From Maruti Suzuki Jimny To Toyota Fortuner 4WD – Best Off-Road SUVs In India

Of late, the popularity of SUVs in India has reached a new height, with most car buyers not opting for compact and midsize SUVs while swaying away from traditional hatchbacks and sedans. However, not every SUV in the market is suited for what an SUV was traditionally known for – conquering off-road terrains like a boss. Most of the mass-market SUVs sold in India are based around monocoque frames with front-wheel drive layouts, which do not have the much-needed go-anywhere ability of a four-wheel drive or all-wheel drive SUV for off-road terrains. Here, we have listed the top mass-market SUVs for off-roading in India, all of which have proven their prowess with their rugged build and 4WD or AWD layouts:

Maruti Suzuki Jimny

The Maruti Suzuki Jimny is the most affordable and smallest ladder-on-frame four-wheel drive SUV in India, which was developed in a five-door version specifically for the Indian car buying audience in mind. With a neo-retro and conventional boxy design, the Jimny also has a trump card in the form of its compact dimensions, making it too easy to drive for people new to off-roading. It is the only SUV from Suzuki’s global portfolio to feature an AllGrip Pro four-wheel drive system. The Jimny is offered in two variants – Zeta and Alpha.

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Mahindra Thar 4WD

A modern interpretation of the iconic Willys Jeep, the Mahindra Thar became a much more evolved SUV over the previous first-generation model. The current second-generation Mahindra Thar arrived in 2020 as a four-wheel drive SUV as standard, and while the rear-wheel drive version was added to the lineup in 2023, the four-wheel drive version is still preferred for its go-anywhere ability and a more powerful diesel engine. Both the petrol and diesel versions of the Mahindra Thar 4WD are available in two variants – AX Option and LX, which are offered in both hard top and convertible top body styles.

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Force Gurkha

Priced on par with the Mahindra Thar, the Force Gurkha is not for everyone, especially those seeking a comfortable vehicle for daily city driving. Instead, it is a thoroughbred four-wheel drive SUV with hardcore off-roading capabilities. The Force Gurkha is available in a single variant, which is power-packed with elements like front and rear manually-lockable differentials and factory-fitted snorkel – a first for an SUV made in India.

Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara AWD

While the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara has made more right noises and earned popularity for its petrol-hybrid powertrain, it is also the only monocoque SUV in its category to be offered with an AllGrip all-wheel drive system. There are four drive modes on offer in the Grand Vitara AWD – Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock, all of which are electronically controlled via a rotary dial. The Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara AWD is available in a single Alpha variant.

Mahindra Scorpio-N 4XPLOR

Most of the variants of the Mahindra Scorpio-N sold in India are rear-wheel drive variants. However, for those who want to explore the unexplored, Mahindra also offers a four-wheel drive version of the Scorpio-N in the higher-spec Z8 and Z8L variants, exclusively with the diesel powertrain. The shift-on-fly 4XPLOR four-wheel drive system includes four drive modes – Normal, Snow, Mud and Sand.

Jeep Compass AWD

Jeep first introduced the automatic variants of the Compass premium midsize SUV with the four-wheel drive versions as standard, along with an off-road-specific Trailhawk variant with full-blown off-roading capabilities. However, the recent update reduced the number of four-wheel drive variants of the Jeep Compass to just one – the top-spec Model S(O) diesel-automatic. The Jeep Compass AWD follows Jeep’s tradition of offering rugged, go-anywhere SUVs for the masses.

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Isuzu V-Cross

While the Mahindra Bolero Pickup and Tata Xenon were India’s first four-wheel drive pickup trucks, the Isuzu V-Cross took the game to one level up by offering itself as a premium four-wheel drive lifestyle pickup truck with better fit and finish levels and modern features. The Isuzu V-Cross sold in India is based on the previous-generation version of the global V-Cross, which is decently equipped with contemporary features and is offered in three variants.

Toyota Hilux

The Toyota Hilux needs no introduction in the world of rugged, off-roading vehicles, for it has a rich legacy of being an indestructible truck which has set high benchmarks on reliability and durability. One of the most accomplished products from Toyota’s global portfolio, the Toyota Hilux finally arrived in India in 2022 in the facelifted form of the eight-generation version, sharing its diesel engine and chassis with the Toyota Fortuner SUV.

Toyota Fortuner 4WD

Despite witnessing consistent price hikes and not as feature-packed as other similarly-priced SUVs, the Toyota Fortuner has been soldiering strong in the Indian car market, primarily due to its strong track record, impressive road presence and reliable mechanicals. The facelifted second-generation Toyota Fortuner is offered with a four-wheel drive system in its diesel version, which it calls “Sigma 4”.

MG Gloster 4WD

Another ladder-on-frame SUV in the premium full-size SUV category, which competes with the Toyota Fortuner as its direct rival, is MG’s flagship offering in India, the Gloster SUV. Compared to the Fortuner, the MG Gloster is much more feature-packed with additional amenities like ventilated front seats, panoramic sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, memory function in powered driver’s seat and Level-2 ADAS. In the higher-spec variants, the MG Gloster is also available with a four-wheel drive system with multiple drive modes.

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