Maruti Jimny Vs Mahindra Thar: Which Is The More Affordable Off-roader?

The Maruti Jimny is finally here after a long wait. It employs the same formula as its chief rival, the Mahindra Thar. Both take inspiration from their respective iconic forerunners’ demeanour and styling, and blend them with modern sophistication and features. And yet, both go about their business in different ways: the Thar is more focused and purpose-built, while the Jimny has equal if not better off-roading ability – without compromising on practicality and comfort. 

But does that convenience come at a steeper cost? Let’s find out:

Thanks to the Thar’s rear-wheel drive version, the entry-level price point for it is Rs 2.2 lakh more affordable than the Jimny’s entry-level Zeta trim. But when it comes to the 4x4 petrol AX(O) trim of the Thar – more relevant to the Jimny’s base-spec model – it is the Maruti that’s more affordable with a difference of almost Rs 1 lakh between them.

Even the Jimny’s top-spec dual-tone Alpha variant is more affordable than the Thar’s petrol LX hard top variant. But when you factor in the diesel trims, the Mahindra Thar’s prices shoot up to Rs 15.35 lakh for the top-spec LX Diesel, further widening the gap with the Jimny.

The Mahindra Thar only gets one automatic RWD trim and that is Rs 45,000 more affordable than the entry-level Zeta automatic trim of the Jimny. As far as the AWD trims of the Thar are concerned, there’s a variance of Rs 2.08 lakh between its entry-level LX ST trim and the Jimny’s Zeta trim.

Even compared to the Jimny’s top-spec Alpha DT variant, the entry-level AWD Thar petrol variant is more expensive by Rs 97,000, while the gap further widens to Rs 1.72 lakh, considering the Thar’s diesel HT variant. 

Also Read: New Maruti MPV Unveil On July 5; To Be The Rebadged Version Of Innova Hycross

While the Jimny is offered with a single 1.5-litre petrol engine paired to either a 5-speed MT or 4-speed AT, the Thar has multiple powertrain options: a 118PS/300Nm 1.5-litre diesel (RWD only), a 130PS/300Nm 2.2-litre diesel and a 150PS/320Nm 2-litre turbo petrol (both RWD and 4WD). A 6-speed manual is offered as standard, while the 2-litre turbo-petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines also get an automatic option. Head over here for a detailed comparison between the powertrains.

So while the prices of a few of the Jimny’s manual variants overlap with the 4x4 Thar’s manual variants, all its automatic variants are more affordable than that of the Thar’s.