[dr_TJ]

My ownership review of the Mahindra Thar LX Hardtop, Diesel AT

A topsy-turvy car buying experience in a span of less than 2 years. This is my first ownership report of a car here in the forum but the write-up begins with my experience of buying and owning my first car, Ford Ecosport and how I ended up buying the Mahindra Thar. Also featuring a mini farewell note on my Ford Ecosport AT - Maverick.
In this review, I will make comparisons between the Ecosport AT and Thar AT.
But, rest assured, this is the ownership review of my Mahindra Thar LX HT Diesel AT, christened Gray Ghost (A homage to the Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 Gray Ghost Stealth fighter Jet)

I love Fighter Jets

Prelude

Last year,January 2020, pre-pandemic times, I decided to buy my own first car. Tata Tigor XZA+ was the choice (4 Star GNCAP Safety Rating being the primary reason plus the looks), wanted to own a Tata product because I am indirectly connected to Tata company. But the booking experience was annoying, I ended up booking the BS6 Facelifted Nexon XZA Plus Petrol (With the Facelift, front end looked great but never liked the rear-end of the Nexon).
But then, the Covid Pandemic and the associated Lockdown started. Once the Lockdown was eased slightly, Tata Dealership informed me to pay full Downpayment before shipping the car from the factory stockyard just because its an automatic. I was furious at this information, Dropped buying a Tata car immediately.

After lots of brainstorming, decided not to settle for an AMT at this price point.
Finally, selected the Ford Ecosport Titanium+ AT. I got the car delivered to my home on 29th May, 2020. Other car in the Garage, Celerio AMT being the daily commuter car, Ecosport AT saw less roads. Reserved only for the weekends.

15th August 2020, Mahindra unveiled the new gen Mahindra Thar and boy oh boy it was such a awesome thing to look at (Except the front Grill)


Image from the Internet

Having bought a Ford Ecosport just few months prior, I had no means to accommodate this beast but never say never. It was on my wishlist.
2nd October, 2020, Mahindra launched the Thar and the pricing was high, quite a hike from the previous gen Thar but with no rivals, the price was ok.



I decided to wait for the initial niggles to be sorted before I seriously consider bringing a Thar home, in 1-2 years time(No other option as well cause I had no money)

Came 2021, by May 2021, Ford's exit rumours gathered more strength and I got worried. I thought about selling the Ecosport and getting myself the new Thar by 2022. Another issue along with the exit rumours was the car loan of the Ecosport was a big problem with no Part-payment facility and I have to manage my finances for home construction works as well.

Considering the reported long waiting period,
9th July, 2021,I placed a booking on Mahindra's m2all.com for Rs 5000. But the booking was never acknowledged in the system and so had to make a booking via Dealership on 30th July, 2021 by paying the balance of Rs 16000 for a total of Rs 21000, the Actual booking amount needed. (Bad booking experience but anything for the Thar).
I made a separate thread on my Mahindra Thar booking experience here (Total booking confusion | Booked Thar on M2all.com, but Mahindra has no clue! EDIT: Refund received). Rs 5000 was refunded and I got my Thar with a booking amount of Rs 16000

In the meantime, Ford Ecosport AT turns out to be a tough sell. Barely any serious interest/queries because its a Petrol Automatic. Petrol prices were very high. Also, People generally associate any Big car with diesel. Automatic adoption is very less in my location. (Which in turn helped me to get early delivery of my Thar)

Heartbreak

9th September, 2021, Ford India finally called quits and broke the hearts of many enthusiasts


Source: Autocar India

[dr_TJ]

Meanwhile

I got an offer of a cancelled booking of a Thar Diesel Automatic, co-incidentally of my exact booking specs, Hard Top, Automatic, Diesel and Gray color. (I have my doubts about the cancellation story. I think, that the Dealership got this car for me cause the Diesel Automatic is the most expensive variant, with the least demand for ATs in my place and higher profit margins, also the booking issue which I complained about on Twitter and a thread here on the forum).
But with complexities of getting a new car loan and the higher cost of the Thar, I even considered getting another Compact SUV with a good Automatic Gearbox after selling off the Celerio AMT to stay alongside the Ecosport AT as a Stop-Gap measure, just in case, I could not sell the Ecosport, or to borrow some time to find a suitable buyer, or just drop my dream to own the new Thar. I made a separate thread about this here (Which Compact SUV / Crossover to buy | Or should I wait?)
Cars considered were

• Maruti Suzuki Vitara Brezza AT (ZXI+)
• Maruti Suzuki XL6 AT (Zeta or Alpha)
• Maruti Suzuki S Cross AT (Zeta or Alpha)
• Kia Seltos Petrol iMT and Diesel AT (HTK+)
• Kia Sonet Diesel AT or Petrol iMT (GTX+)
• Toyota Urban Cruiser AT ( Premium Grade)
• Mahindra XUV300 W8(O) AMT, Petrol or Diesel. (Only Considered it because I already had a Mahindra booking and its a good car albeit with an AMT)

But as it turned out, None of the above cars could change my mind. I did visit Maruti Suzuki Arena and Nexa showrooms, Kia Showroom as well. But the Suzuki 4 speed AT with no manual control was a no go for me (Considering the 6 Speed AT of the Ecosport is kind of lazy even with 6 cogs and paddle shifters). Kia and its poor safety ratings never made me seriously consider their cars, unless there was no other option left.

Finally Decided

With the tension of Ford's Resale. I mastered up some courage (read insanity) and some money and decided to bring home the Thar. Sold my old mate, Maruti Suzuki Celerio

Goodbye Mate

Started my interaction with HDFC bank, decided to get a loan for the Thar along with the ongoing loan of the Ford Ecosport.


