Mahindra Thar Roxx Diesel MT Review: Is the 5-door SUV worth buying?

When it comes to budget SUVs, Mahindra’s Thar has always been an off-road beast. Its rugged body, boxy design, and powerful 4×4 system make it perfect for conquering off-road trails. It’s so popular that you often see it on the roads. However, it’s not the most spacious or practical car for everyday use. So, we have the Thar Roxx, a five-door version of this SUV that takes on a more mature role. A role that goes beyond pleasing the rugged man behind the wheel. Now, it aims to take care of the entire family with increased interior space and enhanced features. How has Mahindra done with this new direction? It’s time to find out!

Mahindra Thar Roxx review: Design and styling changes

Apart from the obvious changes in proportions compared to the regular Thar, the Thar Roxx also gets some cosmetic updates. It gets a new six-slat grille flanked by LED projector headlamps. This grille has been getting a lot of attention online and I must say, I am also on the fence about this one. I neither particularly hate it nor particularly like it. I certainly hope Mahindra tries something different with future versions of the Roxx. However, the new headlamps and C-shaped daytime running lights look very nice and the bumper has also been redesigned to look sharper. From the side, you will notice that the SUV has been made longer. Compared to the three-door version, the Roxx is 443 mm longer and has a 400 mm longer wheelbase. The height and width of the SUV have also increased, although this may not be as noticeable.

You can also spot the shiny new 19-inch alloy wheels on the sides, which look dazzling. The extra pair of doors are inset with high-mounted door handles. Then there is the triangular quarter glass, which also looks well-blended. Moving to the back, you will find a boxy design, a split tailgate, and a hidden glass washer. The taillights have the same rectangular shape as the smaller Thar, but the light elements inside have a new layout that looks more modern. Overall, I found the Roxx to be a good-looking and well-proportioned SUV. The Thar already had an imposing road presence, and the Roxx takes it a step further.

Mahindra Thar Roxx review: Interior space and features

Once you get inside the car, you might have to rub your eyes to make sure you are looking at the right thing. While the design is very similar to the three-door Thar, the dashboard of the Roxx looks much better. The quality level is high and the materials used are also better. For example, there is now soft-touch material on the top of the dashboard and on the doors. There are some piano black and shiny silver surfaces here and there that add a touch of elegance. Even the leatherette seats add a touch of luxury, however, the bright cream interior is a concern. It gets dirty easily and you have to keep a cleaning cloth ready at all times.

Then you have all the bells and whistles, including a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that comes with Adrenox and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. It comes with an equally large full-color digital instrument cluster. If you’ve ever used the XUV700, the interface here will feel very familiar. While dual-zone climate control is not offered, the front seats are ventilated. There’s even a wireless charger and a pair of USB ports (Type-A and Type-C). This SUV also comes with a unique armrest, which is split in the middle and the side closer to the driver can be adjusted by sliding forwards and backwards. It would have been better if both sections were removable. In terms of storage space, there’s a compartment under the armrest, there’s a cooled glovebox, there are two cup holders in the middle, and there are pockets on the doors, although they’re not very big.

Also read: Mahindra Thar Roxx 5-Door vs 3-Door: What’s Changed?

The second-row seats are also impressive. I’m six feet tall, and even with the driver’s seat adjusted to my liking, the second-row seats still have plenty of leg and knee room for someone of similar height. The bright colors on the seats and roof, combined with the oversized panoramic sunroof, give the car a sense of a spacious cabin. The seat is well cushioned, and while it may not be the best under-thigh support in the industry, it does come with a recline feature. You can recline it all the way back for maximum comfort, or you can position it more upright to increase trunk space slightly. The floor is flat, and there’s room for a third passenger in the middle of the bench seat, or you can have the armrests pop out. In and out is very easy, as the rear doors open at a 90-degree angle. There are also air conditioning vents in the second row, and right below that is a USB Type-C charging port, and a recess for your smartphone. I only wish there was a larger pocket in the door to at least fit a one-liter bottle. Right now, it’s almost impossible to fit anything in there.

Thanks to the increased size, the boot capacity is so much bigger that you can actually use it every day. The tailgate is split, which is definitely a plus for the Roxx as it looks pretty cool. If you still think the 644-litre boot capacity isn’t enough, you can drop the second row bench, which splits 60:40. I was impressed with the space, equipment and quality levels of the Thar Roxx. It doesn’t feel like a practical SUV anymore.

Mahindra Thar Roxx review: Engine options and driving experience

In terms of powertrain options, Mahindra offers the Thar Roxx with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel. These engines can be mated to a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox. Both engines are available in two different tunes – the lower-output version is available on the base trims, while the more powerful version is offered on the top trims. We drove the diesel manual model, which has a peak power of 150bhp and a peak torque of 330Nm. This is 20bhp and 30Nm more than the most powerful diesel-powered 3-door Thar. On the road, you get the feeling that it has enough power to reach and maintain triple-digit speeds. While not a super-fast SUV, the diesel is surprisingly smooth to drive. Coupled with the quiet cabin experience, you start to wonder if you are driving a diesel or a petrol car. Even the gearbox is very smooth and easy to operate (perhaps too effortless).

Where the Roxx lets you down is in ride quality. You see, the ladder-frame chassis structure and bouncy suspension make for a less-than-ideal ride on city roads. The setup might be great for handling gravel, rocks, and boulders, but city speed bumps and potholes will shake you in the cabin (no pun intended). Even if you slam on the brakes, you’ll feel the SUV dive first and then shake for a few seconds. Likewise, the electronically assisted steering, while light to use, is a bit vague and you have to be careful with your inputs.

While we didn’t really get to experience off-roading, we were able to use the 4×4 system on the beach (our shoot location). Needless to say, the Thar Roxx had no traction issues at all on the sand. It also comes with an electronic locking rear differential, which should come in handy in trickier conditions. Mahinda has introduced two new off-road features in the Roxx – SmartCrawl and Intelliturn. Smart Crawl can be used in low-speed off-road scenarios as it adjusts the throttle input based on the obstacles on the way. The Intelliturn feature comes in handy when trying to turn in a tight space. If you’re going slow enough, it locks the front inside wheel to provide a tighter turning radius.

I should also mention that the Thar Roxx comes with cameras and radars. So, you get a 360-degree camera, which makes parking this SUV a lot easier. It also has an option to make the vehicle disappear so that you can see the obstacles underneath the SUV as well. You also get 10 Level 2 ADAS features, including adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, emergency braking, etc. I did notice that the ADAS features need further improvement as the emergency brake tends to kick in too early.

Mahindra Thar Roxx review: Price and reviews

My biggest takeaway from the Thar Roxx is that Mahindra has managed to take the right approach to creating a family-friendly SUV. Most manufacturers produce front-wheel drive vehicles that, despite having an SUV silhouette, have poor off-road capabilities. Mahindra approached the task from the opposite direction – they had a capable 4×4 SUV, they stretched it a bit, installed some creature comforts and brought us the Thar Roxx. Yes, the formula isn’t perfect yet, as can be seen from the less-than-ideal driving experience on city roads. However, it manages to combine the image of an action star and a loving father in a largely convincing way.

Also read: Mahindra Thar Roxx MX1, MX3, AX3 L, MX5, AX5 L, AX7 Variants Explanation: What are the differences?

Talking about the price, we don’t know yet how much the 4×4 model will cost as Mahindra has only announced the price of the RWD model. The base price of Rs 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom) is definitely attractive, especially considering it has a lot of accessories. I would guess that the fully-featured Roxx could cost closer to Rs 22-23 lakh, which is definitely a lot of money. However, Mahindra also gives you a lot in return.