The vastness of the Thar desert is bewildering, as the dunes rise and fall and then rise again to reveal great swathes of sand that run right across the border into enemy territory. It is one of nature’s greatest wonders and a place that many drivers rave about, particularly those who have had an outing in the dunes in a Mahindra Thar, just like I did a long time ago.
I was amazed at how easily the Mahindra Thar was able to conquer the sand, giving me a very different perspective on its capability. In 2017, I encountered the Mahindra Thar at its training ground, the Mahindra Off-Road Training Academy in Igatpuri. There, I flirted with its cousins while participating in Mahindra Adventure’s Off-roading Trophy 2017 in the Media class. However, despite exploring the capabilities of the Scorpio, even the TUV300 was enticing. However, what ultimately won me over and earned me the trophy was the Mahindra Thar.
Eight years later, in 2025, I was back at the same place, standing face-to-face with the same nameplate; however, this time, it was the latest iteration of the Mahindra Thar. It was time to put it through its paces, but not on the tougher sections at Igatpuri, but on a milder part of the off-road academy. Why the milder part? It made sense when Mahindra revealed that this is just a mild; wait, you thought I was going to give up the information so soon. Keep reading to uncover more about the 2025 Mahindra Thar.
To begin with, the 2025 Thar still looks butch and continues to impress with its muscle; however, look closely and you will see that it now comes with a face painted in the same colour as its body. A new, blueish-grey shade is added to bring some vividness. The bumpers now receive the dual-tone treatment; however, the more significant development is the introduction of the rear windscreen wiper hidden behind the spare wheel mounted on the tailgate. This spare wheel also hides the new rear-view camera.
After going through the changes on the outside, it was time to meet my old friend, the Mahidnra Off-Road Training Academy mud-track. As we headed into the track, I immediately noticed that the 10.2-inch infotainment screen is new, but wait, it is from the Thar Roxx. Impressive and intuitive. It also comes with Mahindra’s Adventure Stats Gen 2, which allows you to monitor the multiple aspects of the Thar while you are off-roading. I thoroughly tested it and found it to be very informative.
In terms of mechanical changes, the Thar remains unchanged, with the same chassis and suspension. Therefore, the driving dynamics and handling on the road should remain unchanged. Unfortunately, we only drove it off-road, so I will stick to how it was on the mud track. Returning to things that have stayed the same, the new Thar continues with the same 2.0-litre mStallion Turbo-petrol engine, producing 166PS and 300Nm, and mated to either a six-speed manual transmission or a six-speed automatic gearbox (320Nm). For diesel options, Mahindra has kept things simple with the RWD (rear-wheel-drive) variant, which features the 1.5-litre mHawk turbodiesel engine producing 119PS and 300Nm. This engine is mated to a six-speed manual gearbox. Alongside it sits the 2.2-litre mHawk turbodiesel, which produces 132PS and 300Nm and comes with either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. Performance-wise, the 2025 Mahindra Thar remains the same – strong, capable and rugged, at least for off-roading and why not? It inherits genes from the legendary Mahindra Classic, a competent off-roader of its time.
Coming back to the cabin of the new Thar, I was pleasantly surprised to see more Thar Roxx elements on the inside, as the centre console is now almost identical to its younger sibling, but finished in all black with a Thar plaque on the passenger side. Even the handbrake lever and the cup holders have switched places with each other, forcing the new one-touch window switches to the doors. Rear passengers get the same seats, but now they can enjoy the ride better in the second row, thanks to the new AC vents at the back. Other changes include new upholstery, a new steering wheel from the Thar Roxx, new grab handles on the A-pillar for easy ingress and egress, a sliding armrest with soft padding, incorporated directly from customer feedback, and an internally operated fuel lid.
Driving the updated Thar felt a lot more comfortable compared to my first time around the Igatpuri academy in the old Thar. However, I did not miss it’s off-road capability at all as the new Thar provided ample of it as it gobbled up the articulation section like it was nothing, and went through slushy water pits like it was walking the runway at a fashion show, and going up a hill through slippery mud track and then taking a U-turn to come back down the same way was as easy as the Thar dominating the sales charts. I was impressed to see that it has retained the same DNA despite a generation change.
The 2025 update for the Thar may be a small one; however, it makes a difference in customer perspective as it is now closely aligned with the Thar Roxx, and the prices start from ₹9.99 lakh (ex-showroom). However in 2027, the Thar is set to receive a significant update with the introduction of the Mahindra NU platform, which is what we are eagerly awaiting. We have already seen the hints of it in the concepts, and we can’t wait to go around Iagtpuri once again in the NU Thar.
