8 Best SUVs for Off-Roading and Adventure Trips in India (2026)

An adventure trip asks one vehicle to do two contradictory jobs: cover 400 km of highway without wearing you out, then handle the last four kilometres of rutted track to the campsite. Eight SUVs sold in India do both, and they sort themselves by seat count more cleanly than by capability. The Maruti Suzuki Jimny from Rs 12,59,000 is the cheapest with genuine low range and seats four. The Toyota Fortuner 4x4 from about Rs 39.35 lakh seats seven and carries an 80-litre tank. In between sit the Grand Vitara and Victoris ALLGRIP for comfortable five-seat touring, the Mahindra Thar and Force Gurkha for trail-first buyers, and the Scorpio N, Thar Roxx and Gurkha 5-door when you need more than five seats with real hardware.

Decide before you read any further which half of the trip you actually want to optimise. Almost nobody needs a locking differential. A lot of people need a car that is still comfortable after six hours.

Off-road and adventure SUVs compared

Model	Price with 4x4 or AWD	Drivetrain	Off-road hardware	Seats
Maruti Suzuki Jimny	From Rs 12,59,000	Four-wheel drive	Low range, Brake LSD, hill descent control	4
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara ALLGRIP	Rs 18.05 lakh	Four-wheel drive	ALLGRIP Select with Lock mode, hill descent control	5
Maruti Suzuki Victoris ALLGRIP	Rs 18.69 lakh in metallic	All-wheel drive	ALLGRIP Select with Lock mode, hill descent control	5
Mahindra Thar	About Rs 15.60 lakh	Four-wheel drive	Low range, electronic locking differential	4
Force Gurkha	About Rs 16.25 lakh, 3-door	Four-wheel drive	Low range, front and rear diff locks, snorkel	4 as a 3-door, 7 as a 5-door
Mahindra Scorpio N	About Rs 18.03 lakh	Four-wheel drive	Low range, 4XPLOR terrain modes	6 or 7
Mahindra Thar Roxx	About Rs 19.42 lakh	Four-wheel drive	Low range, electronic locking differential	5
Toyota Fortuner	About Rs 39.35 lakh	Four-wheel drive	Low range, rear diff lock, downhill assist control	7
Prices are ex-showroom Delhi as on 30 September 2026. The three Maruti figures come from NEXA's and Maruti Arena's own price pages. Mahindra, Force and Toyota publish no comparable Indian price tables, so those figures are indicative.

What an adventure SUV has to balance

Trail driving rewards a short body, rugged hardware and slow-speed control. A road trip rewards space, comfort and range. Five things decide how a given car splits the difference.

• Drivetrain. Four-wheel drive with a low-range gear gives the most control on steep, technical ground. All-wheel drive with selectable modes covers slippery roads and light trails, which is what most trips actually involve.
• Traction aids. Brake-based systems, locking differentials and hill descent control keep the car moving and controlled once grip runs out.
• Ground clearance. More clearance means fewer scrapes on rocks, ruts and washed-out roads, and it is the single most useful number for Indian conditions.
• Seats and cargo. How many people and how much gear. This is the constraint that eliminates cars fastest, and it is the one buyers underestimate.
• Range and comfort. A bigger tank and a quieter cabin matter more over a weekend than an extra degree of approach angle ever will.

1. Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Price: Rs 12,59,000 to Rs 14,67,100, with 4WD and low range standard on every variant.

The cheapest route into genuine trail driving, and the easiest car here to thread down a narrow forest track or turn around on a switchback. It suits two people chasing harder routes.

Hardware. ALLGRIP PRO shifts 2H to 4H on the move, with a 4L low-range transfer gear. Brake LSD brakes a slipping wheel so torque crosses the axle. Hill descent control, 210 mm of ground clearance, a 36-degree approach angle and a 46-degree departure angle.

Practicality. Four seats. Boot space is 332 litres with the rear seats folded, 219 litres with the seatback in its first position and 211 litres in its second. The tank holds 40 litres, and at 16.94 km/l certified that is roughly 670 km of theoretical range and considerably less in practice. On a remote route this is the Jimny's real weakness, more than its power.

