I remember once going on a road trip in the 3-door Thar and we had to pack light since the 3-door Thar doesn't have much luggage space while the lack of extra doors meant other passengers had to coil themselves at the back. However, with the arrival of the Thar Roxx, everything has changed and it is a lifestyle off-roader that can compete with family compact SUVs too- well, thats what its supposed to be. That said, is it truly a replacement for your family SUV and can it ferry 5 passengers in comfort?
Well, we undertook a 1000km road trip in just two days to find out more. We had a petrol Thar Roxx which packs in a 174bhp 2.0l turbo petrol with the 6-speed automatic. The petrol does not come with 4x4 but unless you go into extreme terrain or get into tricker conditions, the rugged Roxx is more than capable in RWD avatar. The first test though was cramming in the luggage for my family and that's where the pretty decent luggage capacity of the Roxx came in handy and gobbled up our luggage easily. Being a 5-seater the next test was getting my family comfortable.
While the tall stance means getting in and out is an issue (especially for the elderly), once inside, space at the back is pretty good (if not as much as XUV700) and impressively, there is a flat floor which means three can sit comfortably. Being different from the 3-door Thar, the Thar Roxx is much more practical and the interior is a mix of rugged detailing but importantly gets a lot of gadgets.
I never imagined a day where I will get ADAS in a Thar along with a huge panoramic sunroof! Also, the touchscreen works very well too. That said, rake and reach adjustment for the steering would have been great and the door pockets can only carry your toothbrush plus these white interiors have become dirty after 6,000 kms (Mahindra has more options now).
Compared to the 3-door, the Roxx is a revelation though and that starts with the lighter new electric steering which makes driving this big car easy and on the move, the 2.0l turbo is smooth while having ample performance, In fact it is so easy to out on the kms that I did not get tired and nor my passengers were. Compared to the 3 door and even compared to other SUVs the Roxx is pretty quiet and comfortable while there is only a hint of bounciness with its ladder frame origins.
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The car cruised effortlessly and is pretty stable at triple digit speeds while the nice audio system kept us company. Few other things we liked included the fact that ADAS settings do not readjust every time you switch it on and it isn't too sensitive while features like cooled seats and the seat comfort itself is something never seen on a Thar before. The XUV700 maybe is more agile and the Scorpio N maybe more spacious but the Roxx with its toughness and the features mix is just right.
Going over bad roads or even climbing through some steep obstacles for our hill resort was easy for the Roxx and that's where the important bit comes in. WIth the Roxx, the hardcore off-road ability has been maintained but while adding in much more practicality and features. It sort of crosses a fine line between being a city slicker with all of the frills but at the same time is also tough while staying true to its name.
Compared to the diesel, the petrol Roxx is more refined, quick and terrific as a city commuter SUV when you want with its addictive performance while of course, the efficiency of the petrol wont be as much as we only got 7-8kmpl while the small fuel tank meant frequent stops. Priced at above Rs 20 lakh, overall, the Roxx petrol is an alluring compact SUV rival with most of the tasks being met while having a generous dose of swagger.
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