Introduction

The second-generation of the Mahindra Thar is now available in India. This cult off-roader is now more versatile and is offered in a choice of BS6-compliant petrol and diesel powertrains. These come mated to either a six-speed manual or automatic transmission. We earlier tested the diesel manual to give you the real-world fuel economy figures, and now we have put the diesel automatic under our V-Box tests and fuel efficiency test regime.

With a weight of 1,840kg, it's apparent one might not be able to extract as much mileage as one would from a frugal diesel motor. However, this 2.2-litre I4 mHawk 130 engine mated to a torque-converter six-speed automatic gearbox provides the much-needed convenience one would need in the ever-increasing traffic these days. Still, how much fuel efficiency did it manage to deliver in actual driving conditions? We'll get to that in a bit, while also telling you how its hauling strength is out on the road with a power output of 130bhp and 300Nm of torque.

Acceleration and City FE

0-60kmph

0-100kmph

This 2,184cc four-cylinder DOHC engine feels powerful and quick, especially for the Thar’s big and burly proportions. The moment you slot it in 'D' drive mode and accelerate, it illustrates enough grunt to move ahead from a standstill. As a result, the 0-60kmph sprint on our V-Box was clocked in 4.52 seconds, while it took 12.42 seconds to reach 100kmph, which is still a respectable figure. Our fuel efficiency test also revealed that this diesel automatic Thar returned 11.21kmpl in the city; not a steep descent from the 12.89kmpl figure that its manual sibling had returned.

Roll-on tests and Highway FE

20-80kmph in kick-down

40-100kmph in kick-down

Our roll-on tests are a good measure of drivability and this Thar diesel AT clocked the 20-80kmph run in kick-down in 6.13 seconds. Meanwhile, the 40-100kmph sprint, indicative of its highway run, was achieved in 9.83 seconds. With loads of torque available right from 1,600rpm, these figures were quite certain. As for the highway fuel efficiency, it consumed a litre of diesel for every 14.35km, which might not be very impressive, but is still close to 16.37kmpl that the manual version posted. Do note, our tests are conducted with only a driver and this figure might vary for you with more passengers and according to different driving conditions.

Conclusion

I'm not quite sure if you would label this one to be a highway mile-muncher with 57litres of fuel capacity. But with an overall average of 12.78kmpl, you do get a range of more than 700km, which will never be inadequate especially for your off-road excursions. Next time, we shall test the petrol automatic version to give you more insights into its performance and fuel economy. Stay tuned to CarWale.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi