Top 10 SUVs in India that are best off-road in 2024

If you’re someone with a thirst for adventure, there’s nothing more freeing than venturing off the beaten path. For someone who also loves driving, that path usually translates to off-the-road excursions to reach destinations away from the crowds. For a hassle-free adventure, you’re going to need a car that can get you beyond and back in peace.

So what makes for the best off-road cars? What you’re looking for is: adequate ground clearance, a commanding driving position, and either 4x4 or all-wheel drive (AWD) to get out of sticky situations. To add to it, a strong petrol or diesel engine helps. While the list of best 4x4 cars in India isn’t particularly long, there’s a few more AWD cars that do well to give you that extra safety net you need when venturing away from paved roads. If you’d like to discuss your take on the best off-road cars in India, join the official CARS24 auto community, CLUTCH.

List of best off-road cars In India 

1. Maruti Suzuki Jimny 

The most affordable off-road SUV in India is the Maruti Suzuki Jimny, with a starting price of 12.74 lakh (ex-showroom). The Jimny isn’t just a lifestyle vehicle either, it utilises a ladder-frame chassis and a low-range gearbox for proper off-road credibility. That said, with five doors, seating for up to four occupants, 211-litres of boot space and modern comfort and convenience features, the Jimny is a very usable everyday car as well. 

The Jimny offers one engine and two gearboxes — a 1.5-litre petrol, with either a 4-speed automatic or 5-speed manual. Suzuki’s off-road technology is packaged as AllGrip Pro in the Jimny, a part-time 4WD system with a manually-selectable low-range via a dedicated selector lever. Off-road electronic aids include hill-start assist and hill descent control, as part of the Electronic Stability Program (ESP). All variants of the Jimny are available with 4x4, making it the only vehicle on this list next to the Jeep Wrangler to feature 4x4 as standard across the range.

2. Mahindra Thar

From its humble roots as a utilitarian vehicle to the feature-packed lifestyle off-roader it is today, the Mahindra Thar has come a long way to become India’s most popular off-road vehicle. Part of that success is the butch styling that definitely seems to have struck a chord with buyers looking for a vehicle with substantial road presence. 

The Thar is offered with both petrol and diesel engines, with a choice of 6-speed automatic or manual gearboxes. Interestingly, the Thar is available as a 4x4 in all of the above configurations, with only the lower variants available as RWD with a diesel-manual, or petrol-automatic drivetrain. The Thar lineup is now joined by the 5-door Mahindra Roxx, which features subtle updates to the styling to help differentiate it from the 3-door Thar. 

3. Force Gurkha

With styling inspired by the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Class, the Force Gurkha is often referred to as the “desi G-Wagen”. Force Motors does have a lineage to fall back on here, as it has produced the Mercedes-Benz OM616 diesel engine under licence since 1982. The legendary engine has done duty in most Force vehicles since, and still does duty in the Gurkha. The Gurkha’s styling and off-road capabilities have always been its main draw. Its utilitarian interiors, on the other hand, has meant that it appeals more to the hardcore off-roading crowd than the regular buyer looking for an adventure vehicle. 

However recent updates have made the Gurkha easier to live with — the 2.6-litre diesel engine has been updated to produce 138bhp and 320Nm of torque. More modern comfort and convenience features have been added including a digital dashboard and touchscreen infotainment, as well as a shift-on-fly 4WD selector. 

4. Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara/Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara and Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder are badge-engineered siblings, which means that both these crossover SUVs are identical under the skin — though the Toyota is marginally larger in length. As the most affordable vehicles with all-wheel drive (AWD), the Grand Vitara and Urban Cruiser Hyryder are based on a modern monocoque chassis. As a result, these are more geared towards on-road driving, offering greater traction, stability and safety on slippery roads. At the same time, they offer a smoother driving experience compared to a traditional off-roader.

With 210mm of ground clearance and Suzuki’s AllGrip Select AWD system though, both these vehicles can also handle light off-roading. Four drive modes, accessible via a rotary dial, increase the breadth of these SUV’s off-road capabilities. Both the Grand Vitara and Urban Cruiser Hyryder are only available with AWD in the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol manual variant. 

5. Mahindra Scorpio-N

The Mahindra Scorpio-N is the next generation of the Scorpio, an SUV that has been an integral part of the Indian automotive landscape for two decades. An updated version of the previous-gen is still available as the Scorpio Classic but a 4x4 version is not on offer any longer. The more comfortable Scorpio-N, on the other hand, is available with a shift-on-fly 4WD system with 4-low and 4-high at the touch of a button, as well as off-road drive modes to make off-roading even simpler. 

The Scorpio-N is available with petrol and diesel engines offered with automatic and manual gearboxes, though the 4x4 variant is only available with the diesel manual powertrain in the 7-seater configuration. As a result, the rugged, ladder-frame Scorpio-N 4WD will appeal more to buyers looking for an off-roader with space and modern features that can also be used on an everyday basis.