11th October, 2021, on the eve of Durga Puja, I bought home the Gray beast, Thar.


Thar getting ready for Delivery
My attainable Dream car/Truck

Why Thar?

Buying decision was mostly taken from the heart. But when I think about it now, what else could have been considered with my main requirements of Torque Convertor Automatic, Minimum 4 star safety Rating, 15-17 lakh budget as per my loan capacity and relatively Compact size (Length of the vehicle). Not to mention, a car from a Brand which won't call it quits from India. (Are you reading this Ford India?).

Reason to choose the Diesel AT over the Petrol AT is because of the fuel economy and tank range. And with my sale experience of my Ecosport Petrol AT, people associate a big car with Diesel. Everytime I visit a Petrol station, The pump attendent will ask multiple times if I am sure, the Ecosport takes petrol. Not to mention, no takers for a big Petrol SUV considering the fuel prices and the Fuel efficiency figures of Ecosport AT.

I wanted to keep both the Ford Ecosport AT and the Thar.
This was the main thought behind getting the Thar home instead of the above-mentioned compact SUVs.
It would have been an awesome Garage, Ecosport AT alongside the Thar.

Goodbye Maverick, Goodbye Blue Oval

However,
My financial situation made me sell the Ecosport. The Buyer was quite persuasive and already having a Automatic car in his garage, he was genuinely interested in buying it. The deal was done, so I finally decided to sell the Ecosport AT and rebuild my finances.


Maverick
Same pose for Celerio and Ecosport


Sunday, 24th October, 2021. The Ecosport AT was handed over to the buyer. A midway point was selected for the meet up near Kaziranga National Park.
Also happened to be the first long distance trip of the newly bought Thar. Ecosport was driven by a driver accompanied by my Father, and the Thar was driven by me, accompanied by my mother. Return trip was all 4 in the Thar. I got to know about the Thar's Road manners (On Good Highway Roads and Almost non-existent roads).

My experience with the Ecosport AT.
Pros:-

• Great driving dynamics
• Solid build quality
• Powerful engine
• A all-rounder package with a Torque Convertor AT whereas its rivals have AMTs.

Cons:-

• Ford India management
• Lazy AT gearbox. Sometimes I felt my Celerio AMT shifts gears faster in manual mode compared to the Ecosport AT even with Paddle Shifters input (only in first 3 gears)
• Lack of Android Auto or Carplay, although I don't use it often but in case you need it, you don't have it. Sucks not to have this feature in this price range
• 1.5l 3 cylinder engine and its NVH is not that great when compared to a 4 Cylinder motor.

Yes, selling a new car this early is plain foolishness, also it was a significant financial hit for me but now my mind is at peace, not having to worry about plummeting resale values, after-sales service, Two Car loan EMIs etc
But honestly, I would not like to go through such an experience again.

[dr_TJ]

Pre-Delivery Experience

25th September, 2021, I called up the Mahindra Dealership sales personnel regarding my decision to bring home the Thar, to which they told that they need to take up the matter with Mahindra higher ups for re-allotment of the booking, post Cancellation. I decided to make a visit to the showroom to have a look at the Thar. They parked the Thar inside the Showroom. It was a short visit. The first glimpse of the Grey Thar, and it was just awesome to look at.



Got myself the Price Quote and left for home.
Showroom Experience - Poor
Excitement Level - Still very high after looking at the Thar

Meanwhile I contacted HDFC Bank for a car loan and was very happy with the interaction. The car loan personnel patiently replied to all my queries and cleared all my doubts.
Came 5th October, I informed the Sales personnel regarding my PDI that day, along with the accessories to be installed.
Arrived at the Showroom at around 2:40 pm for my PDI. Initial PDI was good for me.

5th October, 2021 was the date of unveiling of the new Mahindra XUV700 at the Dealership, here in Tinsukia, Assam. The showroom was completely empty and was being prepared for the XUV700. Although, I couldn't wait for the XUV700 to arrive at the Dealership.
I visited the bank after the PDI and filled up the Loan forms and submitted the required documents.
During my return, I managed to catch a glimpse of the XUV700 at the showroom floor.

By 7th October, the loan was approved.
With Durga Puja next week, It was upto my parents to decide a date. Initially, 14th October was decided by my parents and a alternate date was on 11th October. I got my leaves approved for 13th and 14th October. Got busy with work thereafter.

But on 9th October, 2021, the Dealership and Bank informed me regarding their Holiday on 14th and 15th October. So I decided to bring home the Thar on 11th of October.

Delivery Day

With a hurried decision of bringing home the Thar on Monday, 11th October, 2021, I informed both the Bank and Dealership on the finalised decision and to get the documents and the car ready. I left from work at 11 am to the Dealership.
Will present a cheque in the Dealership for the Downpayment and visit the bank for signing the agreement.
But busy day at work, delayed my plans by an hour. Reached the Dealership, The Thar was being prepared for delivery. I deposited my cheque and left for HDFC bank to sign the agreement. HDFC Personnel was ready with all the documents and It was done in a few minutes.
Came back to the Dealership and did an inspection of the Thar once again. Few accessories were still not fitted, so pointed that out. And now, I wait. Deposited Cheque had to be cleared by the bank(SBI), and HDFC needs to email the loan sanction letter before the Thar is handed over to me.
So, I left for home again for lunch and returned to the dealership by 3 pm.
The Thar was now parked at the Delivery area right in front of the exit ramp.




