This Is What The Upcoming 5-Door Mahindra Thar Should Look Like: Exclusive Renders

Note: All the images of the 5-door Thar used in this article have been rendered by Samyak Bothra.

In the last couple of years, Mahindra has really set the standard for mass-market lifestyle SUVs in India. The second-generation Thar has been a runaway success as a relatively unique product and Mahindra will be building on that momentum by introducing a more practical five-door version. Its camouflaged test mules have been spied extensively with increasing frequency and now we feel like we’ve got enough details for a realistic rendering presented here.

Looking Like A Desi Wrangler

Most of the spy shots of the elongated five-door Thar focus on the profile as the front and rear fascias are expected to be quite similar to the three-door version. Rendered in the Thar’s iconic Rage Red, the five-door version looks a lot like an Indian adaptation of the Jeep Wrangler, but without the breach of intellectual design.

We’ve spotted design changes like the shape of the additional rear doors with a distinctive kink at the top corner, and the fragmented design of the rear window. Those bold exterior hinges accentuate the rugged build of the relatively practical off-roader. It still has a sizeable rear quarter glass panel which also makes the cabin look roomier and more open.

While the regular Thar gets rounded wheel arches with cladding to match, the new five-door iteration seems to have adapted the squared-off design like most Jeep SUVs. It also gets a new design for the step between the wheels which is now an independent flat metal shape unlike the more sculpted step design of the three-door Thar. 

Mahindra will also offer a new five-spoke alloy wheel design for the five-door Thar. That immense gap in the wheel wells should translate into a fair bit of suspension travel which is useful for tackling difficult terrains. The even bigger wheel wells in the rear seem exaggerated when there is no load in the back.

The five-door Thar will retain the original’s iconic rear profile with the side-hinged tailgate and has the spare wheel mounted to it. Based on the latches above the rear windscreen, it should be able to open upwards too, which would be a unique feature as a mass-market SUV. 

A New Identity

In case you’re wondering about the massive letters behind these renders of the upcoming Mahindra model, that’s our guess for the new name of the five-door Thar. I mean, it makes sense to give your new model a powerful new name and not just call it the Thar XL or the Thar L or even the Thar 5D. Instead, we expect Mahindra to name this beast the Armada, a name fitting for something that looks as tough and is as capable off-road as a tank.

Mechanical changes expected

The five-door Thar is confirmed to feature the same rear suspension as the new Scorpio N for improved driving dynamics with the elongated proportions. Given that this version of the Thar will be positioned as a more practical version of the regular Thar it could also be offered with just rear-wheel drive instead of 4WD and bring down the entry-level prices.

It will use the same 2-litre turbo-petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines as the three-door Thar but they will likely be offered in a higher state of tune than 150PS and 130PS, respectively. The transmission options for both will likely remain the same: six-speed manual and automatics.

Updated interiors

While the cabin of the five-door Thar is yet to be seen in detail, it will likely get differences other than the new rear seats. It has also been spied in a three-row seating configuration which would be an unsurprising feature on a Mahindra SUV.

The longer lifestyle SUV should carry many of the interior details from the regular Thar such as the washable cabin, roof-mounted speakers, and rugged design elements. It could further be equipped with comforts like auto AC with rear vents, more features for the infotainment system, and a rearview camera. The safety quotient will increase as well with upcoming norms to mandate all new cars to be equipped with six airbags as standard.

Expected Launch

The new five-door Mahindra Thar is set to debut in 2023, with the launch likely in the second half. It will command a fair premium over its three-door avatar, at least for the 4WD variants, with an expected starting price of around Rs 15 lakh. This version of the Thar will rival the upcoming five-door versions of the Force Gurkha and Maruti Suzuki Jimny.