If you’ve ever found yourself torn between the Mahindra Thar and the Mahindra Scorpio Classic, you’re not alone. Both come from the same rugged, body-on-frame family, yet they appeal to quite different buyers. The Thar is the three-door lifestyle off-roader that turns heads wherever it goes, while the Scorpio Classic is the dependable seven- or nine-seater that has been a familiar sight on Indian roads for years. There’s fresh news on the Thar front, too. In September 2026, Mahindra gave the three-door model a thorough update and a new name, the Thar OG, along with a new platform and more powerful engines. The Scorpio Classic, meanwhile, carries on much as it always has, with a 2.2-litre diesel and a manual gearbox. Since both SUVs use Mahindra’s 2.2-litre mHawk diesel, it’s fair to ask which one is kinder on fuel. In this article, we’ll walk you through their real-world mileage, what they cost to run each month and how their prices compare.
Table of Contents
Mahindra Thar vs Mahindra Scorpio Classic: Specifications
When it comes to engine choices, the Thar OG gives you plenty to pick from. You can have it with a 1.5-litre diesel, a 2.2-litre diesel or a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, paired with a manual or an automatic, and with four-wheel drive if you plan to head off the beaten path. The Scorpio Classic keeps things straightforward with just one combination: a 2.2-litre diesel, a 6-speed manual and rear-wheel drive.
| Specification | Mahindra Thar OG | Mahindra Scorpio Classic |
| 2.2L diesel | 152 PS / 330 Nm | About 132 PS / 300 Nm |
| 1.5L diesel | 119 PS / 300 Nm | Not offered |
| 2.0L turbo-petrol | 162 PS / 330 Nm | Not offered |
| Gearboxes | 6-speed MT or 6-speed AT | 6-speed MT only |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive | Rear-wheel drive only |
| Seating | 4 | 7 or 9 |
| Fuel tank | 57 litres | 60 litres |
One change worth noting is that the Thar’s 2.2-litre diesel now puts out 152 PS, up from 134 PS earlier, which makes it quite a bit stronger than the same engine in the Scorpio Classic.
Also Read: Mahindra Thar Mileage Comparison: Petrol vs Diesel
Mahindra Thar vs Mahindra Scorpio Classic: Claimed Mileage Figures
Interestingly, Mahindra doesn’t publish official ARAI mileage figures for either of these SUVs. That isn’t unusual for heavy, ladder-frame vehicles, but it does mean there’s no tidy number in the brochure to go by.
For the Scorpio Classic, the figures you’ll commonly see listed range from about 14.44 km/l to 15.5 km/l, depending on the variant. As for the Thar OG, no claimed numbers have been shared since the update.
| Variant | Listed mileage |
| Scorpio Classic S MT (7 and 9 seater) | About 15 km/l |
| Scorpio Classic S11 MT (bench seat) | About 15.5 km/l |
| Scorpio Classic S11 MT (captain seats) | About 14.44 km/l |
| Thar OG (all versions) | Not announced |
With no official benchmark to lean on, real-world testing gives a far better picture for these two, so let’s look at that next.
Mahindra Thar vs Mahindra Scorpio Classic: Real-World Fuel Efficiency
The Scorpio Classic diesel manual has been put through real-world testing, and it returned around 13.06 km/l in the city and 16.53 km/l on the highway. Over a mixed drive, that works out to roughly 14.6 km/l, which is quite respectable for an SUV of its size.
The Thar OG is still too new to have been tested, so we’ve used figures from the earlier Thar, which ran the same 2.2-litre diesel in a slightly milder state of tune. Its diesel manual managed about 12 km/l in town and 12.6 km/l on the highway, while the diesel automatic came in at around 11.3 km/l and 11.5 km/l. The petrol automatic, as you might expect, was the thirstiest of the lot at about 7 km/l and 9.3 km/l.
| Version | City | Highway | 50:50 mixed |
| Scorpio Classic 2.2 diesel MT | 13.06 km/l | 16.53 km/l | 14.59 km/l |
| Thar 2.2 diesel MT (pre-facelift) | 12 km/l | 12.6 km/l | 12.29 km/l |
| Thar 2.2 diesel AT (pre-facelift) | 11.3 km/l | 11.5 km/l | 11.40 km/l |
| Thar 2.0 petrol AT (pre-facelift) | 7 km/l | 9.3 km/l | 7.99 km/l |
As you can see, the Scorpio Classic pulls ahead, and most of that lead comes on the highway. What really stands out with the Thar is how little its mileage improves once you leave the city. Its short, upright shape pushes against a lot of air at higher speeds, so the engine has to work that much harder to keep going. It’s worth keeping in mind that the Thar OG’s more powerful diesel could return slightly different numbers, so treat these figures as a guide for now. We also don’t have a tested figure yet for the new 1.5-litre diesel.
