The larger Thar will not only provide greater space, but also more equipment covering safety, entertainment, and convenience.

• It is scheduled to be available later this year.
• Will be available with a 2-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.2-litre diesel engine, both with manual and automatic transmission.
• There will be a choice between rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive.
• So far, feature changes have included a larger touchscreen infotainment system, a digital driver display, and a single-pane sunroof.
• Prices are expected to start around Rs 15 lakh.

The 5-door Mahindra Thar is one of the most anticipated automobiles to be released this year, and testing has been ongoing for quite some time. Every now and then, new spy images of the elongated Thar appear online (still camouflaged), and the most recent ones provide new information on its design, interiors, and features. Here is what we know about the larger Mahindra Thar so far.

Exterior

The 5-door Thar has a similar look to the smaller version, with only slight changes to the grille and an updated signature for the round headlights. We can also see the existence of front parking sensors.

Aside from the two additional doors, the side profile features 19-inch alloy wheels with a distinct design from the 3-door variant. The back aspect appears to be intact, with the spare wheel positioned on the tailgate.

Interior

The first thing you notice inside the cabin is the dashboard’s new dual-tone black and brown decor. This dashboard also includes a larger touchscreen entertainment system (perhaps a 10.25-inch display), similar to the one found in the new XUV400 electric SUV. This screen will most likely support wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as Mahindra’s ArdenoX connected car technologies.

The front seats are the same as in the three-door variant, but the driver and front passenger each get their own arm rests.

The rear seats have been redesigned for the 5-door Thar and now seat three people, including a headrest for the middle person. They also get a fold-out center armrest, which most likely includes cupholders.

Features

Aside from the larger touchscreen, the 5-door Thar gets a digital driver’s display (perhaps a 10.25-inch), a single pane sunroof, a type-C charging outlet in the front, automated climate control, rear AC vents, an electric fuel cap release, and an auto-dimming IRVM.

In terms of safety, the 5-door Thar is slated to include six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control (ESC), front and rear parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat anchors, a rearview camera, and a 360-degree camera in higher-end models.

Powertrain

Mahindra will offer the larger Thar with two conventional engine options: a 2-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 2.2-litre diesel engine. While these are the same engines as the three-door variant, with 152 PS (petrol) and 132 PS (diesel), they will have higher output figures. The 5-door Thar will most likely come in both RWD and 4WD configurations.

Price & Rivals

The Mahindra Thar 5-door is scheduled to be launched later this year, with a starting price of Rs 15 lakh. With its size and performance, it will be a step up from the sub-4m Maruti Jimny and a more capable competitor to the impending 5-door Force Gurkha.