Mahindra and Mahindra have finally confirmed that they will launch a new generation of Thar 5-door version in India. Although there have been signs that the extended version is under development, the company has never officially confirmed it—until now. Earlier today, at an online press conference announcing the company’s fiscal 2021 fourth-quarter results, Mahindra announced that it would launch nine new products before 2026, of which five Thar is one of them.
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The exact timetable has not yet been announced, and the company has confirmed that the new Mahindra Thar 5-door model will arrive sometime between 2023 and 2025. In fact, it will also be one of the first models launched during that period. These include a new generation of Mahindra Bolero, a pair of pure electric vehicles based on the Born EV platform, a new generation of XUV300, and two other new codename models: W620 and V201.
The new generation Mahindra Thar was launched in October 2020 and became a hit. The next-generation models that have received Global NCAP’s 4-star safety rating are also equipped with many modern conveniences and have been opened to buyers. Features such as LED DRL, alloy wheels, front and rear seats, automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto touch screens, and high-quality interiors have also attracted many unenthusiastic customers.
However, what is missing from the equation is a suitable 5-door version with a longer wheelbase that can also be used by home buyers. In fact, this was what even audiophiles wanted, and Mahindra finally heard their call. Although it is too early to comment on what the SUV will offer, we largely anticipate that the styling will remain similar. Mahindra may introduce some additional features, such as LED projector headlights, or even a fixed metal hardtop.
The cabin is expected to have wider and more comfortable second-row seats, and possibly even more luggage space. In terms of machinery, we expect the SUV will share its engine options with the existing 3-door Thar. This includes a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine and a 2.2-liter turbocharged diesel engine. In the current Thar, both engines are equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission or a 6-speed automatic transmission, and 4×4 is the standard configuration of all models.