New Mahindra Thar AX and LX variants explained

18^th Aug 2020 6:00 am

There will be a total of seven versions of the all-new Thar available when it goes on sale on October 2.

The new Mahindra Thar has just been unveiled before its launch on October 2. Along with confirming a large number of new details – from the powertrains on offer to the styling and features – Mahindra has also revealed that the 2020 Thar will be on offer in two variants – AX and LX.

2020 Mahindra Thar to be available with four engine-gearbox options
Second-gen Thar to be on offer in 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.

With four engine-gearbox options and two trim lines, the second generation of Mahindra’s off-roader will be available in a total of seven versions. Here’s what’s available, in terms of features, on each:

2020 Mahindra Thar AX

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

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

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.

We’ll have to wait until October 2 for the 2020 Mahindra Thar prices, but for now, it seems like Mahindra has met the brief on retaining the Thar’s off-road ability, while also targeting a more mainstream buyer.

Also see:

2020 Mahindra Thar review, test drive

2020 Mahindra Thar first look video

2020 Mahindra Thar image gallery