Quote:
Originally Posted by justwheels Was it the Camping Co. Travel agency that provided you that vehicle. |
Yes it was.
Back to the Thar:
Visited the nearby Mahindra showroom for a quick look a couple days back. They are not providing extensive test drives yet, so I asked the SA to get in touch once they start more leisurely test drives as I am in no rush. Interestingly their test drive vehicle was a Black AX 6 seater variant!
On to the showroom Thar experience:
- Driver seat has an extensive range of adjustments for height. It can also be pushed far enough back to make pressing the clutch all the way a bit of a stretch for my 6'1" frame. I don't foresee anyone having trouble finding a comfortable driving position.
- ORVMs are internally adjustable. Tall but not too wide, will have to check how that effects drivability during the test drive. I suspect a slightly wider mirror would have definitely been useful. Also, they aren't electrically foldable, a feature I have used quite a bit on my XUV500 while squeezing past stopped vehicles in traffic.
- The infotainment system seemed responsive, no noticable lag or signs of cheapness. The wider frame does seem to be asking for a larger screen though.
- Sound quality was average. Extensive options for equaliser settings are available to tune it to your taste, but I foresee an upgrade in speakers for anyone serious about the sound quality. Another oddity due to the location of the speakers is that when the fader is set to a central position, the front mounted speakers are completely drowned out. You have to move the fader significantly towards the front to get a balanced sound stage.
- Overall fit and finish seemed decent, but a few rough edges can be spotted. One such rough edge was on the rear glass panel lower beading, where notches had been cut/scraped out at the place where the glass meets the vertical inner beading on both sides.
- A couple plastic rivets holding down the floor matting have gone missing. I foresee this being a common occurance in daily use. The mat material as already noted is lacking grip, easy to clean but could be a hassle when passengers are getting in and out. A set of rubber mats are a must buy accessory.
- Checked the mounting points for the hard top and I would speculate that load bearing carriers could be mounted over the mounting points on the hard top. The rear mounting point is on the roll cage, so any roof rack mounted correctly would put load directly onto the roll cage and body mount points of the A and B pillar below. The key issue will be waterproofing if mounting 'through' the hard top.
- As other members have speculated, the front portion of the hard top seems to be easily removable. I could see it's lined with rubber beading similar to the door seals, so it might not even be a case of needing silicon sealant or the likes. Obviously this is something that we will only klnow once some brave chap decides to take it off and get a closer look at the mechanism.
- Trunk space is non existant. The bigger negative is the folding seats which create a very awkward boot area even when the seatbacks are dropped. Also, the seatback had a hollow feel (the fabric backing could be pressed into a ccouple inches), so even that is not a flat surface. Basically the seat back frame and then hollows in between. One workaround I had been thinking of would be to remove one half of the rear seats entirely, but using a single bench for the entire width has put paid to that plan.
- Cranked the diesel engine and it seemed quite refined considering it was inside the showroom with the doors open. With the prices the way they are, and the similar drivability and power ratings of both the petrol and diesel engine, I think it's going to be a difficult task to decide on your choice of fuel. It might just boil down to the reported fuel efficiencies and the the sub-zero abilities of petrol (thinking mountain adventures in snow season).
- Also, I must mention the passenger seat sliding mechanism. It was very easy to operate, even while I sat in the driver's seat. Lift up the latch on the shoulder of the seat and it simultaneously folds and springs forward to make room for rear passengers. Pleasanlty suprised, and quite impressed by the mechanism.
Some misses on the Thar:
- Lack of "clever" features. While it is now loaded with what get labelled comfort & convenience features, I feel Mahindra could have added a few simple touches to make it seem like they were thinking beyond just the package being sold as it is.
- Lack of rear 12v socket has already been pointed out.
- Missing external mounting points for accesories is a glaring miss on a vehicle that will be extensively modded by the buyers. Selling winches and roof top tents is a good thing, but I see no mention of front bumpers or roof load carriers on which these accessories are supposed to be mounted. A roof mount system should have been an obvious design element for them to consider, seeing the absolute lack of storage space.
- Interior storage spaces. There are essentially none. A joke of a glovebox, a couple of bottle holders in the doors and that's about it. They definitely could and should have given more thought to these elements. This is even more disappointing because the XUV500 is the total opposite and shows Mahindra has the capability of cleverly integrating storage spaces.
Awaiting the test drive, and then the dilemma begins. How long to wait before booking? Which engine to go with? Which transmission to go with? Should I go with the convertible top, and wait for the aftermarket to come up with a more comprehensive hard top solution? Wait for Mahindra to implement an easier to pop out hard top? An endless barrage of questions swirl the mind, and this is before planning for future mods to improve the tourability of the Thar!!
Closing with my takeaway -
We aren't enamored by the car that is the Thar, it is the possibilities a Thar brings with it.