldn't reuse the Scorpio-N's seats instead of the 2D Thar's (the structure felt similar) - I am assuming the different wheel wells and internal dimensions are the reason.

Originally Posted by Mike_Schumacher

Regarding ROXX, I feel that it's important to find the right position in the driver's seat and that takes some time.

True that. In fact, this is true for any car. I test drove the Roxx three times and was able to find a comfortable position (another reason why I hate that Roxx doesn’t have a memory function for its electronic seats). It’s not the same for the co-passenger though, without height adjustment.

That said, for some reason, in a recent video the Mocha seats seemed a little less rounded and more like the Scorpio-N’s. I checked with my dealer if he had one I could look at - he doesn’t. Would be great if Mahindra has silently improved the cushioning there, but it might just be a perception owing to the camera angle or the darker interiors. Maybe someone with a recent delivery can confirm.

[LokiPilaniya]

Originally Posted by ACM

I cancelled. I got an email, and it shows cancellation initiated. Been 2+ weeks. Do we have to do any further process to get the refund back into the original method of payment?

Make sure you check your statements. I did not receive any email or text message for the refund but the amount was credited on my card.

[me&mymachine]

I did the PDI today and only got the Mocha grey seats updates on my Car.

[DCTfanatic]

Thar Roxx AX7L D AT RWD Purchase Decision and Ownership Experience @ 2k km


Contents:

- State of the Garage
- Purchase Decision
- PDI
- Delivery
- Powertrain
- NVH
- Handling
- Suspension
- Design
- Cabin Experience
- Issues
- Fuel Economy
- First Service
- General Dislikes


State of the Garage

Prior to the fateful announcement of the new 5-door Thar (still hate the Roxx name) on Independence Day, the garage of our family stood 6-cars strong.

In order of most to least recent purchase;

The 2023 Mahindra XUV700 AX7L D AT is my father’s daily driver and the designated long-distance tourer.

The 2022 Tucson D AT is my brother’s daily driver and the second highway tourer when the number of adults goes above 5.

The 2021 Venue SX+ 1.0 DCT is my mother’s daily and the designated small car of the house for short grocery runs.

The 2021 Verna SX 1.5 IVT is my sister-in-law’s daily driver, meant to shuttle around my nephew to school and classes.

The 2019 Seltos GTX+ D AT is my daily driver, seeing a lot of highway miles due to a daily work-related running of 50-80km, sometimes having 150+ km drives thrice a week.

The 2016 Innova Crysta 2.8D AT is the beater of the house. Used to carry cargo, lent to relatives, given to the chauffeur, used by my aunt when the Verna/Venue is taken.


Purchase Decision

I had been driving a 2012 Duster 85ps up until 2023, when I ended up needing to do multiple Ahmedabad-Baroda Expressway trips per month. My father deemed the car too unsafe to take on the expressway. As much as I loved the suspension and the driving dynamics, just 5 gears and the engine sounding like it wants to fall apart at 80 kmph in 5th gear @ 2k rpm meant it would be a pain to cruise that car around on the expressways @100kmph.

As all other members of the family had received upgrades in the recent past (Tucson, Venue, Verna) myself & Dad were the only ones due. We decided to find an upgrade for my Dad and replace the Duster with his 2019 Seltos GTX+ D AT. After agonizing for Six months over finding a car that would feel like an upgrade from the Seltos but under the 40L budget, we settled on the top-spec XUV700 D AT for him. Amazing car. The perfect decision.

Fast forward to mid-2024, and the new car bug settled in again with my brother and me. The Innova crossed the 1L km mark, and its age was starting to show. Plus, it was not an easy car to drive for my Aunt whenever she was forced to use it. Heavy steering, large size, and lack of height adjustment for the seat made it a deal breaker for my ageing aunt.

With a reluctance to let go of the insanely fun 2.8D engine in a rear wheel drive format with no TC, me and my brother I found the idea of replacing the Crysta with a Hycross Hybrid to be a tough sell. The difference of 20L that we would have to shell out on top of the Crysta didn’t seem justified. With no other new cars on the horizon, the discussion was temporarily shelved.