Meanwhile XUV700 was the only other car parked in the showroom





3:30 pm, I got a call from my Hospital staff regarding few patients awaiting consultation. So, I had to leave the Dealership in Tinsukia for my Hospital, which is in Chabua. I informed the sales personnel about the matter, completed all the documents signing, Performed the puja and clicked some photos and left for work.
My parents and the driver stayed back in the Dealership for delivery of the Thar.
Durga Puja season, so the traffic was congested. Somehow I managed to reach my workplace by 4.20 pm. I was done with all the work by 5.10 pm.
Called up my father to know about the status of the delivery, to which he said that, there seems to be some delay from the bank in clearing the cheque (SBI server issue). So, I was heading back to the dealership, midway, my Father called to inform that the Thar is ready to be delivered and he can bring home the Thar with the driver. Original Plan was the Driver driving the Thar accompanied by my father and Me following in the Ecosport accompanied by my Mother, so this slight modification is well within the plan. I decided to catchup with the Thar on the Road, Tinsukia By-pass. 5:45 pm, while I was waiting at the By-pass road, I got a glimpse of the Grey ghost on the Ecosport's ORVM. All the tiredness instantly disappeared, it looked so awesome.
The Thar is coming home.

Finally

The Thar was home after an eventful day.


On-Road price of the Thar was 17.5 lakhs. Thanks to some Price revisions by Mahindra.
Ex-Showroom Price was Rs 15.24 (Inclusive of TCS)
I got the insurance from the Dealership.
Got the Extended Warranty for the 4th Year.

[dr_TJ]

Niggles encountered:

1. Next day of delivery, I find the black tip of the AC vent central knob missing. So, glued a black plastic plug on it to make it look ok.
   
   
   Picture is from fellow Bhpian Saugat, I had the same problem
   
   
   Made a Jugaad to make it look ok
   
   
2. Knocking Sound from the left rear drum brakes when braking from speeds above 60 kmph. Heard the sound when driving to Kaziranga National Park. After 2 days, Got it to the service center, they opened the left drum brake assembly and cleaned it up. No more knocking sound thereafter.
3. Rattling sound from the rear glass/tailgate area when driven over rough patches. No solution yet. Can't detect the origin of the rattle.
4. Burning smell from the right rear wheel area, under observation as of now.
5. Instrument Panel restarts all of a sudden or remains blank with the key in ignition. Under observation.

Accessories Added:

1. Black Appliques on the Headlights, Tail lights, ORVMs, Door Visors or Rain Guards, Door Protector, ornamental strip just below the window line and a few more.
2. Ordered Mahindra's genuine Reverse camera and Bug Deflector from m2all.com.
   Got the reverse camera installed during the first service. Installation took a really long time and the required software for the camera to display on the HU couldn't be installed that day.
   Got the software updated after 2 weeks.
   
   
3. Installed the bug deflector myself
   
   
   
4. Ordered a Steering wheel cover from Amazon and stitched it on myself.
   

Mods Done:

1. As previously mentioned, Stock AC vents are fragile, so I changed the AC vents to Mercedes AMG styled AC vents. Footwell lights were added as well although color control is not connected to the AC vents LEDs, both are powered from the same source.
   Sort of complex DIY but it was good at the end. DIY thread is coming up soon.
   
   
   
   
   

Mods Planned:

1. Planning on adding LED Projector Fog lamps with switchable Color temperature mode. Research work is on. Planning for a DIY install. Suggestions required.
   
2. Puddle lamps for the Doors. I plan to tap the power wire from the cabin lamp (Door open position). Will place the LEDs below the door, that will keep the wiring within the cabin. Or should I place the LEDs below the side foot steps? That will require channeling the wires through the Firewall.
   Which one would be better?
   
3. Auto-dimming IRVM. Although there is no specific Mahindra compatible Auto dimming IRVM and sourcing one from China is turning out to be expensive. I plan to add a Honda Auto-dimming IRVM (used by BHPian ChiranjitP on his Swift) and Frankenstein the mount and get it working on the Thar.

Initial ownership review of Thar Diesel HT AT

The Thar is my first body on Frame proper SUV and a First Diesel car. Previously owned cars by me and my father are Hyundai Grand i10 Petrol MT, Maruti Suzuki Celerio AMT Petrol, Ford Ecosport AT Petrol. Compared to them, the Thar is completely different to drive.

Pros:-

• Beast of a truck. Commanding Driving position and unmatched street presence.
• 4 star Safety rating by Global NCAP
• Awesome Torque Convertor AT gearbox, although the gear shifting action between P R N D & Manual Mode feels unrefined but the gearbox shift logic and shift quality is superb. Compared to Ecosport AT, this one is a huge improvement.
• This being my first Diesel Car/Truck. I was amazed by the refinement of the 2.2l mHawk Diesel. Although not as silent as a petrol motor but once the engine has warmed up, the refinement levels are great.
• Coming from Ecosport AT, the Thar's fuel economy and driving range is a significant upgrade to me.
• Modding and DIY Friendly. I like that.

Cons:-

• Poor underthigh support of the front seats. I am 5ft9inch tall and I really dislike the lack of underthigh support. I would compare the Thar's seats to my Maruti Celerio than the Ford Ecosport
• Not so good service center experience. Time taken for servicing is extremely long. Niggles solving is totally upto the owners describing ability and suggestions.
• Rattles and niggles crop up out of nowhere.
• With BS6 norms, Diesel engines need DEF and DPF+SCR in case of bigger engines. There will always be tension related to DPF clogging.
• Microscopic Boot space. Wish Mahindra could have made some slight tweaks to generate slightly more usable boot space.
• Lack of some must-have features. A reverse camera should have been standard on the top variant. Also, Auto-dimming IRVM, but even the XUV700 doesn't get it. Radiator protection should have been factory fitted as well.
• Having to pass on the key to the fuel pump attendent during fuel fillups. Although with good tank range, Fuel pump visits are not very frequent.
• Dashboard design element near to the central console fouls with the left knee.
• Meaningless cost cutting, the spare key is just a Switch-blade key.
• Mudflaps have a glaring gap and mud splashes on the side steps
  
