Mahindra raked in a lot of sales with the New Thar launched in 2020. The sub-4 meter SUV impressed everyone with its new styling and feature-rich cabin. For many, the SUV has become aspirational simply for the way it looks. Also, the 10X growth in sales is a testament to the fact that people are liking the new Thar. Hence, Mahindra decided to go with a Thar that looks like the 4X4 but is equipped with a smaller engine (diesel) and loses the 4X4 capability. How does it fare? Read on to find out.
Design
Let’s get the design out of the way as there is nothing new or different with the Thar 4X2. You’ll have to look closely to see that the 4X4 badge on the rear quarter is missing. Also, the midsection of the front bumper is finished in black instead of silver on the 4X4 variant. The more obvious changes are the colours. So, if you see a “Blazing Bronze” or Orange, or a White coloured Thar, know that it is a 4X2 variant. However, it is not yet clear if these colours will remain exclusive to the 4X2. If you’re wondering if you’ve heard of the “Blazing Bronze” colour before, you would be right as it has been borrowed from the XUV300. The other four colours – Napoli Black, Aquamarine, Red Rage, and Galaxy Grey will also be available.
Needless to say, the Thar 4X2 retains the butch, brawny SUV character. Not only will it turn heads when you take it out, but other vehicles will also move out of the way to let you pass.
Interior
There are no changes except one. Since the RWD has lost the 4X4 credentials, the 4X4 transfer case is gone to make way for a usable cubby space which can be used to store phones or wallets.
Engine & Transmission
Let’s talk about the petrol variant first as it is the same as on the 4X4. You get the 2.0L mStallion 150 TGDI, 4-cylinder that produces 150 bhp @ 5000 and 320 Nm @ 1500-3000 rpm. However, this engine will only be available with the 6-speed torque converter.
On the other hand, the diesel variant has a huge change. The 4X2 gets a 1.5L D117 CRDe, 4-cylinder engine which shares its block with the XUV300 and produces 117 bhp @ 3500 rpm and 300 Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm. The diesel variant will be available only with a 6-speed manual gearbox.
So, if you want a manual, go with the diesel and if you want the automatic, go with the petrol.
On-Road Performance
We drove the 1.5L diesel variant and will talk about that variant specifically. The performance of the petrol variant is not expected to be different than the 4X4 variant as the engines are the same.
The 1.5L diesel on the 4X2 produces 13 bhp less power than the 4X4 but the same amount of torque. However, the drop in power is not noticeable as the 4X2 has shed some weight. We do not have the official numbers but, you can expect the 4X2 to be 60-70 kg lighter. This is because the engine is smaller and the components for the 4X4 have also been removed. To put things in perspective, the 0-100 kmph comes in at about 15.5 sec. Obviously, the Thar 4X2 is not the quickest SUV and it does not intend to be either. It is more relaxed in its acceleration and gradually builds up speed.
The engine and gearbox combo makes it very easy to drive in the city as well. The SUV can be picked up from as low as 40 kmph on the 6th gear, 35 kmph on the 5th and 30 kmph on the 4th. It is very tractable and you will hardly notice any knocking on higher gears at lower speeds. The clutch action too is lighter than the 4X4 version. The gear throws are not the shortest but are very manageable. They have a slight notchiness but it should definitely not be a deal breaker. You will still enjoy the engaging feel of the manual gearbox. Also, we don’t need to tell you how fun it is to drive a rear-wheel drive car.
Ride Quality & Handling
The engine is smooth and vibe free and the overall insulation also keeps the external sounds in check. Overall, the NVH levels are under acceptable ranges and you will not feel uncomfortable at all. Speaking about the suspension though, there is not a lot of difference as compared to the 4X4. The ride is still a little bouncy with some vertical movement even on smooth surfaces. Also, the Thar sits tall with a 226 mm ground clearance and which means there is a noticeable body roll as well.
The steering on the 4X2 feels lighter than the 4X4 and there is very little feedback from the road. Being a tall car, the Thar is not at all comfortable at sharp corners at high speeds. So, if corner carving is something you’re looking for, the Thar should not be on your list. What the Thar offers though is a commanding seating position and great straight-line stability. This means you will enjoy the long highway trips.
Safety
Since the 4X2 is based on the same chassis as the 4X4 and has the same construction and body shell, it is safe to say that it will carry the same 4-Star G-NCAP rating. The SUV is also equipped with dual airbags, ABS, ESP, built-in roll-cage, 3-point seat belts for all passengers, and Hill-hold and Hill Descent Control.
Price
Given the latest changes in the definition of an SUV for the GST norms, the Thar has been priced very competitively. The AX (O) diesel variant has been priced at ₹9.99 lakh ex-showroom and the top-end LX variant is priced at ₹10.99 lakh. Both variants are available only with a hard top configuration. The prices are limited to the first 10,000 bookings so if you had the Thar on your mind for a long time but thought it was too expensive, this would be a good time to consider one.
If you are interested in getting the automatic, there is only one variant which is the petrol with a hard top in the LX trim priced at ₹13.45 lakh
Does it make sense?
If you ask me, it does and a lot. The Thar 4X4 even though a sub-4 meter, is pretty expensive starting at ₹14.28 L. Also, not everyone who buys the Thar takes it off the road. Most owners have bought it just for the way it looks. So, if you fall in the same category and want the Thar for just what it looks, the 4X2 variant makes a lot of sense as it is much cheaper and frugal than the 4X4. You will still get the commanding driving position, a beastly road presence, and the fun of the rear-wheel drive. The engine might not be as powerful as the 2.2L mHawk but it is very usable and tractable for city and highway drives. If you were buying the petrol variant, there is no change in performance. The ground clearance is the same as the 4X4 and you also get BLD which means that you can still do a little bit of rough roading. We will see many more Thars on the road with this aggressive pricing.