Or so I thought, until on random morning of in early August, with the launch event of the new Thar announced and the leaks flowing in, my brother just dropped a bomb on me; “…..stopped by (our local Mahinda dealer), gave him a booking cheque of 21k for when the new Thar comes…….for you….”. Least to say I was flabbergasted for a good minute. My years of automotive enthusiasm and badgering my family with it had paid off. This was supposed to be a couple of missed birthday gifts and the next couple of birthday gifts rolled into one.

It was also a way to solve the issue of an Innova replacement. The Thar would replace my Seltos, which would replace the Verna as my sister-in-law’s daily and nephew’s shuttle. The Verna would then be free for my Aunt to use.

As for selling or retaining the Innova, we delayed that decision till after the Thar arrived. Logically, with a 7-seater XUV and 3 diesel long-distance tourers in the form of XUV, Tucson and the new Thar (4 if you count the Seltos), keeping the Innova felt redundant from a practicality point of view. On the financial side as well, getting a Hycross would have required a trade of Crysta+20L. The Thar top spec could be had for the same amount shelled out while retaining the Crysta. The heart was taking over. Me, my brother and I have a big soft spot for that 2.8D engine, having daily-ed that car for brief periods. Decided to delay the sale of the Innova for a bit longer and keep it as a spare car.

Along came Aug 15th, and the launch was everything that I had hoped for and much more.

Torque-y diesel engine, check.
Rear-wheel drive, check.
Feel-good factor, check.
Great dynamics, check.
Modern platform, check.
Tech trickled down from the XUV700, check.

Other than paddles (I like clicking through my gears), there wasn’t anything I found to be missing on the AX7L spec. The disappointment of the RWD D AT getting the lower power figures was also made away with when Mahinda announced the updated power specs for the AX5 and AX7 AT RWD models.

Fast forward to the start of Feb 2025 and the dealer gives us a call that our White AX7L D AT RWD has been allocated and shipped. The last 7 months have been spent by me voraciously reading up on any and all literature for the new Thar, consuming all reviews and first drive videos, and religiously following each and every single post on this thread from Day 1.

The euphoria had been such that we didn’t even take a TD up until the dealer called about the allocation. My brother’s logic: why get a TD when getting the car is as good as confirmed? But second thoughts were starting to creep in about such a big purchase, and I dragged my brother to the dealership on the grounds that “… .at least get a feel for what you are buying into before cutting that check for 23L….”.

Disappointed, we were not. The only negative I came back with from that first drive was the condition of the interior. The Ivory White looked like it had been driven daily by grease covered mechanics for the 8k km it had on the odometer.


PDI

It had all been smooth sailing up until the PDI day. Coincidentally, 11th Feb, the day of my birthday, we got the call saying the car is on the way and will reach the stockyard that day. Talk about timing. On 12th Feb morning 9 am, we got the call saying car has reached and we can come for PDI at 11 am. All work was dropped and the childish desire to ogle a new toy took over me and my brother.

But boy oh boy were we in for a shocker of a surprise when we reached the dealership. The car was parked outside, on the edge of the road, looking like it had just done a desert run. Almost a centimeter of dust covered the paint of the whole car. Leaves were logged under the wiper and sticking out of the vents in the hood. All the glass looked like a brown tint had been applied to it.

That was all well and good. Solvable. Washable. Livable. The real horror was waiting for us on the inside. The driver’s side door card, roof liner and the whole of the sunroof liner were covered in a pinkish-reddish spray pattern. Realization soon set in that the red spray was the dried-up remains of someone spitting out paan masala. What had happened was that the driver tasked with getting the car from the stockyard had been driving with the windows down and apparently at a considerable speed. When he proceeded to spit out of the window, the force of the wind sprayed some of it back into the cabin, painting the roof liner and the sunroof cloth like a Pollock.

Furious was a mild adjective to describe our state at the time. The SA tried to shift the blame onto the drivers to save his scalp and even tried to ask someone from his team to go get the driver. Ironically, the guy whom he called to go get the driver showed up chewing paan masala himself. That pushed it past the limit. My brother confronted the whole staff and the SA. The only thing not done was to summon the manager of the dealership. Had we done that, the poor SA's job would have been in jeopardy for a crime he didn’t commit.

He was careless not to even bother looking at the car himself before calling us for a PDI. He tried having the car cleaned later, but the red stains on the sunroof liner were as good as permanent.

