Let's compare Mahindra Scorpio S vs Mahindra Thar AXT RWD Diesel

Compare Mahindra Scorpio S vs Mahindra Thar AXT RWD Diesel price, specifications, mileage, features and performance to find the best car for you.

Mahindra Scorpio S
Mahindra Scorpio
Mahindra Thar AXT RWD Diesel
Mahindra Thar
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Car comparison placeholder
Here is a detailed comparison of price:

Mahindra Scorpio S

Price

₹ 15.09 Lakh

On-Road Price New Delhi

EMI

₹ 27,856/month

Mahindra Thar AXT RWD Diesel

Price

₹ 11.26 Lakh

On-Road Price New Delhi

EMI

₹ 20,789/month

From the above comparison, we can conclude that Mahindra Thar feels light on the pocket compared to Mahindra Scorpio by ₹3,82,704.

Dimensions & Seating

Body Type

Suv

Suv

Length

4456 mm +471

3985 mm

Width

1820 mm

1820 mm

Height

1995 mm +145

1850 mm

WheelBase

2680 mm +230

2450 mm

Ground Clearance

209 mm

226 mm +17

Seating Capacity

7 +3

4

Fuel Tank Capacity

60 Liters +3

57 Liters

Boot Space

460 Liters

-- Liters

Engine & Transmission

Fuel Type

Diesel

Diesel

Mileage (KMPL)

