Mahindra Thar Roxx and Maruti Jimny and Gurkha comparison, performance, off road – Introduction

You may have seen enough of the Mahindra Thar Roxx, Force Gurkha 5-door and Maruti Suzuki Jimny during our Off-road Day feature, so I’ll keep the introductions short. The Thar Roxx is more than just a longer, 5-door version of the Thar because it’s built on a new chassis, packs in more tech and has a few added off-road tricks up its wheel arches, too. Force’s Gurkha 5-door adds length, doors and practicality to the Gurkha 3-door we know and love, and it also debuts a more powerful engine. The plucky Maruti Suzuki Jimny hasn’t changed in any way, shape or form since its launch last year but promises a very different experience to the others.

First order of business? To judge the trio for what they are – off-roaders.

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5 door off road performance 

The three tick the off-roader essentials checklist with tough ladder-frame constructions and low range. The Jimny is the only one to use solid axles at both front and rear, promising greater articulation, while the Thar Roxx and Gurkha 5-door use a combo of solid axles at the back and comfort-biased independent front suspensions. The Jimny is the odd one out in terms of footwear, running highway-terrain tyres, while the Thar Roxx and Gurkha come shod with standard-fit all-terrain tyres. An on-paper comparison will tell you that it’s the Thar Roxx with the best approach angle, the Jimny with the best departure angle and the Gurkha with the best ramp breakover angle and water-wading ability.

But what are they really like in the rough? It’s 4-Low and over to our favourite off-road playground – Learn Offroad at Pali, Maharashtra.

The Thar Roxx is quick to dismiss any doubts about its off-road ability being compromised by the wheelbase extension versus the three-door Thar’s. The Roxx is doing the same obstacles and with a higher degree of convenience, thanks to its move to an easier-to-twirl electric power steering. It’s the easiest of the three off-roaders to manoeuvre, too, as we learn. Roxx 4×4 with automatic transmissions promises to be even more so thanks to what Mahindra calls ‘Intelli-turn’ that independently brakes the inner wheels to reduce the turning radius on slippery surfaces. The other major upgrade to the Roxx is a button-operated electronic rear differential lock (the Thar uses a mechanical-locking rear diff) that helps prep the Mahindra for an obstacle in advance. It does its job, enabling the Roxx to claw its way out of trouble without any of the mid-obstacle snappiness of the 3-door’s auto-locking unit. A point to note about the Thar Roxx 4×4 manual featured here is that clutch modulation isn’t very smooth.

Next up is the Force Gurkha 5-door. You sit high off the ground, which means great visibility on trails, but the first-floor seating also accentuates side angles and descents, and this can be unnerving. Also, there’s no escaping the sensation that there’s a lot of SUV around you. It exhibits the most weight transfer over articulations, too, but the longer wheelbase does help the Gurkha 5-door feel more grounded than its sibling. Unique to the Gurkha are its front and rear mechanical-locking differentials. With the rear diff locked, the Gurkha finds grip when there’s seemingly little of it, while the front diff lock is your ally in the most extreme situations. But while the diff locks unlock new abilities, they don’t always work. Calling them to action requires a firm pull of the levers, and even then, you’re not quite sure if they’ve engaged. There were also times when we couldn’t unlock the diffs; it’s an irritant in trying conditions when you need your vehicle to be on your side. The Gurkha feels the most mechanical and old-school of the three, and I’m sure everyone will accept that.

It’s actually the Jimny with the fewest off-road frills – no off-road modes or differential locks. However, it champions the cause of small and light is right. The Jimny’s size puts you at ease in the rough, and there’s comfort in knowing a helping hand (or two) is enough to get the lightweight Jimny out of a sticky situation. You will have to work the Jimny’s engine the hardest to keep momentum but stick to the right line out, and the plucky Suzuki will scrabble its way through the tricky stuff. On a side note, the Jimny’s manual gearbox needs a firm push, and the clutch isn’t the easiest to modulate. A Jimny with an automatic transmission delivers a far nicer experience. 

The learnings at Learn Offroad are that the Jimny is the least intimidating, the Gurkha feels the rawest, and the Roxx strikes a great balance between ability and sophistication.

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5 door exterior and features

Five-door off-roaders they may be but there’s the compact Jimny on one side and the significantly larger Thar Roxx and Gurkha 5-door on the other.

The Jimny is the shortest, narrowest and lowest among the three. It rides on small 15-inch wheels and almost looks like a miniature in the company of the other two. It’s not the one to give you an ego boost if that’s what you want from your off-roader. The Roxx is the longest in overall length and wheelbase and looks the business, particularly in top-spec form that has 19-inch rims. That Jeep Wrangler vibe is unmissable, too. Over to the desi G, the Force Gurkha, which, at over two metres tall, looks the most substantial. Its 18-inch rims help balance the shape, while the snorkel, windshield bar, roof rack and rear ladder make it look ever-ready for adventure.

