Side-by-side comparison

Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus Comparison

If you are confused between the Mahindra Thar and the Volkswagen Virtus, you are not alone. Both are safety-focused SUVs from their respective brands, but they serve very different buyers. Let's look at the bottom line first: Price. The Mahindra Thar base model starts at ₹10.32 L, making it the budget-friendly choice. The Volkswagen Virtus starts at ₹10.50 L, meaning you pay a premium of nearly ₹18.00 K for the Volkswagen Virtus.

Mahindra Thar

₹10.32 L - ₹17.80 L

Diesel/PetrolAutomatic/Manual4 Seats

Volkswagen Virtus

₹10.50 L - ₹19.00 L

PetrolAutomatic/Manual5 Seats

Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus

Specifications

Parameter

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Price

₹10.32 L - ₹17.80 L

₹10.50 L - ₹19.00 L

Body Type

SUV

Sedan

Fuel Type

Diesel/Petrol

Petrol

Transmission

Automatic/Manual

Engine

mHawk 130 CRDe, mStallion 150 TGDi

1.5L TSI EVO with ACT

Engine Displacement

2184, 1997 cc

1498 cc

Torque

Power

130bhp@3750rpm, 150.19bhp@5000rpm

147.51bhp@5000-6000rpm

Mileage

11 kmpl, 9 kmpl

19.62 kmpl

Safety Rating

Seating Capacity

4 Seats

5 Seats

Length

Width

Ground Clearance

226 mm

179 mm

Boot Space

Fuel Tank Capacity

57 Litres

45 Litres

L Price

1032000

1050000

H Price

1780000

1900000

Safety

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)

Brake Assist

Central Locking

No. of Airbags

Driver Airbag

Passenger Airbag

Side Airbag-Rear

Day & Night Rear View Mirror

Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)

Seat Belt Warning

Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Speed Alert

Speed Sensing Auto Door Lock

ISOFIX Child Seat Mounts

Hill Descent Control

—

Hill Assist

Global NCAP Safety Rating

4 Star

5 Star

Global NCAP Child Safety Rating

4 Star

5 Star

Child Safety Locks

—

Side Airbag

—

Curtain Airbag

—

Traction Control

—

Engine Immobilizer

—

Rear Camera

—

With Guidedlines

Anti-Pinch Power Windows

—

Driver's Window

Impact Sensing Auto Door Unlock

—

Exterior

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Rear Window Defogger

Alloy Wheels

Side Stepper

—

Integrated Antenna

Fog Lights

Front

Front & Rear

Antenna

Fender-mounted

—

Boot Opening

Manual

—

Tyre Size

255/65 R18

205/55 R16

Tyre Type

Tubeless All-Terrain

Tubeless,Radial

LED DRLs

LED Headlamps

LED Taillights

Adjustable Headlamps

—

Rain Sensing Wiper

—

Wheel Covers

—

Rear Spoiler

—

Outside Rear View Mirror Turn Indicators

—

Chrome Garnish

—

Cornering Foglamps

—

Automatic Headlamps

—

Sunroof

—

Single Pane

Outside Rear View Mirror (ORVM)

—

Powered & Folding

Additional Features

—

GT elements, GT branding at front grill, GT branding at rear, Front fender with GT branding, Red painted brake callipers in front, Black Alloys, Carbon Steel Grey coloured door mirrors housing, Glossy black rear spoiler, Dual tone exterior with roof painted in Carbon Steel Grey, Signature chrome wing - front, Chrome strip on grille - upper, Chrome strip on grille - lower, Lower grill in black glossy, Bonnet with chiseled lines , Sharp dual shoulder lines, Body coloured door handles, Chrome applique on door handles, , Chrome garnish on window bottom line, Signature LED Tail lamps, Signature chrome wing, rear, Auto headlights, Reflector sticker inside doors

Interior

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Tachometer

—

Glove Box

Additional Features

BlueSense App Connectivity, Washable Floor with Drain Plugs, Welded Tow Hooks in Front & Rear, Tow Hitch Protection, Optional Mechanical Locking Differential, Electric Driveline Disconnect on Front Axle, Advanced Electronic Brake Locking Differentia

Premium dual tone interiors, High quality scratch-resistant dashboard, Rave Glossy/Dark Red Glossy and Glossy Black décor inserts, Chrome accent on air vents slider, Leather + Leatherette seat upholstery, Driver side foot rest, Driver side sunvisor with ticket holder, Passenger side sunvisor with vanity mirror, Foldable roof grab handles, front, Foldable roof grab handles with hooks, rear, Rear seat backrest split 60

Digital Cluster

Sami(Coloured)

Digital Cluster Size

4.2 inch

—

Upholstery

Fabric

Leather

Digital Odometer

—

Dual Tone Dashboard

—

Entertainment

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Radio

—

Speakers Front

—

Speakers Rear

—

Integrated 2DIN Audio

—

USB & Auxiliary input

—

Bluetooth Connectivity

—

Touch Screen

—

Fuel & Performance

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Fuel Type

Diesel

Petrol

Diesel Fuel Tank Capacity

57 Litres

—

Diesel Highway Mileage

10 kmpl

—

Emission Norm Compliance

BS VI 2.0

Petrol Mileage ARAI

—

19.62 kmpl

Petrol Fuel Tank Capacity

—

45 Litres

Top Speed

—

190 kmph

Comfort & Convenience

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Power Steering

Air Conditioner

Heater

Adjustable Steering

—

Height Adjustable Driver Seat

Accessory Power Outlet

Rear Reading Lamp

Rear Seat Headrest

—

Adjustable Headrest

Cruise Control

Parking Sensors

Rear

Foldable Rear Seat

KeyLess Entry

Voice Commands

—

Lane Change Indicator

Follow Me Home Headlamps

Additional Features

Tip & Slide Mechanism in Co-Driver Seat, Lockable Glovebox, Utility hook in backrest of co-driver seat, Remote Keyless Entry, Dashboard Grab Handle for Front Passenger, Tool Kit Organiser, Illuminated Key Ring, Electrically Operated HVAC Controls, Tyre Direction Monitoring System

