Top 5 SUVs for offroading: Fortuner, Pajero Sport, Gypsy, Thar and Vitara!

Are you looking for an SUV that will be best suited for off-roading? If yes, here’s CarToq’s list of the top 5 SUVs that are the best off-roaders you can buy in India. Take a look.

Toyota Fortuner

Fuel: Diesel

Price: Rs. 20.89 lakh to Rs.22.04 lakh

The Toyota Fortuner 4×4 can seat seven and offers the best of all worlds. It has a 3-litre diesel engine that puts out 169 bhp of power and 343 Nm of torque. It comes with a five-speed manual transmission. With a power-to-weight ratio of 86 bhp per ton this means it can take on rough terrain with ease.

Toyota has equipped the Fortuner with a full-time 4×4 system and a low-ratio gearbox. It also has a lockable center differential, 17-inch wheels and 221 mm of ground clearance. It is easy to drive off road, with ample power at your disposal and the best part is you can do all this in the air-conditioned confines of your spacious SUV, without breaking a sweat. Also read: India’s best performance SUVs between Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh

Mitsubishi Pajero Sport

Fuel: Diesel

Price: Rs.24.43 lakh

The Pajero Sport like the Fortuner is also a seven-seater SUV with good off-road prowess. It sports a 2.5 litre diesel engine that makes 176 bhp of power and 400 Nm of torque. It is mated to a five-speed manual transmission and a part-time 4×4 system that uses a “super-select” system.

It has a power-to-weight ratio of 85 bhp per ton which is similar to the Fortuner, but the Pajero offers more torque. It sits 215 mm off the ground and makes for a good off-roading vehicle. The Pajero churns out a massive 400 Nm of torque which increases by more than two folds when low-ratio is used.

Maruti Suzuki Gypsy

Fuel: Petrol

Price: Rs.5.60 lakh to Rs.5.87 lakh

If you are on a tighter budget or are more of a dust and mud in the hair kind of enthusiast then the Gypsy ticks all the right boxes. The Gypsy offers you almost nothing in terms of comfort and convenience. That’s because it’s meant to do only one thing; perform well off road. And that it does very well with the help of its 1.3 litre petrol motor that puts out 80 bhp of power and 103 Nm of torque.

It has a 5-speed manual transmission and weights only 985 Kg which gives it a power-to-weight ratio of about 81 bhp per ton. The Gypsy isn’t big on torque and makes only 103 Nm. It has good acceleration but a poor top end. It has 210 mm of ground clearance, a stiff suspension on a rigid ladder by frame chassis along with a part-time 4×4 system with a low-ratio gearbox. The crude nature of the Gypsy in fact makes it even more suitable for off-roading as it can take quite a beating. Also read: SUVs with best performance in India below Rs. 15 lakh

Mahindra Thar

Fuel: Diesel

Price: Rs. 6.86 lakh onward

The Thar is again very similar to the Gypsy in terms of what it offers you. It is a solid and rugged vehicle with bare basic creature comforts. It is powered by a 2.5 litre diesel engine that puts out 103 bhp of power and 247 Nm of torque that is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission.

It has a power-to-weight ratio of 59 bhp per ton which is not too good for an off roader but with its 141 Nm per ton of torque it has good pick up. Moreover the Thar handles bas roads very well and can take quite a bit of thrashing!

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Fuel: Petrol

Price: Rs.16.94 lakh to Rs. 18.26 lakh

The Grand Vitara is a forgotten SUV for most but its ability to go off-road has brought it to number five on our list. It is a petrol-powered vehicle and will therefore be much more expensive to run than other diesel options we have discussed so far. That said, the Vitara sports a full-time four-wheel drive system with a center-differential and a low-ratio gear box.

It’s 2.4 litre motor belts out 164 bhp of power and 225 Nm of torque.  That coupled with its light kerb weight of 1,614 kg means it is spectacular for off roading. The Vitara with its power-to-weight ratio of 102 bhp per ton is popular among rally drivers and has enough grunt to get you out of almost any situation.