Long story short, he requested us to give him 24 hours and he would have another car ready for us, as he had received a couple of white AX7L D AT RWDs in the last shipment. We found it hard to take him at his word due to the AX7 production shortage that had been going on. But we didn’t argue when he confidently suggested he could get it done and left immediately.

The next morning, like Déjà vu, we get a call saying the car has arrived from the stockyard and we could come for a PDI. This time, the experience was completely opposite. The car was sitting in the delivery bay, looking pristine. Spotless, glistening paint, jet black tires, not a speck of dust in sight. It was like it had just rolled off the factory floor.

It might as well have, since the odometer read a mere 14 km. The previous car was at 62 km. And most of the Thar deliveries I have come across on this forum have been around the 60km mark. I knew for a fact that the stockyard was almost 3-4 km from the dealership, meaning the car barely had 10 km on the odometer when it reached the stockyard. The rest of the interior was fresh and new as well; no paan masala stains on this one.

After a thorough PDI, we left happy and satisfied on the 13th. With RTO registration and insurance happening that evening, delivery was scheduled for the next day, 14th Feb. A Lovely day for welcoming my new love interest that my girlfriend would be sure to hate due to all the love and attention it would be getting.


Delivery

Work was wrapped up early, and all non-essential items were pushed to the next day as I rushed to the dealership at 5 and met up with the rest of my family waiting for me. Funny enough, all of us had come from separate locations and hence, we reached in what was a convoy of cars. Seltos, Tucson, XUV700, Verna and a cousin of mine in his Fortuner. All white. A quick couple of photos and the customary aarti later, we rolled out of the showroom, me in the Thar, followed by a convoy of the other 5 cars.

That new car smell, coupled with the refinement of the powertrain and chassis, as well as the high seating position, gave a sense of pure euphoria. It might have been the new car bias, but my only reference of a body-on-frame vehicle being the Crysta and the Fortuner, this felt like a magic carpet in comparison. Jolts and body roll did creep through, but only mildly. The feel of the steering, the torque reserve on tap, the ease of weaving through flowing traffic in a well-balanced chassis just put a smile on my face from the very first moment.

This was no monocoque chassis, mind you, like the hunkered-down Seltos or the XUV with its fantastic dynamics and incredible suspension. But my expectation from the Thar had been it should beat out the suspension of the Fortuner at half the price and an equally good powertrain. And happy to say, it fulfilled all expectations.

And the biggest thing that I observed on the drive home was the attention it grabbed. Quite a few from middle-aged men but loads from teenage boys. So many of them did a double-take and spun around in the back seat or jumped up to get a better look at the white beast rolling past.

And the road presence did not end there. Bike and scooter riders hogging the inside lane just instinctively moved out of the way when they saw the circular DRLs in their rear view mirrors. Smaller cars just required a single flash of the high beams, and they scoot over without protest. A single blip of the horn got the same treatment from inattentive drivers. At the crossroads, everyone would wait and give way instead of trying to jump in when they saw this beast come rolling through. That’s when I decided on the name for this car; Ellie, short for Elephant, as this car invoked the image of an ivory white elephant charging down the road.

The first 100 km came on Day 1 itself. Friends and family came over one after the other on the excuse of seeing the new car. Multiple rounds to experience the new car and a trip to the local accessories guy to get a set of GFX mats meant the odometer read into the triple digits by the end of that day.


Powertrain

The next 100 km came the next day due to a site visit for work. This gave me a proper chance to experience the drivetrain. Though the engine is the same as the XUV, it feels anything but the same.

Longitudinally mounted, driving the rear wheels, it has a sense of creaminess in the 2nd and 3rd gears that the XUV lacks. There is some of that torque converter lag in the power delivery that comes through, but it is masked well by the smoothness of the torque. This makes sub-40 kmph city driving effortless.

The power delivery is quite linear. Even when pushed, the torque and power come linearly. There is no discernible turbo kick-in. This is very different from what I am used to in the Seltos. The 1.5 diesel from Hyundai always felt under powered and needed to be worked. Quick jabs of the throttle were always met by a few moments of lag, a downshift and a surge of torque that hit after 2k rpm but soon fizzled out, leaving only a gravely engine noise behind.

