Off-Road Enthusiast’s Price Comparison: Jeep Wrangler, Mahindra Thar, Land Rover Defender And Others

Now that the Wrangler’s prices have been drastically reduced, here’s how it fares against other capable 4x4 SUVs in the market

The Jeep Wrangler is often seen as the gold standard for an adventure lifestyle vehicle with immense capabilities off-road. It is now available in India as a locally-assembled model which has helped drop its prices by over Rs 10 lakh. The Wrangler is still an expensive choice but certainly more attainable than the previous CBU import version. There are not many vehicles in India that cater to the needs of off-roading enthusiasts. Here’s how the 2021 Wrangler’s prices compare to other SUVs with great off-roading ability on sale:

For the comparison, we’re only looking at prices of 4WD variants of each model. The Wrangler, Thar and Defender get it as standard while the Fortuner and Endeavour offer it only in their top trims. Even though the Fortuner and Endeavour are not positioned as rugged toys, their off-roading ability is one of their key attractions for enthusiasts.

Takeaways:

• The second-gen Mahindra Thar is just as capable off-road as its predecessor but adds lots of feature comforts. It gets the choice of petrol and diesel engines and both get the option of an automatic transmission. The Thar is the most affordable offering in this comparison by a huge margin and also the most affordable 4x4 offering in India. However, it is a three-door model and is realistically a two-person vehicle even though it can seat four for short journeys (but with barely any room for luggage). In terms of cabin quality, comforts, features and refinement it is a long way short of the other cars in the table above.

• If you want something more premium and family friendly but still capable off-road, you have to look at the full-size premium SUV segment with prices around Rs 35 lakh. 

• The Ford Endeavour is only offered with a 2.0-litre diesel mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. It is a 7-seater family SUV with plenty of feature comforts along with a 4WD drivetrain that offers locking differentials, 4-low and a terrain management system.

• Toyota recently launched the facelifted Fortuner in India. It is available with petrol and diesel engines but the 4WD system is restricted to the 2.8-litre diesel engine that is offered with the choice of manual and automatic transmissions. Like the Endeavour, the Fortuner is a full-size, 7-seater, premium SUV with off-roading abilities to make it a great all-rounder family car.

• For around Rs 20 lakh more, you can have the 2021 Wrangler, which is a typical 5-seater offering. It comes with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol mated to an 8-speed automatic using a 4x4 drivetrain. The Wrangler comes in two trims: Unlimited and Rubicon. Both are similarly equipped when it comes to cabin comforts as well as removable roof and door panels. However, the Rubicon is for hardcore off-roading enthusiasts and features a more advanced 4x4 system with front and rear differential lock, electronic sway bar disconnect, and larger approach, breakover and departure angles. The Rubicon also rides on hardcore BFGoodrich KO2 Mud-Terrain tyres.

• For something more luxurious but still quite rugged and capable off-road, there is the Land Rover Defender. It is available in two body-type variants: 90 (three-door) and 110 (five-door). The powertrain options include a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol making 300PS/400Nm and a 3.0-litre diesel making 300PS/650Nm, both mated to an 8-speed automatic and AWD is standard. Like the Wrangler, the Defender also has iconic status among adventure lifestyle off-roading enthusiasts. However, the Land Rover offers a more luxurious cabin, subtler exterior design and is more of an all-rounder as a family SUV.

• The Defender will also become the most eco-friendly offering of this group once Land Rover launches the plug-in hybrid variants soon. 

• When the Wrangler was sold as a CBU import, it was only Rs 10 lakh cheaper than the Defender, but now that gap has grown to more than Rs 20 lakh. A similar price gap can be seen between the full-size Fortuner and Endeavour and Wrangler, and also the other way around with the Mahindra Thar.

• The locally-assembled Jeep Wrangler can also be seen as a more exciting alternative to similarly priced luxury mid-size SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GLC (Rs 57.36 lakh to Rs 63.13 lakh) and BMW X3 (Rs 56.50 lakh to Rs 62.50 lakh).

• Jeep Wrangler vs Land Rover Defender Comparison
• Ford Endeavour vs Toyota Fortuner Comparison

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