Mahindra has architected one of the most unusual and highly debated pricing structures in the Indian automotive market, creating a spectacular dilemma for prospective Thar buyers.
If you are currently evaluating the top-spec, fully loaded Thar OG ZXT (the updated three-door model) in its diesel Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) configuration, you will be looking at an introductory ex-showroom price of ₹17.49 lakh for the manual transmission, and ₹18.99 lakh for the automatic.
However, sitting right across the showroom floor is the Thar Roxx Star Edition. This special-edition version of the massive, five-door Thar Roxx bringing a significantly larger footprint and a far more family-oriented cabin is priced at ₹17.775 lakh for the diesel manual and ₹19.285 lakh for the diesel automatic.
When you do the math, the revelation is staggering. The five-door Roxx Star Edition costs a mere ₹28,500 more for the manual, and ₹29,500 more for the automatic.
(Note: All prices are ex-showroom. Mahindra currently describes the Thar OG prices as introductory, valid for deliveries scheduled until November 30, 2026).
This negligible financial gap completely shatters conventional automotive value equations.
Thar OG vs Thar Roxx Star Edition: Price Comparison
| Variant | Engine | Gearbox | Drive | Ex-showroom |
| Thar OG ZXT | 2.2L diesel | 6-speed MT | RWD | ₹17.49 lakh |
| Thar OG ZXT | 2.2L diesel | 6-speed AT | RWD | ₹18.99 lakh |
| Thar Roxx Star Edition | 2.2L diesel | 6-speed MT | RWD | ₹17.77 lakh |
| Thar Roxx Star Edition | 2.2L diesel | 6-speed AT | RWD | ₹19.28 lakh |
The Price Difference:
| Comparison | Extra for Roxx Star Edition |
| Diesel Manual | ₹28,500 |
| Diesel Automatic | ₹29,500 |
This minimal margin is present before we even begin to unpack the substantial differences in equipment, luxury, and sheer physical metal you are purchasing.
The Most Important Question: Why Is the Difference So Small?
This is where the buying decision becomes incredibly complex.
The Thar OG ZXT represents the absolute pinnacle of the three-door Thar hierarchy. Conversely, the Roxx Star Edition is a specialized, premium-focused iteration of the five-door Thar Roxx. Yet, their diesel, two-wheel-drive avatars are separated by less than the cost of an aftermarket set of all-terrain tires.
So the obvious question demands to be asked: Why on earth would anyone buy the three-door Thar OG ZXT diesel instead of the five-door Roxx Star Edition?
There are, surprisingly, several genuine reasons to choose the smaller OG. But strictly from a calculated, value-for-money perspective, ignoring the Roxx Star Edition at this price point borders on the illogical.
Thar OG ZXT vs Roxx Star: Same Diesel Philosophy
To ensure a fair fight, it is critical to note that both vehicles utilize Mahindra’s revered 2.2-litre mHawk turbo-diesel engine.
The Roxx Star Edition diesel produces up to a robust 172bhp and 400Nm of torque. The Thar OG’s new D22 mHawk diesel is also part of Mahindra’s recently upgraded powertrain family, ensuring it is no slouch either.
Crucially, both models in this specific price comparison offer the exact same drivetrain configurations:
- 6-speed manual transmission
- 6-speed torque-converter automatic transmission
- Rear-wheel drive (RWD)
Therefore, this is not a scenario where one vehicle is artificially more expensive simply because it houses a vastly superior engine or a complex 4×4 system. The buyer is essentially forced to choose between two distinct philosophies: Three-door Thar character versus Five-door Thar practicality.
What You Get With the Thar OG ZXT Diesel
It is vital to establish that the ZXT is not a stripped-down, utilitarian shell. It is the flagship variant of the heavily updated 2026 Thar OG and boasts an impressively modern equipment list designed to make it a livable daily driver.
