Mahindra Thar 5 door leaked prior to launch

One of the highly anticipated launches from Mahindra has just been spied undisguised. Images of the upcoming Mahindra Thar 5-door have been leaked online, revealing only the front end of a production-ready 5-door version.

We can confirm from the images that the Thar 5-door will get a new grille design, which is divided into six slots, each double-stacked, unlike the seven slots present in the current 3-door Thar. The headlamps have retained the Thar’s circular design and they now get an LED projector setup with a C-shaped DRL.

The wing mirror seems to have a camera, which means that the SUV could get a 360-degree camera setup. Also worth noting is that the rear door handle is located on the door frame, akin to the previous-generation Maruti Suzuki Swift. 

As mentioned earlier, these are the only new images of the SUV, which has been spied earlier with heavy camouflage. We know the Mahindra Thar 5-door will be equipped with dual 10.25-inch displays, one serving as the digital instrument screen and the other as the infotainment unit. We also know that the ladder-on-frame SUV will get a panoramic sunroof and higher variants will also be equipped with ADAS technology, a feature currently present on other Mahindra models, namely the XUV 3XO and the XUV700.

The upcoming Mahindra Thar 5-door will be offered with three engine options: a 1.5-litre entry-level diesel engine, a 2.2-litre diesel or a 2.0-litre petrol unit, with manual and automatic gearboxes to choose from. Apart from the standard rear-wheel-drive, the SUV will also be available with a 4WD setup, just like the current Thar 3-door.

In 2020, Mahindra revealed the Thar 3-door on August 15. We believe the Thar 5-door could be revealed on the same day this year. The SUV’s production has begun. Dealers have also been accepting unofficial bookings, so you can be assured that it is not too far away. It will likely be called the Mahindra Thar Armada upon launch and will rival the Force Gurkha 5-door and the Maruti Suzuki Jimny. It will also compete with other midsize SUVs, such as the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta, among others.

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