[Vinod_nair]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

While Thar does look like good effort, just look at what our neighbors are getting.
The interiors look fab.
https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=wQIj...ature=emb_logo

How well the Chinese copy a brilliant concept, especially the removable hardtop (even if it's just the portions above the driver)

Originally Posted by vkochar

What THAR should really have is an option / guide to removing the HT for days you need to convert this into an open top.

That would be brilliant.

I am going to find this option as I am lucky to have ample space as well as staff to do the required.

PS - I am promised delivery 1st week November ( Hopefully fingers crossed ! )

According to GTO aftermarket removable hardtop is on its way soon, keep in touch with guys in Karol Bagh.

[TokyoDrifter]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

In fact, as I said in one of my earlier posts, if one intends to use it as a 2-seater, it is better to opt for the AX variant - side facing seats are always better when it comes to boot space.

+1. Might be worth if they gave out a LX variant with side facing seats IMO. 2-seater rear in LX might be a downer for many, IMO.

[Behemoth]

Originally Posted by PrideRed

While Thar does look like good effort, just look at what our neighbors are getting.
The interiors look fab.
https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=wQIj...ature=emb_logo

Wow this is a nice car by BAIC. Mahindra should take inspiration from this for the new 5 door Thar and also build it with more Boot space like this one. The Interiors also look pretty nice. Maybe Mahindra should just make a JV with BAIC and start assembling these in India. After the new Thar's success, this would also do very well and can cater to families of 4 who want to go on holidays with luggage! The Current Thar is fine for a family of 2 with luggage, but may not be great for a family of 4/5.

[nishsingh]

Romance. That is indeed what the new Thar is all about.

Especially the open-top and convertible versions. As all married men will testify on this forum, the new Thar has a very high WAF (Wife Acceptability Factor), which will make this purchase decision very easy for anyone who is thinking of the Thar as a second or a third car.

[amol4184]

But Thar 5D is already confirmed. Why should MM do a JV with this company, in this anti China environment, and come up with a cannibalizing product?
If you ask me, Thar 5D will genuinely look better than this.
P. S. Do they mean BAIC JEEP 40 by BJ40?

[Tgo]

Kind of a kill-joy, maybe...

LX to me "sounds" like a lower variant than the AX.

Maruti is to blame for this; having their entry models badged LXi for ages. I really have to dwell upon it for a moment every time the variants are talked about.

[Venkatesh]

Kerala police checks out new Thar and took it for a short drive, from 19:10 in the video

https://youtu.be/ldGNnEFvrL4

[ph03n!x]

The Thar is gonna taunt you on your 4x4 usage everytime you switch off -

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

Kerala police checks out new Thar and took it for a short drive, from 19:10 in the video

The cops actually showed him a better offroad location after that lol. Very sweet.

[Ulysses]

My observation of Thar 2020

Today I went to Mahindra showroom in Noida to have a look at this new beast. The original plan was to try a TD, as I have received a couple of calls from Mahindra's Mumbai office on this matter, however in spite of being a weekday today, there was significant rush in the showroom. Although I doubt most of the people there were not serious buyer, but just came to pass time and take a few selfies with the vehicle. Since already much has been said about Thar, I will just briefly tell a few observations that I have made. I saw the diesel HT MT version.

Exterior and look

1. I had a preconceived notion that new Thar got an imposing road presence, but I could not feel that. The vehicle definitely look impressive and big from dead front; but side profile does not give that kind of look.
2. Although I could not get to see the under-body properly, what I could peep in from engine bay is there is only one protection cover below the oil sump, everything else is uncovered. Can't say, if this would be a problem in off road, as rocks could fly into engine chamber and cause damage
3. The hard top canopy has got a kind of grainy matte finish. This could possibly be a dust and grime magnet on regular use, especially in places such as Noida, where half of the city is always under construction. Also not sure, whether the color of the canopy will fade with time? Asked this to the sales person, but he could not answer clearly
4. The sheet metal used in side doors, seems to be thinner than what is used in the rear door. Also, the bumpers, though look solid and massive, seems quite flimsy (I tried to knock it hard and it was giving way), but those may be a part of design.
5. The stock side steps are also not good for off road condition, IMO. There may be need to fitting steel side steps as aftermarket option.
6. The engine sound is surprisingly quite for a diesel engine. Even from outside, with bonnet open, it does not pierce ears.
7. The tires and the alloys are really impressive, looks massive but not gaudy

