Force Motors recently introduced a more powerful variant of the Gurkha SUV -- the Xtreme. It is more powerful, bigger and gets better off-roading equipment (on paper) than the Gurkha Xplorer. We have already compared the Gurkha Xtreme with its sibling, the Xplorer, here. And now, we find out how it fares against its arch-rival, the Thar CRDe on paper.
- The Gurkha Xtreme is longer, wider and taller than the Thar CRDe. The Mahindra has a longer wheelbase here, but a longer wheelbase doesn’t really help the cause when off-roading as it results in a lower breakover angle.
- Although the Thar comes with a bigger engine, it's the Gurkha Xtreme’s smaller 2.2-litre engine which generates more grunt.
- It makes 35PS/74Nm more than the Thar.
- Both the SUVs come with a 5-speed MT, four-wheel drive and a low-range gearbox, making them equally equipped to take on the road not taken.
Since both of these are hardcore off-roaders, let’s have look at their Off-road capabilities by design.
- Both the SUVs have an identical approach angle of 44 degrees. It means that both the SUVs are capable of going uphill on a ramp of upto 44 degrees
- When it comes to the departure angle, the Gurkha takes the lead. While the Thar can negotiate a downhill of upto just 27 degrees, the Gurkha is good for upto 40 degrees - a whole 13 degrees more.
- The Gurkha has better ground clearance as well.
- Up front, the Thar features independent suspension, while the Gurkha gets a multi-link suspension with rigid axle (non independent). Rigid axles are more favorable for off roading as they are more durable than the independent setup that the Thar gets.
- At the back, where the Force gets the same multi-link suspension, the Mahindra makes do with an old school leaf spring setup. A multi-link suspension setup offers a more comfotable ride compared to a leaf spring.
- The Gurkha offer locking differential on both axles, unlike the Thar, which offers locking differential on the rear axle only. With locking differentials at both the front and the rear, the Force can certainly get out of tricky off road situations (with limited traction at both the front and rear wheels) with relative ease.
Price
Priced at Rs 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom India), the Gurkha Xtreme is considerably more expensive than the Mahindra Thar CRDe, which is priced at Rs 9.39 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). For that extra price, the Gurkha offers a considerably more powerful engine, more space and better off-roading equipment. So, if you are someone who is looking for a serious off-roader that can also double up as a vehicle that you’d want to use more regularly, we’d recommend the Gurkha. For those who’re buying an off roader for leisure and occasional use, the Thar will save some money without compromising much on off-road ability.
Source: cardekho.com