  

The Details and The Quirks & Features

Thhhiiissssss
Is the New 2021 Mahindra Thar, and its a fun SUV
(If Doug DeMuro puts up a review of the new Thar)

Exteriors

Design

With its retro styling, Mahindra has been able to retain the Jeep silhouette. The styling is macho and draws attention on and off the road. Matte Black Hardtop, LED DRLs,
Classic round headlights, big 18 inch wheels, LED taillights, Tail gate mounted Spare Wheel, all add to the eye-catching design of the Thar. I really love the design and this played a major role in the buying decision.
Even from an unbiased perspective, the Thar's design is eye-catching and macho.





However, the front grill design could have been better, Although in Black or Grey color, the front grill looks somewhat ok. I plan to add a Jeep Wrangler JL inspired front grill in the near future.



Exterior Fit and Finish

The exterior build quality is sturdy. The bonnet and tail gate has a good amount of heft to them, the doors feel well built as well. No flexing in the body panels, reassures me about its sturdy built.
However, the side foot steps has a bit of flex when used and makes me concerned about its long term durability.
As far as Fit and Finish is concerned,
compared to the old Thar, this is in a different league, but I will not compare it with a modern day crossover. Not being biased here, but the Thar is a different class of vehicle and a buyer should set his expectations accordingly in my honest opinion.

Ground Clearance

My Thar being the LX variant, I have 226 mm of ground clearance which is plenty good for my on-road, rough road and mild off-road usage. Although the radiator should have been better packaged by Mahindra with bash plates right out of the factory.

Maintenance

First service (Inspection) at 1000 kms (will elaborate my first service experience further down this thread) and a service interval of 10000 kms.
I would have preferred a first inspection at 2500 kms (like with my Ford Ecosport) so as to be more familiar with the vehicle before the first service.

Interiors

The Cabin

I was skeptical about the all black interiors of the Thar, and felt it will make the interior feel claustrophobic, thanks to spending few years inside the cabin of Maruti Suzuki Celerio with beige overdose and the new Ford Ecosport AT with good amount of beige in its interiors.
However, the all black cabin of the Thar is easy to adapt. And specially when I drive in a sunny day, the all black cabin is easy on the eyes.
As far as styling of the dashboard goes, it is functional and well laid out, except for the MID control buttons to the lower right of the dashboard.
Hard plastics all around with few rough edges but quality is acceptable.
The Hardtop has a roughen finish on the inside as well, and dust sticks to it easily. And we either have to rub it with a brush or a Vacuum connected to a brush. A microfiber towel just gets stuck in the tough texture of the Hardtop.
There is some amount of flex in the Roof when closing the doors.
Aftermarket headliner would be a good investment, but needs to be well executed.

Interior Fit and Finish

Interior fit and finish could have been better obviously but depends how someone judges the interiors and what are his expectations. I made a point to never judge its interiors based on its price tag and comparing it to cars of similar price range. Instead, one must consider the intended purpose of this vehicle.
That being said, Exposed bolts of the Hard top looks good to me, but the exposed wiring of HMSL looks bad to me.


Even the Rear Defogger connectors could have been covered with some plastic caps.
Few Plastic panels don't line up properly and at the rear, Bolts of the Hardtop are misaligned.


In short, The Interior fit and finish needs improvements, even if the overall setup remains the same.


Cabin Storage

Cabin storage is well-designed in my opinion (well almost). Bottle holders on the Door pads with some space left for extra stuff. A well-placed storage tray below the AC controls, along with 2 USB ports, AUX and the 12V socket. The storage tray is much better to park your cellphone compared to the Ford Ecosport's slot on the center console, I used to hate that. There are two deep Cup holders towards the rear of the center console as well with a removable rubber base. These cup holders are easily accessible for the rear passengers.
But, on the other hand, we have a microscopic lockable glove box and the funny part is that, the car's owner's manual does not fit in the glove box.

For the Rear, there is not much option of storage except for the seatback pockets. Additionally there is a foldable bag hook at the back of the left front seat, I find it very useful.

Ingress & Egress

With a ground clearance of 226mm, we have to climb up with the help of the side footsteps and get seated. Ingress to the front two seats requires less effort compared to the rear seats.
Ingress to the rear seat is tricky, we have to fold forward the left front seat with the lever, and then climb up the side steps and set foot on the rear foot area. Needs a bit of practice. But even my 60-year-old mother and 62-year-old father has managed to get seated at the rear without much of an issue.
Egress, on the other hand, is tough. For the front seats, it's still relatively easy to exit the cabin, whereas for the rear seat passenger, the Egress procedure requires careful foot placement and patience. With practice, its doable for most individuals.
Being a 2 door jeep, it does not score any points in practicality and as a family hauling vehicle. I have a Family of 3, Me and my Parents, and Space is adequate for us. However, anyone looking to get the Thar as their only car, needs to look elsewhere or wait for the 4 Door Thar.

Driving Ergonomics

Once inside the cabin and in the driver's seat. The high seating position is very likeable. It provides a commanding view of the road. I personally prefer a high seated vehicle over a low slung car, maybe because of the bad roads here. The steering wheel is adjustable for rake, but not for reach. The driver's seat gets height adjustment along with the usual Back rest angle and Forward and backward adjustments.
Driving ergonomics is good, and I could easily find a suitable driving position within few minutes. Although, there are a few ergonomic issues, firstly the dashboard design towards the center console is designed in a way that it fouls with the knee sometimes. Also, there is no dead pedal, although being an Automatic, there is space to rest my left leg. The Front seat lack proper underthigh support, although back support is good, thanks to availability of lumbar support adjustment.


