For Mahindra, the Thar brand has been very important and has been another strong seller besides the XUV and the Scorpio brand name. However, this next step is the most important as the much talked about 5-door comes in. It is called the Thar Roxx and comes with RWD and 4×4 options in the diesel while there is a petrol engine too. We drove the diesel in its automatic variant to see if the Roxx can live up to the hype.
Exteriors
The first look says that it is a Thar but there are differences. With a length of 4428mm, it is longer and wider while sitting on 19-inch alloy wheels. The grille also has a different slot design with a double slot pattern while being in the body colour. That aside, the bumper, bonnet opening and the front is similar but you have round LED projector headlamps too.
The side view is the talked about part with the two extra doors and the door handle itself being placed there along with a slanted C-pillar design. It stands tall and like the regular Thar, there is a large full size spare wheel at the back too but there are new LED tail-lamps. There are seven colours- Deep Forest, Everest White, Tango Red, Battleship Grey, Nebula Blue, Burnt Sienna, and Stealth Black. It is also built on a new M_GLYDE platform. We certainly like the design and the grille looks different too while the build quality feels tough.
Interior
You need to climb inside and use the grab handle as the Roxx is quite tall. That said, the white leatherette cabin is pure luxury and makes the Thar Roxx seem like a luxury SUV! There is a new digital instrument cluster which you can customise and put the maps view while the central screen is larger as well at 10.25-inch while having the latest infotainment system. The touchscreen is responsive and it is loaded with apps and more. The ac vents design and the dashboard are similar but there are more features plus there is a powered handbrake too. Other features include an electrically operated 6-way driver seat adjust, ventilated seats for both passenger and driver, a 360-degree camera, blind view monitor, Level 2 ADAS, front armrest, rear AC vents and a massive panoramic sunroof plus 6 airbags of course.
Other features include a Harman Kardon 9-speaker system with QuantumLogic surround, Bass enhancer, Ambient lighting, Wireless CarPlay & Android Auto, Wireless charging and 65W USB-C charging point plus more. The audio system is amazing in sound while the ventilated seats also cool you down. The camera display is not as sharp as the XUV700 though.
In terms of the space, the front seats offer very good comfort and also are perfectly shaped while visibility is quite good. The rear doors are small and getting in/out needs effort but there are grab handles. Space inside is very good and even tall passengers can stretch out while the panoramic sunroof plus the white leatherette upholstery adds a sense of space. Boot at 644 litres is big too and is well shaped.
Performance
The Thar Roxx comes with a 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine with 175 bhp and 380Nm in the top variants while the 2.2 litre diesel engine generates 173bhp and 370Nm. There are two drive modes- Zip and Zoom plus Terrain Modes (4×4) – 4XPLOR (Snow, Sand & Mud) and Terrain Assist (RWD) – XPLOR (Snow, Sand & Mud). There is also a new Crawl Smart Assist which offers precise low-speed control combined with IntelliTurn.
Driving the diesel 4×2 was impressive due to the high refinement levels since the diesel has hardly any sound at low speeds. Then the Roxx also gets electric steering which replaces the hydraulic in the standard 3-door Thar. It is now lighter and makes it more manageable in the city. Performance is quick and there is enough power while the 6-speed automatic is smooth if only having some lag. Out on the highway, performance is plenty and it is smooth while the ride is also much less bouncy than the 3-door. But, the large 19-inch wheels do make the ride a bit firm and yes, there is some characteristics of the typical body on frame SUVs. Diesel engine will give you 12-14kmpl too. The handling is good for something so big and while there is body roll, it is controlled.
Verdict
The Roxx is now a Thar which you can buy for your family with more premium features, a comfortable drive, and more space. Priced at Rs 12.99 lakh to Rs 18.99 lakh, it is phenomenal value for money too and is an off-roader with the abilities of a premium SUV mixed. However, if you want more off-roading fun, the 3-door is the better choice and the Scoroio N has more comfort, but if you want a combination of both, the Roxx is the one.
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