Mahindra Thar vs Renault Duster: which should you buy?
The Mahindra Thar starts at ₹10.32L against the Renault Duster's ₹10.49L ex-showroom Delhi, so it is ₹0.17L cheaper to get into.
They run together up to ₹18.00L, where the Thar tops out. Past that only the Duster has anything left to sell you, up to ₹18.49L.
Only one of them takes the whole party: the Duster seats 5, the Thar 4.
Fuel is a real difference here: the Thar comes in diesel and petrol, the Duster in petrol.
Same money, which car?
Take ₹18.00L to both showrooms and you come out with the Thar LXT at ₹18.00L or the Duster Iconic at ₹16.99L, the Duster leaving ₹1.01L of that in your pocket.
Our take
The real reason to pay ₹1.01L more for the Thar LXT: tyre pressure monitor. The useful extras on top: hill descent control and touchscreen (10.25" against 10.1"). The rest of the additions are minor trim. At that price, we would stretch.
- Only the Renault Duster seats 5, worth knowing if you need the space
- The Duster swallows the most luggage at 518 litres
- Also on the Thar LXT: height-adjustable driver seat, and some minor trim beyond that
- Going to the Thar LXT, you give up airbags (6 against 2), level 2 (full suite) ADAS and 360° camera, which the Duster Iconic keeps
- Choose the Renault Duster Iconic if
- You would rather keep the ₹1.01L than pay for kit you will not miss
- Choose the Mahindra Thar LXT if
- Safety kit matters more to you than keeping the money
Thar vs Duster, on paper
| Mahindra Thar | Renault Duster | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (ex-showroom Delhi) | ₹10.32L to ₹18.00L | ₹10.49L to ₹18.49L |
| Variants | 7 | 11 |
| Body type | Off-road SUV | Midsize SUV |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| Fuels | Diesel, Petrol | Petrol |
| Cheapest automatic | ₹14.76L | ₹14.49L |
| Boot | 257 litres | 518 litres |
| Length | 3,985 mm | 4,346 mm |
| Width | 1,820 mm | 1,804 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,450 mm | 2,657 mm |
| Ground clearance | 226 mm | 212 mm |
| Warranty | - | 3 years or 1,00,000 km |
Whichever you pick, the variant is where the money goes
Thar vs Duster: the questions people ask
- Is the Mahindra Thar or the Renault Duster cheaper?
- The Mahindra Thar, by ₹0.17L: it starts at ₹10.32L against ₹10.49L ex-showroom Delhi for the Duster. Both run well past that, so what you actually pay depends on the variant.
- Mahindra Thar vs Renault Duster: which gives you more for the same money?
- At ₹18.00L it is the Thar LXT against the Duster Iconic. The real reason to pay ₹1.01L more for the Thar LXT: tyre pressure monitor. The useful extras on top: hill descent control and touchscreen (10.25" against 10.1"). The rest of the additions are minor trim. At that price, we would stretch.
- Which is more practical, the Mahindra Thar or the Renault Duster?
- On the figures the makers publish, the Duster seats 5 against the Thar's 4 and the Duster swallows 518 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 Mahindra Thar or the Renault Duster?
- The Duster: its cheapest automatic is ₹14.49L 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.