The 2.6-litre diesel at the heart of the Gurkha 5 Door is a derivative of the Mercedes-Benz OM616 unit. In its updated state, it makes 138 bhp and a substantial 320 Nm, with peak torque arriving from just 1400 rpm and holding through to 2600 rpm. That low-end torque delivery is exactly what you want in an off-road context.

On the road, the engine's character is diesel in the old-fashioned sense: deliberate, torquey from low speeds, and not particularly smooth. Refinement levels are below what buyers coming from modern mainstream SUVs will be used to. There is significant diesel clatter at idle, the note settles somewhat at speed, but engine vibrations are always present through the steering wheel and floor. This is not a criticism as much as a description of the type of vehicle the Gurkha is.

From around 1,500 rpm, there is a consistent, strong surge that makes overtaking on two-lane roads relaxed and makes crawling through terrain feel effortless. The five-speed manual gearbox is adequate but not slick, with longer throws than most modern units. The clutch is on the heavier side and the gearshift requires deliberate inputs rather than casual flicks. In city traffic, this combination demands patience.

Highway driving is where the Gurkha 5 Door surprises. At a steady 80-90 km/h cruise, it feels settled, the engine is not working particularly hard, and the long wheelbase gives it a directional stability that belies its boxy proportions. Pushing beyond 100 km/h is possible but not entirely comfortable, both because of the increased wind noise around the upright A-pillars and because the steering begins to feel less precise.

The off-road performance is where the Gurkha 5 Door makes its most compelling argument. In 4L with the rear differential locked, it will climb, crawl, and wade through terrain that would stop most other vehicles in this price range. The crawl mode, which manages throttle and braking on steep inclines automatically, is genuinely useful rather than a gimmick. Reviewers and owners consistently note that the Gurkha 5 Door's capability in serious off-road conditions exceeds what the price suggests is possible.

The electronic shift-on-the-fly 4WD system is a notable improvement over the previous lever-operated setup. Switching between 2H and 4H can now be done at moderate speeds without stopping, while 4L engagement requires the vehicle to be stationary. The system works without drama.

Ride and Handling

On the handling front, the 5-door Gurkha retains the traits of its ladder-frame construction more noticeably than the 3-door. 

The steering is light and accurate enough for town use but provides limited feedback, which is standard for a vehicle of this type. The turning radius is wide, a consequence of the long wheelbase, and requires planning in tight spaces or when making U-turns.

The longer wheelbase and greater weight also make body roll more pronounced in fast corners, and the vehicle rewards a deliberate, measured approach to driving rather than spirited inputs. 

The 3-door benefits more obviously from the revised suspension tuning, though both versions are significantly better than the pre-update Gurkha on rough roads. Low-speed bump absorption is good, and the Gurkha handles broken roads, speed breakers, and rutted tracks without complaint. Sharp-edged potholes at higher speeds will make themselves felt in the cabin.

Force Motors has not published an official ARAI mileage figure for the Gurkha 5 Door. Owner-reported figures from real-world driving suggest returns in the range of 9 to 13 km/l depending heavily on driving conditions, load, and terrain.

In city driving with regular stop-and-go traffic, expect the lower end of that range. The heavy diesel engine, tall body, and significant kerb weight (over 2000 kg for the 5-door) mean urban fuel consumption is not a strong suit. On open highways at a disciplined cruise, returns improve to the 12 to 13 km/l range, which is more acceptable given what the Gurkha is.

Off-road driving with differential locks engaged and the transfer case in 4L will push consumption well below city figures.

The 63.5-litre fuel tank provides a reasonable range buffer, meaning refuelling stops on long trips are not particularly frequent even at moderate efficiency.

Buyers considering the Gurkha 5 Door primarily for daily urban commuting should factor fuel costs carefully. Running cost is not its strongest card, though the engine's proven longevity and relatively low maintenance intervals help offset this over time.

The cabin of the Gurkha 5 Door is functional rather than luxurious, and anyone expecting the fitted-out interior of a lifestyle SUV will need to adjust expectations accordingly. What you get is honest, purpose-built design with enough updates to make daily use viable.