Interior and space

1. The only place inside the vehicle, where one would like to be are either the driver or passenger seat. These are like two grand royal sofas, quite well padded and comfortable. The driving position and road view are also top class, so are the position of gear lever. Some people commented on the narrowness of driver side foot well, but it seemed OK for me. I could comfortable shift between accelerator, break and clutch and keep my left foot on floor. I am 5'11", but may be a problem for taller people. The steering feeling is also good, though without driving it, nothing much can be said.
2. Rear view from the driver seat is extremely low, hence reverse camera is must. Also, the bonnet being high, there may be problem of viewing road/obstacles near the front of the vehicle. Hence, a twin concave mirror or a more modern, front view/360 degree camera may also be required.
3. The backseats are strictly for no one . Well may be okay for two small kids or one average side adult. I think the massive rear-wheel arches has protruded inside the cabin and eaten away lot of space, making the rear seats practically of no use. Even with reclined position, sitting there for long is not comfortable and also because of the closed window, short roof height and roof-mounted speakers bang in front of face, the rear sitting area is utterly claustrophobic.
4. The thickness of the poly-carbonate hardtop is not much. I wonder how much insulation it would provide in harsh summer? May be experts here, who had experienced hard top in previous generation Thar, may explain better.
5. The finishing of the side walls is also quite poor for such as costly car. Open screws are visible and the fabric cover was coming out.
6. Ingress and egress both are difficult for even a fit and not fat individual. The problem is that the front seat doesn't roll over completely, so although it is relatively easy to slip-in through that gap, getting out of the vehicle is really difficult and added to the fact that it has high GC, if someone is not careful while getting out, one can easily tumble forward and get injured.
7. Lot has already been spoken about boot space, so I won't repeat. In one word; it is tiny.

Overall Impression
IMO, there are two use cases for purchasing Thar

1. As a second vehicle, to be used exclusively for recreational or solo-journey purpose
2. 2. As a primary vehicle for a young couple/individual who loves expedition and adventure and want to travel off the grid.
3. In both cases, the entire back seat should be folded/removed which will give enough space for camping gears and other essentials for even a long trip. If anyone had seen the television serial Car Vs Wild in Discover Channel, that's exactly what was done with a SWB Jeep Rubicon.
4. Since apparently no roof carrier can be attached to the current HT, will it be wise to buy a ST or CT (in case of LX version) and then fit a metal hardtop with a roof carrier from aftermarket (or better still a pop-up tent on HT!)? CT is slightly cheaper than HT, but I think, still one has to spend significantly on this mod.

Will I buy this? Well I went to showroom with intention of booking Thar today, but now has changed my mind. Unless I have extra 2 millions to spend, I will not buy Thar as my primary car (although that really broke my heart!). I drive a 6 year old Duster Adventure 110, and really wanted to change it with some vehicle with more capability and usefulness. Thar is definitely more capable, but I could not find usefulness. Now what I am contemplating is to buy an used Ford Endeavor (2nd Gen) 4x4 AT (to mend my broken heart) and probably another mid segment hatchback for regular duty, although that would create other problems of maintaining two cars instead of one. In essence, my conclusion is there is no capable and useful SUV in India today under 25 lacks. Anything below this price band comes with various degrees of compromise.

[CliffHanger]

Test drove the Thar yesterday. Most of what GTO has written is my observations as well. Mahindra has done a commendable job in building the Thar to what it is now, it is a fantastic package considering the shared engines, length compromises for off-roading, and retaining the iconic design. If you expect a longer car, a better footwell, a 4 door Jeep, please read my previous statement again.

