Mahindra Thar ROXX vs Force Gurkha 5-Door — Battle Worthy?

Going by the sales numbers, this comparison isn’t relevant. But sales numbers don’t always define how good a car is. We have witnessed how capable the Force Gurkha is, leaving aside its shortcomings inside the cabin. There’s a new entrant in town, which might grab all the whatever meagre sales that the Force Gurkha is securing. Here is a Mahindra Thar ROXX vs Force Gurkha 5-Door specs comparison.

Engine Options

The Force Gurkha gets a big old diesel engine — 2.6-litre diesel engine — generating 140PS and 320Nm of peak torque. It comes paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. The ROXX gets plenty of options for the powertrain — a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with direct injection, which can be paired to a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed speed torque convertor, and a 2.2-litre diesel engine, paired to the same set of gearboxes. The Thar ROXX gets 4WD with only the diesel drivetrains and not the petrol ones. The Gurkha comes in just one variant, which obviously gets a 4WD system. 

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Interior & Features

The cabin experience in both these SUVs varies drastically. The Gurkha is a no-nonsense off-roader, which reflects a clear objective in the mindset of its designers — make a durable and pure off-roader. Thankful to this approach, there is an all-black interior with plastic all-around. It does get a handful of creature comforts, including a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system, digital instrument cluster, tilt and telescopic steering wheel, LED headlamps, and a TPMS. 

The Mahindra Thar ROXX, as you might have read earlier, gets tons of features such as a 9-speaker HARMAN KARDON sound system, a 10.25-inch dual-screen setup on the dashboard, 360-degree cameras, panoramic sunroof, 6-way electronically adjustable driver seat, front ventilated seats, recline function for rear seats, leatherette seat upholstery, and more.

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Wheels, Ground Clearance & Water Wading Depth

The Force Gurkha 5-Door gets 18-inch alloy wheels, providing the Gurkha a ground clearance of 233mm. Mahindra, as usual, has maintained secrecy with its ground clearance figures. The Thar ROXX, however, gets 18-inch steel, 18-inch alloy or 19-inch alloy wheels, depending on the variant opted for. The Mahindra Thar ROXX water wading capacity stands at 650mm, while the Gurkha boasts an added 50mm of water wading depth, taking it to 700mm!

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Variants And Colour Options

The Gurkha 5-Door is available in just one variant with four colour options to choose from — green, black, white and red. That’s right, normal colour names, not some fancy monikers. The Thar ROXX, on the other hand, comes with six broad trims and a total of 18 variants. Mahindra Thar ROXX colour options are Stealth Black, Tango Red, Everest White, Deep Forest, Nebula Blue, Battleship Grey and Burnt Sienna.

Force Gurkha 5-Door vs Mahindra Thar ROXX Price

The Force Gurkha 5-Door is priced at Rs 18 Lakh (ex-showroom). The Thar ROXX price starts at Rs 12.99 Lakh, going up till Rs 20.49 Lakh for the AX7L diesel automatic RWD variant. All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Delhi. Prices for the 4WD variants are yet to be revealed by Mahindra.

Note: The comparison is based on the specifications of both these cars and we are yet to drive them side-by-side in order to provide a hands-on test report.