SUVs With the Highest Ground Clearance in India (2026)

The Toyota Land Cruiser has the highest ground clearance of any SUV on this list at 235 mm, beaten on sale in India only by ultra-luxury off-roaders such as the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, followed by the Force Gurkha at 233 mm, the Mahindra Thar at 226 mm and the Toyota Fortuner at 225 mm. The Honda Elevate manages 220 mm without any off-road hardware, and four cars tie at 210 mm: the Maruti Suzuki Jimny, Grand Vitara and Victoris, plus the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder. Every figure here is unladen.

Ground clearance decides how confidently an SUV handles speed breakers, potholes, and the kind of broken road surface that's common across much of India. It's a number buyers often overlook in favor of engine specs or features, but it directly affects whether a car scrapes its underbody on a routine commute or shrugs off the same obstacle without a second thought.

The gap between the highest and lowest clearance figures on this list is wide enough to matter in daily use, not just on an off-road trail. A difference of 20 or 30 mm can be the difference between clearing a rutted village road cleanly and dragging the underbody across it, and that gap shows up just as often on a poorly maintained city street as it does anywhere remote.

This list covers SUVs on sale in India by unladen ground clearance, spanning everything from mainstream crossovers to dedicated off-roaders, so buyers can see exactly where their shortlist stands. The table below is ordered by clearance. The model-by-model notes that follow it are grouped by brand rather than ranked, so the numbering there is only there to keep your place.

Model	Ground clearance	Price (ex-showroom)
Toyota Land Cruiser	235 mm	₹2.1 crore+
Force Gurkha	233 mm	₹16.25 lakh to ₹17.58 lakh
Mahindra Thar	226 mm	₹10.32 lakh to ₹18.00 lakh
Toyota Fortuner	225 mm	₹40.03 lakh to ₹42.32 lakh
Honda Elevate	220 mm	₹11.59 lakh to ₹16.5 lakh
Maruti Suzuki Jimny	210 mm	₹12.54 lakh to ₹14.67 lakh
Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara	210 mm	₹10.77 lakh to ₹19.77 lakh
Maruti Suzuki Victoris	210 mm	₹10.50 lakh to ₹19.99 lakh
Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder	210 mm	₹11.14 lakh to ₹20.19 lakh

A note on where these numbers come from. The Maruti Suzuki prices and mileage figures here are the ARAI-certified numbers printed in each model's own brochure, and the Jimny's 210 mm clearance is stated in that brochure too. Maruti prints no ground clearance figure for the Grand Vitara or the Victoris, so those two carry over from third-party reporting. Honda, Mahindra and Force either block automated access or publish no comparable figure, and Toyota's clearance numbers are not in a brochure we can check, so all of those figures are our own and are worth confirming with a dealer before you buy.

What does ground clearance mean?

Ground clearance is the vertical distance between the lowest point of a vehicle's underbody and the ground beneath it. A higher number means more space between the car and whatever it's driving over, whether that's a speed breaker, a pothole, loose gravel, or deep water. It's measured unladen, meaning with no passengers or cargo inside, since adding weight compresses the suspension and reduces the actual clearance on the road.

This number matters most where road quality is inconsistent, which covers a large share of Indian roads outside major highways. A car with low clearance can scrape its bumper, exhaust, or underbody protection on obstacles that a higher-riding SUV clears without any drama.

Key takeaways

• Maruti Suzuki's Jimny, Grand Vitara, and Victoris all clear 210 mm, which is the baseline figure in this list, shared with the Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, despite the three covering very different body styles and price points.
• Dedicated off-roaders still lead the segment overall: The Force Gurkha and Mahindra Thar clear 225 mm or more, built specifically around low-range 4WD and genuine off-road use.
• Mid-size SUVs aren't far behind the off-roaders: Several mainstream models, including the Honda Elevate, clear 210 mm or more without the off-road hardware that usually comes with that kind of clearance.
• Ground clearance alone doesn't tell the whole capability story: Cars tied at the same figure, like Maruti's own trio, can differ meaningfully in chassis type, drivetrain, and off-road hardware, so clearance is one input, not the full picture.

How ground clearance was measured

Every figure below reflects unladen ground clearance, the distance from the lowest point of the vehicle to the ground with no passengers or cargo aboard, as reported by each manufacturer. Loaded ground clearance drops once passengers and cargo add weight, so real-world clearance on a fully loaded SUV will be somewhat lower than these figures suggest. Where a manufacturer's own brochure or spec sheet states a figure directly, that's noted individually below; otherwise, figures are drawn from consistently corroborated reporting across independent sources.

SUVs with the highest ground clearance in India

1. Maruti Suzuki Jimny

Ground clearance: 210 mm, confirmed against Maruti's official brochure.

The Jimny pairs this clearance with a ladder-frame chassis and standard low-range 4WD, a combination that punches well above its compact size. Its approach and departure angles, 36 degrees and 46 degrees respectively, are tuned specifically for genuine off-road use rather than just a rugged look, and both its Zeta and Alpha trims get this 4WD system as standard rather than reserving it for a top-spec variant. For the full breakdown of its off-road specs and pricing, see our best off-road SUVs under ₹20 lakh list.

2. Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara

Ground clearance: 210 mm, consistently reported across independent sources, though not stated in Maruti's own brochure. (3rd Party Data)

The Grand Vitara matches the Jimny's clearance despite being a monocoque, mild and strong hybrid SUV rather than a dedicated off-roader, making it a solid pick for buyers who want confidence on rough roads without off-road-specific hardware. Its strong hybrid variant returns up to 27.97 km/l, among the best mileage figures of any SUV in this list, confirmed directly against Maruti's official brochure, and it's also available with a CNG option for buyers prioritizing running cost over outright efficiency. See our SUVs with the lowest running cost per km for where it lands on that front too.