Exterior Features:
- R19 alloy wheels
- Full LED suite (Headlamps, DRLs, Tail lamps, Fog lamps)
- Cornering lamps for enhanced night visibility
- Aggressive wheel arch cladding
- Hard-top roof design
- The newly redesigned Thar OG grille and bumpers
- (Mahindra has also introduced fresh exterior colours and a rich Truffle Brown leatherette interior exclusive to the new OG).
Thar OG ZXT Interior & Technology
The ZXT trim finally bridges the gap between ruggedness and digital convenience.
- Large touchscreen infotainment system
- Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Colour Multi-Information Display (MID)
- Steering-mounted audio and phone controls
- Cruise control
- Wireless smartphone charging
- Premium leatherette upholstery and a leatherette-wrapped steering wheel
- Electrically adjustable ORVMs
- Rear wiper and washer
- Rear parking camera and front parking sensors
- Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
The ZXT is a highly equipped lifestyle SUV in its own right.
Safety Is a Major Upgrade on the Thar OG
Mahindra has aggressively addressed safety criticisms leveled at the older generation. The new 2026 Thar OG ZXT is armed with a formidable safety net:
- 6 Airbags standard, including four specialized HPTS (Head, Pelvis, Thorax, and Shoulder) airbags designed to provide superior protection for both front and rear occupants.
- ESP 9.3 (Electronic Stability Program)
- Hill Hold Control and Hill Descent Control
- ABS with EBD
- Front parking sensors
- All four disc brakes for vastly superior stopping power.
This comprehensive safety upgrade makes the new Thar OG an infinitely more rational choice as a daily vehicle than any of its predecessors.
Now Look at the Thar Roxx Star Edition
This is where the comparison becomes painfully difficult for the Thar OG. For a premium of less than ₹30,000, the Star Edition buries the OG under an avalanche of premium features and sheer cabin volume.
Major Roxx Star Edition Additions Include:
- Five doors and five seats
- A massive Panoramic Sunroof
- R19 alloy wheels (distinctive design)
- A specialized blacked-out exterior treatment
- Ultra-premium leatherette upholstery
- Ventilated front seats
- Fully automatic climate control
- Dedicated rear AC vents
- 360-degree surround-view camera
- Front and rear parking sensors
- A fully Digital instrument cluster
- A larger, higher-resolution touchscreen infotainment unit
- Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Wireless charging pad
- Premium 9-speaker Harman Kardon audio system
- Connected-car technology with Alexa integration
- A sliding front armrest
- 60:40 split rear seats with reclining functionality
The Star Edition was engineered specifically as a design-led, luxury-focused variant of the Roxx. Features like the ventilated seats, panoramic sunroof, automatic climate control, 360-degree camera, and the audiophile-grade Harman Kardon system are features typically found in SUVs costing significantly north of ₹25 lakh.
And This Is Why the Roxx Star Makes So Much Sense
Let’s place the manual variants side-by-side once more.
Thar OG ZXT Diesel Manual: ₹17.49 lakh
Thar Roxx Star Diesel Manual: ₹17.775 lakh
Difference: ₹28,500
Now, look at the physical architecture. The OG offers 3 doors. The Roxx offers 5 doors.
For less than the cost of a premium smartphone, the Roxx adds a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, automatic climate control, a 360-degree camera, Harman Kardon audio, rear AC vents, a vastly larger cabin, infinitely more usable rear seats, and actual, practical luggage space.
