Force 2 Reckon With

The 2017 Force Gurkha might look identical to its predecessor, but underneath it is in fact a new-generation model.

- Ravi Ved

I’ve always had a soft corner for the Force Gurkha – for two reasons primarily. One, its boxy design is exactly how I imagined SUVs as a kid. Secondly, and more importantly, its malleability is praiseworthy. Just look at some of the Force Gurkhas modified for the Rainforest Challenge and you’ll know what I’m talking about. But still the Gurkha was sneered at. Now, the company has launched a new-generation model, which it claims is significantly improved. We took it for a spin from Pune to Kamshet, and off the tarmac into the fields to find out if it has truly improved.

First things first, the 2017 Force Gurkha retains the boxy design cues of its predecessor. That being said, they have made a few tweaks in the overall design, and it sure does make this brawny SUV more likeable. The bold three-slat grille gives way to a single-slat one that flaunts the Force Motors emblem dead centre. The front and rear bumpers are now sleeker and are draped in matte black paint, just like the squared wheel arches. The circular tail lamps have given way to horizontally stacked ones. The 2017 Gurkha also gets a new set of alloy wheels. Call it minimalistic, but I still like the way the Gurkha looks on the outside.