Force cars in India (2)

Founded in 1958 by Navalmal Kundanmal Firodia, Force Motors has primarily been known for building commercial vehicles and engines rather than passenger cars. Its own move into passenger vehicles came much later, with the Force One SUV in 2011. Force still assembles every engine that goes into a Mercedes-Benz sold in India at a dedicated factory in Chakan, Pune. That heritage is still active as the brand's only car on sale in India right now is the Gurkha, an off-roader, in two body styles: 3-door and 5-door. There is no hatchback, no sedan, and no mid-size SUV in the lineup. 

Mainstream brands like Mahindra and Maruti do compete with Force with models like Thar, Thar Roxx, and Jimny that add options like an automatic gearbox or petrol engine that the Gurkha skips. But as per us, at Autocar India, we think Force Gurkha is the most rugged of the three, and the most capable off-roader. Though, it is the least comfortable, feels utilitarian, and its diesel engine lacks performance when used on on-road in comparison to the three listed above. 

Pros and Cons of buying Force Cars in India

How Safe Are the Force Cars?

None of the Force cars in India (Gurkha 3-door and Gurkha 3-door) have been tested by either Bharat NCAP or Global NCAP, so there is no official crash-test rating. But this isn't unusual for a low-volume, niche model, but it's something that a buyer like you should be aware of.

Both of these models are equipped with dual airbags, a tyre pressure monitor, ISOFIX child seat mounts, and a rear parking camera with sensors, as standard. But, despite having these features, Force cars fall short of the 6-airbag setup that’s now common on the Thar and Roxx. 

What Service and Warranty Coverage Do Force Cars Get?

• Force offers four free services, scheduled at 10,000km, 20,000km, 30,000km, and 40,000km (or 150, 270, 390, and 510 days, whichever comes first).
• From the fifth service, you need to pay. Servicing should be done every 10,000km or 120 days, whichever comes first.
• All Force cars in India come with a 3-years or 1.5 lakh km warranty, whichever comes first.
• Force Motors also offers a pickup and drop facility and free roadside assistance that includes services like:

How is the After-Sales Experience With Force Cars?

• Some owners find service staff not properly equipped with tools as well as knowledge to service or repair personal consumer vehicles. Meanwhile, some owners report proactive gestures and direct involvement from regional or plant teams. 
• The number of Force service centers and dealers are quite less in comparison to mainstream brands like Maruti, Tata, Hyundai, Mahindra, etc. So, it could be a hassle to find one, especially in smaller towns and you may need to travel farther for servicing or repairing your car. But, if you live in metro cities like Pune, NCR, it won’t be an issue. 

So, in short Force Motors after-sales experience varies widely, with mixed opinions. 

Note: If you are planning to buy a Force car in India, it’s better to check the availability of the nearest dealer and service center. To do that, you can use the Force dealer locator (https://forcegurkha.co.in/find-dealer).