The dashboard follows a utilitarian layout with a centre-mounted 9-inch touchscreen that handles infotainment, connectivity, and navigation. The unit supports both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, which largely eliminates the limitation of the in-built system. The semi-digital instrument cluster is a step up from the analogue dials of the older Gurkha and displays essential trip information clearly.

The new multifunction steering wheel with tilt and telescopic adjustment is a meaningful addition because the Gurkha's high seating position and wide cabin can make finding a good driving position challenging for shorter occupants. These adjustments help.

The second row is the most practical seat in the vehicle. Access is proper through the full-size rear doors, headroom is generous given the tall roofline, and three adults can fit across the bench. Knee room behind an average-sized driver is adequate, and the seat cushioning is comfortable for longer journeys. The fixed panoramic rear quarter windows keep the cabin from feeling enclosed.

The third row is best described as a practical option for short trips and children rather than a comfortable space for adults. Access requires folding the second-row seat and climbing over a high sill, and once seated, adults will find legroom tight and the backrest angle upright. For an outdoor-focused buyer, the third row is more useful folded flat as additional luggage space than it is for regular passenger use.

The roof-mounted blower for rear passengers is a carry-over feature and provides ventilation to the back rows when the dashboard AC alone cannot reach effectively. Rear AC vents are also present, which is appreciated on warm days.

Storage within the cabin is basic. Door pockets are present, there is a centre console bin, and front seat back pockets are provided. The absence of a wireless charger or a fast-charging USB-C port will be noticeable to buyers used to more modern vehicles.

Build quality inside is consistent with a vehicle designed for rough use. The plastics are hard and simple, some panel gaps are uneven, and early ownership reports noted occasional rattles from trim panels. These are not dealbreakers in the context of what the Gurkha is, but they are worth knowing about. The seat fabric quality is acceptable and appears to hold up well over time.

Ingress and egress, particularly into the third row, requires effort. The floor is high, the door apertures are not the widest, and elderly occupants may find the process inconvenient. This is a genuine everyday consideration for a family vehicle.

The Gurkha does not try to be modern or fashionable. It is boxy, upright, and unmistakably purposeful, and that straightforwardness is a large part of its appeal. The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen influence in the silhouette has been discussed at length since the Gurkha's earliest days, and the 5-door version, being larger and proportionally more substantial, looks even more like a working interpretation of that blueprint.

The front end carries round LED headlamps with integrated DRLs, a flat-faced grille section, a revised front bumper with a proper skid plate treatment, and integrated fog lamps. The overall effect is tough and credible without resorting to decorative cladding or synthetic ruggedness. The bonnet is flat and high, which gives a commanding driving position but limits sightlines to the road immediately ahead.

The side profile benefits from the additional length. At 4390 mm, the 5-door Gurkha looks proportionate in a way the shorter 3-door does not. Exposed door hinges, flat glass all around, a raised roofline, and flared wheel arches with black cladding give it the working SUV character that is central to the Gurkha identity. The 18-inch alloy wheels with large-section 255/65 tyres fill the arches well and contribute to the overall planted stance.

A factory-fitted snorkel on the passenger side is standard across all variants, which tells you something about the engineering priority the Gurkha operates under. It is not decoration.

At the rear, vertically stacked tail lamps sit at each corner, the spare wheel is mounted on the tailgate in full-size form, and a rear wash-wipe is included. The rear bumper is simple and functional.

It comes in White, Black, Red, and Green, all in monotone finishes with no dual-tone options.

Build quality on the exterior is one of the Gurkha's strengths. Panels are solid, the body structure is rigid, and the overall construction conveys durability. 

Safety is the area where the Gurkha 5 Door falls most clearly behind its competition, and buyers need to understand this before making a decision.

The vehicle has not been submitted for Global NCAP or Bharat NCAP testing, so there is no published crash rating. Standard safety equipment is limited to dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera, and a tyre pressure monitoring system. Electronic stability control, hill hold control, hill descent control, and ISOFIX child seat mounts are all absent, features that are now standard on rivals in the same price bracket.

