- In the final testing phase ahead of the official launch

- Expected to debut in early 2023

Force Motors is in the final stages of testing its production-ready five-door Gurkha. It was previously spotted at Force's official dealership a month ago, indicating an imminent launch.

Now, the new spy shots are consistent with the previous ones in terms of changes. The five-door Force Gurkha retains most of its three-door sibling's design elements, such as the round headlamps with integrated LED DRLs, grille with bold Gurkha lettering, front fender-mounted turn indicators, a snorkel, fog lights, black ORVMs, and a vertical taillights setup. The five-door Gurkha will also have a longer wheelbase and more interior space to accommodate additional passengers.

Furthermore, like its Indonesian sibling Kstaria by Republic Motor, the five-door Gurkha will most likely have a six-seat configuration with two captain seats for the middle row, as well as more ac vents inside the cabin.

Under the heavy bonnet, it is expected to be powered by the same Mercedes-derived 2.6-litre diesel engine that produces 90bhp and 250Nm of torque. Transmission options will most likely be limited to a five-speed manual unit.

We are still waiting for an official announcement from the Indian automaker. However, we can expect it to reveal the upcoming Gurkha around the time of the 2023 Auto Expo. When it arrives, its main competitors will be the five-door Mahindra Thar and the much-anticipated Maruti Suzuki Jimny; but, out of the three, it appears that the five-door Force Gurkha will hit the market first.