Here’s What Each Variant Of The Next-gen Mahindra Thar Packs

Mahindra celebrated the 74th Independence Day of India with the unveiling of its long-awaited second-generation Thar. It will be offered with a choice of petrol and diesel engines as well as an automatic transmission option for each. The new Thar will be available in three variants: AX, AX Option and LX. While there is still some time before the new Thar launches on October 2, let’s find out what each variant has to offer:

AX

 

Kicking off the list is the base AX variant in the 2020 Thar’s lineup. The most barebones variant in the lineup now gets way more features than the previous Thar. It packs front fog lamps, LED tail lamps, 16-inch steel wheels, a fixed soft top, a 12v socket, manual IRVM, central locking, rear parking sensors, and HVAC with Eco mode. Safety equipment consists of dual airbags, ABS with EBD, seatbelt reminder, brake assist, and snow chain provision for tyres. Off-road goodies include mechanical locking differential, removable doors, washable floor with drain plugs, and welded tow hooks at the front and rear. It misses out on a brake locking differential. 

Being the base variant, it is aimed towards hardcore adventure junkies and only comes with the soft top and the usual jump seats in the rear. It is missing bits such as a convertible or hard-top configuration, a roll cage, 3-point seatbelts for the rear passengers, dual-tone bumpers, 18-inch alloy wheels, steering-mounted controls, remote keyless entry, a USB charging port, height-adjustable driver’s seat and cruise control. It also doesn’t have any form of entertainment system. This variant is only offered with a 130PS/300Nm 2.2-litre diesel paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox. 

AX Option 

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Heading over to the AX Option middle variant, it doesn’t get many additions over the base AX, so don’t expect a big price difference. It still misses out on an entertainment system, fabric upholstery, steering-mounted controls, cruise control, lumbar support, a roll cage, ESP, 3-point seatbelts for rear passengers, and an automatic option for either diesel or petrol engines. Here’s what it does get over the AX variant: 

• Convertible soft top (for diesel and petrol) or hard top configuration (only for diesel)

• Forward-facing rear seats with a tip and slide mechanism in co-driver seat

• Height-adjustable driver’s seat

• Power windows in front doors

• Remote keyless entry

• 150PS/300Nm 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine

LX 

 

The LX variant is the cream of the crop in the 2020 Thar’s lineup. It gets all the features of the AX Option and plenty more equipment in its arsenal that also makes it the most practical version of the Thar yet. However, the petrol engine is exclusive to an automatic gearbox in this variant, unlike the diesel which gets the choice of both manual and automatic. The petrol-auto gets a small 20Nm bump in torque output too. Here’s what you get in the top-spec LX variant over the AX variants:

• Dual-tone bumpers

• Moulded side foot steps

• Convertible or hard top configurations in both petrol and diesel engine options

• Roll cage

• 18-inch Deep Silver alloy wheels 

• Fabric seat upholstery

• Steering-mounted controls

• USB charging port

• Cruise control

• Lumbar support

• 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

• Voice commands and SMS read-out

• Electronically operated HVAC controls

• Follow me home headlamps

• Electronically adjustable ORVMs

• Tyretronics (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System)

• 3-point seatbelts for rear seats

• ESP with roll-over mitigation

• ISOFIX child seat mounts on rear seats

• Brake-locking differential

• Automatic transmission

 

Expect the 2020 Mahindra Thar to be priced from Rs 9.5 lakh to Rs 13 lakh (ex-showroom). It will take on the likes of the Force Gurkha and the upcoming Maruti Suzuki Jimny.