Which is a better off roader: Mahindra Thar or Force Gurkha

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The enthusiasts of off-roading segment in India were quite overjoyed as the launch dates of new generation Force Gurkha was announced. When it comes to Indian Off road SUVs, the Force Gurkha is the only competitor of the new generation Mahindra Thar, which makes it inevitable for a comparision. Even though the Force Gurkha (2021 model) will be launched in September 27, we can draw difference between the two vehicles.

It is important to note that, the comparison is solely based on the specs of both the vehicles. The real life performance of the two off-road SUVs can only be checked once Force Gurkha gets sold across the showrooms in India.

Both the Thar and Gurkha are second generation vehicles. Hence, in order to reduce confusion, they are referred by the names.

The Mahindra Thar has an advantage of width against Force Gurkha. Thar has dimensions of 3985mm x 1855 mm x 1844 mm (length x width x height) while Gurkha is 4116mm in length, 1812mm in width and 2075mm of height.  The wheelbase of Gurkha is 2400mm while Thar has 2450mm wheelbase. The longer wheelbase of the Thar will make it more stable than the Gurkha, while the latter will have more space as compared to the former.

The Thar (226mm) gets an upper hand in ground clearance as compared to Gurkha (205mm). However, when it comes to water wadding the Gurkha (700mm) is better than the Thar (650mm).

In terms of weight, the Thar is way lighter than Gurkha. While the Gurkha is 2175kg in weight, the Thar weighs up to 1783kg. Even though both the SUVs have three doors, the 5 door version of Gurkha will launch soon.

When it comes to the engine specifications and power, the Mahindra Thar clearly beats the Force Gurkha.

The Thar has a 2.2-litre mHawk turbo-diesel engine which generates a 130hp power and 300 Nm of torque. However, the Thar feels underpowered by a 2596cc engine which generates 91hp power and 250Nm of torque. Users get an option for manual or automatic engine transmission on the Thar which is a major miss on the Gurkha, as it gets a manual engine only.

While both the SUVs are offered four wheel drive, in terms of safety features the Thar beats Gurkha. While both vehicles are offered ABD with EBD, the Thar gets ESC, Hill start assist, hill descent control etc.

Even though it is too early to draw a clear winner, the Thar seems to be close to the winning line (at least on paper). It remains to be seen how far both the vehicle compete in the outdoors.

Note: As Force Gurkha is offered only in diesel variant, the Mahindra Thar Petrol variant is not taken into consideration.

Also read: Why is iPhone 13 cheaper in these five countries than India

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