The second-gen Mahindra Thar has been witnessing an enormous demand as evident by the 20,000 bookings it received in October 2020. The carmaker recently temporarily halted bookings for the cheaper AX Std and AX variants given their lower demand than the AX (O) and LX variants. Now, Pawan Goenka, director at Mahindra, has revealed that the new Thar is already sold out until May 2021.
In order to cater to such an enormous demand, Mahindra has already announced that it’ll be increasing the Thar’s production from 2,000 to 3,000 units per month starting January 2021. The demand for the AX (O) and LX is perhaps high because they’re the more practical variants with front-facing rear seats and therefore the option of either a soft or hard top. Another factor that would contribute to its surge in demand is its recent four-star performance at the worldwide NCAP crash tests. It could also get front-facing rear seats right from its base variants.
Apart from these features, Mahindra has also equipped the second-gen Thar with keyless entry, height-adjustable driver’s seat, control , and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Safety features on offer include dual front airbags, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and rear parking sensors.
Mahindra offers the Thar with both all-new petrol and diesel engines. While the petrol engine may be a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit good for 150PS and 300Nm (MT)/320Nm (AT), the diesel may be a 2.2-litre unit that produces 130PS and 300Nm. Both the engines get a 6-speed manual unit as standard, while a 6-speed automatic also can be availed as an option. As a Thar staple, 4×4 drivetrain is standard on both the powertrains.
The new Thar is out there within the range of Rs 9.80 lakh to Rs 13.75 lakh (ex-showroom). While it doesn’t have any direct competitors so far , it’ll go up against the upcoming second-gen Force Gurkha. Mahindra’s SUV also takes on similarly priced compact SUVs like the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Renault Duster and Nissan Kicks.