The three offer very different experiences inside. It’s a climb into the Thar Roxx’s cabin. However, the Roxx immediately impresses with what is the most upmarket interior here. The overall material quality is the best here, and the large touchscreen and digital dials also do their bit to up the ambience inside. The touchscreen is nice to use and packs in off-road data screens, too, but all features weren’t functional on our test car. Also, the menus on the digital dials are cumbersome to navigate.

The Thar in top-spec AX7 guise goes the distance with features such as a powered driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, 360-degree camera, wireless phone charger, electronic parking brake, and even ADAS, which I’ll get to in a bit. Seat comfort is fine, and the high driving position gives a good view of the world outside. However, there’s not enough foot room on manual gearbox versions, and the pedal covers also worked themselves loose over our time with the Roxx.

You’ll need to trek your way up into the Gurkha’s high-set cabin, but the effort rewards you with a commanding driving position. The front seats will also accommodate the largest of individuals with ease. The Gurkha feels airiest, at least up front, with a sizeable space between the front seats. That said, the Gurkha also feels the most basic inside, and overall fit and finish are a few notches down as compared to its rivals – frankly, it’s not in keeping with the Force’s price tag. Features-wise, the Gurkha packs in a digital instruments cluster and a 9-inch touchscreen that’s big but basic. There’s no auto climate control either.

Access to the Jimny’s front seats is the easiest. The front seats are comfy, but you sit close to your co-driver; it really feels like a small vehicle. And because you don’t sit all that high, you don’t get the same view out as you do in the other off-roaders, though I’d still rate visibility to be good. The dashboard is functional, and the material quality is decent. Maruti’s 9-inch touchscreen is good to use, but the reverse camera could do with more pixels.

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5 door interior and practicality

Now, on to the back seats. The Thar’s rear door handles are vertically oriented, and you will need to use the footboard and hand grips to pull yourself in. Once in, you’ll be more than satisfied with the space and comfort on offer. There’s enough knee room for six-footers, the seat is wide enough to host three passengers, and there’s also the option to adjust the backrest angle. Then, there’s the panoramic sunroof that does its bit to enhance the rear seat experience, particularly on a day of fine weather.

The Maruti Jimny sits lowest to the ground, and that helps when getting in, but do note that the rear door aperture isn’t all that big. Unsurprisingly, the Jimny feels the smallest inside and is actually certified only as a four-seater – seating for just two at the back. Even so, larger-framed individuals will be sitting shoulder to shoulder. A pair of average-sized adults will find space adequate, though. 

The Gurkha once again calls for the most effort to get into. Once inside, you’ll be a bit surprised because, for a vehicle so large, it’s not all that roomy. The knee room is limited, and it doesn’t help that the seat can’t be slid back to make more space. But the Gurkha has one thing that the other two off-roaders don’t – a third row of seats. It adds seating flexibility but isn’t without compromise. Access to the third row is only via the tailgate, which isn’t easy, and while the front-facing seats are comfy, the wheel well eats into the foot room.

Also, fitting luggage in the limited space available blocks access to the third row. There’s a luggage rack on the roof as an alternative, but we’d advise against using it as it’ll only worsen the Gurkha’s top-heavy dynamics. The Jimny’s tailgate swivels open to reveal reasonable luggage room, while the Thar Roxx’s two-part tailgate gives access to the most accommodating luggage area. The Jimny and Thar also give the option to fold the second row to make more space for luggage.

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5 door engine and gearbox

It’s the Thar Roxx that offers the widest variety of engines and gearboxes. There are petrol and diesel mills, each with manual and auto gearbox options. However, those looking specifically for 4×4 will be restricted to the diesel manual or auto. There’s no petrol 4×4 Roxx, at least for the moment. Featured here is the Roxx diesel 4×4 manual.

The Gurkha 5-door is yours in a single diesel-manual avatar, but it runs the latest iteration of Force’s Mercedes-derived 2.6-litre diesel engine, which ups power and torque to 140hp and 320Nm, respectively.

The Jimny, on the other hand, is a petrol-only model, though you have the option of a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed torque converter automatic.

What are they like to drive on the road? Let’s go in the order of engine power. First up, the Jimny, whose 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine makes a humdrum 105hp and 134Nm. The Maruti manages low-speed urban settings and off-road environments adequately well, but it’s when you take the Jimny out onto the open road that you’ll experience its weakness. It doesn’t have any punch, it’s slow to rev, and when you need to overtake in a hurry, well, you’ll have to either downshift or flatten your foot on the accelerator pedal and wait patiently. The clunky 5-speed manual gearbox doesn’t make frustrated downshifts any more enjoyable.

Moving on to the Gurkha, the first thing to talk about is, of course, the updated engine; 140hp is not a massive figure for a vehicle of this size and weight, but it sure beats the 90hp the Gurkha was launched with. The new iteration of the engine feels a lot readier with its power delivery. It doesn’t have that commercial vehicle vibe that the older Gurkha engine had. It also revs a bit more, with ‘bit’ being the operative word, because, by 3,000-3,500rpm, the engine is done with its best. Engine aside, even the gearbox doesn’t like to be rushed. The gearbox has a long throw, so you’ll have to extend a bit, particularly for first and second gear, and gear shifts need a bit of effort.

