Off-Road 4x4 SUVs With a Torque-Converter Automatic and Low Range

Six off-road SUVs in India pair a torque-converter automatic with four-wheel drive and a low-range gear: the Maruti Jimny (4-speed, from Rs 13,65,000), the Mahindra Thar (6-speed, 4WD automatic from Rs 17,22,500), the Mahindra Thar Roxx (AX5L diesel AT 4WD, Rs 21,67,000), the Mahindra Scorpio-N (Z8T diesel 4WD AT, Rs 24,39,249), the Toyota Fortuner 4x4 diesel and, at the very top, the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 with a 10-speed automatic. The Jimny is the cheapest by more than Rs 3.5 lakh and the only one where every variant is 4x4. Three mid-size SUVs, the Grand Vitara, Victoris and Hyryder, offer all-wheel drive with a 6-speed automatic but no low range, which makes them all-weather cars rather than off-roaders. The Force Gurkha is manual only.

"True automatic" here means a conventional automatic with a torque converter, not an AMT, CVT or dual-clutch. Off-road, the torque converter is the one you want: it feeds torque smoothly at walking pace without a clutch to slip or stall, which is exactly what a rocky climb asks for. For the separate question of manual versus automatic on a budget, see off-road SUVs with manual and automatic options under Rs 15 lakh.

4x4 SUVs with a torque-converter automatic and low range

SUV	Cheapest 4x4 automatic	Price (ex-showroom)	Engine with it	Gearbox	4x4 hardware (maker's description)
Maruti Jimny	Zeta AT	Rs 13,65,000	1.5 K15B petrol, 104.8 PS, 134.2 Nm	4-speed AT	ALLGRIP PRO with low-range transfer gear, brake limited-slip
Mahindra Thar (3-door)	LXT petrol 4WD AT	Rs 17,22,500	2.0 turbo petrol, 119 kW, 330 Nm	6-speed torque converter	Manual-shift part-time 4WD, high and low range, electronic locking differential
Mahindra Thar Roxx	AX5L diesel AT 4WD	Rs 21,67,000	2.2 diesel, 128.6 kW, 400 Nm	6-speed torque converter	Part-time 4x4, high and low range, electronic locking differential, terrain modes
Mahindra Scorpio-N	Z8T diesel 4WD AT	Rs 24,39,249	2.2 diesel, 128.6 kW, 400 Nm	6-speed AT	4XPLOR, 4-High and 4-Low, shift on the fly, brake locking differential
Toyota Fortuner	Diesel 4WD AT	Not available to us	2.8 diesel, 150 kW (204 PS), 500 Nm	6-speed AT	2WD/4WD with H4 and L4, lockable differential, downhill assist
Toyota Land Cruiser 300	Single version	Not available to us	3.3 diesel, 227 kW, 700 Nm	10-speed AT	Front and rear electronic differential locks, crawl control, downhill assist

Prices checked October 2026: Maruti's NEXA price page for the Jimny and Mahindra's own variant cards for the Thar, Thar Roxx and Scorpio-N. Toyota's price list sits behind a bot check, so we have no Toyota price. Specifications are from each maker's brochure.

The six, cheapest first

1. Maruti Jimny: cheapest, and 4x4 on every variant

The Jimny Zeta AT costs Rs 13,65,000 and the Alpha AT Rs 14,51,700 (Rs 14,67,100 in dual tone). Unlike every other car here, you don't buy your way up to four-wheel drive: Maruti's brochure lists ALLGRIP PRO with a low-range transfer gear as the only drive system. The automatic is a 4-speed, the oldest-design gearbox in this table, and it costs efficiency: 16.39 km/l against 16.94 for the manual.

The off-road numbers are the reason to accept that. Maruti prints a 36 degree approach angle, 46 degree departure angle, 24 degree ramp breakover and 210 mm of ground clearance, plus hill descent control and a brake-based limited-slip function. The cost is space and pace: 104.8 PS, a 4-seat cabin and a 219-litre boot with the rear seats up.

2. Mahindra Thar: the cheapest 6-speed 4x4 automatic

Mahindra's Thar brochure lists a 6-speed torque-converter automatic with manual-shift part-time 4WD and a high-and-low reduction gear on both the 2.0 turbo petrol (119 kW, 330 Nm) and the 2.2 diesel (111.9 kW, 330 Nm). The 4WD automatics are the LXT petrol at Rs 17,22,500, ZXT petrol at Rs 17,75,000, LXT diesel at Rs 17,99,500 and ZXT diesel at Rs 18,99,000. The brochure marks the electronic locking differential as available on the 4WD versions only, and prints 232 mm of ground clearance, a 40 degree approach angle, 36 degree departure angle and 650 mm wading depth.

One trap: the cheapest Thar automatic, the LXT petrol 2WD AT at Rs 14,76,500, is rear-wheel drive. If you see a Thar automatic advertised well under Rs 17 lakh, check the drive.

3. Mahindra Thar Roxx: more power, five doors, diesel only for 4x4

The Roxx 4x4 automatic is diesel only: the AX5L D AT 4WD at Rs 21,67,000 and the AX7L D AT 4WD at Rs 23,52,500. The diesel automatic is the stronger tune, 128.6 kW and 400 Nm against 111.9 kW and 330 Nm for the manual diesels. Mahindra's brochure lists a part-time 4x4 with high and low reduction, the electronic locking differential and 4XPLOR terrain modes, with a 41.7 degree approach angle, 36.1 degree departure, 23.9 degree ramp-over and 650 mm wading depth.

