[REagle&Firefly]

Hey folks! today's thread is about a comparison of apples to oranges.

Which is better, the

Thar or the Jimny

?

I am proud owner of a Petrol Thar AT convertible and a cute little Jimny Alpha AT.

The confusion which one to buy has been with some car enthusiasts.
Well for starters I'd say, the Jimny for the size is a lot more overpriced, but way more practical.

Stay tuned onto the thread further.

The thread will be divided into the following aspects :-

1. Engine and Transmission
2. Comfort and Convenience
3. Cabin space and Storage
4. Road manners
5. Fuel Economy

More aspects will be added onto the suggestions from fellow BHPians.

I have had the Thar since February 2023 and the Jimny since June 2023.
My driving has mostly been on Tarmac with occasional highway trips almost every month since January 2024.

Both the Vehicles are completely stock.
The Thar at the time of writing the thread has clocked 19000 kms on the odo, while the Jimny has clocked 16000 kms on the odo.

Both the vehicles have almost never seen an exclusive offroad trail (I do plan to test both of them in the next six months) but especially the Jimny has seen a decent amount of snow drive.



1.

Engine and Transmission

The Mighty Thar

The Thar is a hoot to drive, powered by a 2 Litre Petrol engine producing 150 Bhp and 300Nm of torque. It might not sound much on Paper.
More than adequate sounds an understatement when you floor it.
Paired to the 6 speed Automatic transmission, it does not skip a beat. It has one of the best Torque converters I've ever driven. It surely does only upshift around 2000 rpm. Yes, it may hamper fuel economy, but after driving a petrol manual thar I can affirm that 2000 rpm is the correct and only sweet spot where the gear change should occur.

The Engine even with the TC is extremely refined and does not whine in any situation. You floor it, you drive it gently, the engine will respond without breaking a sweat.

For the Thar, the sweet spot is till where you can push it. The Engine just keeps on going. Its the high CG of the Thar which might scare you.



The Mountain Goat Jimny

I must say the Jimny may not be fun to drive especially with the 4 speed AT, but surely gets the Job done.

The power figures of Jimny are nothing to boast about either, the 1.5 litre engine churns nearly 105 Bhp and 134Nm of torque. Enough to get the Jimny moving and unstuck out of most situations.
Surely, in order for it to be fun to drive, one may need to tune it.

The sweet spot of the Jimny lies at about 80-90 Kmph. Beyond this, the Jimny screams and whines.

In city traffic conditions, the Jimny's engine is extremely good and adapts well. It does give you the power when needed.

I've seen a lot of people spreading hate towards the 4 speed AT. In reality, I believe its the RWD configuration of the Jimny which has caused the 4 speed AT to be sluggish.

I also own an Scross paired to a 4 speed AT and I can affirm that the 4 speed AT with the 1.5 Litre K15B engine is a hoot to drive in the Scross. The same engine and transmission combo are extremely responsive in the Scross.

Concluding the Engine and Transmission aspect with picking the Thar any day over the Jimny.



(Surely the Jimny is an attention grabber. A brother-sister duo who tagged along later on!)

2.

Comfort and Convenience

The Mighty Thar

The seats on the Thar are good, supportive. They do not make you feel tired on long road trips.
The cushioning is good, The under thigh support is good.
P.S. I am 6ft tall.

The backseat is disappointing due to the uneven floor of the Thar. I've sat in it for approximately 700kms. The seats themselves are good enough, its the uneven floor that causes us to loose out on a lot of its practicality.

The suspension

Well the Thar has a good enough suspension to glide over all the potholes.
Its a jeep with lot of car characteristic now. I must say, since its my 3rd Thar, it is a lot more mature than the old ones- 2011 and 2018 respectively.

The body roll does scare you and the high Centre of gravity does add on to everything else.

All in all I'd say the Thar is a little bouncy and yes I am scared of cruising it at above 100kmph. Small undulations at that speeds aren't confidence inspiring.


(I was able to sleep on the backseat on the hills in this Image.)

The Mountain Goat Jimny

Lets first start with the seats. No Height adjustable seats! What the heck. The cushioning is less and yes, in at the stock height I had no under thigh support.
I raised the front two seats to get some under thigh support. I am happy with it now.
The seats are in general comfortable, yes more cushioning is desired. In fact needed. This is particularly w.r.t the front seats.

The back seats. Don't get me started on them.
The base of the backseat is small, Id say Tiny is the right word. Tall people above 5'9" stay away. Under thigh support is non-existent. This is best suited for kids and adults below 5'6".

