The other two vehicles in this comparison include the Mahindra Scorpio N and Isuzu D-Max V-Cross.
BHPian Ripcord09 recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Isuzu Hi-Lander
What you’ll like:
- Macho styling & incredible street presence. Turns heads wherever it goes
- Very solid, very robust with good build quality
- Reliable 1.9L diesel engine with 161 BHP & 360 Nm. Has good driveability too
- Impressive ground clearance. You don’t have to worry about broken roads
- All-black interiors are practical and have multiple storage spaces
- Excellent cargo capacity makes it a talented work truck
- User-friendly cabin can easily accommodate 5 adults. Rear legroom is sufficient
- A long list of accessories available for customization
What you won’t:
- Sheer length, heavy steering & wide turning radius make it cumbersome in the city
- Bumpy ride quality, especially at the rear (due to leaf springs)
- Outdated. Global markets have moved on to the next-gen five years ago
- Isuzu’s wafer-thin dealership network
- No 4×4 or AT variants. No petrol version available either
- Vague and notchy gearbox; poor positioning of reverse
- Missing features such as audio head-unit, multiple airbags (only 2 airbags on offer), ORVM adjustment, auto-dimming IRVM, etc.
- We find the overall package expensive for what it offers
Isuzu D-Max V-Cross
The 2024 Facelift – Launch Thread
Toyota Hilux
What you’ll like:
- Macho styling & incredible street presence. Turns heads wherever it goes
- Tough build. Toyota body-on-frame UVs are known to have very long lives
- Proven and powerful 2.8L diesel engine with user-selectable driving modes
- Impressive off-road capability and proper 4×4 system with low range transfer case, limited slip differential, electronic differential lock, hill assist control (up/down) and tyre angle monitor. Water wading depth = 700 mm
- Excellent cargo capacity makes it a talented work truck
- Loaded with features like auto LED headlamps, heat rejection glass, dual-zone climate control, cruise control, 220V AC socket, etc.
- Top-notch safety kit includes 7 airbags, ESP, TC, hill assist, ISOFIX & 3-point seatbelts for all. 5-star ASEAN NCAP rating
- Toyota’s excellent after-sales quality, fuss-free ownership experiences, low service costs & up to 5 years of extended warranty coverage
What you won’t:
- Sheer length (longer than even the Fortuner), heavy steering & large turning radius make it cumbersome in the city
- Bumpy ride quality, especially at the rear (due to leaf springs)
- Expensive! Its closest rival – Isuzu V-Cross – is substantially cheaper
- Cost-cutting in a couple of areas; some interior plastics, ICE audio quality, camera display…
- Uncomfortable rear seats with limited rear legroom
- The same money can buy you a proper 7-seater SUV
- Missing features such as TPMS, 360-degree camera, ventilated seats, rain-sensing wipers, seat lumbar adjustment, paddle shifters like the Fortuner etc.
- No petrol engine (Fortuner offers one) for customers from Delhi-NCR, or those with low running
Mahindra Thar Roxx
What you’ll like:
- Handsome styling, brute character & tough build. Has an air of desirability around it
- Far more user-friendly and upmarket than the 3-door Thar, due to its superior interiors, amenities & the 2 rear doors
- Superbly equipped. Loaded with almost every possible feature we could think of (9-speaker Harman Kardon system, panoramic sunroof, 360-degree cam, ventilated front seats…)!
- Very competent, refined and quick petrol / diesel engine range
- Butter-smooth 6-speed AT available with both engines
- Ride, handling and steering are much improved over the 3-door. Feels more Scorpio-N-like to drive than a Thar. Gets a light EPS (not heavy hydraulic steering like the 3-door Thar)
- 4×4 hardware, off-road capability & high GC. Get ready for slush, muck, deserts, jungles & the mountains!
