Mahindra Thar Roxx First Drive Review

It is a bigger, more practical Thar. One could also refer to it as the Scorpio N in Thar clothing given it uses the N's chassis and suspension. But, whatever you might call it, there's no denying it addresses a strong want from car buyers of a go-anywhere, do-anything but practical and comfortable family SUV.

It does that by adding two rear doors to the Thar body style. It adds seating for a fifth passenger, and it now has a boot that can actually carry luggage. It also uses a metal roof for better insulation. And there's a big sunroof too.

It packs in a bunch of other features, too, that are missing on the three-door Thar - and, in fact, the Scorpio N. The idea with this feature list is to draw in the Hyundai Creta and Tata Nexon prospects.

And lest we forget, to keep the Thar DNA intact, some Roxx versions are also offered with a 4x4 drivetrain albeit only with the diesel engine. So, petrol 4x4 fans need to look elsewhere; maybe at something more compact and more affordable.

If we were to compare the Roxx's cabin with that of the three-door Thar, the former has moved the goalpost. It's not just more spacious, but the Roxx's cabin also looks and feels more upmarket. It has less of a utility vibe to it now.

Space-wise, with the increased wheelbase, which has pushed the rear wheel arches deep into the boot, one has both more shoulder and knee room in the second row. The headroom isn't great if you are close to six feet or taller, but it's not a deal breaker either. The boot has grown quite significantly, though, and it adds that extra bit of practicality to this package.

The rear impresses with its seats as well. These split and fold - 60:40, and the backrest reclines quite a bit too. Plus, the seat has a central armrest with cupholders, and the rear occupants get dedicated air-con vents. The thigh support is good, the seat bottom is reasonably large, and there's enough bolstering and cushioning in the seat for it to feel supportive and cushy at the same time.

If anything, Mahindra could have done a better job of aligning the headrest with the centre of the seat. Currently, it is oddly offset. The centre rear seat isn't very comfy either, but given it holds an armrest as part of the seatback, it is not too hard or stiff. The front seats on the Thar Roxx also leave something to be desired. These lack any sort of thigh support, which makes long drives a tad more tiring than they need to be.

But space is only part of what makes the Roxx's cabin better than the three-door Thar. The list of equipment, even from the base trim, makes the latter look sparse. The Roxx in this top-spec AX7 L trim scores higher still. It gets a keyless start, but strangely, there is no keyless entry. There is also a single zone digital climate control, a full-colour TFT driver information system, cooled seats that are electrically adjustable for the driver, a cooled glovebox, a massive sunroof, a 360-degree camera and the multimedia touchscreen system that is borrowed from the Scorpio N.

On the safety end, six airbags, ABS, and ESP come as standard. In this top-spec trim, one also gets Level 2 ADAS features. And since the Roxx is based on the Scorpio, we expect high BNCAP crash test scores as well.

If there is one thing Mahindra has nailed with its new generation cars, it is the powertrains. Both the petrol and diesel are refined, smooth, and torque monsters. We drove the diesel, which we feel suits the character of the Thar Roxx much better.

The engine in question is the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder, mHawk unit that puts out 150bhp and 330Nm of torque. This, however, is on the lower trims. With the top-spec automatic variant that we have here, the figures climb to 172bhp and 370Nm.

Not surprisingly, then, the Roxx feels light on its feet from the get-go. It's the same with overtakes. Step on the accelerator with intent and the Thar Roxx breezes past almost everything on the road. And because it is a refined unit - at least till 3,000rpm - it masks the speed quite well.

This is with the automatic gearbox. It is a gearbox we quite like. It is seamless and surprisingly quick and alert for a torque converter. It doesn't get paddle shifters, but one can always use the manual override mode via the gear stick.

Now, given the Thar Roxx's boxy shape and its big outside rearview mirrors, it is no surprise that plenty of wind noise seeps into the cabin from 100kmph onwards. But, if you don't mind that, the Thar can comfortably push past 120kmph as well, and hold it there without breaking a sweat. Overall, then, with the diesel engine and the automatic gearbox, the Roxx does make for a good highway car.

Do note, however, that it is most efficient when cruising between 95-100kmph. Push past that and you will see the FE figures drop quite significantly.

In the city, the electrically powered steering's lightness is a boon. The rack ratio is quick enough too. And therefore, parking or making U- or three-point turns, are all effortless affairs. Visibility is decent too, so there is no challenge there, either.

The only time we had an issue with the steering was when cruising at three-digit speeds on the highway. It feels dead and needlessly heavy around the centre at these speeds. Plus, the Thar needs constant corrections to keep it in a straight line. So, soon enough, with the effort involved, your arms begin to complain a bit.

The other thing we aren't completely happy with is the Roxx's ride comfort. At slow speeds, it jiggles and feels harsh through bumps and potholes. It does flatten things out impressively as speeds go up. But, again, show it an undulating section of the road at speed, and it just never stops bouncing on its springs. I don't think the rear passengers will enjoy this too much.

Handling and braking, on the other hand, are quite impressive. As we mentioned earlier, the Roxx does mask speed quite well. And that shows in its straight-line stability and its impressively powerful brakes. We are not fans of how deep the brake pedal travels before the braking kicks in, but once it does, the bite is strong, and it is brimming with feel. Besides safety, it completely keeps fatigue - both mental and physical - at bay when driving quickly.

To put it simply, if you like the Thar's form factor, the Roxx is worth going for. It is more comfortable, better equipped, and, of course, more family-oriented than the three-door Thar. Even if you are looking at the Scorpio N but don't really need seven seats, we'd say go for the Roxx instead; if nothing else, you are getting more features for less money.

But, if you are looking at the Thar Roxx as an alternative to more road-biased, monocoque SUVs like the Hyundai Creta or the Tata Nexon, then the answer is not as straightforward. The Roxx just can't compete with these SUVs in terms of refinement, ease of driving and fuel efficiency.

The Roxx is still a compromise as a family SUV, but of course, nowhere as much as the three-door.

Pictures by Kapil Angane