Mahindra Thar vs Compact SUVs: Price Comparison

- The top-end Mahindra Thar undercuts most compact SUVs in India.
- The Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is more affordable than the 2020 Mahindra Thar.
- The Seltos, Creta, Duster and Kicks get turbo petrol engines as well.
Before Thar admirers take this the other way, we agree that the new-generation Mahindra Thar is much more than a compact SUV and is a different animal altogether. We know that it's a true blue off-roader and there are no similarities in terms of dimensions, looks, road-presence and it has got a bigger and much powerful engine under its hood as well. Having said that, this time around Mahindra has positioned it as a lifestyle SUV that can be the only car in your garage and have multiple variants to choose from along with a wide range of prices.
Also Read: 2020 Mahindra Thar Launched In India
Yes! The pricing is a big factor that makes the Mahindra Thar more approachable by bringing it in the compact SUV range and that makes it even more desirable. Prices for the Mahindra Thar start at Rs. 9.80 lakh for the base AX manual variant and go up to Rs. 13.75 lakh for the top-of-the-line LX automatic variant. So if you're out in the market shopping in that price bracket, here's how the Thar fares up against other subcompact SUVs. But before that remember, while the Mahindra Thar will offer you plenty in terms of power, off-road ability, butch looks and road presence, style and even comfort creatures, it's not as practical as other compact SUVs when interior and cabin space are concerned.
Also Read: New Mahindra Thar Review; SUV Tested Off-Road Too
Mahindra Thar vs Kia Seltos

The fully-loaded Mahindra Thar is more affordable than the Kia Seltos.
| 2020 Mahindra Thar | Prices | Kia Seltos | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 AX Petrol MT | Rs. 9.80 - 11.90 lakh | 1.5 Petrol MT | Rs. 9.89 - 13.34 lakh |
| 2.0 AX Diesel MT | Rs. 10.85 - 12.20 lakh | 1.5 Petrol AT | Rs. 14.34 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Petrol MT | Rs. 12.49 lakh | 1.4 Turbo Petrol MT | Rs. 15.54 - 16.39 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Petrol AT | Rs. 13.45 - 13.55 lakh | 1.4 Turbo Petrol AT | Rs. 17.29 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Diesel MT | Rs. 12.85 - 12.95 lakh | 1.5 Diesel MT | Rs. 10.34 - 15.49 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Diesel AT | Rs. 13.65 - 13.75 lakh | 1.5 Diesel AT | Rs. 13.69 - 17.34 lakh |
The base variant of the Mahindra Thar petrol manual undercuts the base variant of the Kia Seltos petrol manual by Rs. 9,000 but the base LX manual trim is Rs. 2.6 lakh pricier than the base petrol manual Seltos. Having said that, the turbo petrol matches closer to the Thar in terms of power output. The base turbo petrol manual Seltos is Rs. 3.05 lakh more expensive than the base Thar, and the top-end Kia Seltos Turbo petrol AT is 3.74 lakh more expensive than the top-end Thar petrol automatic. However, it's the top-end diesel Thar which is a better bargain. Though the base AX diesel manual is Rs. 51,000 more expensive than the base Seltos diesel manual, the top-end diesel automatic Thar undercuts the range-topping diesel automatic Kia Seltos by Rs. 3.59 lakh.
Also Read: Mahindra Thar: Old Vs New Comparison Review
Mahindra Thar vs Hyundai Creta

The fully-loaded Mahindra Thar is more affordable than the Hyundai Creta.
| 2020 Mahindra Thar | Prices | Hyundai Creta | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 AX Petrol MT | Rs. 9.80 - 11.90 lakh | 1.5 Petrol MT | Rs. 9.99 - 13.46 lakh |
| 2.0 AX Diesel MT | Rs. 10.85 - 12.20 lakh | 1.5 Petrol AT | Rs. 14.95 - 16.15 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Petrol MT | Rs. 12.49 lakh | 1.4 Turbo Petrol MT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Petrol AT | Rs. 13.45 - 13.55 lakh | 1.4 Turbo Petrol AT | Rs. 16.16 - 17.20 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Diesel MT | Rs. 12.85 - 12.95 lakh | 1.5 Diesel MT | Rs. 9.99 - 15.79 lakh |
The Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos are near identical models under the skin. They are closely priced and have identical specifications. The base petrol manual variant of the Mahindra Thar undercuts the base petrol manual variant of the Hyundai Creta by Rs. 19,000, while the top-end Creta petrol automatic is Rs. 2.60 lakh more expensive than the top-end Thar Petrol automatic. The Creta Turbo petrol is only available with automatic transmission. The base Creta turbo petrol automatic is Rs. 2.71 lakh more expensive than the base Thar petrol automatic, while the top-end Thar petrol automatic undercuts the top-end Creta petrol automatic by Rs. 3.65 lakh. The base variant of the Thar diesel manual is Rs. 86,000 more expensive than the base manual version of the Creta diesel, while the top of the line Thar diesel automatic is Rs. 3.45 lakh more affordable than the base variant of the Creta diesel automatic.
Also Read: 2020 Mahindra Thar Petrol Automatic First Drive
Mahindra Thar vs Renault Duster

