Mahindra Thar Roxx: Versatile Enough To Be Your Only Car – Detailed Review | Auto News

Now, with the launch of the 5-door Mahindra Thar — named Mahindra Thar Roxx — Mahindra has addressed all these concerns. The Thar Roxx not only remains off-road capable but also stands out in terms of on-road driving dynamics, compared to the 3-door Thar. It’s now more modern, with many advanced features added. It can even be used as a family or traditional SUV. 

Hi, I am Lakshya Rana. I had a chance to drive Mahindra Thar Roxx. Here is what I have discovered after taking it for a spin.

Mahindra Thar Roxx: Design

Let’s start with the design, as it has been one of the major factors behind the popularity of the 3-door Mahindra Thar. The new Mahindra Thar Roxx retains the typical Thar silhouette. However, it is larger than the 3-door Thar, with an extended wheelbase and several new design elements to give the overall design a refreshed look.

At the front, it gets a new grille, new C-shaped LED DRLs, and round LED headlamps. The bumper has also been slightly tweaked, with fog lamps and a front camera module integrated into the grille. The front fascia looks impressive and exudes an aggressive SUV design.

Coming to the side profile, higher variants offer 19-inch alloy wheels, while lower variants get 18-inch steel wheels. The alloy wheel design isn’t overly attractive but complements the overall design. The ORVMs have side modules for the 360-degree camera. Door hinges are visible, adding rugged and tough appeal to it.

From the side, the SUV doesn’t look inordinately long, despite the wheelbase being extended by around 400 mm, which increases the overall length and provides more interior space. A few things, however, seem odd, like the front door handles being in black finish while the rear door handles are body-colored.

The Thar has often been criticized for resembling the Jeep Wrangler in design. Mahindra has tried to address this with the Thar Roxx by tweaking the design significantly. If you were to place the Wrangler and the Thar Roxx side by side, you would notice a clear difference.

The rear glass opens upward, and the door swings outward. The spare tire is mounted on the door, with a 360-degree camera module integrated into the mount. The rear glass also has a washer and wiper, which is a nice touch. Compared to the 3-door Thar, the rear lighting setup has also received minor changes.

If you overlook a few things, the Mahindra Thar Roxx looks impressive. It has a strong road presence and dominates the road with its design. The design effectively demonstrates its power and capability.

Mahindra Thar Roxx: Interiors & Features

Compared to the 3-door Thar, the interior of the Thar Roxx has undergone such a transformation that, at first glance, it doesn’t even feel like a Thar. Almost everything has been updated. The cabin is now more feature-loaded, giving off a luxurious vibe. The use of a light color scheme makes the cabin feel more airy. Overall, the quality of the materials used in the cabin is good and gives a premium feel.

Let’s discuss each aspect one by one, starting with the driver’s seat. If you are very healthy and about 5’11” or 6 feet tall, you might feel slightly cramped, and the seat might seem a bit small. However, if you’re below 5’11” or 6 feet, and have a fit or slim build, you likely won’t feel this way. The good thing is that the driver’s seat is electronically adjustable. 

Three people can easily sit side by side on the rear bench seat, which is quite comfortable, even for the person sitting in the center. The full flat floor allows to offer more than adequate legroom. The rear seats are 60:40 split-folding and each has a 5-step recline to get a comfortable seating posture.

The steering wheel has the necessary controls, although it only adjusts up and down, not for reach. Behind the steering wheel, the Thar Roxx features a 10.25-inch driver’s display, which is fully digital. It is the same display that we have seen in the Scorpio N and provides multiple vehicle and driving-related information. However, its UI and graphics seem a bit outdated. 

It also gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment display, which has a sorted UI and graphics. The screen is easy to use, and the touch response is good. It supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. However, during the 7 to 8 hours we had the SUV, wireless Android Auto disconnected automatically three times and then reconnected on its own, which was a bit weird.

Another nice aspect of the cabin is that there isn’t an over-reliance on the touchscreen for controls — there are physical buttons too. Plenty of physical buttons are used on the center console for multiple controls. Mahindra has equipped the new Thar Roxx with ventilated front seats, ensuring comfort in summers, with the control button placed at the center console. 