Dashboard design element which fouls with the left knee

Steering wheel is well sized, with thumb contours, Audio control buttons on left side and Cruise Control buttons on the right side of the horn pad.
Hornpad's reachability is good for me. But the issue with the horn is, it is too loud inside the cabin.

Frontal visibility from the driver's seat is great, but the view towards the side is hampered by the wide B Pillar. Rear visibility is also quite poor, mainly because of the tailgate mounted spare wheel.
The IRVM is small and just about manages to show us a view of the rear, which is already limited with the spare wheel. Also, the IRVM has a manual day-night adjustment which is of no help in protecting my eyes from rear high beamers at night. An Auto-dimming IRVM is a must-do mod for me, which I shall try soon.
The ORVMs are tall but narrow compared to ORVMs of other cars. This is because of the Tall design of the Thar. I have added two blind spot convex mirrors to help with some additional visibility of the rear.



Note the view on the convex blindspot mirrors, can see more of the ground underneath

Rear Passengers

After the tricky climb towards the rear seat, the rear seats in itself has a good amount of headroom and knee room. But the atypical placement of the rear seats makes the foot well very narrow and the feet room is tight. Also, it's a strict two-seater at the rear, and the two rear passengers seat close to each other.
Saving grace is the adjustable backrest angle and adjustable headrests (although in just two positions). I experienced the rear rear seat ride quality myself before I made my parents sit on the rear seats. The ride is bumpy at the rear. Speed breakers are to be taken with care inorder to prevent the rear passengers getting tossed above the seats. We need to brake for the car to slow down, once the front wheel cross the bump, we need to apply brakes again for the rear wheels. This improves the comfort at the rear. Relatively short day trips are doable for the rear passengers but overnight long trips are better not undertaken.

AC system

The AC is plenty powerful and cools the cabin fast. But the blower at setting 1 is unusually more powerful than normal and hence noisy.
Their is air leakage from the windshield defogging vents and causes fogging of the windshield, such irony. But I have encountered this during my road-trip in the evening phase of the drive.
Solution is to place a towel over the windshield defogging vents.

Touchscreen HU and audio quality

My Thar LX is fitted with a 7-inch Touchscreen HU, and 6 speakers (Two speakers mounted on the dashboard, two speakers on the roof and two tweeters between the two speakers on the roof). The HU has wired Android Auto and Apple car play, I would have loved to have wireless Android Auto and Apple Car Play. The HU has few niggles. Sometimes, It refuses to recognise an Android Auto connection request. A restart is needed to get the connection working again.
The Touchscreen felt laggy to me, the touch response could have been better.



The interface is simple but boring. Irritating thing is everytime I start the car, HU starts in Radio and not in the last used source or my preferred source of music.
I use Bluetooth for music playback and sometime, the HU refuses to connect to my phone, need to restart to connect.
Audio quality from the atypical setup of the Thar's speakers is good enough for me. Well, I am no audiophile, clear vocals and punchy bass is good enough to impress me. The Ecosport with its 6 speaker setup sounded better to my ears, also the better NVH levels on the Ecosport helped with the audio quality. In case if the Thar, the audio quality is slightly above average, a 6.5/10 for me.

Boot Space

The boot of the Thar is tiny. And with the rear seats reclined to a comfortable angle, the usable boot space is microscopic. Thankfully, Thar gets 50-50 split folding rear seats to help increase the boot space, albeit with no rear passenger. Also, if a flat loading space is the need, the Rear seats can be removed, I see 4 bolts for the rear seat mounting, so it is doable with proper tools. Moreover, there are a few aftermarket solutions like sliding rear seats or tumbling rear seats.

Few Interesting Points

1. Mahindra's Reverse camera is installed on the rear bumper like the rear parking sensors and the camera's angle can be adjusted. Few other reverse camera options, like the Blaupunkt DH02/DHO4 is mounted just above the numberplate. But in my opinion, as far as we can adjust the angulation of the camera, the camera view is fine.
Night time visibility is good enough on the Mahindra camera even without any LED or infrared lights. It also shows fixed Guidelines on the HU display.

Night time visibility of Mahindra's Reverse Camera

The camera needs to be pointed downwards, which gives a better view behind. In order to adjust the angulation of the camera, we have to use a 1.5mm HEX key on the top the camera. We can also rotate the camera lens to orient it properly.

HEX key slot for Camera adjustment

2. There is a Gap between the Side steps and the fender/wheel we lining. Even the official front mud guard is of no use. It does not cover the gap. End result is, with a short drive over muddy roads, the side steps gets dirty.


Similar gap is present between the bumper and the fender at the front



3. The Air Extractor is located on the tailgate, it is located between the rear spare wheel mount. Generally the Air Extractor is placed behind the rear bumper on most cars. With the Ecosport, which also has a tailgate mounted spare wheel, air extractor vents are present behind the bumper.