The main gripe I have with the powertrain is the gearing. 2nd and 3rd are pleasantly short, making city driving effortless. But the 3rd and especially the 4th are too tall. Moreover, the shift logic pulls till 2K rpm in each gear before allowing an upshift.

3rd --> 4th happens at 49kmph which comes at 2k rpm in 3rd gear.
4th --> 5th happens at 72kmph which comes at 2k rpm in 4th gear.

So in situations of flowing traffic where car has to be kept between 40-45 or 65-70, the engine is constantly pinned at 1750-1950 rpm and creates a boomy/droning noise which is very uncomfortable when the music is off and the cabin is silent.


NVH

Speaking of silent, the NVH and the insulation, especially, is, dare I say, world-class. The car does shake momentarily on startup, and the engine noise is evident with the windows are down. But roll them up, and the moment the windows shut, it is as if someone turned on the ANC on some Bose headphones.

The cabin is whisper quiet. No engine noise at idle and barely any vibrations. Some on the steering, but none for the passengers. Engine noise is practically non-existent from idle to 1500 rpm. Then it becomes audible but sounds more like a sweet petrol rumble rather than a gravelly diesel. From 1500-2500 rpm during brisk acceleration, noise is present, but rather a pleasant one that petrolheads will like. Post 2500 rpm, the engine gets vocal, but this is not a car you will find yourself pushing past 2500 rpm very often.

The only NVH issue I found is tied to the gearing issue mentioned above. When you hit 70 kmph in flowing traffic but run out of room to accelerate further, you let off the throttle. The gearbox is in 4th with engine at a hair below 2000 rpm. As you let off the throttle, the torque converter stays locked up. Hence, the rpms don’t drop immediately, and there is a slow raspy engine sound that continues from 70 --> 62 kmph as the rpm drops from 1900+ to under 1500, after which the refinement kicks back in and the engine goes silent.

This is solved easily by tapping the brakes after you let off the throttle. This makes the torque converter unlock, and the gearbox goes into neutral as the revs drop quickly. But for someone who drives with a throttle-on/off style with coasting in between, this is difficult to adapt to.


Handling

This is one area where the car has exceeded expectations. Enough has been said about the steering and the EPS. After hearing the praises about its lightness and smoothness at launch, I was slightly skeptical due to my dislike for the featherlight steering of the XUV700. I am personally a fan of steering systems that talk to you and communicate the road unhindered. The old hydraulic power steering did this well. I don’t mind the heft as long as it feels raw and natural like the Duster and the Crysta. And as much as the steering of the XUV makes it feel light on its feet and car-like, it always makes me feel uneasy to be driving such a big car with such a light and twitchy steering.

But I was pleasantly surprised by the new Thar. The steering is smooth and easy to flick, no doubt, but it retains a certain heft to it that I like. At a standstill, the steering can be flicked from lock to lock as if it is disconnected. But as speeds and revs build, the steering tightens up. The return to center feels strong as well. The steering calibration does well to mask the size and weight of the car at low speeds.


Suspension

This is an area where Mahindra seems to have pulled off pure magic again. The only word I have for it is SUPERB (Skoda, don’t sue me). A cautionary note, I am someone who prefers my suspension on the firmer side. Soft, bouncy suspension like that of the Tucson is not to my taste. I like a planted ride that soaks up undulations and stays flat. The XUV does this beautifully. This is present in the Thar as well, with the FSD struts borrowed from the XUV.

But the suspension feel is nowhere as good as the XUV. Yes, there is body roll and the typical body-on-frame bouncy-ness over bad patches. But it is far more refined. The harsh rebound of the Fortuner is not seen here.

Even at highway speeds, random big undulations only momentarily unsettle the car. The ride is otherwise pretty planted. Most small undulations are soaked up. Where the suspension truly shines is over large sections of pothole-ridden, rough roads. While most cars struggle to maintain composure and slow down to a crawl, the Thar flies past them with ease at speeds of 50-60. The suspension and the FSD take care of the terrain and the cabin experience is relatively flat.


Design

A real looker for sure. The modern touch to the styling of the grill and DRL make the 3-door Thar look ancient. And I actually like the sloping rear section of the design that everyone seems to loathe. It gives a much-needed break to the boxy and square design. Seems refreshing.

