2021 Mahindra Thar review, road test

Although fuel economy isn’t going to be a deciding factor for prospective Thar buyers, it’s an aspect that can’t be completely overlooked, especially in these times of soaring fuel prices. With a big petrol engine, a heavy kerb weight and a boxy design, the petrol-automatic’s single-digit figures aren’t surprising. This one guzzles fuel unapologetically, returning just 7kpl in the city and 9.3kpl on the highway.

On the other hand, the smooth and easy-going second-gen mHawk diesel is much more frugal in the city, returning 12kpl and 11.3kpl for the manual and automatic, respectively. The diesel’s highway efficiency isn’t quite as impressive, returning merely 12.6kpl for the manual and 11.5kpl for the automatic, and that’s down to its non-aerodynamic design. Its boxy shape actually demands that extra bit of effort from the engine to counter the significant wind drag. Interestingly, the Thar is much more fuel efficient while cruising below 90kph than at triple-digits speeds.