Boxy vehicles with high riding stances and powerful off-roading capabilities are a joy to drive, own, and observe in action. These very factors contributed to the long period of stability and a strong cult following that Mahindra Thar and Maruti Suzuki Gypsy have experienced. With the introduction of the new-generation Mahindra Thar, the lifestyle off-roader market received a fresh boost. The Force Gurkha quickly followed the Thar, and the Maruti Suzuki Jimny made its debut at the 16th edition of the Auto Expo. The all-new Jimny is essentially the new-generation Gypsy and will compete with the Mahindra Thar and the Force Gurkha. While we previously compared the Maruti Suzuki Jimny and the Mahindra Thar, we now decided to pit the Maruti Suzuki Jimny against the Force Gurkha to see how they fare against each other in terms of performance, features, prices, and more.
Exterior Design
Both of these SUVs have very similar upright and boxy-looking designs. They are also frequently credited with drawing inspiration from the Gelandewagen. The Force Gurkha gets by with a 3-door layout while the Maruti Suzuki Jimny has a 5-door design. In comparison to the Gurkha, the roof line of the Jimny is flatter.
While both models include tailgate-mounted spare wheels, the Gurkha also includes a factory-installed roof rack and ladder. Both cars have SUV features like black cladding and squarish wheel arches. The circular headlamps are shared by both models, but the Gurkha receives G-Wagen-style turn indicators mounted over the hood.
Also Read: Maruti Suzuki Jimny vs Mahindra Thar: Specs, Features, Price, and More
Powertrain
The 1.5-litre, 4-cylinder, naturally-aspirated petrol engine of the Maruti Suzuki Jimny is located underneath the clamshell hood. The motor can crank out a maximum power output of 103bhp and a peak torque of 134Nm. It comes with a 5-speed MT or a 4-speed AT gearbox as an option. Power is sent to all four wheels through Maruti's AllGrip Pro 4x4 system with a low-range gearbox. Moreover, Jimny weighs only 1,200kg.
The Force Gurkha, on the other hand, uses a 2.6-litre oil burner that was derived from a Mercedes-Benz and can produce 90bhp and 250Nm of peak torque. Here, the gearbox has a 5-speed stick shift. Strong features of this engine include its low- and mid-range grunt. The drivetrain includes a front and rear manually locking differential. The 2021 Gurkha has a water-wading depth of 700mm.
Dimensions
The Maruti Suzuki Jimny in India has two more doors than the international-spec model, but it is unquestionably compact. The Gurkha, on the other hand, is huge. The Jimny measures 3,985mm in length, 1,645mm in width, and 1,720mm in height. It has a 208-litre boot space and a wheelbase of 2,590mm. The Jimny 5-door is outfitted with 15-inch rims and 195-section tyres with an 80 aspect ratio.
Force Gurkha is 4,116mm long, 1,812mm wide, and 2,075mm tall, giving it the road presence of a Tata 407. The off-roader has a 2,400mm wheelbase, and its 500-litre trunk capacity is comparable to the water tanks found in the majority of Indian homes. The Gurkha's tyre size is 245/70 R16.
Interior
The Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-door feels modern, strong, and quite appealing when you look at its interior. While the Force Gurkha is an improvement over the previous generation model, it still has an outdated, crude feel to it. With four doors and not particularly high-set seating, which is an issue on the larger Gurkha, the Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-door provides simple access to the cabin.
In addition, the second row of the Jimny has a bench rather than the independent chairs of the Gurkha. Speaking of interior materials, the Jimny feels more appealing. However, the Gurkha offers more interior space and the impression of riding in a huge vehicle.
Features
The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is jam-packed with features like a reverse parking camera, headlamp washers, LED headlamps, fog lamps, cruise control, power windows, keyless entry & go, Android Auto, Apple Carplay, and six airbags, among others. The Force Gurkha has a lengthy feature list as well. It includes a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, remote central locking, power windows, and other features. The touchscreen infotainment system and TPMS, however, appear to be aftermarket components.
Also Read: Upcoming SUVs in India: Maruti Suzuki Jimny 5-Door, Tata Punch CNG and More
Price
The Gurkha off-roader is sold by Force Motors for Rs 14.75 lakh (ex-showroom). The Jimny's prices have not been disclosed yet, but the bookings for the same are already underway for a token amount of Rs 11,000. We anticipate that its prices will range between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 12 lakh (ex-showroom).
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