Should Mahindra work on the Thar's on road manners or focus on improving its off road capabilities?
But the Mahindra Thar has always had a reputation for being a beast on the off road, but has never really impressed on the road. The Thar's handling, ride comfort and noise levels on paved roads leave many users wanting more than what other SUVs in its price range offer. This has sparked a debate on whether Mahindra should try and improve the Thar’s on road manners to make it more acceptable to a wider audience. From the other side of the coin, hardcore off road enthusiasts argue that improving the Thar's on road performance might come at the cost of off road performance, which is the Thar's USP. However, they're worried that making the Thar too 'soft' for road use may end up diluting the character of the Thar and its appeal to its core fanbase. This is a microcosm of an industry wide trend of SUVs trying to balance off road capability with on road comfort. Typically the discussion covers the suspension tuning, tire options, aerodynamics, and interior noise insulation and the possible market implications of the focus shift of the Thar.
Definitely, Mahindra should work on improving the Thar's on road manners. Since most owners spend 90% of their time on the roads, it makes sense to make it more comfortable for daily use.
No way! What makes the Thar special is its off road capability. If they get too hung up on on road performance it’ll just be another soft roader like every other car on the market.
I think they can do both. With modern suspension technology we can have a good balance of off road capability and on road comfort. All Mahindra has to do is to invest in better engineering.
While a Thar owner like me would appreciate better on road manners, I wouldn’t want to sacrifice off road capability. Maybe Mahindra could make different suspension setups available as options?
Part of the charm of the Thar is its on road behaviour. It just reminds you that you’re driving something special, not just another cookie cutter SUV. I say keep it as it is.
The Thar would be much more appealing to a wider audience if on road manners could be improved. That might be good for Mahindra, as it could help them sell more units, which could be good for the brand in general.
I feel Mahindra should concentrate on noise reduction and raising the ride quality on roads, but not at the expense of ground clearance or approach/departure angles. It's a hard thing to get the balance of, but it can be done.
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Discussions and Questions Should Mahindra Work On The Thars On Road Manners Or Focus On Improving Its Off Road Capabilities
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