Mahindra Thar Armada 5-Door: Top 10 Things To Know

In the list of most-anticipated sports utility vehicles, the Mahindra Thar Armada 5-door occupies top spot. Sources have informed CarLelo that Mahindra has started its production early with launch expected in two months, likely on August 15. With Thar already on sale, the larger sibling will arrive with a host of new features and engine options. 

A test mule recently spotted in Mumbai has revealed more features that the homegrown brand may offer with the car. While we await the launch of the Thar Armada, here are the top ten details that you should know:

Autonomous Driving Assistance Systems (ADAS)

In a recent Autocar report, a heavily camouflaged Thar Armada five-door revealed key exterior details, one of which was Level 2 ADAS. Currently, only the XUV 3XO and XUV700 sports utility vehicles get the ADAS suite. The addition of ADAS and other safety bits will open gates for Mahindra to sell the Thar Armada in international markets like Australia.  

Panoramic Sunroof

The addition of panoramic sunroof in top-end variants has to be one of the most talked about features of the Thar. Its three-door variant misses out on a sunroof and being an SUV, the feature would definitely enhance its appeal. Letting in more light creates an airy feeling inside the cabin, giving you the feeling of a spacious cabin. 

Scorpio N Engines

Five-door Thar is said to have three powertrain options - A 1.5-litre diesel engine for range-starting rear-wheel drive variants, 2.0-litre turbo petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines borrowed from the Scorpio N, possibly in a similar state of tune. The smaller Thar gets similar three engines on offer but their performance has been watered down. 

Suspension

The Thar Armada will share its FSD suspension setup with the Scorpio N. Some spy shots have revealed that it gets disc brakes on all four wheels This will also make the upcoming offroader take on tricky road conditions with utmost confidence, as has been the case with the Thar nameplate.

Chasis

Talking about its framework, just like the suspension the Thar five-door will share the chassis with the body-on-frame Scorpio N. Apart from amazing off-road capabilities, the Thar Armada will be better equipped for on-road conditions. As this chassis is tried and tested, we expect it to score big in terms of comfort and performance as well.

Rear Wheel Drive

There will be two drive types on offer - rear-wheel and four-wheel drive. However, the former will utilise fewer mechanical parts, thereby, Mahindra could strategically price the RWD Thar to boost sales. As a result, it would also be down on weight. As many buyers buy SUVs for road presence and not their off-road prowess, we expect the non-4WD Thar to sell in great numbers

Longer Wheelbase Means More Space

As it is apparent, the bigger Thar shares many of its underpinnings with the Scorpio N. That also translates to more space in the cabin because of the longer wheelbase than the three-door Thar. All this while, the five-door Jimny has been a strong rival to the Thar but with the launch of the five-door, Mahindra will fill all those gaps.

Refreshed Exterior

Apart from the longer silhouette, Mahindra has refreshed the exterior of the Thar five-door for a distinct differentiation. To avoid any legal disputes like it had with Jeep in the past, Mahindra will cleverly make the exterior follow the Thar design language without raising other car manufacturers’ eyebrows.

Cabin Elements

It gets really interesting here as the bigger SUV is expected to get a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, auto IRVM, roof-mounted speakers, push-button start/stop cyst, rear AC vents, front and rear armrests in the centre and 60:40 rear bench seats. 

Pricing And Rivals

In terms of pricing, Mahindra will price the Thar Armada more than the Thar which has an ex-showroom price range starting from Rs. 11.35 lakh and going up to Rs. 17.60 lakh. As per reports, the utility vehicle manufacturer can price the SUV in the bracket of Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 23 lakh. Its main rival will be the Force Gurkha five-door. 

Also read - Mahindra Thar 5-Door Launch Within 2 Months, Production Begins