Now, with the 2025 facelift, Mahindra hasn’t ripped up the rulebook. Instead, it has scribbled a few useful notes in the margins. You still get the same boxy shape, the same ladder-frame DNA, the same mechanical grit. What’s new are a handful of features, a smarter cabin, and just enough cosmetic tweaks to keep it fresh.
Also Read : 2025 Mahindra Thar launched at ₹9.99 lakh with subtle upgrades. Check details
The Mahindra Thar facelift 2025 is proof that Mahindra knows when to leave well enough alone. Even after five years on sale, the Thar’s design hasn’t been tampered with in any meaningful way. And that’s deliberate, the boxy stance, short overhangs, tailgate-mounted spare wheel and squared-off arches are exactly what make the Thar instantly recognisable, and Mahindra clearly doesn’t want to mess with an icon.
What you do get are subtle updates. The front grille is now body-coloured instead of matte black, and the bumper wears a dual-tone finish that adds a bit of visual sophistication. At the rear, Mahindra has addressed owner feedback by adding a rear wiper with washer and a reversing camera integrated into the spare wheel hub. Everything else, the upright stance, the 18-inch wheels filling out the arches, the squared proportions, remains the same.
The trouble is, these tweaks feel more like housekeeping than a facelift. No LED headlamps, no new alloy designs, not even a fresh take on its instantly recognisable silhouette. The Thar still looks muscular and timeless, but for a five-year update, you can’t help but feel Mahindra has played it safe.
Mahindra Thar facelift 2025: Cabin and features
Inside, the Thar’s changes are more noticeable, though still measured. The biggest upgrade is the new 10.25-inch infotainment screen, a crisp, modern unit borrowed from its bigger sibling, the Mahindra Thar Roxx. It supports Adventure Statistics 2.0 and makes the cabin feel immediately more up-to-date. The centre console has been redesigned to accommodate rear AC vents, and the power window switches have finally moved to the doors, fixing what was always an ergonomic oddity.
The other key change is the new steering wheel, also borrowed from the Thar Roxx. It looks and feels more premium, comes with integrated controls, and lifts the ambience of the otherwise rugged cabin.
Beyond that, the rest of the Thar’s interior continues as before. You still sit high, with a commanding view of the bonnet. The front seats are broad and supportive, the rear bench still feels tight and best for occasional use, and access to the back isn’t the most graceful. Materials are dominated by hard plastics, built for durability rather than luxury, while practical touches like washable floor mats and drain plugs remain part of its DNA.
So yes, the new screen, centre console and steering wheel do make a difference, but at its core, this is still the same rugged, functional, hose-it-down cabin the Thar has always had.
Mahindra Thar facelift 2025: Specifications
Pop the hood and – surprise, surprise – nothing has changed. Mahindra hasn’t fiddled with the oily bits at all. The Thar still comes with the familiar trio: the 2.0-litre mStallion turbo-petrol, the 2.2-litre mHawk diesel, and the 1.5-litre diesel for the rear-wheel-drive version. Power and torque figures remain exactly where they were, which in today’s age of endless tinkering and pointless hybrids, feels almost refreshing.
Transmission options? Again, no surprises, 6-speed manual if you want to row your own gears, or 6-speed automatic if you’d rather let a torque converter do the heavy lifting. And you can still pick between RWD for the poser crowd or 4WD for those who actually intend to get their tyres muddy.
And in proper Thar fashion, the off-road kit is all still there: a short wheelbase to avoid scraping its belly on every crest, suspension travel that makes sure the wheels cling on like stubborn toddlers, and off-road geometry numbers that still look outrageous on a spec sheet. Throw in 650 mm of water-wading depth, and you’ve got bragging rights every monsoon even if you only use them to get through a flooded underpass.
Now, cynics might say Mahindra has been lazy, five years and no tweaks? But that’s missing the point. The Thar’s mechanicals weren’t broken to begin with. By leaving them alone, Mahindra has preserved what makes it loveable: a rugged, no-nonsense SUV that doesn’t bother with over-engineering. Of course, it also means the flaws, like that spongy brake feel and low-speed jiggle, are still part of the deal. But if you wanted refinement, you’d have bought a Creta.
This is not a car that promises progress, it promises the same rough-edged fun as before. And honestly, that’s exactly what its buyers want.
Mahindra Thar facelift 2025: Drive and handling
On tarmac, the Mahindra Thar facelift 2025 remains a mixed bag. At low speeds it still jiggles and fidgets, making urban drives tiring if your idea of comfort is a soft crossover. As speed rises, the ride becomes subtler, ironing out surfaces with greater calm. The 18-inch tyres allow you to sail over rough patches at pace, but at city speeds, you pay in comfort.
The brakes are the biggest weakness. Press the pedal lightly, and nothing happens. Press harder, and suddenly the brakes grab. It’s inconsistent, and in traffic that unpredictability feels unnerving.
However, take the Thar off-road, though, and everything changes. Here, it’s in its element. Over rocks, ruts, and steep climbs, the Thar feels unstoppable. The short wheelbase prevents belly scrapes, the long suspension travel ensures tyres stay grounded, and the chassis flex gives it articulation that would embarrass more expensive SUVs. It smooths out obstacles with ease, like butter sliding off a hot pan.
This is why the Thar remains special. On the road, it asks for compromises. Off it, it makes you grin like nothing else in its price bracket.
Verdict: Lifestyle over logic
The 2025 Mahindra Thar facelift doesn’t rewrite the rulebook. Instead, it gives you a few much-needed conveniences, a bigger screen, rear AC vents, a camera, a wiper, and wraps them in the same rugged body that made it a legend.
For buyers who want a rugged emotional partner, the Thar is still irresistible. It’s the kind of vehicle that works best as a second car, perfect for DINKs (dual income, no kids) who want something exciting for weekends and road trips. For family buyers, the Thar Roxx makes more sense, it’s more practical, more spacious, and easier to live with.
So, is the Mahindra Thar facelift 2025 better? Marginally. Is it still loveable? Absolutely. Because with the Thar, you don’t buy it with your head, you buy it with your heart.
Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2025, Best SUVs in India.
First Published Date: 03 Oct 2025, 17:00 pm IST
