Why are petrol AWD / 4x4 SUVs such a taboo in India

The number of petrol compact SUVs which have 4WD is abysmal and their lack of space is stifling. The bigger vehicles also seem to shy away from it (Scorpio N, XUV700 available only in diesel).

BHPian bik1906 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Ok, so this is the background. I've been perfectly peaceful with my 2018 Brezza diesel as most of my drives were on my own or max with a friend to indulge my passion for fishing. Suddenly the wife and kids decided they wanted to get in on the long drive bandwagon (much to my surprise!) and this has recently completely exposed the chinks in the Brezza and therefore led me to look out for a new car.

An SUV it needs to be because even the daily commutes for a family of 4 are now becoming a chore in terms of space (school bags, tuition bags, laptop bags, gym bags). The addition of a 4WD would make sense as I go fishing on stretches where frequently there are no roads and I have on occasion found myself sliding towards an alarmed farmer and his bullock cart in the mud after sudden rains.

Now I am pretty clear that after Delhi the whole diesel ban issue will come to the forefront in the next couple of years across the rest of the country. What I can't understand is why the market is not swapping to Petrol in terms of 4WD SUVs. The number of petrol Compact SUVs which have 4WD is abysmal and their lack of space is stifling (Gypsy, Vitara and its Toyota offspring) and the bigger vehicles also seem to shy away from it (Scorpio N only in Diesel, XUV also only in Diesel). The only petrol version seems to be the Tiguan which is any way out of my budget as it is above 35L on road.

Does anyone have any update on whether the Duster will be out in 4WD? Since it's been clear that the new Duster will not have a diesel version. Albeit it's a year away from launch. Also, any other suggestions which can fit into my specs?

Here's what GTO had to say about the matter:

Wait for the 4-door Thar. You might get just what you are looking for. I have a strong feeling Mahindra will offer the 4x4 with the Petrol Thar (unlike the Scorpio-N).

Why the lack of options? Simple = extremely low demand for AWD / 4x4. Manufacturers are in the business of giving customers what they want and AWD / 4x4 variants have minuscule orders.

Here's what BHPian SmartCat had to say about the matter:

Because features like soft touch interiors, panoramic roofs and 36 color ambient lighting are far more important than a stupid AWD system that can get you farther on a slippery road or save your life sometimes under wet conditions or cornering on hilly roads.

Customers will open up their wallets if they can see/touch/feel the features. Meanwhile, the AWD system is an "invisible" feature whose utility cannot be easily explained without going into boring physics behind car traction.

Here's what BHPian Shreyans_Jain had to say about the matter:

AWD, or any kind of four-wheel drive has been a taboo in general. Choice of fuel is inconsequential. Only a select minuscule few choose this option when an option is there. Right from OG Safari and Scorpio to the current Hyryder/Grand Vitara to the Fortuner and Gloster. The 4x4 market is very niche, it sells only when it is standard equipment like in Kodiaq or high-end cars. Casual buyers are not willing to pay extra for a non-visible feature that they will rarely use. Sales of the Thar RWD are testimony to this.

That being said, petrol 4x4 will see rising demand, as diesel goes out of favour. It is a miss on Mahindra’s part to not offer petrol AWD/4x4 on the XUV700 and Scorpio N. Would have garnered more demand from the crucial Delhi NCR market.

Here's what BHPian fhdowntheline had to say about the matter:

Unfortunately in India, we can't have space, a proper 4x4, petrol and reasonable price and serviceability all at once. If you compromise a bit on space, then Jimny or the petrol Thar are the candidates for you.

Here's what BHPian JediKnight had to say about the matter:

One reason could be mileage. 4WD tranny increases transmission losses. Petrol mileage drastically decreases as vehicle weight increases and a 4WD would make it unviable. That is the reason you will never see a petrol HCV even in countries where petrol is actually cheaper than diesel.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.