Some of my observations(6'2", on the bigger side, TD in city roads)

- The driver seat is a great place to be in and the driving experience matches upto that. Like it or not, you will dominate the road

- Fantastic motor, though power felt adequate. Mahindra should work on increasing the Torque figures for the Thar. The Thar begs for more Torque with its commanding driving posture

- Very easy to drive, within seconds I was at ease

- Arm rest is a big miss. May be it blocks the entry to rear, but Mahindra should provide an Arm rest as an accessory for those who are Ok with the compromise

- Ride was good in bad roads and bad in good roads(manageable, livable and nothing alarming)

- IRVM is too small or needs getting used to

- Gear shift a bit notchy, might require break-in since the car is just a few days old

- Second gear is potent but third gear not so - power felt restricted. Again, may be because the car is brand new or Mahindra has purposefully tuned it that way. Whatever it is, it spoils the driving experience quite a bit

- Ingress, Egress is horrible. If you are buying the Thar, think it as a 2 door vehicle and buy it, you will not disappoint. If you are planning to buy it as a family car, you will just end up looking sad seeing your loved ones struggle to get to/come out of the rear.

- Once inside, Rear seat is a decent place to be in, but your foot will keep hunting for space

Overall, I feel the Thar is a fantastic package and it's for the kind of people who buy the Triumphs, Ducatis, etc. on loan, even if they could not afford. Thar is all about Passion, Adventure and for those who have different POV on life. This is the car for those who grew up lusting over the Jeep and dreaming about the Jeep, I'm one and I felt what it is to live the dream while driving the Thar. Mahindra has done something like a dream planner and executed it to the T. Passionate efforts from Mahindra, respects to that. Proud of the Men in Mahindra who still put passion over money, rather than blindly running after money like so many other auto manufacturers.

PS: Apologies guys for blanking out my face, like to be behind the scenes. Received enough attention in life

[PrasunBannerjee]

Mahindra is leaving no stone unturned in promoting the Thar.

Some days back saw some other bollywood actors such as vindhu dara singh etc and more drive and post about it, now even tech youtube channel like igyaan.

And this time, it's the royal prince of Mewar talking about it. Its not everyday you get to see the thar being driven inside the city palace, that too at the spots which are strictly no-no even for a bicycle. That's a flex in itself, both for the prince and for the Thar.

https://youtu.be/nf7UgZTWmH0

he also got a Thar 700 about a year back, keys handed over to him by Mr. Anand Mahindra himself.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Perhaps the first victim of the TD craze happening across the nation. Don't have details of the accident (received forwarded), but looks to have taken the impact well.

At least, the airbags work.

[justwheels]

I was just going through the accessories catelogue for Thar and saw that Mahindra is also selling roof top tent as camping accessories. Question is, are they just selling it for the sake of it or they really think someone will put one on the frp roof. I dont see a roof rack though in the accessories. Doesn't make sense to me.
One question, does the warranty get void if I put a roof rack?

And on another note, I am about to book the Thar and confused between Diesel MT and AT.
MT will save me a lakh rupees which can be used for potential mods where I feel I can overcome some issues to make it even more liveable. Also slightly better tank range to AT (not sure by how much).
AT will give me peace of driving specially in the city where it will be run a lot as this will be my primary car, but then I will be stretching all the way.

Any thoughts fellow tbhp'ians?

Was initially contemplating Petrol MT but thats only a 50k difference with a Diesel MT, which I feel can be managed. Petrol, being more powerful, will be a gas guzzler and 50k difference in cost is going to get wiped off easily. And I personally feel one time cost is less painful as compared to every fuel bill. And Diesel seems to be getting decent reviews and doesn't seem to be under powered.

[balenoed_]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Perhaps the first victim of the TD craze happening across the nation.

Scared to see some parts getting loaded into the boot at 1:40 onwards.
The suspension parts, discs..!!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-ZtHxHZiWg

PS: Sorry, didn't mean to spoil the party by sharing a video too. But like said in above post - got to see the airbags are "checked" and build quality too probably.