The R19 wheels seemed a bit off in photos but the design has grown on me in person. I initially liked the design of the twin-spoke R18 wheels better, but they look too small on the car in person.


Cabin Experience

Apart from the usual gripes about lack of storage and all, the cabin is a plush and luxurious experience. I actually like the white interiors. As much as they are a pain to keep clean, they give a sense of roominess to the cabin. The soft-touch interior in the top spec only adds to the luxury feel.

The rear seat experience is great too. Seats are fantastic, and the knee room is more than ample. Much better than the Korean twins. The giant glass sunroof adds to the feel of openness and makes the cabin experience outclass the Koreans in my opinion. The interior build quality is pretty good as well. Absolutely zero creaks or noises from the dashboard or center console.


Issues

By the 300km odometer mark, the first issue came through. Between 1500 rpm-2000 rpm, there was a constant fluttering/vibrating noise that seemed to be coming from beyond the dashboard. And it was linked to the rpms, growing in intensity as the rpms rose and quieting down as the rpms began to drop. Almost sounded like something was loose in the engine bay and its vibrating frequency matched the engine frequency between 1500-2000 rpm.

I planned on getting this addressed in the first service, but by the 750km mark, the noise became too loud and unbearable. This forced a trip to the SC. The noise was pinpointed to the fuel hose that ran from the pump to the fuel injectors. The hose is pinned to the firewall with plastic clamps. This line was vibrating intensely within that rpm band and transferring the vibrations into the cabin through the firewall and dashboard. Bits of foam were wedged between the lines and the firewall, and the sound instantly disappeared.

The CarPlay update had also arrived by then, and the infotainment was updated as well.


Fuel Economy

While it is too early in the life of the engine to get accurate numbers, fuel economy seemed to be very sensitive to throttle inputs and driving style. All 2k km of the car have been driven on Shell normal Diesel.

Sedate driving on par throttle and coasting in the city gave 10-11 kmpl, while pushing the car on empty roads made it drop to the 7-9 kmpl range.

Highway drives have been less consistent. Intercity highways with speeds between 70-85 gave an average of 14.5-15, while expressway drives between 90-105 gave an average of 13.5 kmpl. These were all MID numbers, reset before every trip. I am hoping these numbers go up after the first couple of oil changes.

A thing to note is the MID error. Normally, the MID reports an average 1-1.5 kmpl more than the average derived from the tankful method. But in this case, I observed the MID underreporting the average by 1.5 kmpl consistently compared to the tankful readings. This happened over 2-3 tankfuls. Let's see if this behavior persists.


First Service Experience @ 2k km

The first service was relatively uneventful. More of an inspection, that’s all. Inspection of all the fluids, connections, suspension bolt tightening and addressing any issues that come in the initial miles of the car. My previous visit to the SC for the noise issue and the software update meant that there wasn’t much that needed to be done.

I got a slot for a Sunday and dropped off the car at 11 am. Since it was a Sunday, the staff was skeletal, and barely a few cars were present. This was in contrast to the rest of the week, when the SC would be overflowing with cars and the office seemed like a warzone.

There were a couple of XUV 700s up on the lift, one with the front end dismantled and the engine pulled out. A Scorpio N was getting an oil change, and a Thar 3 Door was getting a forced regen. I strolled around the shop floor, observing anything and everything I came across. It is not often you get a chance to see cars propped up and open to view without interruptions from uneasy SAs who don’t want customers on the shop floor.

In under an hour, the car was ready as I had refused any washing. I contemplated getting an oil change as the engine had just passed its run-in period. But I decided to stick to my usual practice of getting it at half the mileage recommended by the manufacturer. In case of the Thar, it is 10k km or 1 year. Hence, I will be visiting for an oil change at 5k km, which should come relatively soon due to increased running for work.


General Dislikes

Enough has been said about the general stuff like the lack of interior storage space, tiny bottle holders, no sunglass holder and the lack of under-thigh support.

But the thing that I disliked the most was the lack of a request sensor. Having 6 cars with one meant that every time I approached the door and reached for a button, only to realize there was none and then awkwardly rummaged through my pockets to pull out the key and then press unlock and then stuff the key back into my pocket before climbing in.

