The new Force Gurkha has been enhanced like never before, with a new powertrain and a choice of three- or five-door body styles.
Story: Jim Gorde
Photography: Sanjay Raikar
Off-roading is a special niche. It’s almost like it is innate for many who seek adventure and want to go beyond the normal or the routine every now and then. The Force Gurkha has probably been the most capable off-roader available out of the box for some time now, but many who wanted it also wanted a little more. And Force Motors have answered.
We were transported to Goa and, in the midst of some sweltering off-season heat following an unseasonal downpour a few days earlier, were let loose in the new Force Gurkha. And there were two: a traditional three-door and a new and much longer five-door, both with an enhanced turbo-diesel engine that now meets BS6-II regulations.
The exterior is pretty much the same as before with a boxy shape and a straight face that make it clear it has a no-nonsense approach to getting about its business. It is big, yes, but also commanding and somewhat imposing on the road. A good thing when we have many popular huge SUVs—with drivers who slow down to less than 10 km/h for a tiny little puddle—that think they own the road (because they never set foot off it) but then are properly dwarfed when faced with the Gurkha. The width is less than the height. The case here is that owners wanted more ground clearance. So Force gave them 233 millimetres of it. And that comes with improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, plus better wading depth. Speaking of, the snorkel and the host of black metal tubes—from the bars on the windscreen to the roof rack and rear mini step-ladder, are all available and homologated for road use here in India.
Presence is one thing the new Force Gurkha has in spades. But, there is a lot more to talk about this time. We started with the five-door model, which has had its wheelbase stretched 425 mm which has meant a corresponding length increase as well, to 4,390 mm. The thing is, the five-door has a standard three rows of seats. Unlike the three-door, the access to the second row is via a new set of doors, but, like the three-door, the access to the third row is via the rear door. The second row is a single bench, not sliding or reclining and not even folding, let alone split-folding. The third row of seats are also fixed in place. While they recline, they do not fold down—something we hope will be changed soon. Also, this is the only option. There is no five-seat version of the five-door; another thing which seems easier to take care of, surely.
Force Motors have a clear ambition. They do not want the new Force Gurkha to be considered a niche product and want it to be a more family-oriented car which, they hope, can also be used daily. High hopes indeed. But, then again, that depends where one lives. Here, in the shade of trees and in a scattering of houses and narrow internal roads of South Goa villages, sure, it can be good to have. The thing is, it is also possibly seen as a trophy car, with massive pose value. Force Motors have tried to appeal to a wider spectrum of buyers with the new Force Gurkha and offered things like a digital driver display and a 9.0-inch centre touchscreen, and shift-on-the-fly four-wheel drive. There are 18-inch dual-tone alloy wheels with chunky 255/65 Ceat Czar A/T rubber. While the finish is good on the exterior, the interior is a little different.
Getting in isn’t the easiest and the provided grab-handles immediately justify their presence. The seats are upholstered in fabric and the cushioning is also on the softer side. The support is as expected. There are even ISOFIX anchors on the outer second-row seats. The third row is quite comfortable, save for the protruding wheel-arches inside, and there is a good amount of room. But, enough with the background noise and on to the drive.
