Force Motors recently unveiled their barebones off-roader Gurkha to compete with the likes of the Mahindra Thar. Both the SUVs are engineered to tackle different set of terrains seamlessly with their great off-roading capabilities. Some luxurious features and advance safety equipment like ABS and airbags are missing on both the vehicles. In terms of design, the Mahindra Thar has a classic rugged stance, whereas the Gurkha with a smiling grille has a soft look upfront but with some elements coming from the legendary G-Wagen.
Coming to the tech specs, the Force Gurkha gets powered by a 2600cc diesel motor sourced from Mercedes-Benz producing 82 PS of power at 3200 RPM and 230 Nm of torque between 1800-2000 RPM, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox with Hi and Lo option on transfer case transmitting the power to all the four wheels. The Gurkha is based on the Mercedes G-Wagon. It comes with three locking differentials, 210 mm of ground clearance and a high mounted snorkel that makes it a very capable off-roader.
The Mahindra Thar is designed on a ladder frame chassis and has a strong body on frame structure. The Thar is available with two engine options including Di and CRDe. The 2523cc Di is capable of producing 63 BHP of power with 180 Nm of torque, whereas the CRDe with a capacity of 2498cc can churn out 105 BHP of power at 3800 RPM with a 247 Nm of torque between 1800-200 RPM, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox transmitting the power to all the four wheels.
Both the Gurkha and Thar come with an optional AC variant. The Gurkha offers both hard-top and soft-top variants, whereas the Thar comes only with a soft-top variant currently. In terms of prices, the Force Gurkha gets a heavier price tag over the Mahindra Thar. The Gurkha comes with a starting price of Rs. 6.25 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi) for the basic soft top 4×2 variant whereas the Thar comes at a starting price of Rs. 4.67 lakhs (ex-showroom Delhi) for the basic Di 4×2 variant.
The Force Gurkha is currently not available in BS4 markets but Force Motors is expected to launch a version which complies with stricter emission norms. While the Mahindra Thar does look more appealing, the Gurkha is expected to be more capable. Mahindra has a wide dealership presence while Force Motors has a very thin service network. Considering all these factors, it is difficult to choose between either. On our poll, 70% chose the Thar. Which one would you choose? Force Gurkha or the Mahindra Thar?
