[Arjun Bharadwaj]

I am viewing this as the baap of the Bolero even the Bolero could not cruise at decent triple digit speeds if I am not wrong and even the bolero is retailing for around the 10 lakh mark in Bangalore.

Why not spend a couple of Lakhs extra and buy the super capable Gurkha with all the mechanical capabilities and an extra 700 cc. This beast has good potential to eat some of the Bolero/TUV 300 also in my view and can be an extremely good load hauler at the same time.

Just waiting to see a 4 door version with a rear bench seat to accommodate a family of 5 easily.

[JithinR]

Originally Posted by Shreyas_H

Might be a noob question but what is 4x4x4 ?

An old Autocar India article mentioned it:

The official name is Force Gurkha E.O.V. 4x4x4. In English that means Extreme Off-road Vehicle and the three 4s stand for a vehicle that has four-wheel drive and can take on four seasons and four kinds of terrain; silly name, but does it live up to it?

Source: New Force Gurkha 4X4 review, test drive

[Manuuj]

Originally Posted by Shreyas_H

Cars like these are great - ..

Might be a noob question but what is 4x4x4 ?!

4x4 is for the 4 wheel drive system and the cringeworthy extra x4 is Force Motors way of saying for all 4 seasons. Its not like the rest of the worlds 4x4's can only be taken out in 2 or 3 seasons but anyway...

Will be the first thing i remove when i get mine.

[comfortablynumb]

Originally Posted by Arjun Bharadwaj

This beast has good potential to eat some of the Bolero/TUV 300..

Maybe OT, but the above happening is very unlikely. Inspite of being a Scorpio owner, I am no Mahindra fanboy, but have to admit that M&M royally trumps Force w.r.t:

1. Authorised service centre network (in tier 2, 3 cities and rural areas too)
2. If you don't want to use the ASCs (like me), most independent garages can easily service/trouble shoot a Bolero.
3. Related to 2, commonly needed spares are easily available in most auto spares shops, or even online.

Admiring and drooling over the Gurkha online, and actually buying it are two quite different things, and I haven't seen many people who have the guts to do it. I can assure you that the typical Bolero buyer is not one of them.

[Aditya]

Originally Posted by starter

Any news on the version with solid front axles - Aditya/Omkar?

Nothing for now. I also asked about a soft-top version. No sign of that as well.

[peterjim13]

Thanks for the great review.

Gurkha is one of the very few cars that has a super catchy name to it. And with this upgrade especially on the exteriors the car has finally gained some cosmetics that it deserved.

All the Gurkhas I've seen on road so far needed another glance to confirm the car. But with the set of flashy new colors it will catch eyes a way too easier.

I have been behind wheels of a Trax which was fixed with an additional 4X4 system with suspensions, wheels and a whole lot more and the best part was driver view.

On road, it is evident that the guy behind the Gurkhas steering wheel was obviously looking looking down on all other cars here. The Thar is literally dwarfed by the Gurkha and cant wait to drive one.

As observed rightly, had the interiors received a bit more attention - this may work a lot better in the lifestyle segment.

Will wait to see.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by Shreyas_H

The website is slick no doubt, but they still need to proofread it better - G-Wagon is spelled as G-Wagen!

That is because the misspelled G-Wagon is actually called as "Geländewagen" in it's native country, source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_G-Class

So, they're actually correct and you're wrong!

[W.A.G.7]

This is a kind of niche vehicle that will appeal more to the heart than the brain. I loved the vehicle and although the interiors look basic, it still strikes a chord with your heart. I just hope they increase their sales and services reach and quality control. They have indeed made it look promising with all those colour options and the 4x4 gadgetry but at the end of the day, let's hope their QC checks have also caught or fixed most of the niggles everywhere. Maybe a few years down the line when I may buy a new vehicle, I may take a look at the Gurkha.

Also, it is a nice short review, with all the points, covered! Thanks!

A commendable effort by Force Motors to get back some of the business from the Thar!

[Shreyas_H]

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

That is because the misspelled G-Wagon is actually called as "Geländewagen" in it's native country, source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_G-Class

So, they're actually correct and you're wrong!

Interesting, never seen it referred this way.
You learn something everyday

[GeeTee TSI]

The butch front view of the Gurkha sometimes gives me hints of an (scaled down) LM 002.

[darkLightning]

I am quite liking the new iteration of Gurkha. It is definitely more differentiable now from the ubiquitous Trax family which will be a plus point with family opinions.
The biggest gripe I had with Thar was the lack of boot and in general kind of cramped interiors. Gurkha seems to have covered that part well.
The looks, stance, off road ability is anyways obvious.
To me this is looking like a good vehicle choice for the trips to farms, unknown lands, Safaris, swamps and what not.
However the part that has got me excited even more is the mod potential due to it retaining the simpler mechanical nature, this is looking out to be nice capable vehicle which will also satisfy the project car needs. Loads of tinkering potential is gleaming here.
Will I buy it ? maybe. Will I wait for the 5-door ? I am anyways going to make this call in a couple of years so 5 door would arrive by then for comparison. But this will be there in my eyes.