Adjustable dual rear ac vent,Footwell Illumination, Front seats back pocket (both sides), Smart storage in center console, Height adjustable head restraint, Ventilated front seats with leather inserts

Ventilated Seats

—

Automatic Climate Control

—

Trunk Light

—

Vanity Mirror

—

Rear Seat Centre Arm Rest

—

Rear AC Vents

—

Lumbar Support

—

Real-Time Vehicle Tracking

—

Smart Access Card Entry

—

Engine Start/Stop Button

—

Cooled Glovebox

—

Paddle Shifters

—

USB Charger

—

Front & Rear

Central Console Armrest

—

With Storage

Idle Start-Stop System

—

Automatic Headlamps

—

Power Windows

—

Front & Rear

Cup Holders

—

Front & Rear

Dimensions & Capacity

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Length

3985 mm

4561 mm

Width

1820 mm

1752 mm

Height

1844 mm

1507 mm

Seating Capacity

Ground Clearance Unladen

226 mm

179 mm

Wheel Base

2450 mm

2651 mm

Rear Tread

1520 mm

1496 mm

Approach Angle

41.2°

—

Break-over Angle

26.2°

—

Departure Angle

36°

—

No. of Doors

Boot Space

—

521 Litres

Ground Clearance (Laden)

—

145 mm

Front Tread

—

1511 mm

Kerb Weight

—

1269 kg

Gross Weight

—

1685 kg

Engine & Transmission

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Engine Type

mHawk 130 CRDe

1.5L TSI EVO with ACT

Displacement

2184 cc

1498 cc

Max Power

130.07bhp@3750rpm

147.51bhp@5000-6000rpm

Max Torque

300Nm@1600-2800rpm

250Nm@1600-3500rpm

No. of Cylinders

Valves Per Cylinder

Turbo Charger

Transmission Type

Automatic

Gearbox

6-Speed

7-Speed DSG

Drive Type

4WD

FWD

Suspension, Steering & Brakes

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Front Suspension

Double wishbone suspension

MacPherson Strut suspension

Rear Suspension

Multi-link, Solid Axle

Rear twist beam

Steering Type

Hydraulic

Electric

Steering Column

Tilt

Tilt & Telescopic

Steering Gear Type

Rack & Pinion

—

Front Brake Type

Disc

Rear Brake Type

Drum

Alloy Wheel Size Front

18 Inch

—

Alloy Wheel Size Rear

18 Inch

—

Turning Radius

—

5.05 m

Entertainment & Communication

▾

Feature

Mahindra Thar

Volkswagen Virtus

Radio

—

Integrated 2DIN Audio

—

Wireless Phone Charging

—

Bluetooth Connectivity

—

Touchscreen

—

Touchscreen Size

—

10.09 inch

Android Auto

—

Apple CarPlay

—

No. of Speakers

—

Usb Ports

—

Additional Features

—

Valet mode, Apps- SygicTM navigation, GaanaTM, Booking.comTM, AudiobooksTM, BBC NewsTM, MyVolkswagen Connect - Live tracking, Geo fence, Time fence, Driving behaviour, SOS emergency call, Safety alerts, Trip analysis, Documents due date reminder, Sporty aluminum pedals

Speakers

—

Front & Rear

Comparison Overview

But where does that extra money go?

Space & Practicality: The Volkswagen Virtus offers the listed of boot space, which is useful for family trips, compared to the Mahindra Thar's the listed. However, the Mahindra Thar is generally easier to park in tight city spots if it has the shorter and narrower footprint.

Engine & Performance: Both use a 2184, 1997 cc engine setup in the compared data, but the Volkswagen Virtus produces listed of torque compared to the Mahindra Thar's listed. This can make the Volkswagen Virtus feel more effortless on highways.

Mileage: If fuel efficiency is your top priority, check the Mahindra Thar carefully. While the Volkswagen Virtus returns approximately 19.62 kmpl, the Mahindra Thar delivers 11 kmpl, 9 kmpl in the listed comparison data.

Which one should you book for a test drive?

Buy the Mahindra Thar if: You are a city driver who needs a reliable, fuel-efficient SUV. It offers strong value for money with features like Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and is usually cheaper to maintain.

Buy the Volkswagen Virtus if: You want a premium SUV. You often drive on highways and need extra torque for overtaking, and you value the larger boot space and Anti-lock Braking System (ABS).

Don't just read the specs. Experience the difference. Book a test drive for both models through Carzonwheel to unlock exclusive offers, special discounts, and the best deals available in your city.

Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus FAQs

Which car is better between Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus?+

The better choice between Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus depends on your budget, usage and priorities. Compare price, mileage, safety, comfort, engine performance and features on this page before choosing the car that suits you best.

What is the main difference between Mahindra Thar and Volkswagen Virtus?+

The main difference between Mahindra Thar and Volkswagen Virtus can be seen in their price, specifications, dimensions, mileage, features and safety equipment. Use the comparison table above to check each parameter side by side.

Can I compare features of Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus?+

Yes. The feature comparison section shows available comfort, convenience, safety and technology features for Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus, so you can understand which car offers more value for your needs.

Should I compare Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus before booking?+

Yes. Comparing Mahindra Thar vs Volkswagen Virtus before booking helps you avoid missing important differences in price, features, performance, mileage and safety. It is also useful before visiting a showroom for a test drive or final offer.