Time to get down and dirty, and what better time than the monsoons? Mahindra recently launched the upgraded Thar CRDe. Here are our first impressions from our drive at Mahindra’s off-road academy at Igatpuri
The new Thar gets a few cosmetic changes to the exterior and the interior. But the main upgrade that Mahindra have incorporated in the Thar is the mechanical rear differential lock system, an added feature that should boost the Thar’s already good off-road capabilities.
On the outside, the Thar sports a new front bumper, wheel arches and side footsteps. These changes spice up the Thar’s iconic old-school design. On the inside, there are an array of upgrades, which include a new steering wheel, a triple-pod instrument cluster, wider seats, new a-c vents, new floor board and a lockable glove box. All these changes account for added comfort and convenience.
I got behind the wheel and was ready to conquer the various obstacles on the purpose built course ahead of me. Most of the trails were bumpy, with huge ditches, slush, steep climbs and water crossings, but the Thar cleared them with ease. There were times when I did get stuck in slush, but the low-end grunt, helps to power you through the rest of the trail. There were also instances where I lost grip, mostly during climbing over rocks and the water crossing, but the rear diff-lock worked like a dream, distributing power to the wheels and getting the Thar out of the slushy pit.
Even though the Thar retains the same 2.5-litre, CRDe engine as it predecessor, but now with the improvements to the interior, and the addition of the rear-diff lock, the driving experience was even more engaging.
Priced at Rs. 8.04 lakhs (ex showroom, Pune), the new Thar is available in showrooms across the country. The Thar is a capable off-road performer, but only after we have tested it
can we give you a final verdict about its on-road capabilities as well.
