In addition to its larger dimensions, Thar 5-door can also benefit from some additional comfort and convenience features
Mahindra has been testing the 5-door Thar for several months now. Recent spy shots indicate that the SUV could get a larger touchscreen. This could be offered with the top-spec variants. Lower trims could continue with the 7-inch touchscreen offered with the existing 3-door Thar. As 5-door Thar will be positioned as a more family-oriented vehicle, it could get some new features as well.
5-door Thar spied in Srinagar
Latest spy shots are credited to Sumeet Sehgal, who managed to capture the spy video while the test mule was on the Qazigund to Anantnag National Highway. In its 5-door format, Thar will closely match the characteristics of a conventional SUV. It will be suitable for everyday commutes as well as some outdoor fun on weekends and holidays.
As compared to the 3-door version, the 5-door Thar is expected to get a longer list of creature comforts. For example, higher-spec variants are expected to get a single-pane sunroof. Other highlights could include front and rear centre armrests.
Larger Touchscreen
New Thar will get a larger touchscreen. It could be anywhere between 10.25 inch and 12-inch. It is possible that the new touchscreen could also feature improved graphics and user interface. Nothing is impossible as there is no longer any form of standardization when it comes to choosing the screen size for a passenger vehicle. Tata Motors was recently spied testing a new larger touchscreen on the Harrier and Safari facelift.
As far as customers are concerned, the larger the better seems to suit majority of car users. Also, there is no fixed criteria about the shape of the touchscreen. It can be a horizontally stretched 10.25-inch unit like the one seen with XUV700 or the tablet-style 14-inch unit currently on offer with new MG Hector. Mahindra SUVs have a lot of variation in screen size. For example, Scorpio N has an 8-inch touchscreen whereas XUV300 and XUV400 are equipped with a 9-inch unit.
For most users, a screen size of 10.25-inch would be most appropriate in terms of look and feel, readability and usability. For 5-door Thar, Mahindra could exceed expectations by offering a slightly larger sized touchscreen. From the test mule, it is clear that the new touchscreen has a floating effect. It will have support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Thar 5-door launch plans
New Mahindra Thar is expected to go on sale next year. It is possible that launch could have been postponed due to production constraints. Mahindra currently has a huge order book with more than 2.8 lakh pending deliveries.
In case of Thar, bookings are more than 68,000 units as of August 2023. There’s greater demand for the 2WD variants in comparison to the 4WD variant. Waiting period of 2WD variant is up to 15 months. Wait time for 4WD variant is much lower at around 5 months at most locations. Collectively, Thar receives around 10,000 new bookings every month.
