Force Gurkha 5-door First Drive Review: Embracing Imperfections?

The Force Gurkha is probably one of, if not the most capable, off-road SUVs to be built right here in India. It takes on the likes of the Mahindra Thar and Maruti Jimny, and with this 2024 update, it promises to put up an even tougher fight. With the update also comes a new elongated 5-door version of the Gurkha, offering a 7-seater configuration. 

But can its new 5-door avatar make it a better car to live with, and not just a car that’s reserved for the occasional letting loose off the beaten path? 

Looks

The desi-G Wagon-looks of the Gurkha have been amplified even further with the 5-door version, thanks to the obvious extra set of doors and the longer wheelbase. If it wasn’t already, the Gurkha’s road presence is now even more formidable. There are no changes to the styling elements, just an extra set of doors and new 5-spoke 18-inch alloy wheels (standard).

So you still get squared out cues, hefty wheel arches and a very very tall stance – all coming together to give the Gurkha that old school SUV feel. And while that old school vibe definitely works in its favour, we really wish Force would have tweaked the tail lights, which look very outdated. 

However, the snorkel looks cool, and so does the roof rack and rear ladder; but do note that only the snorkel is a standard fitment; rest are accessories.

Many will love the tall stance of the Gurkha, but its height can be an issue in basement parkings with a low ceiling. But it has to be said, the revised dimensions of the 5-door version command an even stronger road presence and this car is definitely hard to ignore.

Boot Space

Things are the same for the standard Gurkha in terms of boot space. There’s still plenty of space for a couple of large suitcases, and you can also utilise the space between the two rear seats. 

As for the 5-door version, the space is limited in comparison, as the fixed last row is very close to the tailgate. A couple of medium/small suitcases can be stacked horizontally, and you do get space between the two seats here as well. But if you’re planning to store a lot of luggage in the 5-door Gurkha, get the roof carrier.

Not only will you be able to carry more, but also the last row passengers will be a lot happier. Why? Because unlike usual cars where the boot gate is actually an opening for the boot, the Gurkha’s doubles up as access for the last row. So it will be a test of true patience if you’ve got both passengers and luggage in there at the same time – as in order to clear up space for the rear passengers to get down, you’ll have to remove the luggage first. 

Interior

Function over form takes clear precedence inside the cabin of the Force Gurkha. You still have to climb into the cabin with the help of the side step and the grab handle on the A-pillar. You sit high, really high – so visibility out front is immaculate. What isn’t immaculate is the steering wheel, which still feels drab and a couple of sizes too big. It does get tilt and telescopic adjustment, but even still, your knees are likely to rub against it. Not to mention, the telescopic adjustment is an entire arms workout in itself (the rack is hard, takes a LOT of effort to adjust).

As for the layout, it is still the same, still utilitarian. But there are a couple of new additions to the cabin which uplift the mood inside. The new 9-inch infotainment system takes the centre stage, complimented by the new 7-inch digital driver’s display. But the aftermarket nature of the touchscreen system becomes clear, right from the get go as it protrudes out of the dashboard, and feels more of an afterthought. 

The seats are fabric, they feel supportive and comfortable. But while there are small compromises with the experience of the front row, they’re more apparent in the 5-door Gurkha’s second row.

Second row

Despite the elongation and extra set of doors, only the ingress and egress has been made easier for the second row. The whole experience is compromised otherwise. As it stands, the 5-door version only gets a bench in the second row, no captain seats.

Now the issue here isn’t the bench, but actually the execution of it. First of all: it is fixed, which means there’s no recline or slide option. So while the space is just about adequate for an average sized adult, anyone above 5’10 will struggle for both knee and foot room. There’s tons of head room, literally, which makes you wonder whether Force could’ve either made the mounting higher or improved the cushioning to make this experience better. This would have certainly improved the underthigh support and even possibly, the recline angle, which is too upright currently.

But the second row passengers will appreciate the central armrest, the one-touch down power windows, and also the very-effective rear AC vents with dedicated fan speed control. Although, the quality of the vents and the control do feel rather flimsy and cheap. 

There’s no headrest for the middle passenger, so this second row is best used as a two seater for long journeys. Three will be a squeeze and is only comfortable for short city runabouts. With a few tweaks, the 5-door Gurkha’s second row has the potential to be a comfortable and practical space for all journeys. 

Third Row

No more saving the last row for the people you like the least. Because in the Gurkha 5-door’s case, the last row is actually more comfortable than the second row. Captain seats for the win! But it’s not just the captain seat, but also the reclining back support and dedicated armrests, which make the third row feel more comfortable. There’s still no option to slide the seat, but it’s not like you’ll be complaining about the knee room anyways.

There’s also a better sense of space in the third row, as you sit higher than the middle row passengers, and there’s quite a gap between the two captain seats itself. You also get an unobstructed view out the huge rectangular window. So if you, for some reason, want to be chauffeured in a Gurkha 5-door, shotgun the last row.

Practicality

The Force Gurkha is rather practical for a focused off-roader. Sure, there are no bottle pockets in the doors – only enough space for some documents – but you do get two cupholders in the central tunnel. Just besides it is a slot for your phone, and you also get a space for storing keys or wallet, just behind the gear lever. There’s a small space just ahead of the gear lever too, useful for storing receipts or spare change.

The glovebox size is decent and can accommodate a few knick-knacks. Second row passengers get seat back pockets and two cupholders in the central armrest, while the third row passengers get two elastic 1-litre bottle holders, typically seen in an intercity bus.

For charging, there’s a 12 V socket and two USB type ports up front. Although, the top USB port is to connect the phone to the infotainment system and doesn’t actually charge if the phone isn’t connected to the system. Second row passengers get a single two USB socket for all their charging needs.

