Mahindra Thar OG first drive review: The most complete Thar yet

It would be easy to mistake the Mahindra Thar OG for a facelift, given that the iconic shape has been unchanged, but the Thar OG is a comprehensive update over the second-generation Mahindra Thar SUV that was launched in 2020. There’s an all-new suspension setup and frame, subtle tweaks to the styling and features list, and electric power steering – so there’s a fair bit to talk about. Let’s go!

Mahindra Thar OG styling

The aggression of the Thar OG has been ramped up with a new and beefier-looking five-slat grille, and LED headlamps with C-shaped DRLs that are a dead-ringer for those on the Mahindra Thar Roxx. The ice cube-shaped LED fog lamps with cornering function sit higher up now, and the butch, redesigned bumper wasn't just needed for vanity. The Thar OG now has a wider track than before and along with it, the wheel wells are now filled by chunky and larger, 19-inch alloy wheels on the new top-spec ZXT variant, with lesser variants still getting 18s like the pre-update models.

Step towards the sides and apart from the Thar OG badge that has been slapped onto the right fender, there’s not a lot to differentiate the silhouette of the OG from the older Thar. Moving to the rear reveals a new LED tail lamp design which has clearly been borrowed from the Roxx, while the tailgate bears yet another Thar OG badge to clearly remind you that this is no run of the mill second-gen Thar that’s been on the prowl since 2020. You also get two new colour options called Artemis Silver and Jeans Blue to go along with the six existing colours.

Mahindra Thar OG interior

The interior now gets truffle brown leatherette seats which make the cabin feel more inviting to step into. The dashboard again is unchanged from the previous update, save for the addition of a wireless charger along with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the 10.25-inch infotainment screen. The latter didn’t work flawlessly on our media car, but we expect such pre-production vehicle gremlins to be ironed out when quality is frozen for production.

Getting into the rear seat still requires a fair bit of gymnastics, but the rear seat itself feels more comfortable and usable now. You even get a cupholder in the rear seat armrest, and you’ll be pleased to know that the Mahindra Thar OG now comes with rear AC vents and six airbags, four of them being the first-in-segment Head Pelvis Thorax Shoulder (HPTS) airbags for the protection of the front as well as the rear passengers.

Mahindra Thar OG engine and performance

The Thar OG continues to get a 2-litre mStallion petrol engine, the 2.2-litre mHawk diesel, and the more affordable 1.5-litre CRDe diesel which is offered solely with rear-wheel-drive variant, but the power and torque outputs on the larger motors have now gone up. Thumb the start-stop button which is present where you’d normally twist the key on the older Thars and you’ll notice that she’s quieter and a smidge more refined too. You know it’s still a powerful mill doing duty under the hood – if you’re curious, the petrol now makes 160bhp of power while the diesel makes a healthy 150bhp with both making 330Nm of torque – but the engines make their presence felt less than before at idle, and overall refinement’s moved closer to Thar Roxx levels.

Mahindra Thar OG chassis and suspension

The Thar OG is now based on an all-new M_Glyde 4G frame that’s lighter and stiffer than the outgoing Thar’s. The torsional rigidity is higher too, and the now wider frame has necessitated a wider track. In terms of the suspension, the Thar now makes use of DAVINCI dampers, a first for a body-on-frame vehicle, along with frequency dependent damping, and what it essentially means is that Mahindra’s engineers have been able to tune the ride and handling characteristics of the vehicle separately rather than settle on a compromised setup between the two. The front gets wishbones and the rear gets a pentalink suspension with a Watt’s linkage, similar to the Thar Roxx, and it seems that the company is trickling down the improvements from its larger body-on-frame SUV to its smaller, more hardcore off-roader.

Mahindra Thar OG driving impressions

Steering her out of the parking lot for the first time also reveals that she feels smoother to manoeuvre around, and that’s because the Mahindra Thar OG now gets an electric power steering as opposed to the earlier hydraulic power steering unit. The EPS makes it a breeze to whip the Thar OG along in city traffic and during sustained highway cruising, but I must point out that the earlier Thar with its hydraulic steering offered a fair bit more feel and precision during off-roading at the Mahindra Adventure Off-Road Academy. What Mahindra essentially wanted to do with the Thar OG as a whole was make it more refined and even more civilised, and considering that goal, the finger-light steering wheel does serve the purpose set out to achieve.

Mahindra Thar OG ride comfort and handling

Where the differences between the older Thar and the Thar OG are clearly starker is in terms of the medium-speed ride quality, when the vehicle is being operated in the 40-100kmph band. There’s still some of the jiggle that comes inherently with a short-wheelbase body-on-frame SUV but it is better controlled now. This trait shows itself through twists and turns. Expansion joints on highways are now reduced to a noise in the Thar OG rather than a thud which may have unsettled the older Thar, and at triple-digit cruising speeds and on the highways, it feels a lot more effortless to drive with the constant weaving and bobbing of the body over undulations and surface chances, which was one of the few gripes that most had with the Mahindra.

Make no mistake, this isn’t a monocoque SUV like the Mahindra XUV 7XO. Drive through a pothole too fast or fly over a speed breaker and you’ll be reminded with a lovely pronounced sway that this is a body-on-frame vehicle. We didn’t take it performance testing but the diesel-auto Thar we were driving felt sprightlier on the move and stopping power has been upped by way of adding rear disc brakes, which offer great retardation without making the pedal feel too sharp or overly bite-y.

Mahindra Thar OG off-roading capabilities

Mahindra had specially curated the trails at the Mahindra Adventure Off-Road Academy to highlight the off-road prowess of the Thar OG which hardly broke a sweat. Engage 4-Low on the transfer case, select first gear and she is frankly near unstoppable. Mahindra has now added an electronic actuation for the rear locking differential, just like on the Thar Roxx, and it only beefs up the 4x4's off-road capabilities. Nowhere did the Thar OG feel out of its depth, it was unfazed by just about everything.

Mahindra Thar OG verdict

The Mahindra Thar OG is by no doubt, the finest evolution of this generation of the Thar, and that is a considerable feat. It is more powerful, cushier and impressively capable off-road, and it no longer feels intimidating to jump into for a first-timer like the earlier Thar was. Instead it welcomes you and allows a larger audience to explore the outdoors while being an improved vehicle on several fronts.