5 Things We Love About The Mahindra Thar OG

When you hear about a car getting a facelift, you generally think that the manufacturer has done a mere cosmetic job, added a few features, and called it a day. But not Mahindra, and especially not with the three-door Thar. You really can’t just do a basic nip-and-tuck with your second best-selling nameplate now, can you? 

Once you look past what the brochure has to say, a few things really stand out about the new Mahindra Thar OG. Here are five things we absolutely adored about it. 

That Off-Road Stance Which Still Demands Attention

If there ever was one thing that was instantly distinguishable about the three-door Thar, it was its design. Short wheelbase, high ground clearance, flared wheelarches, and the tailgate-mounted spare wheel were elements we always loved about the Thar, and Mahindra did a great job by not changing that. Well, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? 

Its stubby proportions make it a very unique-looking vehicle on the road, and that itself earns brownie points from us. 

Performance For Fun

It was never the case that buyers complained that the three-door Thar was lacking power. However, Mahindra thought the Thar OG needed a boost to help improve the on- and off-road dynamics. The engines are punchy and smooth, which make for a pretty decent driving experience.

There’s now enough oomph for a proper overtake in the city and enough grunt to climb almost all hills one can drive on. 

Off The Roads, Forever

Now the subheading may sound a bit ominous, but in fact that’s a commendation of the off-road skills of the Thar OG.

What helps is the brilliant approach, departure and breakover angles of the revised Thar. It is built on a legacy of hard-core off-roaders, and it still stands by it.

DaVinci Resolved 

The previous three-door Thar, due to its platform and chassis components, had a very stiff ride. In addition to the hydraulic power steering, manoeuvring it in the city became a chore.

With the new Davinci dampers with a frequency-dependent damping setup and Pentalink rear suspension (first introduced in the XUV 7XO), the SUV has become a much easier car to live with on a daily basis. 

Finally Feels More Upmarket

The Thar OG brings its A-Game in terms of material quality, especially with the new leatherette upholstery on the higher trims.

The Thar OG becomes a much more comfortable car because of this, and also because of the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen, a 6-speaker system and other goodies. 

ZigSays…

The Thar OG isn’t trying to be the sensible SUV in the Mahindra lineup, and that’s precisely where its appeal lies. Its three-door layout does compromise on practicality compared to the Thar Roxx, but it keeps the formula simple: a compact footprint, serious off-road hardware and plenty of old-school Thar character. If practicality takes a back seat to adventure, the Thar OG makes a strong case for itself as the more focused off-roader.