Ride & Suspension
The suspension is where the Thar gets a major upgrade. It features Pentalink suspension with Watt’s link at the rear. This is seen in the Roxx as well. Additionally, it gets DaVinci dampers with frequency-dependent damping (FDD). These were first introduced in the XUV 7XO earlier this year. I honestly didn’t think the Thar would get these but Mahindra never fails to surprise. This had made difference of night and day in the way the 3-door Thar rides and handles now. The wider track makes it more composed around corners inspiring confidence and body roll is more controlled than the outgoing model. The ride quality is another highlight. Its nothing like the older car. As a friend and fellow Thar owner who sat in the back seat of the Thar OG during part of the drive pointed out, she could never sit in the back seat of her Thar as it made her uncomfortable and even nauseous at times. She said that the Thar OG is leagues ahead when it came to back seat comfort. Even bumps and undulations are soaked up well. Whenever I pass rumbler strips in my Thar at moderate speeds, it gets unsettled and the tail slips out. Nothing of that sort in the OG. It soaks up everything well. Body movement is controlled on bad and broken roads. Still, it isn’t ‘monocoque’ plush but a big step forward from what it was.
Even high speed stability in a straight line is much improved. Cruising at 120 kmph will feel much safer than before. Anything high than that is not recommended for this boxy body on frame SUV.
The Thar OG now gets disc brakes all around (ZXT variant) with ABS, EBD and Brake Assist. Braking feel is much more confident and even the pedal feel is better than before. However, some nosedive is still present on hard braking. Lower variants stick to drum brakes at the rear.
Another key addition is the electric power steering. It is now very light at parking and slow speeds, literally one finger operation. It also weighs up as you go faster. It isn’t very sharp though and feels a little vague at high speeds.
Off-Roading
Off-roading hardware also gets an update. The Thar OG features an electronic locking differential on the rear axle. Apart from that, there are three terrain modes – Mud, Sand and Snow. We drove on an off-road course at Mahindra’s Off-road Academy in Igatpuri and I am happy to say that the Thar OG performed flawlessly. The electronic locking differential is a huge boon to get out of sticky situations, while the electric power steering make manoeuvring so much more easier. I do however think that the EPS takes away some of the feel that is offered by the old school hydraulic unit. That said, the new additions are sure to make off-roading easier than before. The Thar OG has an approach angle of 40 degrees, departure angle of 36 degrees, and ramp over angle of 26.4 degrees. Water wading depth is 650 mm.
Mahindra now offers 6 airbags in the Thar OG. Additionally, it gets an enhanced and update ESP suite as well.