4. How a Thar looks without its Tail gate mounted spare wheel?
Well, here you go

Credit to fellow BHPian Tanveer02, a Convertible Thar without the tailgate mounted spare wheel

It looks quite weird to me

[dr_TJ]

https://youtu.be/gudz1O8BqtI

About the Heart

My Thar has the 2.2L, 4-cylinder mHawk turbo-diesel makes 130 BHP @ 3,750 rpm and 300 Nm @ 1,600 - 2,800 rpm.
This is my First Diesel car, and I am really liking it. The low-end Torque is very usable. It is smooth and peppy. There is a mild cabin shake up at cold start up and another shake up on shut down.
I will rate that similar to the 3 cylinder Start up and shut down shake up of the Celerio Petrol and Ford Ecosport Petrol. But once we are past the start-up, the mHawk 130 on the Thar is pretty smooth. NVH levels of the engine alone is very amazing. Infact, at high speeds, I hear more of tyre noise and wind noise, Engine is pretty silent.
I always start the engine with my foot pressed on the brake and shifter in P or N. But the engine can be started without the brake pedal pressed in P or N although I would not suggest this. Once I let go of the brake, the Thar crawls at a speed of 8-9 kmph, which I must say is slightly higher than I am comfortable with. The Ecosport AT would creep at 7 kmph, Celerio AMT at 6-7 kmph.

For the first 1000 kms, I tried not to rev the engine above 2500 rpm. After 1000 kms, I drove the Thar at 100 kmph briefly and also took the tachometer near to 3000 rpm.
The engine and gearbox is well tuned and it does not require a whole lot of throttle to get going and for overtaking slow moving traffic.

About the Automatic Gearbox

Special mention of the Aisin sourced 6 speed Torque Convertor AT.

The 6 Speed autobox needs a special mention cause it is that special. My first long term driving/ownership experience with an Automatic transmission was with the Celerio AMT. Which is not hi-tech, it was jerky and relatively slow and once past 15000 kms, juddering at low speeds was pretty evident. But since I drove it in Manual mode always, I never had any major issue with the Celerio AMT as far as driving experience was concern. Then came the Ecosport AT with a 6 speed Torque Convertor with Paddle Shifters. The 6 Speed AT on the Ecosport is lazy and even with Paddle Shifter input in Sports mode, the actual gear change took its own sweet time in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears. I found the gearbox confused with my heavy footed driving style and I would not get the correct response. Hence, I drove in Sports mode for manual control with paddle shifters. Having said that, Ecosport AT is still better than any AMT any day.
Compared to all of these, the Thar's 6 speed AT is superior.
Super smooth gear changes, Shift logic is good and it has been mated very well with the mHawk 130.
With normal accelerator input under normal driving condition, Up shifts are done around the 1900-2000 rpm region. I found the gearbox tune to be on the aggressive side which inturn makes it so good to drive. Interestingly, 5th Gear is engaged at around 80 kmph and 6th Gear is engaged only when past 90 kmph.
Thanks to the 6th gear, at 100 kmph, the engine is at a relaxed 1700 rpm.
The Gearbox also has manual control, Forward for Upshift and backwards for Downshifts. I am more used to the Front for downshift and back for Upshifts setup of the Celerio AMT, having driven the Celerio AMT for 45000 kms out of which 90% is in manual mode.
Having said that, The Thar AT does not need manual inputs for any on-road usage pattern, it is that good.
Manual control will come handy in off-roading.
Kick down for acceleration is fast and smooth.
Loving it.

Off topic: Wish Mahindra could provide a Aisin AT gearbox in the XUV300, it would have been a fantastic combination.

Braking

The stopping power from the Front discs and rear drum brakes is adequate.
At high speeds, the brakes feel good enough when used. But nose diving is evident on braking.
Brake pedal feel, Brake bite and progression could have been better. I would have liked a bit more bite from the brakes.

I feel there is slightly more free play on the brake pedal.


Take note of the excess free play and side to side play. Feels fragile to me

NVH

The Engine has very good NVH levels. And my Thar being a Hard Top, overall cabin NVH is also better when compared to a soft top or Convertible Soft top Thar. No way, the NVH can be compared to the Ecosport Petrol though.
Engine noise is barely heard inside the cabin, its the tyre/road noise and wind noise that is heard inside the cabin at speeds above 60 kmph.
Anyone planning to own a Thar, needs to have a check on his expectation levels.


Usage Pattern

As of now, Thar is being used for my daily commute, with a usage of 25-30 kms a day, in the weekdays, Slightly less on Saturday. Daily usage pattern might see an increase in Kilometers in the future.
On Sundays, I make it a point to drive the Thar for 100-120 kms on the Highway.

Fuel Economy

With my usage pattern, I am getting a MID indicated average fuel economy figure of 12.8 kmpl. Maximum I have seen so far is 14.5 kmpl.

First Road trip

My first road trip on the Thar was a 500 km road trip, not just any road trip, it was also the farewell trip for my Ford Ecosport AT. Trip was from Chabua - Kaziranga (Kohora) - Chabua.
Thar was driven by me and my mother as the Passenger, Ecosport was driven by a Driver and my Father as the Passenger. All done in a day with a total stoppage time of roughly 2 hours in between.
Took the newly constructed Tinsukia - Dibrugarh By-Pass road uptill it connects to the old NH-37 at Borboruah, Dibrugarh.
The new by-pass road is very bumpy and few unmarked speed breakers are present (I am well familiar with these). I tried not to rev the Thar above 2200 rpm and speeds below 80 kmph. Had to make a quick return to home after driving for 3-4 kms from home, because we forgot the papers of my Thar. Meanwhile, the Ecosport was well ahead of us because it could easily maintain 90-100 kmph.