All the window controls are now placed on the driver’s side door, whereas in the 3-door Thar, they were located near the gear lever on the left-hand side. The Thar Roxx also offers automatic climate control, cooling the cabin effectively. The airflow and throw are good as well. The controls for operating the panoramic sunroof are located near the cabin lights.

It comes with 35+ standard safety features, including 6 airbags, 3-point seat belts, and seat-belt reminder for all seats along with passenger airbags on/off for child safety, ISO-FIX child seats with top-tether, etc. Further enhancing the safety, it gets ADAS level two suite with 10 features including Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), blind view monitor, and adaptive cruise control.

The quality of the 360-degree camera isn’t exceptionally good, but it can be categorized as decent. When you activate the indicator on either side, the camera feed from that side is displayed, making turning easier while driving. Mahindra has equipped the Thar Roxx with a Harman Kardon 9-speaker system, and the sound quality is also decent. The SUV offers a boot space of 644 liters, which can easily accommodate 3-4 cabin-sized bags.

The SUV supports Adrenox connectivity with 80+ features, including Alexa integration and wireless Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, ensuring seamless connectivity and convenience. Most of the Adrenox connectivity features are the same as the Scorpio-N.

Ride, Handling & Performance

It offers two engine options: a 2.0L turbo petrol and a 2.2L diesel unit, producing 177PS with 380Nm and 175PS with 370Nm, respectively. Transmission choices include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic. The lower variants of the SUV come with RWD, while the higher variants feature a 4WD configuration, demonstrating its off-road capabilities.

I drove the 2.2L diesel, 6-speed manual, 4WD variant. Although I didn’t get a chance to test its off-road capabilities, after driving it on-road for about 200 km, it’s clear that this could be your daily ride. Despite being built on a body-on-frame structure, the ride quality feels somewhat like that of a monocoque chassis. The body roll is well-managed.

Mahindra has made significant improvements to the chassis, focusing on reducing weight while slightly stiffening it. It features the Penta Link suspension with a Watt’s linkage, which enhances ride quality and is noticeable during driving. Compared to the three-door Thar, the ride quality has improved significantly. However, it’s still not on par with the Scorpio N category. 

The SUV handles well at high speeds, maintaining control, but at low speeds, the ride quality isn’t as smooth and can feel lumpy. Both Thar 3-door and Scorpio-N, have a lot of body movement on an uneven road, but the Roxx feels much more settled. 

The steering is light and progressive, thanks to the use of electric power steering, unlike the hydraulic steering setup found in the 3-door Thar. Even at triple-digit speeds, it gives you enough confidence. Overall, it can surprise you with its ride quality and handling.

The 2.2-litre mHawk diesel engine in the Roxx stands out with its impressive performance. With a broad torque band, it delivers smooth power from low revs up to its 4,700 rpm redline. Producing 172hp and 370Nm of torque, it’s more than capable of handling off-road challenges and making highway drives effortless. The 6-speed manual gearbox is smooth and does the job well.

The strong mid-range and low-end torque make the diesel Roxx a better choice than the petrol variant, and it’s easier on the wallet too. This diesel engine on the Roxx set the benchmark for refinement. At low revs, it’s hard to distinguish whether you’re in the petrol or diesel variant. Only a slight diesel hum emerges when you push the engine hard.

In fact, refinement is where the Roxx truly shines, thanks to excellent sound insulation that keeps unwanted noise at bay. The suspension, engine, and road noise are all well-muted, and even the aircon blower is quieter than in other Mahindra models. The NVH levels are really commendable.

Mahindra Thar Roxx: Price & Verdict

Mahindra continues its tradition of launching products with highly competitive pricing, and the Roxx follows suit. The entry-level MX1 variant starts at an astonishing Rs 12.99 lakh, while the top-end AX7L (4×2) variant is priced at Rs 20.49 lakh. The prices for the 4×4 variants are yet to be revealed, but they are expected to be significantly higher.

The Roxx stands out as a product that can serve as both a rugged off-roader and a practical daily driver. Unlike the 3-door Thar, the Roxx is versatile enough to be your only car. It blends the tough, body-on-frame construction with the comfort, features, and safety typically found in more urban-focused SUVs. Mahindra seems to have another hit on its hands with the Roxx.