New Mahindra Thar AX and LX price, variants explained

New Mahindra Thar  prices have just been revealed - the second-gen off-roader is priced between Rs 9.80 lakh and Rs 13.75 lakh (ex-showroom, India).

• 2020 Mahindra Thar on sale in 13 versions, priced from Rs 9.80-13.75 lakh
• Second-gen Thar to be on offer in hard-top, soft-top and convertible body styles and AX and LX trims 
• Thar AX geared towards off-road enthusiasts; Thar LX has more creature comforts

One of the major mechanical highlights of the all-new Thar is that it comes with a choice of two engines – a 152hp, 2.0-litre turbo-petrol along with a 132hp, 2.2-litre diesel. Both have 6-speed manual and automatic gearbox options and get a 4x4 system as standard; a manual-shift transfer case with a low ratio is standard across all powertrain options.

 Available in a total of 13 versions, the 2020 Thar gets four engine-gearbox options, two variants, three body styles and two rear seat options. Here’s what’s available, in terms of features, on each:

2020 Mahindra Thar AX [Rs 9.80-12.20 lakh]

• 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with 6-speed manual gearbox
• 2.2-litre turbo-diesel with 6-speed manual gearbox
• Mechanical locking diff
• Dual front airbags
• ABS with EBD
• Central locking
• Rear parking sensors with a display
• Manual inside day-night rearview mirror
• Rear defogger (optional)
• Roll cage (optional)
• Fixed soft top
• LED tail-lights
• Convertible top or hard top (optional)
• 16-inch steel wheels (white) with 245/75 R16 tyres
• 6-seat layout – 2 front seats and 4 side-facing seats
• Front facing rear seats with 50:50 split/folding and adjustable headrests (optional)
• 4-way adjust for front passenger seat (optional)
• Manual air-con
• Power windows
• Power steering
• 12V accessory socket
• Remote keyless entry (optional with hard top)
• Driver’s seat height adjust (optional)

2020 Mahindra Thar LX [Rs 12.49-13.75 lakh]

In addition to the features and optional equipment on the Thar AX

• 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with 6-speed manual gearbox
• 2.0-litre turbo-petrol with 6-speed automatic gearbox
• 2.2-litre turbo-diesel with 6-speed manual gearbox
• 2.2-litre turbo-diesel with 6-speed automatic gearbox
• Brake locking diff
• Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) with rollover mitigation
• Tyre pressure monitor
• Tyre direction monitor
• Three-point seatbelts for all four passengers
• Hill-start and descent assist
• Isofix child seat mounts
• Roll cage
• Speed-sensing front door locks
• Follow-me-home headlights
• Convertible top or hard top
• 18-inch alloy wheels with 255/65 R18 tyres
• Dual-tone bumpers
• Moulded footsteps
• LED daytime running lights and front fog lights
• Fender-mounted antenna
• 4-seat layout – front facing rear seats get a 50:50 split/fold function
• 8-way adjustable front seats including height and lumbar adjust
• Fabric upholstery
• Cruise control
• Power adjustable outside rearview mirrors
• 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and navigation
• Roof-mounted speakers – 4 speakers and 2 tweeters
• USB connectivity
• A colour multi-info display in the instrument cluster
• Steering-mounted controls

The new Thar LX is intended as more of a lifestyle product with its long list of creature comforts, while the Thar AX is oriented towards enthusiasts, with a more basic specification at a lower price point. In either case, cleaning up after a mud-plugging session should be relatively easy, as Mahindra has provided drizzle-resistant (IP54 Standard) switches on the dashboard and a wipe-down interior.