Rugged on a budget

I’m looking for two SUVs, one for off-road rallying, so the decision is between Gypsy and Thar, and the second both for highway travels and hard off-roading. And keeping in mind that I live in Meghalaya, I require that the SUVs are completely covered. My budget is Rs 12 lakh; what should I buy?

Chuang Nokrek, Meghalaya

AAA If pure, unadulterated hardcore off-roading is your thing, we’d suggest that you go for the Gypsy. Being a long-running Suzuki product, there are myriad aftermarket parts available – suspension, drivetrain and chassis – that will make it absolutely untouchable off-road. You may need to wait a bit for delivery though, as the Gypsy is no longer available off the shelf. And beware, it will be absolutely back-breaking on the road, so if you’re looking at any creature comforts (or even just comfort), look elsewhere. Regarding your second SUV, you may have to extend your budget by a couple of lakh or so if you want 4WD, as your choice is otherwise limited to the 2WD Renault Duster and the basic 2WD variants of the Safari/Safari Storme. The Scorpio LX is the only 4WD available at this budget; stretch it a wee bit and you can get the VLX as well.