Overall a decent effort by Force but not yet there, especially after seeing what Mahindra have done with Thar. Better mechanically, looks aspirational, support from Mahindra, makes Thar an easy pick for majority.
BHPian PrideRed recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Last week Force motors dealer came home for Gurkha promotion, a welcome move. Checked the car in and out and also took for good long test drive. While I have no plans to buy or for that matter was not even looking for one in near future, here are some of the observations I made. My comparison is against my 7 year Thar DI and couple of CRDe that I have driven extensively. I have not driven the new Thar but have checked it in person .
Good Part
- Soft cushy ride makes for comfortable drive off-road.
- Front and rear diff lock, 4×4 equipment makes for solid offroader.
- Good space inside for 4. Seats are wide and comfortable Feels airy inside, unlike the Thar(All models/types).Getting in and out of 2nd row is easier than new Thar.
- Decent boot space, will gobble few bags for a week’s travel
- Easy to drive despite the bulk(especially height). Super light clutch and gears were easy to slot. Light steering too.
Bad part
- While soft suspension is great off road, it’s too soft on road. Does get scary on such a tall SUV.
- Engine is mediocre at best. Neither has low end torque of DI nor the performance of CRDe. The new Thar will probably murder Gurkha when it comes engine performance on/off road.
- Personally find road presence lacking. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a tall vehicle but somehow misses the Character which the new Thar(or even the old one) has . Despite the flashy Orange color, snorkel, roof carrier, after market rims felt like Gurkha was begging for road presence/character.
- Interiors are good but nothing close the new gen Thar. Simply doesnot feel like a car of current times.
- Aftersales, availability of spares, mod potential are of concern.
Overall a decent effort by Force but not yet there, especially after seeing what Mahindra have done with Thar. Better mechanically, looks aspirational, support from Mahindra, makes Thar an easy pick for majority. Add to that 18L OTR is too much for a brand that has poor sales and service.
Query to owners: Salesman told me, car does not need AdBlue. How did Force manage to develop a big BS6 engine without needing AdBlue?
Few poor quality shots
Keyword: A short spin in the Force Gurkha