The three-point seatbelts for all seven occupants is a positive, and in an off-road-focused vehicle, the Gurkha's structural solidity from its ladder-frame chassis provides a level of passive protection that soft-road SUVs cannot match in certain terrain-related scenarios. But the absence of modern active safety systems is a genuine gap for a vehicle that many families will consider as their primary car.

For buyers with children or those who prioritise active safety features, the Mahindra Thar Roxx, which offers up to six airbags, ESC, hill hold, hill descent, ISOFIX mounts, and in its top trims, camera and radar-based ADAS, is a significantly stronger proposition on paper.

The Gurkha 5 Door's approach to safety is honest about its origins and priorities. It is built to handle physical terrain, not to absorb urban collision scenarios with the same sophistication as more city friendly SUVs.

The Mahindra Thar Roxx is the most direct rival and, on paper, the stronger all-round package. 

It offers petrol and diesel engines, manual and automatic gearboxes, a rear-wheel-drive entry option, and a strong safety suite. It is considerably more expensive than the Gurkha 5 Door across the range, but it is also a considerably more complete vehicle for everyday family use. 

Buyers who want to use their off-roader as a primary family car, daily driver, or highway cruiser will find the Thar Roxx more accommodating. The Gurkha wins on raw off-road hardware that delivers more assured footing in extreme terrain.

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny occupies different ground. 

It is smaller, uses a petrol-only powertrain, and is priced below the Gurkha 5 Door. It offers six airbags, ESC, hill hold, and hill descent as standard, bettering the Gurkha on active safety. Suzuki's AllGrip Pro four-wheel drive system with solid axles front and rear offers exceptional articulation in technical terrain. 

The Jimny is the more refined, easier-to-park, and more fuel-efficient choice. What it lacks is the Gurkha's sheer physical presence, its diesel torque, its 700 mm wading depth, and seven-seat capacity.

Mahindra’s Scorpio N is worth considering for buyers who want seven seats with 4WD but prioritise comfort and feature content over pure off-road specialisation. 

It is a bigger, heavier vehicle with a more car-like interior and a significantly longer feature list, available with both petrol and diesel engines and automatic gearboxes. Its 4WD credentials are genuine, though it is tuned more for mixed-road use than for the dedicated trail work the Gurkha targets.

The Isuzu V-Cross sits in a different category as a lifestyle pickup but attracts some of the same buyer profile. 

Its 1.9-litre or 3.0-litre diesel options deliver strong highway credentials, and payload capacity makes it the working vehicle of the group. It is not a direct rival but represents an alternative path for the adventurer who prioritises utility over passenger capacity.

The Gurkha 5 Door is the purist's choice in this group. It does not try to be a premium lifestyle product, and it is not as safe or as feature-rich as the Thar Roxx. What it offers is more raw off-road capability, with a distinctive character that its rivals cannot replicate.

The Force Gurkha 5 Door is a vehicle that knows exactly what it is, and that clarity is both its greatest strength and the source of every criticism levelled at it.

As a purpose-built off-roader that happens to seat seven, it is exceptional value. The 2.6-litre diesel delivers effortless torque. With mechanical locking differentials and a high ground clearance, almost no road condition in India is a concern. The extended wheelbase and additional doors make it a significantly more practical proposition than the 3-door, without compromising the go-anywhere capability that defines the nameplate.

The weaknesses are real and consistent. The interior quality does not match what similarly priced mainstream SUVs offer, the engine is characterful but rough by modern standards, the gearbox demands patience, there is no automatic option, and no electronic safety aids like ESC or hill hold. The absence of a published crash rating is a significant concern for anyone buying this as a primary family vehicle.

The Gurkha 5 Door makes most sense for buyers who have a specific reason to own it. A second vehicle for weekend off-road use, a primary vehicle for areas where terrain demands serious hardware, or a lifestyle choice for someone who values rugged character and heritage over convenience and polish. For these buyers, there is nothing else at this price that comes close.

Buy the Gurkha 5 Door if you want genuine off-road capability, seven seats, and a vehicle that earns its tough reputation honestly. Think carefully if you need a crash rating, an automatic gearbox, modern active safety features, or the refinement of a mainstream SUV. This one is for people who know what they are getting into, and want exactly that.