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Force Gurkha review from a Mahindra Thar owner

18th November 2021, 11:36 by Rahul Nagaraj

My brother & I are hardcore Jeep / SUV / off-road lovers and is blessed to have owned Gypsy, Thar, MM540, Endeavour etc. in the past.

BHPian highwaypatrol recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Guys, On behalf of my brother I, happen to again test drive the all-new Gurkha today at Khivraj Force, Bangalore. My brother & I are hardcore Jeep / SUV / off-road lovers and is blessed to have owned Gypsy, Thar, MM540, Endeavour etc. in the past.

My brother is returning back from Dubai and is planning to spend half of his time in India and the other half in Dubai with business. Being spoiled by FJ Cruiser & the mighty wrangler in Dubai, he is presently on the lookout for a capable off-roader to spend quality time with nature while here at home. The new Thar would have been a perfect fit for his needs, however since I own one already here (Diesel AT HT), we are contemplating buying a new Gurkha for him.

So I went into their Yeshwantpura showroom in my Thar itself as I really wanted to see the kind of difference one will have from shifting a new Thar to the new Gurkha. I have already driven over 3K KMs in Thar and is pretty much well aware of how this vehicle behaves in different terrains and circumstances. I was greeted warmly by their sales in-charge who arranged a TD vehicle in no time. Following are my key differentiating factors which I felt in Gurkha over Thar:

Overall built quality is acceptable for a purpose-built truck-like Gurkha. The external accessories are solidly built and will last a lifetime for sure.
Getting into the Gurkha itself is an adventure. You climb on it with some effort. That's how you do to get into a vehicle built for war!
Seating position - I am 6 Ft tall and was not happy with the height of the seats. A height-adjustable mechanism is sorely missed for a tall person like me. In fact, I am viewing the road from the upper part of the windshield and may have to bend forward to see the sky above. The seating position for a person above 6ft is going to be a challenge. However, my brother being 5.7 Ft won't have an issue here.
Plastic quality is not great as compared to Thar. But being said that, the interiors of Gurkha is absolutely liveable. Overall it's built for a different purpose.
Gear shifts are smooth and the engine could have been a little peppier for my liking. Low-end torque is amazing and this will do its job pretty well in the wild. However, Thar's engine is a GEM and can easily be used as a daily drive for any, but not Gurkha for sure. There is no comparison between the engines here Thar is a super-refined day to day Jeep for the city/village/semi-urban commuters.
Undulations on the roads are negligibly felt inside and super smooth on concrete roads too. Thar & concrete roads just can't get along pretty well. A Thar owner will understand what I am saying here. Body rolls are present in both vehicles and is expected for tall body cars like these.
My final take - I felt Gurkha is built for a different purpose and can easily handle any terrain with so much ease. But if anyone is looking for a super-refined city/semi-urban commute with occasional off roads, Thar will be a better option.

Being said that, I am showing the green light to my brother to go ahead and book Gurkha. Knowing him and his character well, Gurkha will be great choice for him to be a safe companion for years to come. He is planning to be in India by this month-end will do the booking if all goes well.

A few pictures are attached for your viewing pleasure!