The fully-loaded Mahindra Thar is more affordable than the Renault Duster Turbo.
| 2020 Mahindra Thar | Prices | Renault Duster | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 AX Petrol MT | Rs. 9.80 - 11.90 lakh | 1.5 Petrol MT | Rs. 8.59 - 9.99 lakh |
| 2.0 AX Diesel MT | Rs. 10.85 - 12.20 lakh | 1.5 Petrol AT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Petrol MT | Rs. 12.49 lakh | 1.3 Turbo Petrol MT | Rs. 10.49 - 11.99 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Petrol AT | Rs. 13.45 - 13.55 lakh | 1.3 Turbo Petrol AT | Rs. 12.99 - 13.59 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Diesel MT | Rs. 12.85 - 12.95 lakh | Diesel MT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Diesel AT | Rs. 13.65 - 13.75 lakh | Diesel AT | NA |
The Renault Duster recently got a new turbo-petrol engine while the diesel engine has been discontinued in India. It also retains the 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine which is only available with manual transmission. The base variant of the 1.5 petrol Duster manual undercuts the base variant of the Thar petrol manual by Rs. 1.21 lakh while the top-end petrol manual Duster undercuts the top-end range-topping petrol manual Thar by Rs. 2.5 lakh. The base turbo petrol Duster manual is Rs. 69,000 more expensive than the base Petrol manual Thar while the top-end Duster Turbo petrol automatic us Rs. 4000 more expensive than the top of the range Thar petrol automatic.
Also Read: 2020 Mahindra Thar Bookings Open; Deliveries Start From November
Mahindra Thar vs Nissan Kicks

The fully-loaded Mahindra Thar is more affordable than the Nissan Kicks Turbo.
| 2020 Mahindra Thar | Prices | Renault Duster | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 AX Petrol MT | Rs. 9.80 - 11.90 lakh | 1.5 Petrol MT | Rs. 9.50 - 10.00 lakh |
| 2.0 AX Diesel MT | Rs. 10.85 - 12.20 lakh | 1.5 Petrol AT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Petrol MT | Rs. 12.49 lakh | 1.3 Turbo Petrol MT | Rs. 11.85 - 13.50 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Petrol AT | Rs. 13.45 - 13.55 lakh | 1.3 Turbo Petrol AT | Rs. 13.45 - 14.15 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Diesel MT | Rs. 12.85 - 12.95 lakh | Diesel MT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Diesel AT | Rs. 13.65 - 13.75 lakh | Diesel AT | NA |
Just like the Kia Seltos and Hyundai Creta, even the Nissan Kicks and Renault Duster are identical models under the skin. Though, there is significant gap in the pricing with the Kicks being more expensive and feature rich, but both models have similar specifications. The base petrol manual Kicks undercuts the base petrol manual Thar by Rs. 40,000 while the price different goes up to Rs. 2.40 lakh for the range-toping petrol manual variants. The base turbo petrol Nissan Kicks manual is Rs. 2.05 lakh more expensive than the base petrol manual Thar while the price different for the top-end petrol automatic trims goes up to Rs. 60,000, with the Kicks Turbo being more expensive.
Also Read: 2020 Mahindra Thar Spotted Testing With A New Grille Ahead Of Launch
Mahindra Thar vs Maruti Suzuki S-Cross

The top-end Maruti Suzuki S-Cross undercuts the Mahindra Thar by a good margin.
| 2020 Mahindra Thar | Prices | Maruti Suzuki S-Cross | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.0 AX Petrol MT | Rs. 9.80 - 11.90 lakh | 1.5 Petrol MT | Rs. 8.39 - 11.16 lakh |
| 2.0 AX Diesel MT | Rs. 10.85 - 12.20 lakh | 1.5 Petrol AT | Rs. 10.84 - 12.39 lakh |
| 2.0 LX Petrol MT | Rs. 12.49 lakh | Turbo Petrol MT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Petrol AT | Rs. 13.45 - 13.55 lakh | Turbo Petrol AT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Diesel MT | Rs. 12.85 - 12.95 lakh | Diesel MT | NA |
| 2.0 LX Diesel AR | Rs. 13.65 - 13.75 lakh | Diesel AT | NA |
The recently launched Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is offered only with a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre engine. The base petrol manual of the S-Cross under cuts the base petrol manual Thar by Rs. 1.41 lakh while the top-end petrol automatic Maruti Suzuki S-Cross is Rs. 1.16 lakh more affordable than the top-end petrol automatic Mahindra Thar.
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