13.06

15.2 Km/l +2.14

Range

780 Kms

866 Kms +86

Engine Type

2.2 L Mhawk

D117 Crde

Powertrain Assistance

Mild Hybrid

No

Emission Standards

Bs Vi

Bs Vi

No. of Cylinders

4

4

Displacement

2184 cc +687

1497 cc

Max Power

130 bhp @ 3750 rpm +13

117 bhp @ 3500 rpm

Max Torque

300 Nm @ 1600-2800 rpm

300 Nm @ 1750-2500 rpm

Transmission Type

MT

MT

Gear Box

6-MT

6-MT

Drive Type

RWD

RWD

Top Speed

165 +10

155

Steering and Suspension

Tilt Adjust

Yes

Yes

Telescopic Adjust

--

--

Turning Radius

5.4

5.5 +0.1

Front Suspension

Double Wish-bone Type, Independent Front Coil Spring

Independent Double Wishbone

Rear Suspension

Mulit-link Coil Spring Suspension with Anti-Roll Bar

Multilink solid Rear Axle

Front Brakes

Disc

Disc

Rear Brakes

Drum

Drum

Safety & Security

Airbags

2

2

Seatbelt Warning

Yes

Yes

Over Speeding Warning

Yes

Yes

Anti-lock Braking System

Yes

Yes

ESP

--

Yes

Brake Assist

--

Yes

Tyre Pressure Monitor System

No

No

Reverse Camera

No

No

360 Camera

No

No

Hill Assist

--

Yes

Hill Descent Control

No

Yes

Child Lock

--

Yes

Isofix Child Seat Mount

--

Yes

Engine Immobilizer

Yes

--

ADAS

No

No

Comfort & Convenience

Power Windows

Front And Rear

Only Front

ORVM Adjustment

Manual

Manual

Request Sensors

--

--

Push Button Start

No

No

Cruise Control

No

No

Keyless Entry

--

--

Steering Mounted Control

--

--

Climate Control

--

--

Rear AC Vents

Yes

No

Adjustable Steering Column

Yes

Yes

Interior Features

Upholstery

Fabric

Fabric

Adjustable Front Seats

Yes

Yes

Height Adjustable Driver Seat

--

Yes

Rear Armrest

No

Yes

Rear Cup Holders

--

--

Front Cup Holders

--

Yes

Cooled Glovebox

No

No

Exterior Features

Sunroof

No

Not Compatible

Wheels

Steel Rims

Steel Rims

Fog Lights

No

No

Tyre Size

235 / 65 R17

245 / 75 R16

Daytime Running Lights

--

--

Headlight Type

Halogen

Halogen

Tailgate

Manual

Manual

Roof Rails

No

No

Rear Wiper

No

No

Infotainment & Telematics

Touch Screen

--

--

Screen Size

--

--

USB Port

Yes

Yes

Navigation System

No

No

Speakers

--

--

Remote App Control

No

No

Wireless Charging

No

No

Smartphone Connectivity

No

No

Telematics

Analogue

Analogue-Digital

Connectivity & Internet

USB Port

Yes

Yes

Navigation

No

No

Smartphone Connectivity

No

No

Mahindra Scorpio Vs Mahindra Thar Colors
Mahindra Scorpio STEALTH BLACK

STEALTH BLACK

Mahindra Thar STEALTH BLACK

STEALTH BLACK

Mahindra Scorpio STEALTH BLACK

STEALTH BLACK

Mahindra Thar STEALTH BLACK

STEALTH BLACK

Mahindra Scorpio Vs Mahindra Thar Expert Opinions
Design and Aesthetics
Features and Specifications
After Sales Support
Brand Value
Resale Value
Likes
Dislikes
Design and Aesthetics
Features and Specifications
After Sales Support
Brand Value
Resale Value
Likes
Dislikes
Mahindra Scorpio Vs Mahindra Thar FAQs

The Scorpio (Classic) starts at about ₹ 13.77 lakh and goes up to ~ ₹ 17.72 lakh, ex-showroom, depending on variant, seating (7 or 9), trim.

Earlier, the Scorpio facelift came in too many trims, like a menu card at a dhaba where you end up confused between butter chicken, chicken masala, or chicken curry. The S3 had the basic 2.5-litre m2DiCR diesel, higher trims like S11 offered more power and even 4WD. In the Scorpio Classic, Mahindra trimmed the clutter. Now you get the updated 2.2-litre Gen-2 mHawk diesel tuned for 130 bhp and 300 Nm, no 4WD, and just two clear variants, Classic S and Classic S11.

The Scorpio Classic measures about 4.45 metres long (14.6 ft), 1.82 metres wide (6 ft), and 1.99 metres tall (6.5 ft). Ground clearance stands at 209 mm. Translation: it’s tall enough to bully hatchbacks in traffic, short enough to still fit in most parking spots, and has clearance to glide over broken rural roads. But, try squeezing it into old city lanes, and you’ll wish you had a Maruti 800 instead.

It comes in 7-seater and 9-seater layouts, with side-facing jump seats at the back. Boot space depends on whether you actually use the third row. With all rows up, it’s more of a backpack-space. Fold or remove the third row, and you can load luggage for a week-long road trip with 4-5 people. Perfect for families, political rallies, or even the local cricket team that refuses to hire a tempo.

This is where Mahindra adds a bit of garnish. You get the new Twin Peaks logo, a revised grille with chrome slats, LED DRLs, new 17-inch alloys, quilted upholstery in top trims, and a 9-inch touchscreen. Not luxury-SUV flashy, but enough to make your neighbour ask, “Yeh naya wala Scorpio hai?”

This SUV is not for soft souls who panic over mileage calculators. It’s for people who need rugged reliability, space for people or luggage, and a car that can be parked outside government offices, farms, or small-town movie theatres with equal pride. Police forces, administrators, semi-urban families, and even office goers in smaller cities find sense in it. If your daily route involves more bumps than smooth roads, the Scorpio Classic is your friend.

If you compare it with a Creta or Compass, sure, it feels old-school. But that’s the whole point. This SUV is for those who value toughness over touchscreens. It doesn’t try to be posh, it tries to be dependable. Like that one friend who still uses a Nokia but never misses a call.

The Scorpio Classic diesel delivers around 14.44 km/l (ARAI). Using diesel at ₹102 per litre, the running cost comes to roughly ₹7.06/km. So if you drive 1,000 km a month, fuel cost ≈ ₹7,060. For families or small fleet owners, this is predictable, though not as cheap as hatchbacks. Real-world mileage may drop to 11–12 km/l if fully loaded or city driving is mostly stop-and-go.

1. Service interval: Every 10,000 km or 6 months (whichever comes first). 2. Basic service cost: ₹4,000–₹6,000 (oil, filter, minor checks). 3. Major service (30k/50k km): ₹8,000–₹12,000 depending on parts replaced. 4. Average annual maintenance: ~₹15,000–₹20,000.

Classic is rugged, simple, reliable, cheaper to buy and maintain, ideal for semi-urban and fleet users. Scorpio-N is more premium, with 4WD, automatic gearbox, and more features.

The 3-door Mahindra Thar was launched in October 2020, and it remains in production. It has become one of the most iconic off-road SUVs in India, combining retro style with modern tech.

