Mahindra just gave the three-door Thar its biggest update in years, and along with it came a new name Thar OG. The line now starts at ₹10.32 lakh, but the variant everyone’s actually curious about is the new ZXT, a flagship trim that didn’t exist before and slots in above the old range-topper, LXT.
If you’ve been waiting for the “loaded” three-door Thar, this is it.
Price
The ZXT is available across all three engines, so the number you pay depends heavily on what’s under the hood. On the cheap end, the 1.5-litre diesel manual starts at ₹13.99 lakh. Go all the way up to the 2.2-litre diesel with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox, and you’re looking at ₹18.99 lakh ex-showroom the most expensive three-door Thar Mahindra has ever sold. In between, the petrol automatic runs about ₹16.6 lakh, and the diesel manual 4WD sits around ₹17.49 lakh. These are ex-showroom figures, so factor in a fair bit more once RTO and insurance get added on your state’s on-road price.
Why It’s Not Just a Facelift
Mahindra could have gotten away with new bumpers and a badge change. Instead, the Thar OG rides on a new platform M_Glyde 4G with a genuinely reworked rear suspension. The old multi-link setup is gone, replaced by a Pentalink arrangement with a Watts Link and frequency-dependent DaVinci dampers, which Mahindra says should smooth out the ride without softening the Thar’s off-road manners. The steering has switched from hydraulic to electric assist too, which matters more than it sounds the old Thar’s steering was notoriously heavy at parking speeds, and this should fix that while also letting it talk properly to the traction and stability systems.
Engines
All three familiar Thar powertrains carry over, but each makes a bit more power now. The 1.5-litre diesel is up to roughly 117hp and 300Nm, and remains the entry point into ZXT territory. The bigger 2.2-litre diesel now puts out around 150hp and 330Nm a solid jump and for the first time, you can get it with rear-wheel drive and an automatic together, not just as a 4WD proposition. The petrol stays the punchiest of the three, now making close to 160hp and 330Nm. Gearbox choices are a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed torque-converter automatic, depending on the combination you pick.
Looks
The ZXT gets the full visual treatment: new LED projector headlamps with C-shaped DRLs, a redesigned five-slot grille, fresh bumpers front and rear, cornering lamps, and only on the top trims 19-inch alloys, the largest ever offered on the three-door Thar. Two new paint options, Artemis Silver and Jeans Blue, join the lineup as well.
Inside the Cabin
This is where the ZXT tries hardest to feel like money well spent. Truffle Brown leatherette seats replace the more utilitarian trims of before, and Mahindra’s thrown in wireless charging, front and rear armrests, extra sound insulation, and generally softer-touch materials throughout. It’s still a Thar, so don’t expect it to rival a monocoque SUV for outright refinement but it’s a noticeable step up from the old cabin.
Off-Road Chops
None of the road-going upgrades have come at the expense of what the Thar is actually built for. You still get Mud, Sand, and Snow drive modes, and the higher 4WD variants add an electronic locking rear differential for when things get properly technical. Low-range gearing remains standard on 4WD versions too.
Safety
Six airbags now come standard across the board, along with disc brakes on all four wheels a genuine upgrade over the mixed disc-drum setup on the outgoing car. You also get ESC, hill hold and hill descent control, rollover mitigation, traction control, and parking sensors front and rear.
The Bottom Line
At ₹18.99 lakh for the fully loaded 2.2 diesel 4WD automatic, the ZXT isn’t a budget buy anymore but it’s also not just a styling package pretending to be premium. The suspension rework and electric steering alone make it a genuinely easier car to live with day to day, without giving up the off-road ability that made people want a Thar in the first place. If you were eyeing the old LXT and wondering whether to wait, this is probably the variant that justifies the wait.