Kia Seltos vs Mahindra Thar: which should you buy?
The Mahindra Thar starts at ₹10.32L against the Kia Seltos's ₹11.00L ex-showroom Delhi, so it is ₹0.68L cheaper to get into.
They run together up to ₹18.00L, where the Thar tops out. Past that only the Seltos has anything left to sell you, up to ₹21.82L.
Only one of them takes the whole party: the Seltos seats 5, the Thar 4.
Same money, which car?
Take ₹18.00L to both showrooms and you come out with the Seltos HTX at ₹17.54L or the Thar LXT at ₹18.00L, the Seltos leaving ₹0.46L of that in your pocket.
Our take
The real reason to pay ₹0.46L more for the Thar LXT: the Thar LXT shifts itself while the other is a manual. The rest of the additions are minor trim. At that price, we would stretch.
- Only the Kia Seltos seats 5, worth knowing if you need the space
- The Seltos swallows the most luggage at 447 litres
- Also on the Thar LXT: hill descent control, and some minor trim beyond that
- Going to the Thar LXT, you give up airbags (6 against 2), all-wheel disc brakes and JBL system with Dolby Atmos, which the Seltos HTX keeps
- Choose the Kia Seltos HTX if
- You would rather keep the ₹0.46L than pay for kit you will not miss
- Choose the Mahindra Thar LXT if
- Safety kit matters more to you than keeping the money
Seltos vs Thar, on paper
| Kia Seltos | Mahindra Thar | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (ex-showroom Delhi) | ₹11.00L to ₹21.82L | ₹10.32L to ₹18.00L |
| Variants | 44 | 7 |
| Body type | Midsize SUV | Off-road SUV |
| Seats | 5 | 4 |
| Fuels | Petrol, Diesel | Diesel, Petrol |
| Cheapest automatic | ₹13.72L | ₹14.76L |
| Boot | 447 litres | 257 litres |
| Length | 4,460 mm | 3,985 mm |
| Width | 1,830 mm | 1,820 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,690 mm | 2,450 mm |
| Ground clearance | - | 226 mm |
Whichever you pick, the variant is where the money goes
Seltos vs Thar: the questions people ask
- Is the Kia Seltos or the Mahindra Thar cheaper?
- The Mahindra Thar, by ₹0.68L: it starts at ₹10.32L against ₹11.00L ex-showroom Delhi for the Seltos. Both run well past that, so what you actually pay depends on the variant.
- Kia Seltos vs Mahindra Thar: which gives you more for the same money?
- At ₹18.00L it is the Seltos HTX against the Thar LXT. The real reason to pay ₹0.46L more for the Thar LXT: the Thar LXT shifts itself while the other is a manual. The rest of the additions are minor trim. At that price, we would stretch.
- Which is more practical, the Kia Seltos or the Mahindra Thar?
- On the figures the makers publish, the Seltos seats 5 against the Thar's 4 and the Seltos swallows 447 litres of luggage against 257. Everything else about living with them, from boot shape to how the back seat actually feels, is a test drive question rather than a spec sheet one.
- Which is cheaper as an automatic, the Kia Seltos or the Mahindra Thar?
- The Seltos: its cheapest automatic is ₹13.72L against ₹14.76L for the Thar, ex-showroom Delhi. A gearbox is usually the biggest single step on either ladder, so check what else that trim brings before you read it as the price of the automatic alone.
Prices are ex-showroom Delhi and change without notice. Specifications are compiled from public sources; always confirm with a dealer before buying.