Chandigarh has a new obsession, and it rolls in tall, square and unmistakably bold: the Mahindra Thar. Once a rugged Punjabi farm workhorse, the SUV has now become the city’s hottest urban status symbol — and women drivers are leading this cultural shift.
According to the Chandigarh Registering and Licensing Authority, 600 Thars have already been registered in 2025, the highest ever, with a month still to go. The growth has been dramatic: from just 6 Thars in 2021 to 82 in 2022, 206 in 2023, a dip to 152 in 2024, and a massive surge again this year.
But the real shift is not numerical — it’s cultural.
Make-up artist and Thar ROXX owner Mehak Sidhu says the vehicle has moved from rural fringes into full-blown urban identity. “It’s pride, control and pure Punjabi swagger. The rise of women Thar drivers is clear. A strong vehicle belongs to anyone who enjoys the drive,” she said.
For many women, the Thar is deeply personal.
Scientist Amandeep Kaur, a cancer survivor, calls it her symbol of freedom and defiance. “My parents wouldn’t allow a bike, so they asked me to buy a Thar. It fulfilled my desire for adventure. It makes you feel ready to face the world.”
Entrepreneur Kritika calls the Thar “transformative.” “The moment you sit behind the wheel, everything changes — how you feel, how people see you. For women, it’s not just driving, it’s owning your power.”
A senior woman journalist echoed the sentiment: “People don’t mess with women driving jeeps. One feels safe.”
Dealers say the 2020 redesign made the Thar a phenomenon — modern interiors, automatic options, and 4×4 capability combined with road dominance. Younger and older customers, especially women, are flocking to it.
From a rural symbol of grit to Chandigarh’s emblem of swagger and independence, the Thar has reinvented itself — and women are steering that transformation with confidence, attitude and undeniable power.