MAHINDRA THAR RWD

The Thar RWD offers a left-field alternative to sub-compact SUVS. How much of a compromise is it as your family SUV?

- BENJAMIN GRACIAS

While the first-generation Mahindra Thar created quite a cult following for itself, the current-generation SUV has widened its fanbase from the offroading and overlanding community to just about everyone. The Thar RWD makes the lifestyle SUV more accessible and how! And it's not just dropping the 4WD tech that results in the price drop. It now gets a smaller 1.5 diesel engine option that, with the Thar's sub-four metre length, qualifies for the sub-four metre SUV tax bracket. The result? The new base model Thar (1.5-litre diesel, MT, RWD) retails for a whopping 4.17 lakh rupees less than the Thar AX 4WD MT variant. While the petrol Thar RWD we are driving, does not qualify for this cut given its larger 2.0-litre motor, it is still a sizeable 2.33 lakh rupees less than the corresponding Thar 4WD petrol AT variant. The Thar RWD then sits in the realm of the most popular sub-compact SUVs like the Hyundai Venue and Kia Sonet. Now the question here is not if there is a compromise in opting for the Thar over these subcompact SUVs as your daily driver; it is how much of a compromise are you looking at. Let's delve into it.