The Maruti Suzuki Jimny has been launched in India, making it tough for off-roader SUVs in the segment. The car clearly competes against budget off-roaders like the Mahindra Thar and the Force Gurkha in the domestic market. Moreover, the India-first model has been launched at a very competitive price tag of Rs 12.74 lakh (ex-showroom), beating its rivals. Keeping this in mind, the Thar may face a tough future ahead, with the Jimny offering a number of advantages over Mahindra’s SUV. Here are some of the advantages of the Jimny over the Thar.
five doors
The five-door variant of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny made its global debut in India. However, the Thar is currently sold in a 3-door variant, as a result of which it becomes difficult for passengers to sit in the rear seat. To address the seating arrangement issue, the automaker is planning to launch a 5-door variant of the SUV. At present, there is no official information regarding the launch of the car.
Read also: Sourav Ganguly buys new Mercedes-Benz GLS luxury SUV worth Rs 1.29 crore
safety feature
On the safety front, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny offers 6 airbags along with several other features. This is a huge advantage over the Mahindra Thar that is sold with two airbags. However, this does not raise any questions about the safety of the SUV, as it has been awarded a 4-star safety rating in the Global NCAP tests.
LED headlamp
Keeping the design language in touch with its heritage, the Mahindra Thar misses out on LED headlamps. However, giving it a ‘retro-ish’ look, the absence of this feature leaves a huge hole in the SUV’s feature list. However, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny makes up for this shortcoming by carrying forward its classic design.
infotainment system
Consumers who prioritize infotainment systems when buying a car will find themselves leaning towards the Jimny. The car gains an edge over the Mahindra Thar because of its Arkamys Audio Driver.
headlamp washer
When one goes off-roading, the car gets dirty. To deal with this problem, the off-roader SUV gets a headlamp washer. However, this feature is missing on the Mahindra Thar. But it would not be fair to blame the SUV for lacking these features as most models in the segment miss out on it.