I didn't find the backseat comfortable for myself.
P.S. I am 6ft tall.

The suspension

Well, where the Jimny looses out on seats, it makes it up in the suspension.
I will make a tall claim here. We had the Innova previously, 2014 and 2009, The Jimny's suspension is comparable to the Innova at least in my opinion.

It soaks up all the undulations, potholes extremely well and is quite planted. It has some amount of body roll, but it is well contained for a ladder on frame.

The suspension is on a softer side and when the Jimny is all loaded up, one can feel the rear suspension taking a beating.

Overall, the suspension is amazing on the Jimny.



3.

Cabin Space and Storage

The Mighty Thar

The cabin of the Thar is wide enough, with enough shoulder room, both at the front and back seats.

Coming to having cubby holes and storage spaces, well this is a different story. There are two tiny little cup holders just suitable for your coffee.

On the other hand, the door cards have good storage space in them, they easily house a 1L tupperware bottle. With additional storage space for a cloth or booklet.

The Glove box, well its been a constant in all generations of THAR. It is just capable enough to accommodate two medium sized phones or a charger. Come on! it should've been big.

The rear seat has no storage space.



(The small bulge you see at the rear view mirror is the 70 mai Omni Dashcam paired with a 4G hardwire kit.)

The boot

The boot, HAHA, Its non existent if you're using trolley bags. If you're using duffle bags, you can surely fit quite a few things. The boot has its challenges.

The tailgate does not open of you've pressed even some amount of luggage at the lock.

I must say, its a very impractical and irritating part, where one has to go in through the front seat, remove some luggage and then reopen all the locks to unlock the tailgate from the outside.
It has happened quite a number of times now. It's something I have to live for the time-being, but surely I'll be finding a permanent solution for this.

The Mountain Goat Jimny

The Jimny might look small on the outside, but the shoulder room due to the boxy design is taken care of. Both at the front and rear seats, the shoulder room is more than adequate for almost anybody.

Coming to cubby holes on the Jimny

The Door cards are supposed to have bottle holders. Well they are missing on all four doors. Why? Only MSIL can answer this.

The glove box is quite spacious and holds quite a bit of stuff.

The bottle holders. The bottle holders are suitable only to hold use and throw 1L plastic bottles or 750ml Tupperware bottles. My question is why can't we simply have big 1L bottle holders? Also the bottle holders are oddly placed. They do have ergonomic issues.

Well coming to ergonomic issues the placement of rear window controls is an afterthought. Its a poorly designed centre console I must say. A lot more could have done to the centre console.

Well a wooden armrest saves the day here. Its a must atleast for an automatic Jimny.



4.

Road Manners

The Mighty Thar

The Thar definitely has a good road presence. With the top down, it a turns heads even in stock configuration.

The Thar has a high Centre of Gravity and one can feel it especially during cornering. Will I ever dare to do a hard cornering with the Thar? Hell no! I wouldn't like to die this young.

Its a little bouncy as compared to the Jimny.

The Thar does unsettle on undulations which makes you lift off the gas pedal.

The suspension of the Thar stands NOWHERE to the JIMNY.

The Mountain Goat Jimny

The cute little Jimny in its Kinetic yellow colour is a head turner. It lacks road presence.

Well that is an advantage for the Jimny.
Firstly, this brings the centre of gravity down, thus making the Jimny ride like a crossover or a Hatchback till the speeds of 100 Kmph.
Secondly, navigating through traffic and seeing all the corners of the vehicle is much easier because of the compact dimensions.

The turning radius for such a little car is quite large. On paper it is more than the Thar and one can feel it in a day to day scenario.
This is particularly noticeable by first time drivers who aren't used to MPV's and/or SUV's (the OG SUV's).



5.

Fuel Economy

The method of measuring FE is tank to tank at auto-cut.

The Mighty Thar

Well its a gas guzzler. Single digit FE is what to expect out of it at all times.

City- 7.5-8 KMPL
best- 9.5 KMPL (winters)
Highway- 9.5-10 KMPL
best-13 KMPL (at a constant speed of 80KMPH)
Mountains - 7-8 KMPL It does dip lower, it all depends how heavy is your foot.

The worst FE I ever recorded was 4.5 KMPL, that was in the hills, requiring me to engage 4*4 for a decent duration, when trying to get unstuck from a patch of ice while sliding and slipping straight to hell. That was one scary moment!
One lesson was learnt that day, either do not break momentum or have snow chains even before attempting to cross a small patch of ICE/Snow.


