Force Motors has officially launched the 2021 Gurkha SUV at a price tag of Rs 13.59 lakh in India. Deliveries for the SUV will commence from October 15, 2021. Built on the new platform, the new Gurkha comes with significant changes over the previous model. However, the SUV promises to offer same level of off-road capabilities and ruggedness as the previous model.
The new Force Gurkha is positioned against the Mahindra Thar, which received a generation update in the end of 2020. The new Thar has received an overwhelming response from buyers, as the waiting period has crossed 12 months mark. Here’s a specifications based comparison between the new Mahindra Thar and the new-gen Force Gurkha 2021 –
Mahindra Thar Vs Force Gurkha 2021 Price
| Model Name | Price |
| Force Gurkha | 13.59 lakh |
| Mahindra Thar | 12.98 lakh – Rs 15.08 lakh |
– The Mahindra Thar is offered in both petrol and diesel fuel options. The petrol version is priced between Rs 12.78 lakh and Rs 14.88 lakh. On the other hand, the diesel Thar is available at a price tag of Rs 12.98 lakh which goes up to Rs 15.08 lakh for the top-end variant.
– The new Force Gurkha is only available in diesel guise, priced at Rs 13.59 lakh.
Mahindra Thar Vs Force Gurkha Dimensions
| Dimensions | 2021 Force Gurkha | Mahindra Thar |
| Length | 4,116mm | 3,985mm |
| Width | 1,812mm | 1,855mm |
| Height | 2,075mm | 1,920mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,400mm | 2,450mm |
| Boot Space | 600L | NA |
– Dimensionally, the new Force Gurkha is 4,116mm in length, 1,812mm in width and 2,075mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,400mm. Compared to the previous model, the new Gurkha is 124mm longer, 22mm wider and 20mm taller. The SUV offers a turning radius of 5.65 meters. The SUV offers a boot space of 500-litres.
– The new Thar sits below 4 meters in length. It measures 3,985mm in length, 1,855mm in width and 1,844mm in height, and has a wheelbase of 2,450mm. The new Thar has very limited boot space; however, it gets 50:50 split seats.
Off-road Credentials
| Off-road Credentials | Gurkha | Thar |
| Approach Angle | 37 degrees | 41.8 degrees |
| Rampover Angle | 25 degrees | 27 degrees |
| Departure Angle | 25 degrees | 36.8 degrees |
| Water Wading Capacity | 700mm | 650mm |
| Ground Clearance | 205mm | 226mm |
– On papers, the new Thar looks more off-road friendly than the Gurkha. The new Thar has an approach, rampover and departure angles of 41.8 degrees, 27 degrees and 36.8 degrees respectively.
– The Gurkha has 37 degrees, 25 degress and 25 degrees of approach, rampover and departure angles respectively. However, it offers a water wading capacity of 700mm. On the other hand, the Thar has a water wading capacity of 650mm.
– The new Force Gurkha offers a ground clearance of 205-litres, while the new Thar has a ground clearance of 226mm.
– The Force Gurkha offers better hardware for off-roading as it gets manual locking (front and rear) differentials and front and rear anti-roll bars. The Thar only has an auto-locking differential on the rear axle and an ESP-based brake-locking differential on the front axle.
Mahindra Thar Vs Force Gurkha Engine Specifications
| Specifications | Force Gurkha | Mahindra Thar |
| Engine | 2.6-Litre Diesel | 2.2-litre diesel |
| Power | 91bhp | 130bhp |
| Torque | 250Nm | 300Nm |
| Gearbox | 5-speed Manual | 6-speed Manual/6-speed Automatic |
– The new Gurkha is powered by a 2.6-litre Mercedes-derived common-rail, direct injection turbocharged diesel engine that is capable of producing 91bhp of power and 250Nm of torque between 1,400-2,400rpm. This powertrain is paired to a 5-speed Mercedes G-28 transmission with cable shift and a hydraulically activated clutch with a booster for smooth shifts.
– The new Mahindra Thar is powered by a 2.2-litre, 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine that churns out 130bhp of power and 300Nm of torque. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque convertor automatic.
– The Thar also gets a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine that offers 147bhp of power and 300Nm of torque with manual gearbox, and 320Nm of torque with automatic gearbox.
Features Comparison
– The new Gurkha is the only vehicle in its segment to offer full LED Force Pro Edge headlamps – comprises of Pilot Lamps, Low Beam and High Beam. The SUV also has jewel-like circular DRLs (Daytime Running Lamps) and LED indicators mounted on front fenders.
– Features list includes 16-inch steel wheels, captain seats, charging port for all occupants, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support along with navigation, tilt & telescopic adjustment for steering, power windows, central locking, tyre pressure monitoring system, rear parking sensors, etc.
– The Thar offers a lot more features than the Gurkha. It gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with BlueSense App Connectivity, a 3.5-inch MID, power windows, removable doors, automatic climate control, cruise control, dual front airbags, ABS, ESP with roll-over mitigation, tyre pressure monitoring system, cruise control, keyless entry and many more.