Two things to know. The Roxx petrol automatic (130 kW, 380 Nm) is rear-wheel drive only. And the cheaper MX5 4WD is manual only, so the 4x4 automatic starts at the AX5L. Bharat NCAP gave the Roxx 5 stars, 31.09 of 32 for adults and 45 of 49 for children.

4. Mahindra Scorpio-N: three rows and low range

The Scorpio-N offers a 6-speed automatic with both engines, but four-wheel drive is diesel only and the 4WD automatic is a top-trim affair: the Z8T at Rs 24,39,249 and the Z8L at Rs 25,49,000. The Z4 4WD at Rs 18,02,499 is manual. Mahindra's brochure gives the diesel automatic 128.6 kW and 400 Nm, the same figures as the Roxx automatic, and describes 4XPLOR with "dedicated 4-High/4-Low gears", shift-on-the-fly 4WD and a brake locking differential rather than a mechanical locker.

Mahindra's brochure says "6 AT" without naming the gearbox type, unlike its Thar and Roxx brochures, which say torque converter. It is a conventional automatic, not an AMT or CVT. Mahindra does not print approach or departure angles for the Scorpio-N in the brochure we read.

5. Toyota Fortuner 4x4: the most torque below the Land Cruiser

Toyota's specification sheet gives the 2.8 diesel 150 kW (204 PS) with either gearbox but 500 Nm with the 6AT against 420 Nm with the manual, in 2WD or 4WD. Its off-road equipment list includes high (H4) and low (L4) range, an electronic 2WD/4WD drive switch, a lockable differential and downhill assist control. Seven airbags are standard. The petrol Fortuner is 2WD only.

We can't give you a price. Toyota's variant price list was not available to us, so ask a dealer for the 4x4 AT.

6. Toyota Land Cruiser 300: the extreme end

Toyota's brochure lists a 3.3 diesel with 227 kW and 700 Nm and a 10-speed automatic, with front and rear electronic differential locks, crawl control, downhill assist and hill-start assist. It belongs on a list of automatic off-roaders, but at its price it is a different kind of purchase from everything above, and again we have no Toyota price to quote.

AWD automatics without low range

These three use the same 1.5 mild-hybrid petrol with a 6-speed automatic and an all-wheel-drive system. None has a low-range gear or a ladder frame, so treat them as cars for wet roads, snow and gravel tracks, not rock crawling.

SUV	AWD automatic	Price (ex-showroom)	Certified mileage	Notes
Maruti Grand Vitara	Alpha ALLGRIP	Rs 18,04,700	19.20 km/l	Auto, Sport, Snow and Lock modes
Maruti Victoris	ALLGRIP ZXi+	Rs 18,68,900	19.07 km/l	5-star Bharat NCAP, applies to the 4WD 6AT
Toyota Hyryder	V AWD 6AT	Not available to us	19.20 km/l	Hill descent listed for AWD only

The Hyryder change matters. Toyota's live Hyryder page lists the NeoDrive drivetrain as "6AT (2WD/4WD)" and certifies the AWD at 19.20 km/l, so the AWD is now an automatic. Older Toyota brochure PDFs still show AWD with a manual. None of the three makers publishes a ground clearance figure for these cars, so we don't quote one.

What isn't on the list

• Force Gurkha: Force's brochure lists a manual transmission (5 forward gears) only, with manual front and rear differential locks.
• Mahindra Thar Roxx MX5 4WD and Scorpio-N Z4 4WD: four-wheel drive, but manual only.
• Thar 2WD, Thar Roxx petrol and Scorpio-N petrol automatics: torque converter, but rear-wheel drive.

How this list was built

We kept SUVs on sale in India in October 2026 whose maker's brochure lists a conventional automatic (torque converter, or a "6AT"/"10-speed automatic" listed separately from any AMT or CVT) together with four-wheel drive and a low-range gear or reduction. Off-road figures, outputs and gearbox descriptions are taken from each maker's brochure or specification sheet; prices are from the maker's own price page or variant cards. Where a maker publishes no price (Toyota) or no figure (Scorpio-N angles, mid-size AWD ground clearance), we say so instead of filling the gap.

Not verified: Toyota prices, how each 4x4 system performs on real terrain, and anything about reliability. The Scorpio-N, Fortuner and Land Cruiser brochures do not use the words "torque converter"; they list a conventional automatic (6 AT, 6AT, 10-speed automatic) with no AMT or CVT alternative. For a wider look at the hardware, see genuine 4x4 SUVs under Rs 25 lakh and the best SUVs for off-roading and adventure trips.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the cheapest 4x4 SUV with a proper automatic in India?

The Maruti Jimny Zeta AT at Rs 13,65,000 ex-showroom. It has a 4-speed torque-converter automatic and ALLGRIP PRO four-wheel drive with a low-range transfer gear, which every Jimny gets.

Is the Mahindra Thar automatic available with 4x4?

Yes. Mahindra sells the Thar 4WD with a 6-speed torque-converter automatic on both the petrol and the diesel, from the LXT petrol 4WD AT at Rs 17,22,500. The cheaper Thar automatic at Rs 14,76,500 is rear-wheel drive.

Can I get the Thar Roxx petrol with 4x4 and an automatic?

No. The Roxx petrol automatic is rear-wheel drive only. The 4x4 automatic is diesel, from the AX5L at Rs 21,67,000.

Do the Grand Vitara and Victoris ALLGRIP have low range?

No. Both pair a 6-speed automatic with an all-wheel-drive system (ALLGRIP Select) that has selectable modes but no low-range gear. They suit slippery roads more than serious trails.

Is the Force Gurkha available with an automatic?

Not according to Force's brochure, which lists only a manual gearbox for the 3-door and 5-door Gurkha.