Mahindra Thar Roxx

What we are driving here is the rear wheel drive petrol automatic version of the Mahindra Thar Roxx. It is powered by a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that makes 174bhp and 380Nm of torque. As for the gearbox, it’s a six-speed torque converter automatic. How does all that feel behind the wheel? Starting with the gearbox, there is a slight delay when you mash the throttle. It doesn't shift down immediately but as for the actual business of moving the gears up and down, it is spot on. It's smooth in bumper to bumper traffic and it will pick up any gear nicely. The only time you will feel it's a little clunky is when it's cold and you are shifting from drive to reverse or the other way round.

The 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine is from the Thar 3-door and it remains a strong engine once it’s on boost. It doesn't do a great deal at low revs. It almost feels underwhelming and to make the most of this strong engine you will have to rev it past 4,000rpm. That’s the thing with this petrol version. If you are in the right gear doing the right RPM, this fairly huge SUV is always ready to sprint. Flat out, it will get to triple digit speeds in no time, especially when you switch the drive mode to Zoom which makes everything more reactive so your engine, the gearbox and the overall throttle response. At this point, the 6-speed automatic is right up there, executing quick and smooth gearshifts.

Overall NVH is where the Thar Roxx is better than the Thar 3-door. Of course, it's much better than the soft top model but there is a huge difference in NVH levels even when you compare it to the hardtop Thar, too. It's mainly because the Roxx has a unibody shell, unlike the Thar which wears a canopy on the top. Ultimately, the Thar Roxx is a lot quieter inside and that makes it a much nicer car to live with every day.

Something else that matters a lot when it comes to everyday usability is ride quality. The Thar Roxx doesn’t do too bad here. It’s a full-on body-on-ladder vehicle with its roots firmly steeped in off-roading ability so its ride quality was never going to match the plushness of a typical crossover SUV. All said and done, the ride is a bit fidgety and inconsistent over any road that’s badly laid. But, there is no denying that the Thar Roxx has an overpowering quality to it with the way it rides. It will absorb or flatten most of the sharp-edged bumps and you end up feeling invincible as you drive across broken roads.

The Thar Roxx looks special and it looks substantial if you park it next to a crossover like the Hyundai Creta or the Maruti Grand Vitara. It isn’t enormous though and you can use it every day even if your commutes include driving in traffic a lot or using narrow lanes. In terms of actual design elements, up front, you have that characteristic Thar look which has been reworked to differentiate this 5-door model from the 3-door Thar. The lighting is all LED here including the fog lights, the headlights and the DRL. The trademark grille has also been redesigned and it looks different enough to justify an upgrade but if I am honest, it is my least favourite design element. It started off great with the original Thar and the second gen model but somehow here it doesn’t match up to the rest of the car.

Other bits include chunky-looking alloys for the 19-inch wheels, exposed door hinges, new LED taillights, pillar-mounted rear door handles and of course, the additional doors and a completely new extended rear section.

Inside the Thar Roxx it all looks familiar yet new and different. The basic layout is the same although you get a new black and beige theme for the door pads and the actual dashboard. To uplift the ambience and quality levels, Mahindra has given got soft touch finishes along the dashboard with the exposed stitching. Then you have got some piano black trim and plenty of silver treatment for things like the AC vents and the center console. The soft touch dash looks and feels good but as you work your way down its all scratchy plastics although its not the end of the world and overall, the quality of materials and the level of fit and finish is just about okay.

In terms of comfort and ergonomics at the front, it’s a hit and miss. Firstly, the visibility is great despite the fact that you are looking out of a narrow windscreen. That’s because the pillars are very thin, the entire glasshouse is almost upright and the window line is set low. Naturally, you also get a solid view of the road ahead with a nice commanding driving position. What’s not so nice is the lack of under thigh support from the front seats. The seat base is surprisingly short and over long road trips, I would assume they would be inadequate in terms of absolute comfort. Speaking of comfort, let’s take a look at the biggest USP of the Thar Roxx. It’s rear seat.

It is surprising how comfortable the rear seat is. I was expecting the seat base to be short and therefore lacking a bit of under thigh support but that’s not the case. There is more than enough legroom, headroom is pretty good especially given the big panoramic roof. In terms of other features back here, you have a folding armrest with cup holders, rear AC vents and the ability to recline the rear seat if you want to get more comfortable over long trips

Feature highlights on the most expensive AX7 L variant include a large panoramic sunroof, 19-inch alloy wheels, surround view cameras, Level 2 ADAS, LED fog lamps, soft touch dashboard and door pads, cooled glovebox, ventilated front seats, 6-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat, Type C fast charging, electrically foldable wing mirrors and a 9-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. You also get wireless Android Auto on the updated infotainment system from Mahindra.

The 3-door Thar has always been the go-to choice when it comes to lifestyle SUVs. Something that you would want to have as your second car for special occasions. Now, with the Thar Roxx what Mahindra has done is that they have given it all the tech and features in the world and they have made it quieter, more comfortable and easier to live with. The Thar Roxx has the potential to be your only car. In terms of negatives, this new model is still a Thar and so it is a bit difficult to justify the ergonomic flaws, the fidgety ride or the lack of finesse in some of the high-end features.

Photography: Kapil Angane