The new Force Gurkha has been revealed in the final production spec ahead of its launch on September 27, 2021, in India. The new Gurkha’s design is similar to the outgoing model though the entire body shell is new. Changes include a new grille, bumpers, light clusters, larger windows for the rear passengers, and a larger rear windshield to aid rear visibility. Hardware such as the snorkel comes fitted as standard from the factory. Compared to the car from the Auto Expo 2020, the production SUV gets a few cosmetic differences such as the front grille spelling out Gurkha in place of the Force Logo and 4x4x4 badging on the rear fender which the former lacked.

Meanwhile inside, the color theme has moved away from the show car’s dual-tone cabin to a single-tone dark grey. The cabin gets more notable changes with the new dashboard, touchscreen infotainment system, and front-facing second-row captain seats. The touchscreen comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and supports phone calls via Bluetooth. Other comfort-oriented features include tilt and telescopic adjust steering, individual armrests for the rear seats, USB charging sockets for all four occupants, power windows, central locking, air-conditioning, LED headlamps with DRLs, fog lamps, and cornering lamps.

While the chassis is all new to make the Gurkha comply with the latest safety regulations, the company has upgraded the old 2.6-liter diesel to meet BS6 regulations. The unit puts out 91hp and 250Nm and is paired with a 5-speed manual gearbox. As before the Gurkha gets four-wheel drive with low range and manual locking front and rear differentials.

Suspension set-up too remains unchanged with independent double wishbones up front and multilink set-up at the rear. The company though says that it has been retuned for improved ride quality.  Force claims that the Gurkha can navigate slopes with a grade of up to 35 degrees with 4WD engaged and has a wading depth of 700mm, courtesy of the snorkel. On the safety front, the Gurkha complies with the current regulations with dual airbags, ABS, rear parking sensors, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and even a tire pressure monitoring system.

The Force Gurkha will directly rival the Mahindra Thar.