Engine. The 1.5-litre K15B petrol at 77.1 kW, stated by Maruti as 104.8 PS, with 134.2 Nm at 4,000 rpm, with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.

2. Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara ALLGRIP

Price: Rs 18.05 lakh for the Alpha ALLGRIP and Rs 18.63 lakh for the Alpha (O) ALLGRIP. Dual tone adds Rs 15,400.

For trips where the adventure is the destination rather than the driving: long runs to the hills, snowy passes, unpaved final approaches.

Hardware. ALLGRIP Select with Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock modes on a push-and-turn dial. In Lock, ESP brakes the spinning wheels and directs torque to the ones holding grip. Hill descent control and ESP with hill hold are standard. No low range.

Practicality. Five seats with split-folding rear seats, roof rails from the Delta trim up, a luggage room lamp, ventilated front seats and an eight-way powered driver's seat. The tank holds 45 litres, and the ALLGRIP is certified at 19.20 km/l against 20.58 km/l for the two-wheel-drive automatic. That combination gives it roughly 30 percent more range than a Jimny, which changes what routes are comfortable.

Engine. The 1,462 cc petrol at 103.06 PS and 139 Nm with a six-speed automatic.

3. Maruti Suzuki Victoris ALLGRIP

Price: Rs 18.69 lakh for the ZXi+ AT AllGrip and Rs 19.27 lakh for the ZXi+ (O) AT AllGrip in metallic. Dual tone adds Rs 15,400.

Same ALLGRIP SELECT system as the Grand Vitara, so the traction hardware is not what separates them. The equipment list and the crash rating are.

Hardware. Snow, Sport, Lock and Auto modes, with Lock for mud, sand and loose gravel. Hill descent control and ESP with hill hold standard. No low range.

Practicality. Five seats, ventilated front seats, a smart powered tailgate with gesture control on upper trims, and 45 W USB Type-C charging in the rear. Certified efficiency for the AllGrip automatic is 19.07 km/l from a 45-litre tank.

Safety. Five stars from Bharat NCAP, with 31.66 out of 32 for adult occupant protection and 43 out of 49 for child occupant protection, and five stars from Global NCAP, both in September 2025. Level 2 ADAS is on these Smart Hybrid petrol automatic trims and never on the Strong Hybrid.

Engine. The 1.5-litre K15C Smart Hybrid petrol at 103.06 PS and 139 Nm with a six-speed automatic.

4. Mahindra Thar

Price: About Rs 10.32 lakh to about Rs 18.99 lakh, with 4WD variants from about Rs 15.60 lakh.

The three-door Thar, sold as the Thar OG, is the open-trail choice with a real engine behind it, and the only car here offering a petrol and a diesel with 4WD and an automatic.

Hardware. Low-range transfer case, electronic locking differential and Mud, Sand and Snow terrain modes on 4WD variants. Ground clearance 232 mm, wading depth 650 mm.

Practicality. Four seats in a three-door body, so luggage space and rear access are both limited on a longer trip. Rear seats down, it becomes a very capable two-seater.

Engine. The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol at 162 PS and 330 Nm or the 2.2-litre diesel at 152 PS and 330 Nm, each with a six-speed manual or automatic.

5. Force Gurkha

Price: About Rs 16.25 lakh for the 3-door and about Rs 17.58 lakh for the 5-door, with 4WD standard on both.

The most expedition-ready car near this money, and the 5-door is the cheapest seven-seater here with mechanical lockers.

Hardware. Floor-mounted levers for 4x4 High and 4x4 Low, mechanically actuated differential locks on both axles, 233 mm of ground clearance, and a roof-mounted snorkel taking wading depth to about 700 mm. Nothing else on this list locks both axles mechanically.

Practicality. The 3-door seats four. The 5-door seats seven, with four captain seats across the second and third rows, which is an unusual layout and a genuinely comfortable one for adults.

Engine. A 2.6-litre diesel that Force lists at about 140 PS and 320 Nm, with a five-speed manual and no automatic option. Two airbags.

6. Mahindra Scorpio N

Price: About Rs 13.69 lakh to about Rs 25.49 lakh, with 4WD from about Rs 18.03 lakh.