My impressions of driving the Thar during this trip:

• Loved the driving position, I got a clear view of the road well far ahead. Towering over most cars on the road, helps to get a good view of the road to lookout for any bumps or potholes.
• The Chabua Kaziranga journey was me as the driver and my mother as the Passenger.
• Dibrugarh - Tinsukia By-Pass road is very bumpy and few rough patches are also present. The Thar's steering provided constant feedback of the roughness of the road as well as the Bumps made the ride bouncy. Although, from the front seats, there was no problem.
• Once on the NH-37, due to on going 4 lane construction, there are a lot of diversions and the general condition of the road is very bad. I got the taste of the infamous kickback feature of the Hydraulic power steering of the Thar. And also the side to side movement of the Thar. Took some time to manage a suitable speed to tackle these rough patches.
• As pointed out by most reviewers, the Thar's ride is never settled. It has a constant movement, be it up and down or side to side. In no way, it can replace a Dynamically sorted Ford Ecosport. But with the right expectations level, the Thar is still manageable on a road trip.
• Being a Tall and heavy SUV, quick direction changes is never its forte, and I made it a point to always remember. With sane steering inputs, this can be taken care off.
• Things that impressed me on the road trip was the fuel tank range and the fuel economy.
  The Fuel efficiency figure was nearly 14 kmpl. The Thar was cruising happily at 80-90 kmph on a few good sections of the Highway. The engine was relaxing at 1600-1700 rpm.
• the 6 speed AT is such a delight to drive. All sorted shift logic and shift quality is quick and very smooth. I will rate this 6 speed AT in a different league compared to the lazy 6 speed AT of the Ecosport.
  
• I noticed the first niggle of the newly purchased Thar. Upon braking from speeds above 50 kmph or above, I heard a knocking sound from the left rear side. This got me worried, and I decided to get the Thar checked at the service center the very next day.
  
• Reached Kaziranga at around 12:30 pm, nearly 1 hour and a half behind the Ecosport.
• Handed over the Ecosport to the new buyer and started our return journey. The Driver, Me in the Front seat, My parents at the rear seat. I drove half way (Roughly 100kms) and the driver drove the rest.
  
  Summary of the short trip
  
  Apart from the knocking sound, Thar was ok on the road, no where as comfortable as the Ecosport or Dynamically sorted. But with the right levels of expectations, the short road trip was good. Few points to always remember, No surprise steering inputs and Direction change requests, Thar does not like it. Slow down to a suitable pace to reduce the bounciness at the rear. And with rear passengers, make sure to be extra cautious on speed breakers and sharp bumps.
  I briefly travelled in the rear seats as well during the trip. The ride is doable with low expectations level, I would compare it with the Maruti Suzuki Celerio's rear seat ride quality. My parents had a few complaints from the rear seats, Lack of arm rest, and the empty space on both side of the seats. Keeping a check on the speedometer helped a lot with the rear seat comfort.
  But a non-stop trip of 250 kms or above will be physically tiring.

Repair

Next day after the trip, I had to sent the car to the service center in the Afternoon to get the knocking sound checked. They did some test drives and made a booking for drum brake cleaning, next morning. With 750 kms on the odo, the Thar was in the service center for its first repair.
They removed the left wheel and opened up the left rear drum. Cleaned the drum and brake shoes and after a test drive, they claimed that the issue is fixed. I enquired if I need a full drum brake assembly or Brake shoe replacement, to which they told me to report back if the issue recurs.
So, far, the knocking sound has not recurred.

1000 kms First service

My first service was due. After 26 days, Thar was nearing 1000 kms on the odo.


Meanwhile, I ordered Mahindra's genuine reverse camera from m2all.com, also a Bug deflector.
The 1st service is just a inspection, I had no niggles to report, so I expected a quick 1st service experience. However, the washing took a long time, the reverse camera installation also took a long time.
And in the end, the software required for the HU to display the reverse camera input could not be installed.
I got it installed after nearly 2 weeks. Now I have reverse camera functionality.
However,
My Thar's HU had the option of Ecosense in the car info tab. It showed the Ecosense score.
But after the software update for reverse camera functionality, the Ecosense tab is gone.




Interface before the software update


Interface after the software update

My Feedback/Suggestion for Mahindra

In case, anyone from Mahindra come across this thread, Please consider my suggestion for a Thar Update/Facelift.

• A better Radiator design, which does not end up low right in front of the car, and the much required Radiator protector should be factory fitted as part of the standard package.
• A bigger glove box please, or some other lockable storage in the cabin.
• A bigger usable boot
• Better Front seats, with better I mean, Better underthigh support
• 6 Airbags

Few points which could make a perfect Thar for me

• A Naturally Aspirated Free revving Petrol engine with relatively good power and Torque figure. Why? No tension with DPF issues and emission norms. Less complexity cause of no turbocharger.
• Less Electronics like BLD at the front, instead I would prefer user selectable Front and Rear Differential locks.
• I have to mention it again, A better designed Radiator, which should not prolapse below the front bumper. Better underbody protection straight from the factory.
• A Bigger boot with some added length to the vehicle even in it's 2 door avatar
• Few more roof options, Full Metal roof, Removable Hardtop Panels like Jeep Wrangler/Ford Bronco. I would prefer a full metal roof.
• 6 Airbags, Rear washer and Wiper, 360 degree Camera with off-road visibility modes

Few Random pictures of my Thar













I am about to complete 2000 kms on the Thar.

Will keep this thread updated

[Aditya]

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

[Nair.V8]

dr_TJ congratulations on you prized possession. Looking forward to further updates on this thread. Those Mercedes style AC-vents really uplift the interiors! Please do share the link/place from where you got these. I will consider getting them on my Thar once it is delivered.

[tilt]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

*SNIP*

3. The Air Extractor is located on the tailgate, it is located between the rear spare wheel mount. Generally the Air Extractor is placed behind the rear bumper on most cars. With the Ecosport, which also has a tailgate mounted spare wheel, air extractor vents are present behind the bumper.*SNIP*

Pardon me if this is a dumb question - would you kindly explain what this "air extractor" is all about? Alternately, if you could just give me a link to read, that would be fine too. Thank you.