Features and safety

With this update, Force has made the Gurkha better equipped than before. It gets all the basics right with all four powered windows, manual AC, and manual IRVM. However, there are new convenience features added to the basics and the list includes a new 9-inch infotainment system, 7-inch digital driver’s display and a rear view camera. 

While a 9-inch touchscreen unit sounds good on paper, the execution isn’t the best. This is an aftermarket unit, and while it gets the job done, it could have been a whole lot better. It isn’t the most responsive, the graphics are average and the menus can be a bit confusing. That being said, it does get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and you can even mirror your phone by just downloading an app. 

The 7-inch digital driver’s display, however, not only sounds good on paper, but is actually well executed. It doesn’t get layers of menus or display options. It’s simple, relays all the information at once and yet, boasts a clean layout. Nice.

The rear view camera is definitely a welcome addition as it makes parking the Gurkha a tad easier, and this brings us to the safety quotient of the offroader. Now, there’s no crash test rating to refer to, but going by the brochure, the Gurkha packs dual airbags, ISOFIX mounts, ABS with EBD and a tyre pressure monitoring system. Unlike before, all passengers, save for the middle one (in the 5-door version), now get three point seatbelts, which certainly was an oversight in the previous version. 

Engine and Performance

Driving the Force Gurkha was always an event, and it still is. Force has retained the 2.6-litre diesel engine, but has uprated it to produce 140PS and 320Nm (from the previous 85PS/230Nm output). It still is available with a 5-speed manual transmission only. 

As soon as you start the engine, it makes itself heard. NVH levels are nowhere near car-like and it does get rather vibey while picking up speeds. But the good thing is (if you like your cars to sound raw), having an air intake right next to you lets you hear sounds that you usually wouldn’t – like the turbo spooling and the blow off valve dumping all that pressure when you lift off the gas. That sound is addictive. If you’re an enthusiast, you will definitely appreciate the sounds of the Gurkha. 

This uprated diesel engine makes driving the Gurkha an easy task in the city. There is no lack of usable power as you get bucket loads of torque right from the low end. This makes driving it in bumper to bumper conditions and even in general city speeds rather easy.

The clutch isn’t too hard, and you don’t really have to fight to find the right gear. But the best part is that because of that massive torque, the Gurkha can cruise at around 40kmph in 4th gear without any stress. So you won’t find yourself shifting gears that often. 

However, things are slightly different at highway speeds. Anything above 80kmph and the engine feels stressed. You will also feel it going out of breath when you command a quick overtake. As a result, planning is required here. So while the Gurkha might not be the perfect highway machine, you still can cover long distances in it with a little caution. And as for the city, it won’t give you much to complain about. 

Ride and Handling

Force has improved the ride quality of the Gurkha with this update. They’ve plonked in an independent front suspension, which promises poised ride quality over both on and off road tarmac. And while we couldn’t confirm for the latter, it definitely feels better over paved roads. The suspension is still soft, but gulps up all broken patches, bumps and speed breakers and remains silent while doing so.

Given its high ground clearance, you definitely can carry a lot more speed over breakers than you normally would and you still won’t feel uneasy. Despite the tall stature, movement is controlled and you’ll only complain about the side to side movement when you tackle really bad roads at slightly higher speeds.

At highway speeds too, the Gurkha feels comfortable, but it does get a little floaty on level changes, which translates into some vertical movement. That still isn’t troublesome. However the handling can be a bit scary as the slow steering doesn’t offer a lot of confidence while switching between lanes at high speeds. Moreover, body roll kicks in as soon as you show it a corner, which can be rather uncomfortable if you’re in a hilly area. It likes to take corners in a relaxed manner and that’s when you’ll be the most comfortable too. Treat it like the tall, old school SUV it is, and you won’t have any unpleasant surprises.

Now these few shortcomings on-the-road help the Gurkha take the crown off-it. The slow steering, the soft suspension – all of it has a purpose, which is to help the car march on and keep you comfortable when the going gets tough.

Off road cred

As mentioned earlier, we didn’t really get time to take the Gurkha mud plugging. But we know how capable the Gurkha was before and on paper the 5-door version should be no less capable. 

It gets all the right mechanical bits like a four wheel drivetrain, manual front and rear differential locks, an electronic shift for the low range gearbox (4H, 4L and 2H), and all-terrain tyres. All this along with a short first gear and oodles of torque means you won’t even have to press the accelerator and the car will just crawl out of most of the challenges thrown at it. As to test its true capabilities, an adventure with the 5-door Gurkha is pending!

Verdict

The Force Gurkha, even in its 5-door avatar, is still a focussed off roader. It doesn’t boast the dual personality that we’ve come to expect from modern cars. But with this update, what Force has done is add some more usability in that very capable off road package. 

Especially with the 5-door Gurkha, it’s not just the number of doors that have increased but also the road presence, the useability, the practicality and ultimately the appeal of the nameplate. Yes, despite the new features and updates, the cabin still is far from perfect – it feels dated – and even though the second row gets dedicated access, it is far from being comfortable.

However, its butch looks command road presence like none other, the sense of supremacy of the high driving position is unmatched, the sounds of the diesel engine are… subjective, but the capability of the Gurkha isn’t. Unlike usual offroaders, it isn’t unforgiving in the city and keeps you comfortable. It is only out on the highway and at high speeds when the Gurkha struggles to keep it together. 

So, while the Gurkha still isn’t the ideal lifestyle or family SUV choice, it definitely has the potential to be, with a few small changes here and there. Yes, there are other offroad options in the market, ones that offer a better experience on a day to day basis. But if you want that old-school SUV charm and want your vehicle to have a soul, and a character; then the Force Gurkha fits the bill.