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Sedan lover's 20 Observations after test driving a Force Gurkha 5-door

17th July 2024, 12:03 by Kanad Kalasur

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It is built to take abuse and it shows. I didn't feel the need to slow down on speed-breakers and potholes. Ride quality was actually very good. Takes everything with aplomb.

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As a sedan lover, this was one SUV I was curious about. Just did a test drive and here are the key observations:

The exterior is a big surprise. Almost every panel is metal. You'd be hard pressed to find a plastic part on the body. Bumper, wheel arches, everything is good old solid metal.
5 door looks wholesome, and has massive presence. The 3-door was not on display.
Alloy wheels enhance the butch appeal of this SUV.
Interior fit and finish is lacking. But panels feel hard-wearing and solid; same can't be said about the buttons and switches though.
This is a key one: Do not judge the legroom at rear by adjusting the front seats in a static car. When you actually take it for a drive, you'll really push the front seats way forward to a very truck like position. Then you'll realize that the legroom in the rear ain't that bad.
Steering is adjustable for rake and reach, but range of adjustment is pretty limited. Same for the front seat. No height adjust, fore-aft travel is very limited.
Touch screen takes you back to those good old Kenwood days. It is pretty basic, border lining rudimentary. Speaker setup is very basic, inclined towards treble rather than bass or mid.
Front seat are fine. Not the best, but not bad either. Rear seats are just like a "Fatta" (North Indian slang for something flat and hard). Last row seats again, are far more comfortable than the middle row. Don't know who could have approved such an arrangement, but it is a rather big flaw of the 5-Door.
Access to last row seats is strictly via the tailgate. Mind you, it is not a pleasant sight.
AC is chiller. You have a separate compressor for the rear passenger I guess. At 43 degrees and high humidity, I was chilled within a minute of sitting in the car. SAVW group, take a note.
Low end torque is excellent. I could pickup from speeds under 20Km/Hr in 3rd gear with ease. It is a benchmark in tractability around cities, inclines and tough off-road conditions. The downside is that near about 3000 RPM, it starts running out of breath.
Stability at high speeds is respectable for a car this tall. But maneuverability is not a strong forte, since you are virtually driving a 1 BHK on the first floor. I'd be double pressed to perform a simple lane change above 80 Km/Hr. Solution? Hold the middle lane to yourself and cruise forward.
Steering is a bit heavy, but not Isuzu heavy. Weighs up decently with speed, and given the intended purpose of this SUV, it's slow and has some slack. Perfectly in tune with the car.
Gearshift is notchy and requires effort. But anyone buying this thing presumably has male ego, and won't complain.
Breaks are wooden. They can catch a newbie off-guard. In literal terms, they are poor.
It is built to take abuse and it shows. I didn't feel the need to slow down on speed-breakers and potholes. Not to say that you can cross these at 50-60 KM/hr. Skulls are gonna crack against the roof otherwise, typical of a BOF SUV.
Ride quality was actually very good. Takes everything with aplomb.
Suspension noise is very evident, think of riding in a State Roadways bus. You do not feel the jolts as much as you hear them. So what happens actually is that your body won't feel that pothole, but psychologically you are going to cuss the driver for crashing through the pothole.
Service interval of 120 days is stupid. As is the cost; Rs. 8000 - Rs 10000 as per the sales personal. Expecting it to come to around Rs. 12000. More so when you have to change a part. So at around Rs. 30k - 40k per year, this is German luxury levels of maintenance for a Force. Take that.
3- Door variants have a wider range of adjustability for seats, both at front and in the back.