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

*SNIP*

I got the taste of the infamous kickback feature of the Hydraulic power steering of the Thar. *SNIP*

Once again, would you kindly elaborate/explain what this is about?

Thank you and cheers

[Naztone]

Dr TJ; Firstly Congratulations on your new ride, I too am curious to know what an air extractor is and what purpose it serves.
Also Thank you for an honest review, u have stated at multiple points that as long as expectations are managed then the thar is on par for the course

This is I think a very important distinction when you buy vehicles such as these

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by Nair.V8

dr_TJ congratulations on you prized possession. Looking forward to further updates on this thread. Those Mercedes style AC-vents really uplift the interiors! Please do share the link/place from where you got these. I will consider getting them on my Thar once it is delivered.

I got my AC vents from carplus.in. These are also available in Amazon now. I did a DIY installation with
help from the seller about how to remove the vents. I did the wiring myself.
I am compiling some photos for my DIY Thar AC Vents replacement thread here.
We need to remove the Left and Right side part of the dashboard for the AC vents replacement.
Which variant have to booked?

Originally Posted by tilt

1. Would you kindly explain what this "air extractor" is all about? Alternately, if you could just give me a link to read, that would be fine too. Thank you.

2. Once again, would you kindly elaborate/explain what this is about?

Thank you and cheers

1. Air Extractor is for the air inside the cabin to escape from the cabin when we close the car doors. Hence helps to equalise the pressure.
It is basically few rubber flaps arranged like louvers, normally present behind the rear bumpers. You might also notice few slots in the plastics in the boot area of cars which helps the air to reach the Air extractor behind the rear bumper.

2. Steering of the Thar is a Hydraulically assisted steering. When any of front wheels encounters a big or sharp bump, it jerks rather sharply, thus kickback.
Renault Duster is also known for the steering kickback.
In most other cars, Steering feedback is damped to certain extent

[soloTraveller]

Congrats on the Gray Ghost!

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

Boot Space

Also, if a flat loading space is the need, the Rear seats can be removed, I see 4 bolts for the rear seat mounting, so it is doable with proper tools. Moreover, there are a few aftermarket solutions like sliding rear seats or tumbling rear seats.

Bimbra has rear seat slider assembly for new Thar but seems the rear seat frame has to be modified to do this fitment. Rear seat frame will have to be cut and also welded to the accessory slider, this would need to be done properly and because I didn't have confidence with the vendor here in Trivandrum I decided not to. Once they cut the front bracket in rear seat structure we won't be able to go back to stock seat mode (if you decide not to have sliders) without welding back the bits we cut off.

It would be a convenience to have rear seat sliders especially when you have kids in the rear seat (who wouldn't need much leg room) for increased space for luggage.

Has anyone done the rear seat slider mod successfully?

[Nair.V8]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

I got my AC vents from carplus.in. These are also available in Amazon now. I did a DIY installation with
help from the seller about how to remove the vents. I did the wiring myself.
I am compiling some photos for my DIY Thar AC Vents replacement thread here.
We need to remove the Left and Right side part of the dashboard for the AC vents replacement.
Which variant have to booked?

Thanks for sharing the details, will check them out. I've booked the petrol A/T hardtop variant. Decided to go with petrol since my usage will be mostly on weekends.

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by Naztone

Dr TJ; Firstly Congratulations on your new ride, I too am curious to know what an air extractor is and what purpose it serves.
Also Thank you for an honest review, u have stated at multiple points that as long as expectations are managed then the thar is on par for the course

I have explained about the air extractor in the previous post, Air Extractor is for the air inside the cabin to escape from the cabin when we close the car doors. Hence helps to equalise the pressure.
It is basically few rubber flaps arranged like louvers, normally present behind the rear bumpers in most cars.

Glad that you liked my review.

Originally Posted by soloTraveller

Congrats on the Gray Ghost!

Bimbra has rear seat slider assembly for new Thar but seems the rear seat frame has to be modified to do this fitment. Rear seat frame will have to be cut and also welded to the accessory slider, this would need to be done properly

Thanks

Sliding and Tumbling rear seat mods are available now, but requires extended modifications.
Might be very helpful for few owners but the execution of the work needs to be perfect.
A thing that is always my concern is I don't see any mechanic use a torque wrench, even in the Mahindra Service center, I have not seen anyone use a Torque Wrench. If the bolts/nuts are not tightened to proper Torque numbers, these kind of seat mods can be dangerous.

On the other hand, a slight increase in the length of the Thar would have liberated a bit more boot space. I somehow like the set up in the new Force Gurkha, the rear seats looks to be very comfortable but rear passenger ingress and egress is via the tail gate.

[Kapany]

Originally Posted by dr_TJ

I have explained about the air extractor in the previous post, Air Extractor is for the air inside the cabin to escape from the cabin when we close the car doors. Hence helps to equalise the pressure.

So is it really a thing for air pressure inside the cabin to be different? The cars aren't that well sealed right? Also, wouldn't opening the window a crack eliminate this issue (if it exists)?

[dr_TJ]

Originally Posted by Kapany

So is it really a thing for air pressure inside the cabin to be different? The cars aren't that well sealed right? Also, wouldn't opening the window a crack eliminate this issue (if it exists)?

Its mainly for pressure to escape during closing of the doors and the Tail gate (or hatch door for other cars).

Yes, Cabin seal is not very good like other cars but the Hardtop is better when compared to the soft top Thar.

As per as opening a window for the pressure to escape when closing the doors, we all have noticed this. When we close a door of a car, it is relatively easy to close it, if any other door of the car is open or a window is open. If not, we need to apply more force. Air needs to escape via this air extractor valves in order to prevent any damage like cracked glass or so.