Thar OG vs Roxx Star: Feature Comparison
| Feature | Thar OG ZXT | Thar Roxx Star Edition |
| Diesel engine | 2.2L | 2.2L |
| Manual | ✓ | ✓ |
| Automatic | ✓ | ✓ |
| Drive | RWD | RWD |
| Doors | 3 | 5 |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| R19 alloys | ✓ | ✓ |
| LED lighting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Touchscreen | ✓ | ✓ (Larger) |
| Digital MID | Colour MID | Fully Digital |
| Wireless charging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Cruise control | ✓ | ✓ |
| TPMS | ✓ | ✓ |
| Front parking sensors | ✓ | ✓ |
| 360° camera | — | ✓ |
| Panoramic sunroof | — | ✓ |
| Ventilated front seats | — | ✓ |
| Automatic climate control | — | ✓ |
| Rear AC vents | — | ✓ |
| Harman Kardon Audio | — | ✓ |
| 60:40 rear seats | — | ✓ |
| Reclining rear seats | — | ✓ |
| Family practicality | Good | Excellent |
| Lifestyle appeal | Excellent | Excellent |
The Roxx Star Is Almost a No-Brainer for Family Buyers
This is the inescapable reality of this comparison. If you are purchasing the Thar with the intention of using it as a primary family vehicle, there is virtually zero rational reason to choose the three-door OG ZXT when the five-door Roxx Star is sitting there for roughly ₹30,000 more.
The difference in daily usability is monumental.
Scenario: Thar OG
The front passenger must physically exit the vehicle, slide the heavy front seat forward, and wait while the rear passenger awkwardly contorts themselves to access the second row through the front door aperture.
Scenario: Thar Roxx
You pull the handle on the rear door. You get in. That’s it.
For parents dealing with child seats, for elderly passengers, or for teenagers who complain about legroom, this fundamental structural difference dictates whether you will love or loathe the vehicle after six months of ownership.
The Roxx Is the Better “One Car” Thar
If your budget dictates that this SUV must serve as your daily commuter, your family hauler, your highway cruiser, your weekend getaway vehicle, your grocery getter, and your airport transport, the Roxx makes infinitely more sense.
It never feels like you are forcing a compromise upon your passengers. The OG is a pure lifestyle vehicle that can tolerate passengers. The Roxx is a lifestyle vehicle that has been explicitly engineered around family usability.
So Why Buy the Thar OG?
It is crucial not to view this as a completely one-sided massacre. There are highly specific, genuine reasons to willingly reject the Roxx and choose the OG ZXT.
1. You Want the Original Thar Shape
For purists, the squat, three-door proportions are the Thar. The shorter body, the abrupt rear end, and the traditional silhouette are inextricably linked to its legendary appeal. The Roxx, by necessity of its length, looks more like a conventional, albeit rugged, family SUV. The OG looks like a true Thar.
2. You Don’t Need Rear Seats
If your passenger manifest rarely exceeds yourself and a single co-driver, the extra two doors are redundant weight and length. Why pay for vast rear-seat practicality that you will never utilize?
3. The OG Is Inherently More Compact
The three-door Thar is remarkably easy to place in narrow urban parking spaces, tight alleyways, small home garages, and heavily forested off-road trails. The Roxx’s significantly larger footprint is brilliant for highway stability and family space, but it becomes a distinct liability when trying to execute a U-turn on a crowded city street.
4. You Want a More Enthusiast-Focused SUV
This is perhaps the strongest argument for the OG. If you already have a sensible family sedan or crossover in the driveway, and you are buying the Thar strictly as an emotional, weekend toy, the OG is the undeniable choice. It is for the buyer who says: “I don’t need the Thar because I have a family. I want the Thar because I love the Thar.”
5. You Want 4WD
This is the ultimate tie-breaker. The Thar OG ZXT range offers full 4WD capability (complete with a low-range transfer case) across its petrol and diesel engine options. The Roxx Star Edition, however, is a curated special edition that is currently restricted to Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) only. If serious off-roading, rock crawling, or deep mud-plugging ranks higher on your priority list than rear-seat legroom, the OG 4WD remains the only viable path.
Manual vs Automatic: Which One Should You Buy?
Let’s dissect the comparison based on transmission choice.
Thar OG ZXT Diesel Manual: ₹17.49 lakh
Thar Roxx Star Diesel Manual: ₹17.775 lakh
Difference: ₹28,500
For the manual transmission buyer, assuming you have any degree of family usage, the Roxx Star is the undisputed value champion. You simply get too much physical hardware and luxury equipment for the negligible premium.
