Meet the new Mahindra Thar Roxx, which debuts with 5 doors and a choice of petrol and diesel engines. So, will this compact Wrangler-like off-roader come to SA?
The new Mahindra Thar Roxx has been revealed in India, with this latest version of the body-on-frame SUV featuring 5 rather than 3 doors, along with a suitably lengthened wheelbase.
Measuring 4 428 mm from snout to rump, the new 5-seater Thar Roxx falls in roughly between the 5-door Suzuki Jimny and the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited in terms of exterior dimensions. Featuring a wheelbase of 2 850 mm, the newcomer measures 1 870 mm wide and stands 1 923 mm tall.
So, will we see this Roxx-badged model in South Africa? Well, though the original 3-door Thar was offered on local shores, the 2nd-gen model revealed in 2020 still hasn’t made it to Mzansi. From what we understand, plans to introduce the Thar in SA fell away as Mahindra instead prioritised meeting robust demand in its domestic market of India.
And it seems the same will apply to the new Thar Roxx – at least for now. Though Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa, didn’t rule out launching the new model at a later stage, he told Cars.co.za that his company “appreciates the interest shown from local audiences regarding Thar Roxx”, adding that the local division would “provide updates as appropriate should there be any new developments”.
Built on what Mahindra calls its “all-new M_Glyde platform” at the Nashik facility in India, the Thar Roxx can be specified with a turbocharged 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder petrol “mStallion” engine that generates 119 kW and 330 Nm in 6-speed manual form and 130 kW and 380 Nm in 6-speed automatic guise.
There’s also Mahindra’s 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel “mHawk” motor, which makes 112 kW and 330 Nm in rear-wheel-drive models and in the manual-equipped 4×4 derivative, and 129 kW and 370 Nm in self-shifting 4×4 guise.
The Thar Roxx employs independent front suspension with double wishbones and coil springs, while the rear set-up features a rigid axle coil-spring arrangement with a Watt’s linkage. Models equipped with part-time 4×4 furthermore boast low-range gearing and an electronic locking differential.
The approach, departure and ramp-over angles are listed as 41.7, 36.1 and 23.9 degrees respectively (figures that Mahindra claim are “best in class”), while the wading depth comes in at 650 mm. Available safety features include 6 airbags, electronic stability control, tyre-pressure monitoring, automatic emergency braking, a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control and roll-over mitigation.
Other interesting features offered in India include ventilated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, a 9-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, wireless smartphone charging and a pair of 10.25-inch screens (comprising a digital instrument cluster and an infotainment system, with the latter featuring wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).
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