Ask Honest John

Honest John Ask Honest John » Which offroad-capable SUV for use in India?
What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Which offroad-capable SUV for use in India?

I have owned a Tata Safari SUV for five years and now wish to buy a new car. The car I require should have decent off road capabilities but stiffer suspension preferably, as most of the Indian state highways are not so good. The options available to me are Ford Endeavour, Land Rover Discovery, Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Fortuner, and I'm also really interested in a Chevrolet Captiva or a Mitsubishi Outlander.

Asked on 9 August 2012 by TV, New Delhi

Answered by Honest John
The Fortuner is just a HiLux pick-up with a world domination body. The Ford Endeavour was a Ranger pick-up with an SUV body, common in India and Thailand, and the forthcoming new one is based on the excellent new Ranger. The Disco is utterly brilliant, though not as reliable as a Santa Fe. So that leaves the Santa Fe. Even the 2006 version was good on rough tracks. The 2010 version with its 2.2-litre R-Type chain cam engine is better and now it's being updated again, along with its sister car, the KIA Sorento. Tests of Disco, Santa Fe and new Ranger at www.honestjohn.co.uk
Tags: offroad suvs
Similar questions
What should I replace my Land Rover Discovery with? I do 30,000 miles per year and it has to have genuine off-road capability because I visit farms for a living.
We need to buy a new car when we emigrate to South Africa. We will need a tough car as there will be a certain amount of light off-road use. Most South Africans drive the Toyota Fortuner, which is not...
My father goes shooting about 10 times a year and he's after a 4x4 or SUV, possibly an Audi Q5. What would your recommendations be?
Related models
Well equipped as standard. Seats seven reasonably comfortably. Quiet when cruising. Decent diesel engine. Improved facelifted model from 2011.
Imperious on and off-road, hugely practical, more desirable than the current Discovery, refined and high-quality interior.
Easy to drive. Most variants have seven seats. Economical diesel engines. Large and practical boot. Decent safety kit.
Sleek looks and good quality interior. Refined and quiet on the move. Seven seats. Well equipped as standard. Excellent 2.2 CRDi diesel.