There are cars that evolve, and there are cars that mature. The Mahindra Thar has done both before, but this time, with its 2025 facelift, it appears to have reflected – as if catching its own rugged silhouette in a city window – and decided it could walk into the world with its boots polished, without ever taking them off.
For years, the Thar has stood as one of the few machines that didn’t chase trends. It never felt the need to explain itself. It was unapologetically built for mud, trails, riverbeds and rock crawls. And those who understood it, worshipped it. But the world around it has changed. Adventure is no longer confined to remote valleys; it spills onto highways, suburbs and even coffee stops in between. The people who choose a Thar today aren’t just weekend nomads – they are professionals, creators, travellers who want their freedom packaged with a certain finesse. And that finesse is exactly what this facelift quietly provides.
A Subtle Shift in Attitude
From a distance, the Thar still strikes the same stance and looks as defiant and square-jawed as it has always looked. Mahindra hasn’t diluted the shape that made it iconic. But look closer and the shift becomes clear. The grille is now body-coloured, the bumper gains a dual-tone treatment, and the palette introduces new, richer shades like Battleship Grey and a fresher take on red. These aren’t embellishments, but rather acknowledgements; nods to owners who want their 4x4 to look as composed on a hotel porch as it does by a cliff edge. There’s no chrome flash, no ornamental garnish. The Thar hasn’t become glamorous, it has become distinguished. That distinction matters. Because refinement, in this context, is about presence, not decoration.
Inside, the Wilderness Learns Manners
The real transformation unfolds within the cabin. Where earlier Thars wore their utility openly, the new interior has learned discretion. The all-black dashboard, now more cohesively laid out, feels more polished. The steering wheel is new, exactly Thar Roxx-like in its ergonomics, but still thick-rimmed and reassuring. The power window switches, once perched atop the console, have moved to the doors. Even the fuel lid release is now operated by a hatch inside the car, rather than by a key. These are not dramatic gestures. They are the quiet courtesy of a machine acknowledging daily use. Rear passengers, once treated as hardy companions, now receive AC vents. Each front occupant gets an independent armrest with storage. The A-pillar gains a grab handle – a small but telling reminder that adventure is still part of the brief. And anchoring it all is a new 10.25-inch touchscreen – larger and cleaner, with improved off-road telemetry built in. The Thar will still ford rivers, but now it will do so with an interior that feels as new as the adventures you’re about to experience.
What Hasn’t Changed, and Why That Matters
Crucially, Mahindra has resisted tampering with what lies beneath. The engine options remain familiar – the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, the 2.2-litre diesel and the 1.5-litre diesel for RWD buyers. Outputs are unchanged. The ladder-frame stance, the mechanical 4x4 hardware, the sheer sense of heft, all preserved. It is a declaration that refinement isn’t revision. This facelift is not about making the Thar something else; it’s about allowing it to exist more comfortably in broader worlds. Because this vehicle doesn’t need more power. It doesn’t need softer springs. It needs exactly what it has been given – more composure when it isn’t climbing out of a rut.
A Broader Invitation
With prices starting at Rs 9.99 lakh, the facelifted Thar doesn’t posture as a luxury upgrade. In fact, its entry point is lower than before. Mahindra isn’t gatekeeping this evolution, it’s widening its reach. The AXT and LXT trims now form the entire range, simplifying choices for those stepping into the adventure-lifestyle space for the first time.
And there lies the deeper story. The Thar has become a cultural object; worn proudly, Instagrammed endlessly, parked beside mountain bikes and snorkelling gear. It tells someone who dreams of Leh but drives five days a week in Mumbai city that you no longer have to choose between rugged and refined.
Refinement Without Softening
It is easy to refine something by rounding it off. It is much harder to refine while keeping its edges. The Thar’s facelift achieves that balance. Nothing here feels softened, it feels sharpened. The steering wheel hasn’t become light. It has become better to hold. The cabin hasn’t become plush. It has become quieter in its intent. The exterior hasn’t become urbane. It has merely matured.
An Evolved Companion, Not a Tamed One
Ultimately, this is still a Thar. It will still climb out of riverbeds at angles that make passengers swear. It will still take the long way through gravel. But now, when it arrives at a dinner reservation, it won’t look out of place under soft lighting. It hasn’t learned to behave. It has learned to belong. In its journey from bare-knuckled off-roader to refined icon, the Thar has never betrayed its roots. What it has done is grow, just enough to invite in a new generation of dreamers.