The Mountain Goat Jimny



Compared to the Thar, the Jimny is no saint either.

City- 12.5-13 KMPL
best-14 KMPL


Highway- 14.5-15.5 KMPL
best - 15KMPL

Mountains - 11-12 KMPL


(Even with snow chains, never drive fast. The Ecco was saved by the pole. It was headed straight down the valley!)

The worst FE ever recorded was 7 KMPL, that's when we had to keep the vehicle in 4H for a significantly long duration when climbing uphill on about 2 hour long snow covered road to Auli Hill top.

MY Verdict

The Thar and Jimny both cater to a different audience.

I must say, the Jimny is extremely under-rated, thanks to terrible pricing by Maruti. If the Jimny would have topped at 15 Lakhs, it would have seen much better sales in the initial days.

If I had to pick one, I'd pick the Jimny as my primary vehicle. Yes, it need not be a secondary vehicle.

Well the heart will always belong to the Thar, thanks to it's openable roof and the Lovely engine and transmission combo.
I still enjoy and take the Thar more often for outstation trips.

The Thread is now concluded. I'll be more than happy to answer all your queries and will also incorporate feedback.
Cheers, happy motoring.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Ashdel]

Originally Posted by REagle&Firefly

The Thread is now concluded. I'll be more than happy to answer all your queries and will also incorporate feedback.
Cheers, happy motoring.

Its amazing to hear the thoughts of a owner - who owns both Jimny and a Thar (P-AT). I am a solo traveler and clock around 30K kms a year - currently own a Venue N Line (Stage 1).
I am seriously considering a less used Petrol Thar - 3 Door - 4x4 as my primary and only vehicle - any 2 cents on this please.

I am 6.3 Ft tall

[pepega]

As someone who owns both a Thar and a Jimny, I agree with you on most things! They're both a great addition to any garage. I only wish my Thar gave better fuel economy and my Jimny was slightly more powerful, but I guess we can't have our cake and eat it too!

[Utopian]

Thanks for sharing this. Although both fall in the same segment, the characteristics of both the cars cannot be any different. Considering that you have bought both within months, what was the buying psyche behind the decision? Also, from the perspective of city driving, which one would you peg higher?

[Laks]

I had recently been to Manali and the roads are filled with Jimnies. After a point, I stopped counting. I guess the compact size, 4X4 capability and the ease of access to Maruti service stations at every nook and corner of India must have made it the dominant choice in this region. On the contrary, I didn't see much Thars.

[NEWTON-METERS]

Always wanted to hear the thoughts of an owner who has experienced both of these beasts, so reading this in detail was a pleasure.

Personally, I was captivated by the Thar for the longest time. Every time I’d pass one on the road, I couldn’t help but admire its design and presence, like a kid gawking at a superbike. After one too many of these head-turning moments, my wife suggested I take a test drive and experience it for myself.

I called up a sales rep, who arrived at my doorstep that same evening. Living by the coast with hills around, I took the Thar out on both the highway and some winding roads. While my initial excitement was sky-high, I started feeling uncomfortable on the highway and winding lanes. I tried to reassure myself, thinking, This is just how SUVs are; I’ll get used to it. But then my wife, sitting beside me, said, “I think I’ll need to keep Dramamine handy for this.” That’s when my excitement took a dive.

On the highway, the Thar’s buttery-smooth petrol AT was undeniably fun—pushing the engine felt addictive. But as I hit 100 km/h, the wind noise and the unsettled feel of the ride left me less than confident. When we took it off-road, my wife, the sales rep, and I were tossed around like noodles in a wok. I tried to convince myself it was just my inexperience with SUVs.

After a two-and-a-half-hour drive (thanks to the patience of the sales rep), we headed home, with my wife feeling nauseous, probably from all the bumps. Over the next two months, I watched more reviews on the Thar, and many echoed the same: the Thar struggles with a bumpy ride on rough roads. Living in an area with pothole-ridden roads, especially after the rains, this was becoming a significant concern.

Then, I came across some comparison videos featuring the Jimny. Initially, I dismissed it, thinking, This little guy can’t compete. But then, I watched some reviews from Australia and South Africa, which praised the Jimny’s comfort and capabilities. Watching this little underdog scamper over obstacles, I started thinking, Maybe this one has some real charm.

On a whim, I called a couple of local dealers. One of them mentioned they had a Jimny ready for immediate delivery. I told him the Jimny wasn’t even on my shortlist—I just wanted a test drive, with no intention of buying. He laughed and offered to bring it over in a couple of hours.

