Force Gurkha 5-Door and 3-Door Version Launched: Price Starts At Rs 16.75 Lakh

Pune-based Force Motors finally launched the 2024 version of the Gurkha 4×4 SUV. This off-road-ready SUV is now available in both 3-door and 5-door configurations. The price for the 2024 Force Gurkha starts at Rs 16.75 lakh, ex-showroom, while the price for the 5-door version is around Rs 18 lakh, ex-showroom. Force has already started accepting bookings for the 2024 Gurkha, and deliveries for the same will start from mid-May onwards.

Prasan Firodia, Managing Director of Force Motors, said, “The Force Gurkha is a testament to our commitment to providing an unparalleled driving experience by combining our legacy of robust engineering and manufacturing excellence. The Force Gurkha is a unique vehicle that is equally comfortable on daily commutes, highway drives, and overlanding across the country.”

The G-wagen inspired boxy design has been retained in both versions of the Gurkha. The signature round headlamps with dotted LED DRLs, fender lights, a working snorkel, and a tailgate-mounted spare wheel have all been retained.

The SUV is now offered with redesigned 18-inch alloy wheels. It also comes with electrically adjustable ORVMs and a metal ladder to access the roof rack. The cabin of the Force Gurkha has also been revised slightly. While the basic design remains the same, the Gurkha now gets a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, TPMS, rear parking camera, rear parking sensors, a tilt and telescopic steering wheel, a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, multiple USB ports, individual armrests, and many more features.

The 5-door or 7-seater version of the Force Gurkha gets a bench seat with a foldable armrest, and the second row has roof-mounted AC vents, while the third row gets captain seats. The 3-door version only comes with 4 captain seats as before. The seats in both versions are wrapped in dual-tone fabric upholstery. Force has also replaced the 4×4 manual lever with an electronic dial with a shift-on-the-fly function.

The Force Gurkha is an extremely capable off-roader; however, the last version lacked power. With the 2024 version, Force has addressed this issue too. The 2024 version continues to draw power from the same 2.6-liter turbocharged diesel engine. The engine has been retuned for the new version, and it generates 138 bhp and 320 Nm of peak torque. This is a huge jump in power, especially when compared to the older version which generated 91 bhp.

The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox, and it comes with 4×4 as standard. The SUV also offers front and rear locking differentials. The Force Gurkha directly rivals the likes of the Mahindra Thar. The Mahindra Thar is offered with both petrol and diesel engine options. A 5-door version of the Thar is expected to launch in the next couple of months.

Mahindra also offers a 2WD version of the Thar 3-door, and the same is expected to be the case with the Thar 5-door too. Force only offers a manual transmission with the SUV, while its rival offers both manual and automatic transmission options.

Both petrol and diesel engine options of the Thar come with manual and automatic transmission options. The upcoming 5-door Mahindra Thar is rumored to be called the Armada. The Thar Armada will be a big step up from the 3 door version not just in terms of the space and creature comforts it offers but also in terms of the technology on offer. The Thar Armada will be India’s first body-on-ladder 4X4 SUV to get ADAS, which was first seen on the flagship XUV700.

The Thar Armada is expected to share the 2.2 liter turbodiesel and 2.0 liter turbo petrol engines with the 3 door version, but with higher power and torque outputs. These engines are also available with the Scorpio-N and XUV700, with much higher power and torque outputs. On the Scorpio, the 2.2 liter diesel makes 172 hp-400 Nm, and this tune is likely to ne adopted by the 5 door Thar Armada. Similarly, the petrol motor is capable of pushing out 200 Bhp-380 Nm, and this tune is expected on the bigger Thar. The 1.5 liter diesel motor seen on the 3 door Thar is not expected to be offered on the bigger version.