[padmrajravi]

The only options in this case are Jeep Trailhawk and Tucson 4WD. Going against the tide, I would prefer Tucson 4WD to Compass Trailhawk simply because I trust Hyundai more than Jeep. And my previous experience with an American company did not go well.

I think, it is time we stop this obsession about body on frame vehicles. Even Land rover is monocoque now. The future will be monocoque - be it electric or fossil fuel.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

I think, it is time we stop this obsession about body on frame vehicles. Even Land rover is monocoque now. The future will be monocoque - be it electric or fossil fuel.

I believe it is not as much about "obsession" as it is about requirement/intended usage. When it comes to taking more abuse and very importantly, repair costs/modification friendliness, there is - and never will be - a replacement for BOF vehicles - period! Land Rover has monocoque models because the market in general wants better handling and more comfortable (read softer) SUVs now. Ever wondered why Toyota never even imagined a monocoque Land Cruiser?

[fhdowntheline]

I see people recommending the Hexa for its ride and am really puzzled . For some reason i never ever felt comfortable in the back seat of the Hexa. I have ridden a company owned, spic-n- span XT model multiple times in the back seat, and the moment you hit any small road imperfection even at moderate speeds, the car rocks significantly from side to side. Not at all comfortable, especially with seatbelts on. Something like the Innova Crysta felt more confortable.

[carenthusiast]

I think Mahindra Thar does meet all your requirements. It has a 4x4 with ladder on frame construction. It is small compared to the other 7 seater ladder on frame UVs. A new update for Thar is coming up in 2020 with more features and a BS6 engine, link : Thar 2020

[ruzbehxyz]

Originally Posted by McLaren Rulez

I don't think there is a car that satisfies these criteria in India but I'm wondering what the closest alternative is.

I totally agree with all the comments mentioned above by fellow members. However I feel it's tough to get the best of both worlds in one SUV. If you have a good off roader like Thar, you can't use it for long highway drives because of the comfort level. Another typical example is a 3.2L 4x4 Endeavour which I own. It's a lovely car, capable off roader and has super comfort on highways. Although it has a low range gearbox and off roading modes, it's too heavy for serious off roading (about 2.5 tonnes). Becaue of its weight one can easily get stuck at various trails, whereas other SUV's with half the power can easily make it through. When it comes to highway cruising and comfort, very few SUV's may be able to beat it and Fortuner does even come close. Well this post is not about the Endeavour capabilities, but again coming back to the point that you may not get the best of both worlds in one SUV, no matter how much you spend. So ideally the person can invest in two cars, one for off roading and one for daily use. Depending on the usage one of them can be a re-used one to save on money. This is just a suggestion.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by ruzbehxyz

I totally agree with all the comments mentioned above by fellow members. However I feel it's tough to get the best of both worlds in one SUV.

You've hit the nail right on the head! Expecting the same car to perform flawlessly on road and off it is like looking for a pair of shoes that can be worn to your board meeting as well as your daily run It is just not possible! You will end up compromising on one aspect for the other - period! Cars like the Jeep Compass Trailhawk are possibly the closest you can get to such a "dream vehicle", of course with associated limitations.

[AirbusCapt]

Buy a pre-owned discovery sport. Nothing will beat it with respect to trails, offroading, highway cruising and city runabout.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by AirbusCapt

Buy a pre-owned discovery sport. Nothing will beat it with respect to trails, offroading, highway cruising and city runabout.

Last 2 points taken but I am not so sure about the first 2 I am sure the Trailhawk would fare much better off-road.

[AirbusCapt]

Originally Posted by cool_dube

Last 2 points taken but I am not so sure about the first 2 I am sure the Trailhawk would fare much better off-road.

Not really. By the trailhawk you mean the compass then it's still a compact crossover. The discovery even with it's awd will be easier going over obstacles. However both these cars are not meant for serious off road trails. If you want to do something like a rock crawl a cheaper option would help say a thar.

[cool_dube]

Originally Posted by AirbusCapt

Not really. By the trailhawk you mean the compass then it's still a compact crossover. The discovery even with it's awd will be easier going over obstacles. However both these cars are not meant for serious off road trails. If you want to do something like a rock crawl a cheaper option would help say a thar.

The Trailhawk is more than a cross-over, I believe. Please go through the official review and decide for yourself It is a lovely car, very capable both on and off road and if not for being grossly overpriced, it would have sold much more.

[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by carenthusiast

I think Mahindra Thar does meet all your requirements. It has a 4x4 with ladder on frame construction. It is small compared to the other 7 seater ladder on frame UVs. A new update for Thar is coming up in 2020 with more features and a BS6 engine

The current Thar absolutely doesn't meet the requirement list. Its an awesome brute machine & I love it no doubt. But it can never be a 5 seater or a daily driver. I toed that line a lot over the last 5 years but never managed to convince myself for it. The compromises are simply too many. And the less said about safety the best. For anyone with intentions of family drives - Thar is not the car if safety matters.

The face-lift surely will be a big step up. However, its going to be on the Scorpio platform, which isn't the most comfortable one out there. Safety parameters will still be a question mark too. And unless the full testing & real product is out in person, I would not bet too much on a comfortable ride & 5 people worthy cabin for now. Looking at the dimensions, wheelbase & cabin size, it will still be quite a bumpy car IMO for now. And in the forward facing configuration I don't think it can fit 5 people properly. Even with the face-lift, I think the compromises are going to be too many as a 5 seater daily driver.

[McLaren Rulez]

For those saying it's impossible, this is certainly not true.

On the high end, the G-Class manages this beautifully but even on the lower end, the Fortuner, Endeavour, MUX etc. do a very good job off road (much better than the Trailhawk). A smaller "city friendly" five seat version of those vehicles should be both cheaper and better off road (due to lower weight and smaller footprint).