The Mahindra Thar AX six-seater variant has not been relaunched, carandbike can confirm. Recent rumours suggested that the base variant with bench seats at the rear was silently re-introduced after the company discontinued the version for not meeting the Global NCAP safety standards. The company announced in November last year that it would keep only the front-facing rear seats as standard on the model that allowed the off-roader to receive a four-star safety rating. The six-seater version then would not mean a lower safety rating on the base variants.
Also Read: Mahindra Thar Likely To Get Front Facing Rear Seats As Standard
The new-generation Mahindra Thar AX received a four-star rating in the Global NCAP crash tests
In its statement to carandbike, Rajiv Mehta, Head Global Product Planning, M&M Ltd. said, "The information about the reintroduction of the AX 6 seater variant of the all-new Mahindra Thar is incorrect. Mahindra has been at the forefront of safety for all its new products and continues to believe in this philosophy. It is critical to highlight that there is no change in our variant mix following the Global NCAP review and rating. We are humbled and proud that the all-new Thar has secured a 4-star rating by GNCAP which makes it the highest-rated off-roading vehicle in India, it reinstates our commitment to our customers' safety as one of our key priorities."
The new-generation Mahindra Thar went on sale in October last year and the model has seen a complete overhaul over its predecessor. Mahindra worked on the chassis, engine, features and more. In terms of safety, the bench seats were only offered with lap seatbelts, as against three-point seatbelts on the front-facing seats. Meanwhile, the Global NCAP's test results determined that the Thar's body shell had a stable rating which helped the car receive four stars in safety. It would've achieved five stars if not for the unstable driver's side footwell.
Also Read: Exclusive: Mahindra Thar Scores 4 Stars In Global NCAP Crash Test
The new-gen Thar gets a roll cage, two airbags and ABS with EBD, Brake Assist and three-point seatbelts for all seats as part of the standard kit
Mahindra promised customers that all of its new cars would meet four or five-star safety ratings in the Global NCAP crash tests. The same will apply to the eight new models lined up by 2026. The confusion about the AX variant being re-introduced came to light after a price list went viral on the internet with new prices for the 'AX 6 seater variant.' This led to the rumour mills going rife that the base variant was silently launched after a brief hiatus. The Thar range continues to start from the AX Optional variant with front-facing rear seats priced from Rs. 12.78 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) onwards.