Also Read: Mahindra Scorpio Classic Running Cost Breakdown
Mahindra Thar vs Mahindra Scorpio Classic: Fuel Cost Comparison
To put these numbers into rupees, we’ve assumed a monthly run of 1,000 km, split evenly between city and highway, which adds up to 12,000 km a year. We’ve taken diesel at ₹90 a litre and petrol at ₹100 a litre to keep the maths simple, though prices in your city may vary a little.
| Version | Mixed mileage | Cost per km | Monthly (1,000 km) | Yearly (12,000 km) |
| Scorpio Classic diesel MT | 14.59 km/l | ₹6.17 | ₹6,168 | ₹74,012 |
| Thar diesel MT | 12.29 km/l | ₹7.32 | ₹7,322 | ₹87,858 |
| Thar diesel AT | 11.40 km/l | ₹7.90 | ₹7,896 | ₹94,748 |
| Thar petrol AT | 7.99 km/l | ₹12.52 | ₹12,519 | ₹1,50,228 |
On diesel, the Scorpio Classic works out about ₹1,150 cheaper to run each month than the Thar manual, which adds up to nearly ₹14,000 over a year. The petrol Thar sits in another bracket entirely, costing roughly twice as much as the Scorpio Classic every month. So, if running costs are a priority and your heart is still set on a Thar, the diesel manual is the version that makes the most sense.
Mahindra Thar vs Mahindra Scorpio Classic: Price Comparison
Thanks to its many engine and drivetrain combinations, the Thar OG covers a wide price band. It starts at ₹10.32 lakh with the 1.5-litre diesel and goes all the way up to ₹18.99 lakh for the top 2.2-litre diesel automatic with four-wheel drive. The Scorpio Classic, in comparison, is priced at roughly ₹12.98 lakh to ₹16.70 lakh (all prices ex-showroom).
| Car | Approx. ex-showroom price |
| Mahindra Thar OG | ₹10.32 lakh to ₹18.99 lakh |
| Mahindra Scorpio Classic | ₹12.98 lakh to ₹16.70 lakh |
For similar money, the Scorpio Classic gives you more seats, more room and lower fuel bills. The Thar, meanwhile, brings four-wheel drive, the convenience of an automatic and a look that very few SUVs can match.
Buying used? The pre-facelift Thar was on sale from 2020 to 2026, and the Scorpio Classic has been around since 2022, so you’ll come across plenty of both on Spinny. A used pre-facelift Thar diesel can be a great way to save money, and it’s the same version whose mileage we’ve discussed above. While shortlisting on Spinny, take a close look at the inspection report and service history, and on a Thar, keep an eye out for signs of regular off-road use. Every Spinny Assured car goes through a 200-point inspection and comes with a 1-year warranty, fixed pricing and a 5-day money-back guarantee.
Summary
If mileage is what matters most to you, the Scorpio Classic comes out on top. Its diesel manual returned around 14.6 km/l in mixed real-world driving, compared to about 12.3 km/l for the Thar diesel manual, and the gap only grows wider on the highway. That said, these two are built for quite different lives. The Scorpio Classic makes more sense if you need room for the family, spend a lot of time on highways and want to keep fuel bills in check. The Thar OG is the one to go for if you want a proper off-roader with the option of four-wheel drive or an automatic, and you’re happy to spend a little more on fuel. And if you do go for the Thar, choosing a diesel will keep running costs far more manageable than the petrol.
Related Blogs:
Mahindra Scorpio Classic vs Mahindra Scorpio N Real World Mileage Comparison
Complete Buying Guide: Mahindra Scorpio Classic
Complete Guide to Buying a Mahindra Thar
FAQs about Mahindra Thar and Mahindra Scorpio Classic Mileage Comparison
Q. What is the real-world mileage of the new Thar OG?
The Thar OG only went on sale in September 2026, so it hasn’t been tested for mileage yet. To give you an idea, the earlier Thar diesel manual returned about 12 km/l in the city and 12.6 km/l on the highway. Since the OG uses the same 2.2-litre diesel, just with more power, you can expect numbers in a similar range.
Q. Will the Thar OG’s more powerful engine reduce mileage?
The 2.2-litre diesel now produces 152 PS instead of 134 PS, but it’s still the same engine underneath, and your driving style will have a much bigger effect on mileage than the extra power.
Q. Which is more fuel-efficient, the Thar or the Scorpio Classic?
The Scorpio Classic is the more fuel-efficient of the two. In real-world testing, it returned about 14.6 km/l in mixed driving, while the Thar diesel manual managed around 12.3 km/l.
Q. Does the Scorpio Classic come with an automatic gearbox?
The Scorpio Classic is offered only with a 2.2-litre diesel engine and a 6-speed manual gearbox. If you’d prefer an automatic, the Scorpio N is the one to consider.
Q. What mileage does the Thar OG’s new 1.5-litre diesel give?
We don’t have tested figures for it just yet. Being the smaller engine, it could well turn out to be the most fuel-efficient Thar, but only real-world tests will tell us for sure.
Q. How far can each SUV go on a full tank?
Going by the real-world figures, the Scorpio Classic can cover around 875 km on its 60-litre tank, while the Thar diesel manual can manage roughly 700 km on its 57-litre tank.