- Practical cabin with seating for 5 and a fair amount of storage
- 447 litres of boot space is sufficient for holiday luggage
- Top-notch safety kit includes 6 airbags, Level 2 ADAS, ESP, hill descent control and more
- We feel the Thar Roxx is well-priced for the package on offer
What you won’t:
- While the ride quality is significantly better than the 3-door Thar, it is not as plush as say, the XUV700 & other monocoque crossovers. The 19” wheels are a contributor too. Ride quality is liveable though and we’ll give it a 7/10 rating
- Some styling elements are either too polarising or too “busy”
- Ingress / egress to the rear is difficult, particularly for the elderly
- No 3rd row of seats, which the Scorpio-N & XUV700 offer
- Petrol AT is thirsty due to its hefty weight, 174 BHP & torque-converter AT
- Inexplicably, 4×4 option just on the diesel. Petrol is available with RWD only. Mahindra needs to correct this ASAP
- No option of a convertible soft-top (like Thar) or removeable hard-top (like Wrangler) for those who love open-top motoring
- Some missing features such as reach-adjustable steering, keyless entry, rear window shades…
- Niggles are a given with a fresh new Mahindra model. Just ask owners of the 3-door Thar
Mahindra Scorpio-N
Force Gurkha 5-Door
What you’ll like:
- Macho styling & incredible street presence. Robust build too
- Far more user-friendly than the old Gurkha due to superior interiors & better amenities
- Shift-on-the-fly 4×4 with low range, diff locks, satisfactory all-round visibility & 233 mm GC. Excellent gradability, approach, departure & break-over angles make it a potent off-roader
- Choice of 3-door and 5-door (7-seater) versions gives it an edge over competing off-roaders
- Rides noticeably better than other purpose-built off-roaders in the market (especially the Thar)
- 5.5 m turning radius (3-door) is not as wide as its competitors
- Homologated accessories mean no cop trouble for owners (windscreen protection bar, roof carrier, ladder, headlamp & fender lamp grilles etc.). Snorkel is factory-fitted!
- 500L boot space (3-door) is enough for a family’s vacation luggage
- Features such as the hard top, LED headlamps with DRLs, rear wash & wipe, 9-inch touchscreen HU, power & eco drive modes, TPMS, dead pedal, rear A/C vents…
What you won’t:
- High floor makes ingress & egress very difficult for the elderly in particular
- Braking capability is below average. Pedal travel is long too
- No soft-top or convertible options like the Thar. No Petrol engine or Automatic transmission either
- Tall stature equates to lots of body roll and poor handling
- Despite the increased power & torque, the Gurkha’s outright performance is mediocre
- Overall fit & finish, quality of interior plastics, ICE audio, camera display…
- Notchy 5-speed MT has long throws and is cumbersome to use
- Missing features such as 6 airbags, ESP, hill-hold / descent control, sunroof, auto headlamps, auto wipers, driver’s seat height & lumbar adjustment, auto-dimming IRVM, electrically folding ORVMs etc.
- 5-door variant’s 3rd-row captain seats cannot be folded or flipped. You’ll need to place your luggage on & around them (or get a carrier)
Here’s what BHPian It’s Magic replied:
Voted for the Mahindra Thar Roxx
I’m not particularly a fan of the styling of either the Isuzu twins or the Toyota Hilux. I think most people will choose the Toyota Hilux as it’s a more well-rounded vehicle.
I voted for the Mahindra Thar Roxx, as I would prefer a petrol car over a diesel one (especially given the recent restrictions), which left me with only two options from Mahindra.
The Thar Roxx is a newer, fresher, and more polished product from Mahindra. It also offers great value for money compared to the Scorpio. It looks better and comes well-equipped with features. Being a Mahindra, it has an impressive road presence. Five people can sit comfortably, with enough space for luggage for a holiday. Lastly, it’s a Mahindra, so you don’t have to worry about road conditions before heading out.
Here’s what Bhpian dhanushs replied:
- Off-Road capability? Then I’d rate the ROXX #1.
- Utility, like hauling loads? Then I’d rate the Hilux #1
- Comfort/Ride & Handling? Then again, I’d rate the ROXX/Scorpio #1
Here’s what BHPian Kosfactor replied:
Voted for ScorpioN.
Let me give you my reason as someone who needs to do plenty of utility driving.
Scorpio has historically been one of the most comfortable among vehicles for the driverespecially if you have to do any sort of regular utility driving wherein time is limited (so is patience) and distance is plentiful.
Scorpio N’s ease of use is just incredible, it can do plenty of off-road driving with the push of a button, as well as leave it to drive itself through the expressway just as well. You could do more useful things rather than worry about speed cameras, like listen to music, etc. I saw the value in ADAS while driving XUV, especially when you are on a speed-monitored road, ADAS can reduce a lot of fatigue and related accidents too.
ROXX can do all these things, it’s just that Scorpio N does it faster.
I was not able to be comfortable with pickup trucks and vehicles based on them, their purpose is more about durability rather than outright driving comfort in comparison.
Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.
