The 3 Door Gurkha was itself quite a massive machine, when you rode it down the street; thrash metal automatically started playing in the background. However, it seems the Force team just wasn’t satisfied and gave the beast some protein shake. Long story short, we now have the behemoth 5-door version ready to make everyone on the road acknowledge your presence.
The Force Gurkha 5-door comes with better interiors, improved performance, and more seats. A laudable attempt to capture the hearts of the masses and not just cater to a niche audience but will it truly make a difference?
Force Gurkha 5-Door: Exterior
The 5-door variant of the Gurkha is quite similar to the 3-door, which is a good decision by Force as its presence is undeniable. Forgive the pun but it retains its “force to be reckoned” with persona; only adding onto it. It’s bigger, bulkier, heavier, and looks even more imposing.
The wheelbase is now 2,825mm (425mm longer than its sibling) and you get
2 extra doors combined give it that true, full-size SUV appearance and simply looks more proportionate now. It is also heavier now, weighing a gigantic 3,125 kilograms, a difference of 325 kg.
As for the similarities, both the siblings come factory-fitted with a segment-first snorkel (with a water-wading capability of 700 millimeters), a 65-liter fuel tank, 18-inch alloy wheels, and classic round LED headlamps with DRLs. It is going to be available in the following color options: Red, White, Orange, Green, and Grey.
You often see the Force Gurkha 5 door modified into beastly-looking machines with huge tires and an even longer snorkel and, unfortunately, even cheap-looking G-Wagon Knockouts. Whilst it requires none, the right mods can take its appearance and capabilities to the next level.
Force Gurkha 5-Door: Interior
The interior of both the Force Gurkha 5 Door and 3 Door are completely identical. The vehicle comes with a 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system supporting Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a 7-inch digital driver’s display, which was quite unexpected but a welcome change.
The interior is now equipped with better quality, harder plastics all around and has a modernized look to it. Take the word modernized with a grain of salt. Despite the new updates, not to take anything away from the design time, it’s still fairly basic. The drivetrain control is now a fancy knob which is undeniably a lot more classy but I do miss the old-school stick shift system. You get power windows for both the front and the back seats with a single-touch function but miss out on driver seat height adjustment which is an odd trade-off.
The overall seating capacity of the 5-door Gurkha is 7 people, with a bench in the middle and 2 captain seats at the back. The middle row offers a basic level of comfort for daily commutes but can be rather uncomfortable for longer journeys. The middle-row passengers can enjoy roof-mounted AC vents. The last row gets captain chairs for enhanced comfort, which oddly has a better knee room than the middle row, but misses out on any AC vents.
When you’re inside the Gurkha, the engine noise can be heard even when all doors and windows are closed. There are plenty of panel gaps and you can certainly feel the air sneaking in. However, the silver lining to this is you’re able to listen to that musical sound of the turbo.
Force Gurkha 5-Door: Engine & Performance
Both the Gurkha siblings share the same 2.6-litre diesel engine sourced from Mercedes that comes with only a 5-speed manual transmission. The power out has increased tremendously from its mere 91hp and 250Nm to 138.08BHP with 320NM of torque, addressing all its previous complaints in regards to lack of power. Gurkha is a highly capable off-roader that gets by in its 2WD drive mode where most other cars would need to engage 4WD, but the additional power is always welcome to potentially get you out of a muddy situation. Its power output is best around 1,500rpm and it can comfortably cruise around at 80kmph. Force has also stated they’ve added a new intake system, turbo (which is super pleasing to the ear), and an improved 5-speed gearbox. However, the gearbox still isn’t super smooth. You also get 2 driving modes: Eco and Power. OH! Also read our latest news on Ford F150 Black Widow.
The improved performance and all-new drivetrain shifter make it an absolute beast when it comes to off-roading, just begging to be taken on an adventure. The longer wheelbase does cause the Gurkha 5-door to lose out on some precious off-roading degrees like the approach angle, departure angle, ramp over angle, and gradability. It comes factory-equipped with a snorkel, thanks to which the Gurkha has an astounding 700mm water-wading capacity.
| Engine | 2.6-litre diesel |
| Power and torque | 138 bhp, 320 Nm |
| Weight | 3,125 kg |
| Wheelbase | 2825 mm |
| Drivetrain | 4WD/AWD |
| Transmission | Manual, 5 speed |
| Airbags | 2 |
| Infotainment screen | 9-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay |
| Instrument cluster | Digital |
| Fuel Tank | 63L |
| Mileage | 12kmpl (claimed) |
| Price | Rs 18 lakh (ex-showroom) |
Force Gurkha 5-Door Price and Final Verdict:
The average price of the Force Gurkha 5-door is 18 lakh ex-showroom which puts it into direct competition with the Thar and Jimny. In terms of pure off-roading capabilities, the 5-door Gurkha takes the cake by a considerable margin. It is huge! Its competition may offer more comfort and features but what it lacks in modernity and luxury, it makes up for it by its sheer presence. In an era where companies seem to be pumping out similar-looking vehicles, tailored for the masses; the Force Gurkha refuses to be just another brick in the wall.
The already capable off-roader has improved its capabilities further to dominate the adventure sphere. Compared to the previous generation, the latest model of the Gurkha has improved tremendously with better quality materials, enhanced practicality, increased comfort, and performance. Despite these changes, it is still a hard sell to an average buyer for this car is a commitment.
It is essential to keep in mind that this is not a lifestyle vehicle like the Thar or the Jimny, this baby is a machine built with a purpose… and said purpose is to take it anywhere. Force Gurkha 5-door modified is one of the most capable cars available in India. Even stock, it can easily compete with the big boys. For most cars, the journey stops where the roads end; that’s where the journey begins for the Force Gurkha 5-Door.
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