Mahindra Thar

What to know about the Thar

The Thar is the cheapest way into a real off-roader in India, and it does not soften the definition to get there. Ladder frame underneath, solid axles front and rear, coil springs for a little manners, part-time four-wheel drive with a low range on the top variant in this listing, and 226 mm of ground clearance that turns a rutted farm track into a scenic route. The boxy shape is not nostalgia for its own sake: the windshield frame sits forward of the tyres, the seats are upright, and the side panels come off, which is the point of the whole exercise.

On the diesel shown here, the 2.0-litre four makes 150 bhp and 320 Nm, and the torque number is the one that matters off-road and with four adults aboard; a turbo-petrol variant sits lower in the range for buyers who live in a city and rarely visit a dirt track. The claimed 14 kmpl is generous, the boot figure of 570 litres reflects the rear-happy packaging of a vehicle where the luggage rides behind the axle line, and seating is for four because a bench that fits three across a 1,818 mm body is a lie everyone agrees to.

Driving it on road is a distinct art form. The steering wanders in a way you stop noticing after a fortnight, the body float on a broken expressway asks for earlier braking than a crossover would need, and the ladder frame clunks audibly over expansion joints like an old friend clearing its throat. Against that, the three-star Global NCAP score and dual airbags are the segment’s honest ceiling, and nothing else at this money will climb what the Thar climbs. This is a hobby car that commutes, not a commuter that camps occasionally, and it is far more interesting for being that.

• Ladder frame with solid axles
• Part-time four-wheel drive option
• 226 mm ground clearance and removable side panels