6. Mahindra XUV700

The Mahindra XUV700 has proved to be as much of a runaway success as the previous-gen vehicle, the XUV500. With styling that’s modern and sophisticated, the XUV700 still offers hints of the macho look that made the original XUV so successful. Decades of Mahindra’s expertise in building SUVs pays off in a package that’s as close to a “real SUV” while being based on a monocoque chassis. As a result, the XUV700 provides a smoother drive than the ladder-frame-based Scorpio-N.

In keeping with the more road-biassed theme of the XUV700, it packs a full-time all-wheel drive system and not true 4WD. It does offer a button to lock the drivetrain in AWD, helpful while navigating tough terrain. The vehicle’s Hill Descent Control feature works by braking the wheels, since the XUV700 lacks a low-range gearbox. The AWD system is only available on top-end AX7 diesel automatic variants of the Mahindra XUV700.

7. Isuzu D-Max V-Cross

The Isuzu D-Max V-Cross has been the pick of the lifestyle pickup category since its launch in 2016, owing to its tough-as-nails ladder-frame construction coupled with a strong 2.5-litre diesel engine and commendable off-road abilities. In the shift to BSVI, the V-Cross has moved to a smoother, more refined 1.9-litre diesel engine that also packs more power and torque than before. Like the more expensive Toyota Hilux pickup, it features leaf springs at the rear, which does mean that isolation from the road isn’t as good as other off-road cars on this list. 

The D-Max V-Cross is available in 2WD and 4WD models, with the latter available with either a 6-speed manual or automatic gearbox. The D-Max V-Cross gets ESP, hill-start assist, hill descent control and traction control as standard as part of updates that were carried out across the range recently. 

8. Jeep Compass

Nothing quite compares to owning a Jeep, and buyers of the Compass definitely do appreciate the off-road legacy that the brand brings to the table. The facelift Jeep Compass also ups the game in interior quality and comfort features, making for a cabin that feels upmarket and premium. It helps, of course, that the Jeep Compass is capable of living up to its lineage, especially when equipped with the optional all-wheel drive system. Available only on the top-end 2-litre diesel automatic Model S (O) variant, the Compass’ 4x4 system, as advertised, is actually a sophisticated, on-demand all-wheel drive system.

On the previously available Jeep Compass Trailhawk, the system also provided a “4-low” option by locking the automatic gearbox in first gear, providing a reduction ratio of 20:1 which is helpful for rock crawling and getting the vehicle unstuck. The off-road focused Trailhawk variant is not available on the facelift Jeep Compass yet, but the Selec-Terrain system does offer drive modes to take the guesswork out of off-roading.

9. Toyota Fortuner

The Toyota Fortuner earns its place on this list as one of the most reliable off-roaders, with a tried-and-tested chassis and engines on offer. A staple favourite of everyone from families to A-listers for its road presence, 7-seater ability, space and dependability, the Fortuner 4x4 is also very capable off-road despite its dimensions. 

With a low-range transfer case, the Fortuner 4x4 is a true-blue off-roader, as well as a family SUV in its downtime. The part-time 4WD is electronically-actuated via a rotary knob, and there is the option to electronically lock the rear differential. The 4x4 is only available with the 2.8-litre diesel, either mated to a 6-speed automatic or manual gearbox.

10. Jeep Wrangler

We round off this list with the most aspirational off-road vehicle in India, the Jeep Wrangler. Every adventurer wants one, and most off-road vehicles want to be one. The recently updated Jeep Wrangler ups the game with more safety features (ADAS, six airbags), hugely improved infotainment, and more comfort/convenience features. 

The off-road biassed Wrangler Rubicon is still the only SUV in India to offer an electronically disconnecting sway bar to improve wheel articulation over technical and challenging terrain, as well as heavy-duty Dana axles. The Jeep Wrangler is only available with a 2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, in a road-biassed Unlimited variant or the Trail Rated Rubicon variant that packs more aggressive mud terrain tyres and the electronically disconnecting sway bar we mentioned earlier. The Wrangler Rubicon also lists at the top of cars with the highest ground clearance.

FAQs

Q. Which are the best off-road vehicles in India?

The Mahindra Thar, Maruti Suzuki Jimny and Jeep Wrangler are amongst the best off-road vehicles in India owing to their dedicated 4x4 systems. 

Q. Why are only SUVs suited for off-road driving?

The SUV body style is best-suited to off-road driving as they are designed with more ground clearance on offer, one of the most important traits when venturing off road. 

Q. Which are some of the affordable off-road cars in India?

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is the most affordable off-road car in India at a starting price of Rs 12.74 lakh ex-showroom, followed by the Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha. 

Q. Which car is best for extreme off-road?

Thanks to the Force Gurkha’s front and rear lockable mechanical differentials, it is the most suited to extreme off-road action. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is the best for extreme off-road adventures though, as it also packs an electronically disconnecting sway bar. 

Q. What is the best off-roader for beginners?

The best off-roader for beginners is one that is compact, with a commanding driving position, and good visibility all around. The Maruti Suzuki Jimny and Mahindra Thar tick all the boxes necessary for a good off-road car for beginners. 

Q. Is 4x4 necessary for off-road?

No, a 4x4 is not necessary for going off-road, though it certainly does help with going further than an AWD can thanks to a 4x4’s low-range transfer case that can help it get unstuck in very challenging off-road terrain.