To add insult to injury, Mahindra has just announced the addition of a request sensor to cars manufactured from April. Nevertheless, I shall be looking into retrofitting the new handle after parts are available.

[gsratta]

I am in the waiting list of the Thar Roxx AX7L 4x4 mocha interiors, expected delivery from 3/6/25 to 3/7/25, booked on 3/10/24 at 11:03 am. I currently drive a 2019 Creta 1.6 diesel manual, wanted to get an automatic, booked the Thar Roxx, after taking a test drive 3-4 km on a smooth tarmac road. The dealer would allow that much only, but a few days back, I got a chance to drive it for a considerable distance on a concrete highway, as shown in the attached image, which I usually travel in my Creta with OEM spec 215/60R17 Bridgestone Dueler HT tyres. At 100-110km/h, the Creta feels perfectly smooth, with minor movements of the car, my family members can sleep in the back seat.

The Roxx, which I took to the same concrete highway, was the MX5 manual, with highway terrain tyres and 18-inch OEM wheels. I found it too bouncy to be comfortable at speeds of 100-110km/h, compared to my 6-year-old Creta, which has covered around 67000km with no suspension work done to date. This bothered me so much that I am thinking of cancelling the booking. The driver seat comfort is also poor, which I am still willing to compromise on. The front seat base is around 2 inches shorter than the Creta, when measured front to back. Even my teenage son, who was a huge Thar fan like me, felt uncomfortable. I did not expect this much difference in the ride quality. I know Creta is a monocoque and Roxx is a body-on-frame proper SUV, and people are singing praises about it having better suspension than the Scorpio N and even the Fortuner.

I could not check the tyre pressure, can Roxx owners and experienced persons throw some light, is really that different from the monocoque (pseudo) SUV?

This is the screenshot from the same location of the Bathinda Amritsar highway, where I drove the Roxx, it was not damaged or broken in any way, just a normal concrete highway which is a bit uneven. Image courtesy Google Maps street view.

[gsratta]

Originally Posted by gsratta

I could not check the tyre pressure, can Roxx owners and experienced persons throw some light, is really that different from the monocoque (pseudo) SUV?

Just talked with the owner of the vehicle, he has been keeping 38-40psi tyre pressure, that is 6-8psi higher than the recommended 32psi, as per online owner’s manual. Suggested him to reduce the pressure, to which he agreed. Will need to check it again with the proper tyre pressure, hope it will be better now, as I really don’t want to cancel the booking.

[rijulgill]

Haven’t seen any AX5 and MX5 Mocha Brown Interior Thar so far. Only AX7 models have been spotted so far all over the internet with Mocha Brown Interiors

[DCTfanatic]

Originally Posted by gsratta

Just talked with the owner of the vehicle, he has been keeping 38-40psi tyre pressure, that is 6-8psi higher than the recommended 32psi, as per online owner’s manual. Suggested him to reduce the pressure, to which he agreed. Will need to check it again with the proper tyre pressure, hope it will be better now, as I really don’t want to cancel the booking.

If the tyre pressure was anywhere close to 38 as he claims, I am sure the ride quality would have been horrible. I have the AX7 spec with the R19 wheels. Since delivery I have been riding around with 30 psi pressure when the tryes are cold. When up to running temperature, it goes up to almost 31-32. Ride felt nice and cushy even when the roads weren't too bad. Highway running was also not an issue.

Got the car back from the first service with the tyres at 33 psi when cold. Running pressure went up to almost 34-35. Have run the last 400km like this. Ride quality is noticeably worse. A sense of sharp rebound has started to creep in over bad roads at low speeds and the a little more bouncy at higher highway speeds.

You should definitely retake a proper test drive with the tyres at 30-31 psi when cold. Will make a world of a difference in ride quality. Even my Seltos used to feel like a brand new car when I took it from 35 psi to 32 psi. The Thar will definitely benefit.

Originally Posted by gsratta

I know Creta is a monocoque and Roxx is a body-on-frame proper SUV, and people are singing praises about it having better suspension than the Scorpio N and even the Fortuner.

I could not check the tyre pressure, can Roxx owners and experienced persons throw some light, is really that different from the monocoque (pseudo) SUV?