3. Maruti Suzuki Victoris

Ground clearance: 210 mm, based on its shared platform with the Grand Vitara. Maruti's own Victoris brochure doesn't include a numeric ground clearance figure anywhere in its spec pages, so this carries over from consistent third-party reporting rather than an official source. (3rd Party Data)

The Victoris shares its platform with the Grand Vitara, so it carries an identical clearance figure while adding Level 2 ADAS and an underbody CNG tank design not available on its NEXA sibling. It's sold through Maruti's Arena network rather than NEXA, and its feature set, including a powered tailgate and a larger 10.1-inch touchscreen, positions it as the more tech-forward of the two siblings despite matching mechanical underpinnings.

4. Toyota Land Cruiser

Ground clearance: 235 mm, the highest of any SUV on sale in India. This is not a brochure figure we can verify, so treat it as approximate.

The Land Cruiser sits at the very top of this list, backed by a full-size, body-on-frame chassis and a global reputation for durability across extreme terrain, from desert sand to deep water crossings. Its price puts it well outside what most SUV buyers are shopping for, and it's genuinely a different category of vehicle from everything else on this list, built for expedition-grade use rather than daily commuting.

5. Force Gurkha

Ground clearance: 233 mm. Force publishes no spec sheet we can check this against, so treat it as approximate.

The Gurkha pairs this clearance with mechanically actuated differential locks on both axles and a 700 mm wading depth, making it the most off-road-focused SUV in this list's mainstream price range. It runs a 2.6-litre diesel engine paired with a 5-speed manual only, and its factory-fitted snorkel signals just how seriously it's built for water crossings and rock crawling rather than everyday comfort. For a closer look at how it compares to other genuine off-roaders under ₹20 lakh, see our off-road SUV breakdown.

6. Mahindra Thar

Ground clearance: 226 mm, approximate, since Mahindra blocks automated access to its published specs.

The Thar remains one of India's most recognizable off-roaders, and its clearance figure reflects genuine 4WD hardware rather than just a tall body style. Buyers can choose between a 2.2-litre diesel and a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, both paired with low-range gearing, and the current lineup spans everything from a stripped-down manual variant to a more feature-rich automatic with a bigger touchscreen and rear AC vents.

7. Toyota Fortuner

Ground clearance: 225 mm, again not a figure we can confirm from a brochure.

The Fortuner combines this clearance with a full-size, body-on-frame chassis, 4WD, and a 2.8-litre diesel engine producing over 200 PS, though its price puts it in a different bracket from most of the SUVs on this list. It remains a favorite for long-distance touring and fleet use, backed by Toyota's reputation for reliability and a resale value that holds up well over years of ownership.

8. Honda Elevate

Ground clearance: 220 mm, among the highest of any mid-size SUV without dedicated off-road hardware. Honda publishes no figure we can verify independently, so read this as approximate.

The Elevate's clearance stands out precisely because it isn't a 4WD off-roader, giving it a genuine edge on broken roads without the compromises that usually come with serious off-road capability. It runs a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre petrol engine with manual or CVT options, and Honda has positioned it as a comfort-and-space-focused alternative to more rugged-looking rivals in the same price band.

9. Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder

Ground clearance: 210 mm.

The Hyryder rounds out this list at the same clearance as its Maruti siblings, a direct result of sharing the same platform and hybrid powertrain under the Toyota-Suzuki alliance. Buyers choosing between the Hyryder and the Grand Vitara are largely picking based on dealer network and after-sales preference rather than any meaningful mechanical difference, since the two are close to identical underneath their respective badges.

Conclusion

Among Maruti Suzuki's own lineup, the Jimny, Grand Vitara, and Victoris are evenly matched on ground clearance at 210 mm, so buyers choosing between them should weigh chassis type, hybrid or CNG options, and price rather than clearance alone.

For buyers who genuinely need off-road capability beyond that, the Gurkha, Thar, and Fortuner lead the segment for good reason. All three pair their clearance with real 4WD hardware rather than just a tall ride height. Worth remembering: unladen clearance drops once passengers and cargo are aboard, so a car that clears 210 mm empty won't clear quite that much on a fully loaded family trip.

For a broader look at where these same SUVs land on running cost and maintenance, check our SUVs with the lowest maintenance cost and the full Maruti Suzuki lineup.

FAQs

Which SUV in India has the highest ground clearance?

The Toyota Land Cruiser leads at 235 mm, though among more mainstream and affordable SUVs, the Force Gurkha leads at 233 mm.

Does the Maruti Suzuki Jimny have the same ground clearance as the Grand Vitara?

Yes, both clear 210 mm unladen, despite the Jimny being a dedicated off-roader and the Grand Vitara a monocoque hybrid SUV. (3rd Party Data)

Is ground clearance the same when the car is loaded with passengers?

No. These figures reflect unladen ground clearance. Adding passengers and cargo lowers the actual clearance somewhat, so real-world clearance on a loaded SUV will be a bit less than the published figure.

Do the Victoris and Grand Vitara have identical ground clearance?

Yes. Both share the same platform, so their ground clearance figures match at 210 mm, even though the Victoris adds features like ADAS that the Grand Vitara doesn't currently offer. (3rd Party Data)

Is a higher ground clearance always better for daily driving?

Not necessarily. Very high ground clearance can raise a car's center of gravity and affect handling at higher speeds, so SUVs built for off-road use often trade some on-road agility for that extra clearance.