With SUVs like the Jimny and Thar, off-roading culture has received a strong impetus in India.
Published on Jul 16, 2023 08:00:00 AM
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It’s a great time for off-road enthusiasts in the country with several off-road-focused SUVs currently on sale in the market. You no longer have to spend a fortune for a big, burly full-size SUV, nor do you have to miss out on creature comforts if you’re opting for something from the affordable spectrum of the market. Even serious off-roading cars these days are well-rounded for daily use, and yet are properly capable off the tarmac for the price of a compact or midsize SUV. Here, we have listed the five most affordable off-road SUVs you can currently buy in the country.
Price: Rs 12.74 lakh-Rs 15.05 lakh
Off-road is where the little Jimny’s natural habitat is. The 4x4 hardware, robust suspension, light kerb weight and narrow track make it extremely capable. It’s surprisingly practical for its size, and the petrol engine’s low-end grunt makes easy work of most obstacles. There’s also an unquestionable charm to its design.
Price: Rs 13.87 lakh-Rs 16.78 lakh
Quite unlike the Jimny, the Thar has a very imposing road presence. And with a mechanical locking differential, it is equally capable off-road, gets both petrol and diesel engines, and even a soft-top version, which perhaps makes it the more outdoorsy SUV. Off-road-specific instrumentation is a bonus.
Price: Rs 14.75 lakh
The Gurkha is the most committed off-roader here, and the most bare-bones too. There’s a sole diesel MT powertrain, but you get selectable front and rear diff locks. It's hard work off-roading in a Gurkha, and it misses out on electronics offered by others, but there’s little the Gurkha can’t do at the hands of a skilled off-roader.
Price: Rs 17.69 lakh-Rs 24.52 lakh
The 4x4 system on Scorpio N is available only with the diesel engine, but it comes in multiple trims. It’s the most urbane and luxurious in this company, but under the skin, it’s a proper off-roader with a ladder-frame chassis, low-range gearbox and a mechanical-locking diff. Its off-road ability will surprise you, combining the best of both worlds.
Price: Rs 23.50 lakh-Rs 27 lakh
A 4x4 pick-up truck is as ‘lifestyle’ as a vehicle can get. The D-Max V-Cross is not the best off-roader though – the large rear overhang hampers departure angle, and when the bed is unloaded, the rear struggles for traction in off-road scenarios. Still, there’s an air of indestructibility, and the cargo bed offers use cases unlike any other.
All prices ex-showroom, Delhi.
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