The current-generation Thar from Mahindra Auto has been available for sale in the Indian market since October 2, 2020; it is news from the month that they are going to introduce a facelift for the same. Recently, it has been spotted wearing camouflage upfront and in the rear to hide the changes they have made. Since its launch, this vehicle hasn’t received any mid-life upgrades; it is going to be the first in the last six years.
The most spy shots floating on the web reveal that the upcoming Mahindra Thar facelift will get fresh five-spoke alloy wheels, which seem to be 19 inches in size, enhancing the road presence and side view. An early spied image has already revealed that it will get round-shaped LED headlamps with integrated C-shaped LED daylight running lights, making it more appealing than earlier.
Other changes that the Mahindra Thar facelift is anticipated to get are a new front grille to give it a fresh and bolder appearance than the outgoing model, a redesigned front bumper to improve its styling, LED fog lamps with a cornering function to enhance visibility in fog and low-light conditions, and a new LED taillight signature to improve rear visibility.
Its cabin may also get some feature upgrades. However, none of the spy shots have revealed what changes it is going to make inside. Reportedly, it will come with a 10.25 fully digital TFT instrument cluster replacing the old one to give clearer driving-related information. The IRVM (inside rear-view mirror) may come with auto-dimming features to enhance the rear traffic view.
To enhance the infotainment experience, it may get a Harman Kardon premium sound system; however, the number of speakers is still uncertain. The automatic climate control and ventilated front seats are the feature upgrades that are most required; many reports suggest that they will introduce them to enhance the occupant’s comfort, maintain cabin temperature, and keep cool during hot days.
Besides the exterior tweaks and changes and inside feature upgrades and improvements, the Mahindra Thar facelift is set to remain the same as the outgoing model. The length, width, height, wheelbase, and ground clearance are set to remain within 3,985 mm, 1,855 mm, 1,844 mm, 2,450 mm, and 226 mm, respectively. Even its water-wading capacity is set to remain at 650 mm.
Currently the Mahindra Thar is available for sale with three different internal combustion engine options, which are 1.5-liter mHawk Turbo Diesel, 2.0-liter mStallion Turbo Petrol, and 2.2-liter mHawk Turbo Diesel. They are all set to continue. The first one is mated with a six-speed manual transmission, whose power output and torque are 117 PS and 300 Nm, respectively, and the drivetrain is RWD.
The second and third have two transmission options, which are a six-speed manual and six-speed torque-converter automatic, and two drivetrains, which are RWD and AWD. The second one’s RWD variant delivers 152 PS power, and AWD does 162 PS; the torque for both is 300 Nm with MT and 320 Nm with AT, and the third one’s RWD variant generates 132 PS power and 300 Nm torque, but the AWD delivers 175 PS and 370 Nm.
As of now, there’s no confirmation regarding its launch in the Indian market. A report from Rushlane suggests its debut at Freedom Drive 2026, which will take place on India’s Independence Day; however, the official confirmation from Mahindra Auto is still pending. If they plan to do so at the very same event, they will unveil all the changes and upgrades that they made to the facelift and also announce the variant-wise prices.