We have driven Mahindra Thar Roxx but should you too? Pros and cons explained

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Mahindra Thar Roxx was finally launched in India on August 15 after a lot of hype. The SUV comes as a five-door iteration of the Mahindra Thar three-door model. While the three-door Thar has established itself as a lifestyle off-roader, the Thar Roxx comes enhancing the practicality quotient of the SUV with additional side doors, more space and comfort on offer as well as a feature-packed cabin.

Launched at an introductory pricing range of ₹12.99 lakh and ₹18.99 lakh (ex-showroom), Mahindra Thar Roxx comes available in a wide range of variants. While some of the variants' pricing has been revealed, the homegrown auto giant will reveal the pricing of the rest of the trims next month. Bookings for the SUV will commence from October 3, while test drives will begin from September 12. Deliveries of the SUV will start from October 12, which is Dussehra.

Thar Roxx colour options

Stealth Black

Tango Red

Everest White

Deep Forest

Nebula Blue

Battleship Grey

Burnt Sienna

All body colours are paired with fixed Black roof

Meanwhile, HT Auto has driven the Mahindra Thar Roxx and reviewed the five-door SUV thoroughly. Here are the pros and cons we found.

Watch: Mahindra Thar Roxx first drive impressions: Loaded enough to worry Creta, Seltos?

Mahindra Thar Roxx: Pros

Mahindra Thar Roxx comes with a bold styling that grabs attention at the very first glance. Despite carrying a wide range of similarities with the Thar three-door, the Thar five-door looks different thanks to its distinctive design elements, which include new design C-shaped LED daytime running lights, new design alloy wheels, and a fresh look for LED taillights. Besides that, the additional side doors too give it a distinctive look compared to Mahindra Thar. The overall package looks compelling with a strong road presence.

Mahindra Thar Roxx comes more upmarket and practical than the Thar three-door, due to the superior interior, more features and practicality on offer. The appeal quotient of the upmarket lifestyle offroader is enhanced by the Thar Roxx.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx comes with a feature-laden interior. It gets a nine-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree surround view camera, ventilated front seats etc, which enhance its premium appeal inside the cabin. Also, it gets bigger boot space that offers more room for luggage.

The cargo area at the very back of the Thar Roxx has grown in size and the backseats can be split folded to open up even more space.

The efficient powertrain and better driving dynamics of the Mahindra Thar Roxx are another thumbs-up point for the SUV. The refined petrol and diesel engines along with manual and automatic gearbox options enhance the driving pleasure of the SUV. Also, the 4x4 drivetrain ensures the Thar five-door can drive through some of the most treacherous terrains without much hassle. Mahindra Thar Roxx comes with a much-improved ride, handling and steering compared to Thar. The different drive modes enhance its off-roading capability significantly.

Mahindra Thar Roxx comes with a wide range of safety features, which include six airbags, level 2 ADAS, ESP, hill hold and hill descent control, three-point seatbelts for all the seats, seatbelt reminders for all occupants etc. There are two 10.25-inch screen inside the Thar Roxx. The main infotainment screen standing on the dashboard has been updated and is powered by AndrenoX system.

There are two 10.25-inch screen inside the Thar Roxx. The main infotainment screen standing on the dashboard has been updated and is powered by AndrenoX system.

Mahindra Thar Roxx: Cons

The Mahindra Thar Roxx's ride quality has improved significantly compared to the Thar three-door. But the SUV's ride quality doesn't match the other SUVs of the brand, like the Mahindra XUV700. Also, the passengers don't get adequate storage space, which is a concern for a five-door SUV like Thar Roxx.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx sports a light-coloured interior, which comes with white seats in the top variants. Being an off-road-focused vehicle, this combination will make the interior prone to getting dirty easily, which means the owner will have a hard time keeping the cabin clean.

Mahindra Thar Roxx lacks third-row seats, which could have been a boon if the automaker considered adding it to the SUV. Its siblings like the Mahindra Scorpio N and XUV700 come equipped with third-row seats. Having no convertible soft-top like the Mahindra Thar or a removable hard top like the Jeep Wrangler is a thumbs down for this lifestyle off-roader, especially for those who love open-top driving. The panoramic sunroof inside the Thar Roxx is likely to be a major attraction for potential customers, despite all other positives that the SUV is seeking to underline in its resume.

The panoramic sunroof inside the Thar Roxx is likely to be a major attraction for potential customers, despite all other positives that the SUV is seeking to underline in its resume.

While the Mahindra Thar Roxx comes with a feature-loaded cabin, it misses out on some features like a reach-adjustable steering wheel, keyless entry, rear window shades etc, which are practical and convenience-focused features that enhance a car's appeal to consumers.

While the automaker has tried to make the Thar Roxx a practical SUV, its ingress and egress to the rear are still comparatively difficult, which makes it difficult for elderly people to enter and exit the SUV's cabin.

On the powertrain front, the 4x4 option is only available on the diesel variant. On the other hand, the petrol variant is available with the rear-wheel drive configuration only. This limits the appeal of the Mahindra Thar Roxx to the consumers to some extent.