While Maruti Jimny shoots for a G-Class appeal, Mahindra Thar shoots for a Wrangler appeal
The battle of lifestyle SUVs began with reincarnation of Thar and Gurkha in their current-gen models. These hardy, off-road worthy SUVs are slowly turning into a niche that was considered dead, just a couple of years ago. No doubt, Thar is the reigning champ with a lot of fan following and immense demand.
Gurkha hasn’t matched Thar’s reception as of now. But the newest entrant into this segment is sure to generate a lot of buzz. Mauruti Suzuki Jimny has finally debuted and aims to steal Thar’s thunder from under its nose. That said, Mahindra has made necessary changes to Thar so as to kill Jimny in its very crib.
Mahindra Thar Vs Maruti Jimny – Dimensions
Before bringing practicality into the mix, let’s get specs and dimensions out of the way first. Before bringing the numbers, it is pretty evident that Jimny looks like a baby in front of Thar even though it dons 5-door layout as opposed to 3-door configuration of Thar. How large? You might ask. Thar is 3985 mm long, 1820 mm wide, 1844 mm tall and has a 2450 mm long wheelbase. These numbers are enough to dwarf Jimny which is 3985 mm long, 1645 mm wide, 1720 mm tall and 2590 mm long wheelbase. Even though Jimny matches Thar in length, it is 175 mm narrower and 124 mm shorter.
Owing to its 5-door layout, Jimny has a longer wheelbase than Thar by 140 mm. Thar comes off as an absolute brute, while Jimny comes off as a cutesy off-roader. Being off-roaders, they have to have good ground clearance. At 226 mm, Thar is 16 mm higher off the ground. Because Jimny has a shorter rear overhang, it boasts a 50-degree departure angle, which is better than Thar’s 37-degree.
With an approach angle of 42-degree and a breakover angle of 27-degree, Thar poses better off-road ability as opposed to 36-degree approach angle and 24-degree breakover angle of Jimny. Also, Jimny’s water wading capacity is just 300 mm as opposed to Thar’s 625 mm. Both vehicles come with ladder-frame chassis and a conventional transfer case with 4X4 functionality.
In terms of design, Jimny shoots for Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Thar shoots for Jeep Wrangler. Both of them hold on to their own very well in terms of appeal. Thar comes off as a macho and rugged appeal and looks absolutely gangster with 255/65 R18 tyres and 18” alloys whereas Jimny has to do with just 194/80 R15 tyres with 15” alloys.
Maruti Jimny vs Mahindra Thar – Engine Specs
On the inside, things are mostly similar with both vehicles. There is an infotainment display with smartphone connectivity, steering mounted controls, power windows, AC and other amenities. As Jimny has a fixed roof, it gets internal fuel filler cap release which Thar doesn’t get with both hardtop or convertible soft top. Jimny offers LED headlights that get auto function and has a separate washer as well. With a 5-door layout, Jimny is more practical as well.
When it comes to powertrains, Thar absolutely trumps Jimny. With three engine options to choose from, Mahindra has a Thar for almost everyone. Want a 1.5L diesel? Thar has you covered. A 2.2L diesel? An automatic? Petrol? Choice between RWD and 4X4? Mechanically lockable diff? You name it. Thar has got it.
The 2.2L diesel makes 130 bhp and 300 Nm, the 2.0L petrol makes 150 bhp and 320 Nm and the newest addition, 1.5L diesel makes 117 bhp and 300 Nm. 6-speed MT and 6-speed AT along with RWD and 4X4 options make Mahindra Thar a versatile offering. Whereas Jimny only gets a 1.5L petrol generating around 102 bhp and 134.2 Nm. A 5-speed MT and a dinosaur age 4-speed AT are part of the offering.
Thar vs Jimny – Weight Advantage
Being a thick boy, Mahindra Thar carries more weight as well. As opposed to Jimny’s almost 1200 kg kerb weight, Thar weighs in around a hefty 1750 kg. Being light on its feet, Jimny’s lesser numbers don’t translate to poorer performance than Thar. That said, Thar still has the torque advantage which is more than twice that of Jimny in any engine option.
Power to weight ratio of Maruti Jimny 5 door and that of Thar petrol is 0.087 PS / Kg. Yes, they offer the same power to weight ratio. Power to torque ratio of Maruti Jimny is 0.11 Nm / Kg while that of Thar petrol is at 0.17 Nm / Kg. When taking a look at Thar diesel it has power to wt ratio of 0.067 PS / Kg for RWD and 0.075 PS / Kg for 4×4 variant. Thar diesel torque to wt ratio is 0.17 Nm / Kg.
With the 1.5L engine, Mahindra has brought Thar to B-segment vehicles that enjoy a lower tax benefit. This way, Mahindra has managed to price Thar 1.5L diesel with RWD at an attractive Rs. 9.99 lakh (ex-sh). At that price, Thar is an absolute steal. Jimny prices are not yet revealed, but bookings have commenced.