The Thar is built on a ladder-frame / body-on-frame chassis, not a monocoque. That means a separate rigid frame under the vehicle supports the body. This style gives it strength and toughness — excellent for off-road use, rugged terrain, uneven surfaces. The flip side? It tends to have more body roll, slightly less smooth ride at highway speeds compared to crossover SUVs, and more weight. But if your road includes broken stretches, streams, mud, or even adventure trails, ladder frame is gold.

Thar has many things working in its favor. First, its looks: round headlamps, seven-slot grille, boxy rugged shape — retro but cool. Second, it taps into nostalgia: Mahindra’s lineage of Jeeps (CJ, MM540) is legendary. Third, it offers real off-road capability in a licensed SUV package (4×4, high ground clearance, robust chassis) at prices many can reach. Fourth, media, film and owner stories have made the Thar more than a car, it’s identity, rebel car, adventure car. It’s that vehicle people imagine driving through desert dunes, forest trails, or Chennai monsoon roads and living to tell about it.

The first generation Thar (launched around 2010) grew out of Mahindra’s legacy of producing rugged “jeep-like” vehicles (e.g. MM540). The old Thar had simpler features: basic interiors, fewer comfort features, analogue dials, basic doors or soft tops. The current 2020 Thar upgrades a lot: modern suspension (independent front double wishbone, multi-link rear with coil springs instead of older leaf/composite springs), better ride comfort, features like touchscreen infotainment, LED lighting, safety equipment, more variants (petrol/diesel, manual/auto), removable tops (hard top, soft top, convertible style). So the Thar evolved from rugged utilitarian off-roader to “rugged + somewhat civilized” adventure SUV.

MM540 was one of the ancestors of Thar. Mahindra produced the MM540 from around 1985 to 2005 (varied by model), which itself was an evolution of Mahindra’s Jeep licence lineage (CJ, etc.). MM540 was very basic, almost military/off-road focused: leaf springs, minimal creature comforts, rugged and simple. Thar inherits that DNA: it’s part nostalgia, part engineering. But modern Thar is far more than just MM540 with a stereo.

Yes, design conflict has been a thing. Jeep’s parent companies (Stellantis / FCA) have alleged that Mahindra’s Thar too closely resembles the Jeep Wrangler or Jeep’s design trademarks — things like the front grille, bumper style, small design cues. In some markets (Australia among them), Jeep has taken Mahindra to court arguing that Mahindra is infringing intellectual property rights. Mahindra has responded sometimes by saying no immediate plan to launch in those markets, or has removed teaser images, etc. So there is legal tension. Thar is iconic, but because certain design cues are globally recognized, copying or resembling too closely invites trouble.

Because of its look, its roar, and how it is often used. Thar has appeared in films, in crime-stories, in rural strongman legends, in city stories as “that SUV that can drive anywhere”. Some people believe owning a Thar projects power: seeing it drive up means attrition of smaller cars, road space, etc. In some regions, Thar owners have been associated with overconfidence, performing reckless driving. Media reports of accidents or misbehaviour sometimes focus on Thar drivers. So it has “notorious” status in popular culture — partly romantic, partly real, partly exaggerated.

Should buy if you value off-road capability, want a car that can take mud, water, and rough terrain, like adventure weekends, beach drives, or need to go to remote areas. If you want strong road presence and don’t mind compromises on comfort, fuel cost, space. Also good for enthusiasts, younger people who want a fun weekend ride more than a plush city drive. Avoid if your drive is mostly smooth city roads, frequent traffic jams, parking tight, you want high fuel efficiency, or comfort as priority over ruggedness. If your back complains easily, Thar’s ride can be firm.

Thar got 4 stars for adult and child occupant protection in the 2020 Global NCAP test, when tested in basic spec with two airbags. The updated Thar Roxx version has gone further, earning 5 stars in both adult and child safety in Bharat NCAP. This shows Mahindra has worked to improve safety with stronger structure and more safety tech.

Because Thar is tall, high clearance, and body-on-frame, it has a higher centre of gravity than many other SUVs. That increases risk in sharp turns or fast evasive manoeuvres. However, standard driving, responsible speeds, avoiding overloading, and features like ESC reduce that risk significantly. Official crash tests noted “unstable dynamic behaviour” in some scenarios, so driver caution is required. There is no large public record (in tests) of design being proven unsafe in normal conditions.
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