Thar OG ZXT Diesel Automatic: ₹18.99 lakh
Thar Roxx Star Diesel Automatic: ₹19.285 lakh
Difference: ₹29,500
For the automatic buyer, the inclination toward the Roxx should be even stronger. The seamless combination of a torque-converter automatic, five accessible doors, and premium family comfort (ventilated seats, rear AC) creates a package that operates brilliantly as a stress-free, luxurious daily commuter.
The ₹30,000 Question
Imagine sitting across from the Mahindra sales executive, pen hovering over the booking form for the three-door OG ZXT.
The executive leans in and says: “For just ₹29,500 more, I can give you the stretched five-door version. It has a significantly larger cabin, dedicated rear doors, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, fully automatic climate control, a 360-degree surround camera, and a 9-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.”
Would you still stubbornly choose the three-door?
For the vast majority of consumers walking into that showroom, the answer is a resounding “No.” That psychological reality is exactly why the current pricing structure makes the Roxx Star Edition an almost unbelievable value proposition.
But There Is One Important Catch
It is imperative to view this price advantage through the lens of Mahindra’s corporate strategy.
Mahindra has explicitly stated that the Thar OG prices are introductory and are only valid for deliveries scheduled until November 30, 2026.
Disclaimer: The prices analyzed in this article are ex-showroom and are based on Mahindra’s current introductory pricing window. Prices, variants, and dealer-level offers are subject to change at the time of your specific vehicle delivery.
Our Final Recommendation
If You’re Buying With Your Head: Thar Roxx Star Edition
At less than ₹30,000 extra, the mathematical value of the additional practicality and equipment is simply insurmountable. You are acquiring 5 doors, 5 spacious seats, vastly superior rear access, a panoramic sunroof, ventilated seats, automatic climate control, a 360° camera, Harman Kardon audio, and rear AC vents. It is an enormous volume of usability and luxury for an incredibly small financial increment.
If You’re Buying With Your Heart: Thar OG ZXT
If your soul aches for the classic, unadulterated three-door Thar, do not let the Roxx’s spec sheet sway you. The OG retains the traditional, perfectly proportioned silhouette, the raw lifestyle character, a highly maneuverable compact footprint, and uncompromised enthusiast appeal. You aren’t buying the OG because it wins a feature-count war; you are buying it because it is the exact Thar you have always wanted.
| Buyer Profile | Our Choice |
| Family of 4-5 | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| One-car household | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| Parents regularly travel in rear | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| Children / require child seats | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| Frequent highway touring | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| Daily automatic commuter | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| Demands maximum tech features | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| Best value at current pricing | 🏆 Roxx Star |
| Single driver / Couple | 🏆 OG ZXT |
| Pure enthusiast | 🏆 OG ZXT |
| Wants traditional Thar aesthetic | 🏆 OG ZXT |
| Demands serious 4WD off-roading | 🏆 OG 4WD |
| Requires compact urban agility | 🏆 OG ZXT |
MotorFuturist Verdict
At today’s introductory prices, the Thar Roxx Star Edition is undeniably the smarter, more logical purchase.
This conclusion does not mean the newly updated Thar OG is a flawed vehicle. Quite the opposite—the new Thar OG ZXT is a brilliantly equipped, remarkably safe, and highly capable three-door SUV. It remains the definitive choice if you specifically crave the traditional, uncompromising Thar experience.
However, the pricing proximity creates an unavoidable problem for the OG. When ₹17.49 lakh is pitted against ₹17.775 lakh, the Roxx Star’s supplementary doors, expansive space, premium comfort, and high-end equipment make the OG incredibly difficult to justify purely on a value-for-money basis.
The final takeaway is simple: Buy the OG if you want a Thar. Buy the Roxx Star Edition if you want a Thar that your family will actually love living with.
Read – 2026 Mahindra Thar Launched at ₹10.32 Lakh: Price, Variants & Features
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