The practical answer for a group that wants three rows and real hardware without going to Fortuner money.

Hardware. The 4XPLOR four-wheel-drive system adds low range, selectable terrain modes, hill hold and hill descent control. 4WD is diesel only.

Practicality. Six-seat and seven-seat layouts, which makes it the most flexible cabin among the more affordable 4WD SUVs here.

Engine. A 2.2-litre diesel making up to 175 PS and 400 Nm in 4WD form, with a six-speed manual or automatic.

7. Mahindra Thar Roxx

Price: About Rs 12.52 lakh to about Rs 23.52 lakh, with 4WD from about Rs 19.42 lakh.

The Thar Roxx answers the obvious complaint about the three-door Thar by adding two doors and a proper five-seat cabin on a 2,850 mm wheelbase.

Hardware. 4WD diesel variants get low range, an electronic locking differential, 4XPLOR terrain modes, Crawl Smart Assist and Intelliturn. Ground clearance 235 mm, the highest here, with a 650 mm wading depth.

Practicality. Five seats, a noticeably roomier rear than the three-door Thar, and Level 2 ADAS on higher variants.

Safety. Five stars from Bharat NCAP, with 31.09 out of 32 for adult occupant protection and 45 out of 49 for child occupant protection.

Engine. A 2.2-litre diesel at 152 PS and 330 Nm, or 175 PS and 370 Nm depending on variant, with a six-speed manual or automatic.

8. Toyota Fortuner

Price: About Rs 34.76 lakh to about Rs 50.46 lakh, with 4x4 variants from about Rs 39.35 lakh.

The overlanding answer, and the only car here built for seven people plus luggage plus a long remote route.

Hardware. Diesel 4x4 variants get H4 and L4 low range, an electronic rear differential lock, active traction control and downhill assist control.

Practicality. Seven seats across three rows and an 80-litre fuel tank, twice the Jimny's. On a route with few fuel stops that tank is the most valuable specification on this page.

Engine. A 2.8-litre diesel at 204 PS, with 420 Nm as a manual and 500 Nm as an automatic, with a six-speed gearbox either way. Seven airbags.

Which one for which adventure

• Weekend trails and tight mountain tracks. The Jimny or the three-door Thar. Compact bodies, low range, and a willingness to be scratched.
• Family trips to the hills. The Grand Vitara ALLGRIP or the Victoris ALLGRIP. The Victoris adds ADAS and two five-star ratings; the Grand Vitara adds roof rails and a slightly better efficiency figure. More options appear among the best SUVs for hilly terrain and hill stations.
• River crossings and remote trails. The Force Gurkha, for the dual mechanical lockers and the 700 mm wading depth.
• Groups of six or seven with real 4WD. The Scorpio N or the Gurkha 5-door.
• Long-distance overlanding in comfort. The Thar Roxx for five, or the Fortuner 4x4 for seven with the 80-litre tank.

On a tighter budget, compare the best off-road SUVs under Rs 20 lakh. If most of the trip is tarmac, the SUVs for highway road trips with good mileage are the better list.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best off-road SUV in India under Rs 15 lakh?

The Maruti Jimny, the only one under Rs 15 lakh with 4WD and low range standard on every variant, from Rs 12,59,000.

Is AWD good enough for adventure trips?

For most of them, yes. All-wheel drive with a Lock mode handles snow, mud, gravel and broken hill roads. Steep, rocky or technical trails are where low range earns its keep.

Which adventure SUV suits a family of five?

The Grand Vitara ALLGRIP or the Victoris ALLGRIP if comfort on the long drive matters most. The Thar Roxx 4WD if the last few kilometres matter more.

Which 4WD SUVs seat seven?

The Force Gurkha 5-door, the Mahindra Scorpio N 4WD and the Toyota Fortuner 4x4. The Scorpio N also comes as a six-seater.

Is a three-door SUV practical for a trip?

For two or three people with light luggage, yes. Larger groups or longer trips are much easier in a five-door car, and both the Thar and the Gurkha have five-door alternatives.

Which has the most range?

The Fortuner, with 80 litres. The Jimny has 40 litres, which is the shortest range here by a wide margin and the thing most likely to shape your route planning.