Another interesting thought in my mind is what if Force pitches this as the replacement for Gypsy for armed forces ? I can see a lot of untapped potential there.

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by Arjun Bharadwaj

I am viewing this as the baap of the Bolero even the Bolero could not cruise at decent triple digit speeds if I am not wrong

In the right hands, the Bolero can do wonders. I have seen Boleros doing upwards of 120 and beautifully weaving through the highway traffic and properly holding lanes in curves. I have not been inside one to know how it felt driving at those speeds though.

[mygodbole]

Reading all the feedback to the initial report(s) gives me the feeling that there are three distinct classes of India-specific ‘SUV’ users: Pure off-roaders who may have a sticker that says ‘You can go fast, I can go anywhere’ on the back; Weekend warriors who want to ‘rough’ it out on back-country trails; and drivers who want a ‘macho’ and ‘butch’ and dadagiri vehicle. (Having been a Yezdi Classic rider, I know the dadagiri effect I had on all those 100cc bikes in the 1980s and 1990s)
Mixing and matching their individual ‘requirements’ and must-haves and wants, the feedback has been very educational.
Force is trying to woo weekend warriors and ‘dadagiri’ drivers to invest in a 4x4 with a more comfortable ‘family’ offering. True off-roaders are not bothered by hard plastics or lack of gizmos, but for most in this class, a Gurkha, or even a Thar, might be their second or even their third vehicle.
Force seems to want to replicate what Mahindra did in the mid-1990s with their Monsoon Escape (I think that was the tag line at that time): Get buyers to invest in a 4x4 by wooing them with things they ‘think’ they ‘want’.
Home-to-office and long distances over bad roads can be achieved by other, more comfortable and cheaper vehicles.
How many people actually understand how, when and where to use 4H and 4L? Or lock the differentials? Even among all the T-BHPians, all those who have that specific knowledge can be seated comfortably in a hockey stadium (Wankhede or Ferozshah Kotla will certainly ensure social distancing).
Gurkha and Thar have a simple logic: You select the destination and we will get you there. For those that subscribe to this motto, Gurkha and Thar are logical options. Everyone else, and that includes Her Highness, want comfort, gizmos, AC, infotainment systems, glove boxes, cup holders and other sundries.
Mahindra sells the Scorpio S11-base pik-up in Australia and South Africa, Indian homologation rules hit their price line. Similarly, earlier versions of the Gurkha that I see on the roads are somewhat-to-substantially modified for specific purposes.
Having followed this and the relevant Thar conversations, I can only come to one conclusion: You like? You buy. You want changes? Look elsewhere.
(Moderators, please remove the ‘quote’ marks if they impede readability)

[4x4addict]

Definitely a noteworthy and good effort from Force Motors. Having used the 2020 Thar for some time now, my biggest bug bear apart from my left knee constantly rubbing/hitting the center console is the bad ride quality. I suspect it has to do with the low profile 18 inch tyres. From what I read about the Gurkha the ride quality is very good.

In my opinion the advantages Thar has over the Gurkha is 1) Backed by Mahindra Dealer/Service Network, 2) Much nicer interiors, 3) Excellent Power Train including Petrol and Automatic Options.

Advantages that Gurkha has over the Thar: 1) Hard Top, 2) More spacious interiors, 3) Better Ride Quality, 4) Properly usable 4 Seater, 5) Better luggage carrying capacity, 6) Sturdy Metal Body allows a proper roof rack.

The biggest bug-bear in my opinion is the power train of the Gurkha. 90bhp/250 nm Torque is too damn low in this damn day and age. Not to mention the low revving commercial diesel engine. If they have any sense, they will put the 115 bhp/32 KGM Torque tune into the Gurkha. But as always Force doesn't like 100% marks, they are always happy with "almost there" and then get "almost there" 5 years later. Silly company actually.

For me personally my Thar DI is a 2012 model and getting long in the tooth. I was excited about the 2020 Thar but with the seat configuration and the bad ride over rutted surfaces, I a not happy to use it as my daily work vehicle. Frankly I like the older Thar CRDe better from a work vehicle perspective. So, I was hunting for a used Thar 700 with ABS, but now the Gurkha is also in consideration. I just need to convince myself about the engine, I can accept with everything else.

[Marauder]

Looks to be a really capable off-roader and I don't mind how the front looks.

I don't know if it's possible for Force to undercut the Thar in terms of pricing, but that may compel more buyers to opt for the Gurkha over the Thar. If it's too close to the Thar, then apart from hard-core off-road junkies who will buy the vehicle solely for off-roading on the weekends, it won't make sense for other buyers to opt for the Gurkha.

If it's a couple of lakhs cheaper than the Thar, then prospective customers would be happy to live with the compromises in service reliability and engine grunt. I'm half-expecting it to be true since Force seems to be making a marketing pitch with this vehicle along with their assurances of a better sales and service experience.

The lifestyle segment has grown over the past few years and given the condition of our roads, even in the capital city, people may buy this to avoid the challenges faces during the monsoon.

Also, looking through the brochure it seems that there is going to be only one variant on offer and customers can add the accessories at the dealer level.