Jimny Vs. Thar Offroading - Which Comes Out On Top?

With the launch of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny, one question is raised by most people: Which has better off-road performance, the Jimny or the Mahindra Thar? BRH Expeditions, a YouTuber, recently put both to the test. Continue reading to find out what the verdict is.

BRH Expeditions tested the limits of both the off-roaders, by taking it through treacherous terrains on a hilly area, with rocks, inclines, and loose sand. This was done to demonstrate how well the vehicles performed in diverse conditions, on the same course.

In the video, we got to see both cars being pushed quite aggressively, testing how durable they are and what they're capable of. The Maruti Suzuki Jimny weighs in lighter than the Thar, resulting in a better power-to-weight ratio. Due to this, the Jimny also gives the user a lighter and more nimble experience.

For the video, the Jimny used was running on street tyres straight from the showroom, whereas the Thar was on all-terrain tyres. While offroading, all-terrain tyres provide an advantage as the grooves and treads are specially designed to grip loose and slippery surfaces.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny, in the off-roading test, performed really well, despite the disadvantage it had on the tyres. It managed to tackle all the obstacles that the Thar could, except for one of the steep inclines, where the Jimny struggled due to lack of grip. But, in certain parts, it is visible that the Jimny required a little more struggle from the engine to power the vehicle through.

Getting off the dirt and back to the tarmac, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny serves as a better city-driven vehicle than the Mahindra Thar. This is due to the fact that the Jimny, overall, has smaller dimensions, more seating space, and better fuel efficiency.

The Jimny's dimensions are as follows: 3,820mm in length, 1,645mm wide, and 1,720mm tall. The Thar's dimensions on the other hand are: 3,985mm long, 1,820mm wide, and 1,850mm tall. With this, we can come to the conclusion that the Mahindra Thar, in all aspects, have larger dimensions, being 165mm longer, 175mm wider, and 130mm taller than the Maruti Suzuki Jimny.

Coming to the ground clearance of the SUVs - the Mahindra Thar sits 245mm off the ground, whereas the Maruti Suzuki Jimny is measured at 210mm above the ground.

In City rides, it is important to have space in the car to accommodate others. The Jimny has been released with a 5-door version, while the Mahindra Thar is still only found with the 3-door variant. The Thar and Jimny can only fit four people but access to the rear seats is easier in the Jimny due to the four doors present.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is powered by a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, with an option of a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic. The Mahindra Thar comes with only a 6-speed gearbox but with engine options such as a petrol engine with a manual gearbox, a petrol engine with an automatic gearbox, a diesel engine with a manual gearbox, and a diesel engine with an automatic gearbox.

The Mahindra Thar's petrol engine only has one variant, a 2.0-litre version that produces 150bhp and 320Nm of torque. On the other hand, the Diesel variant has a 2.2-litre engine which produces 130bhp and 300Nm of torque; and a 1.5-litre engine which puts out 117bhp and 300Nm of torque.

Thoughts on Maruti Suzuki Jimny Vs. Mahindra Thar

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny, despite having street tyres, gave the Mahindra Thar a run for its money in this off-roading video. The Jimny could tackle almost all the obstacles, barring one due to the loss of traction because of the tyres. Other than that, the Jimny did have to put a little extra effort on the engine to get it to climb up certain areas of the course, but regardless, still managed to.

Having experienced both, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny and Mahindra Thar in off-roading scenarios, the Jimny would definitely come out as the victor as it is relatively smaller which results in a better power-to-weight ratio. Also, the Jimny is a lot more stable on rough terrains when compared to the Thar. One downside to the Jimny, though, is the turning radius.