The Roxx’s performance stands out, particularly in this company. Mahindra’s mHawk 2.2-litre diesel engine in this 152hp and 330Nm state of tune feels the most powerful, the punchiest and even the sportiest. The unit feels alert at low speeds, it’s got plenty to give in the mid-range, and it also revs quite quickly for a diesel. Its power and grunt do so much to uplift the driving experience. Helping here is the six-speed gearbox that’s really nice to use. Clutch modulation, as mentioned, needs care at low speeds, though.

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5 door ride and handling

Typically, the steering doesn’t get mentioned in the list of highlights on an off-roader, but things are different on the Thar Roxx. Its new-gen electric power steering is leagues ahead of the units on the Jimny and Gurkha. The steering is light at low speeds yet gives you the confidence that you need at high speeds. Even the turning circle is rather nice forwhat is a pretty substantial vehicle. On the flip side, the Roxx can’t hide its ladder-frame underpinnings. It’s unfazed by big potholes, but out cruising, the ride remains busy.   

It’s the Jimny with the best ride comfort. Low-speed rides are nice and absorbent; even at higher speeds, it feels quite planted. Of course, the fact that the Jimny sits relatively low to the ground makes a big, big difference here. All’s not perfect, though. You’ll have to work with the slow-geared steering (it needs more lock than you’d expect) and the unusually large turning circle that takes away from the dinky Jimny’s ease-of-use quotient.

The Gurkha feels the largest from behind the wheel. Its high centre of gravity will force you, pun intended, to go easy, especially on a winding road. As for ride comfort, the Gurkha feels at home on bombed-out sections of roads, but there is some steering kickback, and you’ll also feel judders coming through the body. However, for the size of the potholes that the Gurkha can flatten, ride comfort can be described as cushy. What the Gurkha needs is uprated braking. The front-disc and rear-drum setup doesn’t feel strong enough.

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5 door safety features

None of the three have a Global NCAP or Bharat NCAP safety rating yet. In terms of standard safety features, the Gurkha offers just the basics, such as dual airbags, ABS and rear parking sensors, but it handily packs a tyre pressure monitor. The Jimny and Thar each get six airbags as standard, electronic stability control, hill descent control, hill hold control and ISOFIX child seat mounts.

The Thar’s higher-spec versions add front parking sensors, a tyre pressure monitor, a 360-degree camera and rear disc brakes. Its range-topping variants go a few steps further with segment-first camera and radar-based ADAS. There’s auto emergency braking, lane keep assist and high beam assist. Auto gearbox versions even feature adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go. The features are a great additional safety net and make the Thar Roxx feel more complete than the other two.

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5 door price and verdict

The Gurkha 5-door has a substantial road presence, and Force’s updated engine brings a noticeable performance upgrade. However, the Gurkha still makes for a very committed choice. It’s great off-road in the right hands, but the package as a whole just feels way too raw for something that costs Rs 18 lakh (ex-showroom). A three-year/1.5 lakh kilometre standard warranty and four free services sweeten the deal to some extent.

The Jimny is the most affordable of these 4×4 off-roaders. Prices start at Rs 12.74 lakh for the Zeta manual and top off at Rs 14.79 lakh for the Alpha automatic. Push for deals and discounts, and you could save upwards of Rs 2 lakh on the listed prices. Judged purely as an off-roader, the Jimny impresses. It’s an unintimidating, scrappy little thing that’ll put a smile on your face in the wild. The thing is, the Jimny isn’t quite as nice as everyday transport.

The small cabin and unexciting engine are to blame. There’s also the matter that the Jimny just doesn’t have the road presence many want from their off-roader.

In this comparison, it’s the Thar Roxx that ticks more of the boxes of interest. It’s got the right look and the right image, and that’s a great starting point. The tough demeanour is backed by genuine ability off-road, a polished on-road driving experience and enough thrills and comfort to make the Roxx feel like an all-rounder. It makes the most convincing case as the only vehicle in the family, and that’s why it’s the one we’d readily recommend.

Prices for the Roxx 4×4 variants start at Rs 18.79 lakh and go up to Rs 22.49 lakh for the fully loaded automatic version. The Thar Roxx is the most expensive model here, but pricing is actually tempting once you factor in all that the Mahindra packs in.

PS: Not to end on a bummer, but if you’re interested in a Roxx, you’re quite late: 1.76 lakh people booked one within 60 minutes of bookings opening!

Also see:

Thar Roxx vs Jimny vs Gurkha 5-Door comparison video

Off-road Day 2024 video: Thar Roxx, Gurkha 5 Door, Jimny and more

Mahindra Thar Roxx secures 5 star Bharat NCAP safety rating