This time, my daughter joined us, fresh from school. Right off the bat, I noticed the Jimny’s 5-door setup—so much more practical!
No need for the front passenger to get out whenever someone in the back wants to. The boot space was surprisingly decent, too, enough for my wife, daughter, and me to pack comfortably, which I can’t say about the Thar.
And despite its smaller, more understated look, it felt spacious inside—almost like the old Chevy Spark I once owned, compact yet roomy.

I asked the sales rep if I could take the same route I drove with the Thar, and as we hit the road, I was blown away by the comfort. Potholes? They felt nonexistent. I glanced over at my wife and asked how she felt, and she said, “Just like how I feel in our Skoda Rapid.”
Although i am sure it was not as compliant as our rapid but i got the gist.
The ride quality was leagues ahead—where the Thar felt old-school, the Jimny was smooth and composed.

Taking it off-road in the hills was a joy. Maruti has always been known for reliability and fuel efficiency, but I’d never felt any “soul” in their vehicles—just dependable machines that get you from A to B. But the Jimny had a different vibe, almost as if it was saying, Don’t worry; I’ve got your back. Sure, the engine wasn’t as powerful and was a bit noisy, but the roof felt sturdy (unlike the Thar’s), making for a quieter ride overall. The one downside, though, was the Jimny’s turning radius—it was horrendous.

While both the Jimny and the Thar have their weaknesses beyond 100 km/h—one due to lack of engine power, the other due to wind noise and an unsettled ride—the Jimny simply won me over with its ease of driving, parking, and handling. It fit easily through narrow lanes, and while the 4-speed automatic wasn’t groundbreaking, it worked well enough on city roads, though it struggled on highways. Letting faster cars pass you is the norm.

Here’s how I see it:

Thar’s Advantages:

Stronger engine options
Eye-catching design—honestly, I still turn my head every time I see one!
Better turning radius

Jimny’s Advantages:

Two extra doors for practicality
More reliable and easier to maintain (no turbocharger, no DPF, etc.)
Better ride quality with simpler, more comfortable suspension
Cheaper to maintain, with fewer niggles
Overall easier to live with—my wife would pick the Jimny keys over the Thar keys any day for ease of parking, compact footprint, comfort, and convenience.
Keyless entry, push button start stop
Fuel lid opening can be done by a switch , instead of using key to open the fuel lid.

I know that macho feel has a pull over us men, but for me, the Jimny just makes more sense. I have a home loan until mid-2026, so I’m hoping they don’t discontinue it by then. When the time comes, I’ll be ready to book one—or maybe even go for a pre-owned one if it fits the bill!

[REagle&Firefly]

Originally Posted by Ashdel

Its amazing to hear the thoughts of a owner - who owns both Jimny and a Thar (P-AT). I am a solo traveler and clock around 30K kms a year - currently own a Venue N Line (Stage 1).
I am seriously considering a less used Petrol Thar - 3 Door - 4x4 as my primary and only vehicle - any 2 cents on this please.

I am 6.3 Ft tall

Hi Ashdel, I would like you to take an informed decision on the basis of-

1. Running daily.
The Thar Petrol is a gas guzzler, making using it as a daily driver impractical. If your driving is less than 30 kms/day. Go ahead

2. If you wish to seat some elderly people in their mid or late fifties regularly, stay away from the Thar as your only and primary vehicle.

For the rest, I'd suggest going with the Thar Convertible. The open roof during the Hill drives gives immense pleasure, which no sunroof can match.

Originally Posted by pepega

As someone who owns both a Thar and a Jimny, I agree with you on most things! They're both a great addition to any garage. I only wish my Thar gave better fuel economy and my Jimny was slightly more powerful, but I guess we can't have our cake and eat it too!

Haha, I totally agree with you on both of these comments.

For the Thar Petrol, have you tried the Windbooster? The throttle controller? It says to improve the mileage of the Thar by a big margin.

I've driven the Jimny with the Windbooster. It makes the Jimny a lot more responsive by holding the RPM higher in each gear. But surely the Jimny CRIES in that tune.

[REagle&Firefly]

Originally Posted by Utopian

Thanks for sharing this. Although both fall in the same segment, the characteristics of both the cars cannot be any different. Considering that you have bought both within months, what was the buying psyche behind the decision? Also, from the perspective of city driving, which one would you peg higher?