I can not talk about the Scorpio N but the setup on the new Thar is definitely better than the Fortuner. I have a cousin who owns a current gen Fortuner and have spent time behind the wheel as well as the back seat.

What people seem to be forgetting when comparing the Thar and Fortuner on the grounds of being body-on-frame is that both are tuned and setup for different purposes. The Fortuner is built as a reliable mile muncher with a tough shell and ruggedness that allows you to go over rough roads when needed. The Thar on the other hand is bred to be a off-roader/no-roader first and highway machine second.

The Fortuner suspension is relatively stiffer than the Thar. This stiffness gives it a harsh rebound when going over bumps, potholes and rough roads at city speeds. But the same stiffness provides stability at higher speeds and prevents the body from unsettling/rolling on highways.

The Thar feels to be setup to do the opposite. Mahindra knew that apart from being an off-roader, this will be a lifestyle vehicle first and highway machine second. This shows in the softness of the suspension during slow and medium city speeds. Pothles and rough roads are soaked up well. The FSD also flattens out the ride on rough roads. But when going at triple digit speeds, the softer suspension will lead to more body-roll and a slightly bouncy ride that will take time to stabilize after hitting a one-off bump or bad patch.

And as for comparing the ride quality to cars like Creta and Seltos, the Thar will always be on a backfoot when it comes to comfort on highway driving alone. The Koreans and the Germans will feel far better when talking about body roll, high speed stability and flat ride. If that is truly what you are after and your budget allows you extend around the 20L mark, I implore you to consider the XUV700. It outclasses the other C segment SUVs by a mile when it comes to ride and comfort.

To sum it up; no, the praises that people are singing of the new Thar and it's suspension are not wrong. They just need to be put into context. The reason why people are so vocal about it is because of how close the body on frame Thar feels to a monocoque car when compared to other body on frame cars like the Fortuner and Crysta for city driving.

[rijulgill]

Called my SA asking the whereabouts of my car only to receive the good news that my car has been billed and allocated. Surprisingly, I never received any call or email from Mahindra or my Dealership regarding my car. I just randomly called the SA today and he broke this good news to me. Now he is like sir please send me your Aadhaar Pan details,booking email from Mahindra and whether you want your car on loan and so on as it’s been a few days since this car was allocated to you. Hadn’t I called him, I would have never got this update regarding my car. Neither the Mahindra app nor the website shows any other details other than booked and Status N/A for my Mocha brown interior.

[DrivenByHills]

Originally Posted by gsratta

I know Creta is a monocoque and Roxx is a body-on-frame proper SUV, and people are singing praises about it having better suspension than the Scorpio N and even the Fortuner.

I could not check the tyre pressure, can Roxx owners and experienced persons throw some light, is really that different from the monocoque (pseudo) SUV?

I’ve driven monocoques all my life and have been using a Duster AWD for the past 9 years, mainly for trips to the hills and long drives on roads beyond regular tarmac. I’ve also driven Fortuners a few times from friends, and even took one on a full-day trip. Coming from the Duster, the Fortuner shocked me, rather scared me, with its body roll, especially at lower speeds over typical (read non-standard or bad) speed breakers. I had assumed all body-on-frame SUVs are supposed to roll like a boat.

However, both the Scorpio-N and the Thar Roxx (with 19” wheels on the AX7L) are way better - much closer to the Duster’s ride than the Fortuner’s. Still, expecting them to behave exactly like a monocoque is, in my humble opinion, asking a bit too much.

Also, the MX5 (with 18” wheels) is supposed to have slightly more body roll and feel less planted on highways compared to the AX7L or 19” wheels (the one you’ve booked), at least on paper. My dealer couldn’t provide me any lower variants to test that, unfortunately. And you are also right about the tyre pressure.

I’d suggest test-driving the AX7L a few more times. While the ride quality isn’t meant to match something like a Creta, especially at such high speeds, it does offer a lot more - if you actually need those.

[CARbun]

Originally Posted by rijulgill

Haven’t seen any AX5 and MX5 Mocha Brown Interior Thar so far. Only AX7 models have been spotted so far all over the internet with Mocha Brown Interiors

Mocha Brown only available in AX7 4x4 .