Small, rugged and comparatively off-roading cars have a special appeal in most corners of the planet . The fifth-gen Suzuki Jimny has been immensely popular in various global markets since it debuted in 2018 and people who couldn’t get their hands, including Indian buyers, thereon were quite disappointed. However, Maruti brought the small adventure vehicle over for Auto Expo 2020 and therefore the carmaker has since announced that it’s looking into offering a five-door version for the Indian market. The recent success of the second-gen Mahindra Thar (waiting period stretches over seven months!) which may be a three-door offering could tempt Maruti to supply the Jimny in its global-spec version also . But if you’re curious about these cars, here are a number of the key differences between the 2 that you simply got to confine mind:
| Mahindra Thar Petrol | Maruti Jimny Petrol | Mahindra Thar Diesel | Maruti Jimny Diesel | |
| Engine | 2.0-litre turbo | 1.5-litre | 2.2-litre | 1.5-litre |
| Power | 150PS | 102PS | 130PS | 95PS |
| Torque | 300Nm/ 320Nm (AT) | 130Nm | 300Nm | 225Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed MT/ 6-speed AT | 5-speed MT/ 4-speed AT | 6-speed MT/ 6-speed AT | 6-speed MT |
Thar has more powerful engines
Mahindra offers the Thar with the selection of petrol and diesel engines while the Jimny is merely offered with a 1.5-litre petrol engine overseas. albeit Maruti offered the India-spec offering with the BS6 1.5-litre diesel , the Jimny would be down on power compared to the Thar. Here are the precise figures:
Both the Thar and therefore the global-spec Jimny are three-door offerings but the Mahindra model is significantly larger. albeit we take under consideration the very fact that Maruti are going to be engineering it into a extended 5-door version, the Jimny would still lose to the Thar in terms of width and height. just like the Thar, Maruti would ideally keep the its off-roader within the sub-4m SUV bracket so overall length will likely be similar. However, the Jimny’s diminutive proportions help balance out the aforementioned lack of performance since it’s significantly lighter too. The diesel-AT Thar features a kerb weight of 1,783kg while the heaviest Jimny features a kerb weight of 1,110kg.
Design may be a subjective topic, yes. But the comparisons drawn between the Jimny and therefore the Mercedes-Benz G-Class have populated the web since Suzuki debuted the model. The round headlamps and therefore the boxy proportions do make it appear as if a miniature G-wagon. Meanwhile, the Thar is typically perceived because the classic Jeep and is usually compared to the costlier Jeep Wrangler. Both have different approaches to an equivalent rugged appeal. While the Jimny aims for a more premium look, the Thar features a retrospective style that appeals to its fanbase.
Mahindra offers the second-gen Thar with the selection of a convertible soft-top or a hard and fast hard top from the factory, which adds to its versatility. It helps cater to both the journey enthusiasts and people who need a balance of practicality and lifestyle. Meanwhile, the Jimny is merely offered with a hardtop as one piece unlike the fitted tops of the rear section of the Thar.
Off-roading by numbers
Both cars get 4WD as standard with a low-range transfer case. Since we don’t have any numbers for the upcoming 5-door version of the Jimny, let’s compare the off-road dimensions for the three-door versions of both SUVs:
The Thar has higher ground clearance and water wading capacity than the Jimny. The Suzuki features a much steeper departure angle but the Mahindra features a better approach angle for off-roading. Both cars are very similar in their breakover angle but the Jimny edges the Thar by just 1-degree.
Jimny to be a more premium offering
Both the Jimny and therefore the Thar have a utilitarian feel to their cabins as compared to most SUVs. Mahindra really brought the Thar up to times with its new cabin that features roof-mounted speakers, a 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system and a multi-information display within the centre of the instrument cluster. However, the Jimny’s cabin seems more premium with its materials, the planning round the dials and features like auto AC.
In its global spec, the Suzuki also comes with tons of added safety tech like autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning and 6 airbags. The India-spec Jimny may miss out on those safety features but it could still get the more premium features than the Thar like LED headlamps.