ARAI updates ground clearance measurement standards

The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) has updated the ground clearance measurement standards in the country.

According to the new standard, the ground clearance of any vehicle needs to be measured with the laden weight. As a result, the ground clearance of a vehicle in India is now defined as the distance between the road surface and the lowest point on the vehicle's underside, when the vehicle is loaded with 4 average adults and a minimum of 90% fuel in the tank.

Previously, the ground clearance was measured in the unladen state. The suspension tends to compress in the laden state due to the extra added weight. As a result, the new rule has reduced the officially mentioned ground clearance of many vehicles. For example, the new Toyota Fortuner's official laden ground clearance is 184 mm. However, as per the older rule, the unladen rating is 225 mm.