Well since you're also from the Delhi NCR region, you'll feel the plight of all of us having to forcefully sell our loved possessions due to the NGT 10 year old diesel vehicles ban in 2018.

The Thar was and will always be an emotion. It's a decision of the Heart.

The Thar 2023 was bought since the 2018 diesel Thar had to be forcefully sold out due to the NGT ban. It was then completely stock and the modification plans were useless since I couldn't enjoy the vehicle by the time I was able to modify it.
We had previously sold our 2011 Thar completely modded in 2020 just before covid and we had a lesson that it is a hard sell since nobody wants to pay a fair price for a well kept vehicle, and since the Thar is a lifestyle vehicle most in the second hand market are looking for a bargain.

Coming to the Jimny- Now due to the NGT 10 year old diesel ban, for the same reason, the Innova had to be sold out, and we needed a Vehicle.

Innova does create a Void. We weren't getting a used crysta from a reliable source and 18+ lakhs in Delhi NCR for a diesel vehicle that too used for 5 years, did not make much sense financially.

Thus, we went out in the market for a vehicle. I tried the Hyryder Hybrid, since my daily commute is 65kms. The vibrations from a 3 cylinder vehicle from a 24 lakh rupee were utter disappointment to me.

Vehicle prices have soared up extremely in the past 2 years. In 2021 we bought the Scross Zeta AT for 12.5 Lakhs on road, and today for a similar spec vehicle we are paying nearly 20 Lakhs which didn't appeal.

The Jimny had already been booked before launch, and we just bought since we already had a lifestyle vehicle, a mile muncher filling 80% the shoes of Innova, and we required a 3rd vehicle. The Jimny was a quirky little vehicle which was just bought since all the other vehicles didn't appeal much for the price point to me probably just because I was hell bent on wanting an Innova back in the Stable.

Utopian, the characteristics of the Vehicle are totally different. The only similarity is the 4*4 Lever and beyond that they are two different beasts.

The Jimny is a Car while the Thar is a JEEP.

[ChauhanSaurabh]

Originally Posted by REagle&Firefly

The Thread is now concluded. I'll be more than happy to answer all your queries and will also incorporate feedback.
Cheers, happy motoring.

Very well articulated. Clearly one needs to choose the priorities and pick one. None of them is perfect. But think by method of elimination and one will definitely strike the chord.

Even if its slow this is one car after Punto that I have been able to make a connect to in the same way. Somehow the slowness in acceleration does no really result into any delays in trip timings at least for local runs(highways need patience). It cuts through traffic almost like a bike.

I am on the lookout for snow chains for my Jim. Can you share which one are you using and any +/- for same?

[REagle&Firefly]

Originally Posted by ChauhanSaurabh

Very well articulated. Clearly one needs to choose the priorities and pick one. None of them is perfect. But think by method of elimination and one will definitely strike the chord.

Even if its slow this is one car after Punto that I have been able to make a connect to in the same way. Somehow the slowness in acceleration does no really result into any delays in trip timings at least for local runs(highways need patience). It cuts through traffic almost like a bike.

I am on the lookout for snow chains for my Jim. Can you share which one are you using and any +/- for same?

Rightly said!

On the snow chains front, I'll have to write back to you with pictures, and then I'll be able to explain better.

Where are you heading out? Also are you heading out anytime soon?
That will help in deciding how much time I have in mind to give you the best possible perspective.

[ChauhanSaurabh]

Originally Posted by REagle&Firefly

Where are you heading out? Also are you heading out anytime soon?
That will help in deciding how much time I have in mind to give you the best possible perspective.

I did the Zanskar, Ladakh circuit in Oct. So next is only when snow starts. Probably a warmup snow ride to chanshal and then a winter Spiti. So nothing before early to mid Jan

[DirtyDan]

When you buy a car, you are buying a company's parts and service. Maruti far out-strips Mahindra in this crucial area. It's no small thing. Parts and Service should be a consideration in every automobile purchase.

On the other hand, my 2013 Thar still runs like new, burns no oil and has been acceptable repair-wise for 166,000 kilometers. My 2018 Thar has 56,000 kilometers on it and it has had zero repairs. Yup, zero.

I will buy a new vehicle in the spring. Don't know yet which one.

[starter]

I agree with everything except for the mileage on the Jimny.
My Jimny is shod with Continental 215 tyres on stock rims. Other than that, it is completely stock and has clocked 7K kms.
In Bangalore city, i get 9 kmpl and on highways at around 80-90 kmph, i get around 11 kmpl.
I have no idea how you are managing 15 kmpl.