Force One

Force One well proves its tagline that says ‘Be The Force’ in respect to power, performance, and ability to deliver. Tested and tried across all kind of terrains, Force One is preferred choice among those looking for a powerful drive across different kind of terrains. Along with a powerful road presence the SUV also offers ample of space in not one, not two but across all three rows of seats. Force, a subsidiary of Bajaj Auto Limited, though has a limited reach in market but has been successful in marking its presence in utility segment. Force One is a revised version of Guangdong Foday Explorer III – the Chinese version of Ford Explorer. It works well in terms of catering requirements of a regular SUV enthusiast.

The present ex-showroom (New Delhi) price range of the SUV varies between Rs.8.99 lakhs to Rs.12.29. Within this price range the domestic car maker offers this car in 6-seater and 7-seater versions. The SUV can be availed in two versions: EX and SX, SX can be availed in 6-seater and 7-seater version and then there are two others 6-seater SX with ABS and 7-seater SX with ABS which brings the total number of Force One models to 5. Apart from highly impressive exteriors and interiors, the SUV also adorns a super powerful power mill. The five models of Force One are powered by a very powerful 2.6-litre diesel engine accompanied by turbo charger and inter cooler. The engine carries an ability to deliver power worth 140PS against a peak torque of 321Nm. The car also possesses a strong braking and suspension systems that adds another feather in its cap. The car delivers a very stable driving experience over city roads as well as highways. The gear shifts are efficient and body roll in control which is a big win considering the fatal conditions of Indian roads and rough usage buyers like to put their SUVs to. The car is presently competing against Mahindra XUV 500, Tata Safari, and Ford Endeavour that bear a pretty long list of features along with a strong known brand back up which is presently lacking in Force One.

Muscle, style, and power are the three words that come to mind as soon as you catch the first glance of Force One. The design resembles a lot to the conventional SUVs front and Force may need to look for innovative modifications in its features if it intends to give One a unique identity. The front portion adorns projector headlamps along with daytime running LED lights that boldly guards its chromed radiator grille. The front and rear fog lights add a classy feature to the car and act as a plus point in its safety features list.

The well sculpted body toned wheel arches accompanied by large windows, body toned ORVMs and roof rails give a robust look to side profile of the car. The side running aluminum steps is an intelligent add-on considering the fact that SUVs are mostly bought by those who have a large family that includes senior members and vulnerable ladies. Other noteworthy features that define its class are rear windscreen with wiper and washer, front demister, a pair of chrome plated exhausts, and stylish hub caps. The car bears a ground clearance of 205mm and a fuel tank capacity of 70-litres which makes it a suitable option for long distance journey and off-roading. Force is currently offering this car in six vivacious colors that include an emphatic grey, a moon dust silver, a bold black, robust blue, and fierce red.

The space factor in Force One is phenomenal which not only helps this car in getting preference over others but also bestows it with an identity of its own. The front, middle, as well as last seat rows offer quite comfortable leg, elbow, and shoulder room. This factor is worth noticing especially by those who often need to take their large families for outings other related purposes. The beige color interiors give an up market look to the cabin.

The seats are plush and well cushioned and offer sufficient thigh, lumbar, and back support to accommodators making the car again a suitable option in terms of long journeys.
The quality of upholstery and plastics used is moderate and seems justified considering its segment. The dashboard bears a relatively dark color while the instrument cluster looks quite bright behind the steering right in front of driver’s eyes. On the left is a silver lined HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) unit that keeps car’s temperature comfortable with respect to external conditions. Even on a scorching hot day, the air conditioner takes not more than a few minutes to chill down complete cabin. The tilt adjustable steering perfectly complements the adjustable driver’s seat ensuring complete comfort and convenience to its accommodator. Along with, the second row seats are captain seats that can be reclined or double folded as per need. A center arm rest has been provided in this row in top end variants. Surprisingly, the third row seats are front facing with reclining and folding option. The tilt adjustable multi functional steering comes with a cruise control that makes driving much easy across all kind of roads. Other comfort offerings include an integrated music system that comes with Bluetooth function, speakers, and AUX-in port.

Force offers this spectacular SUV with a 2.2-litre Daimler engine that displaces 2149cc to ensure a power supply of 140PS against a peak torque of 321Nm. This impressive power figure is well supported by a 5-speed manual transmission that dutifully transfers all energies to its wheels. The engine’s efficiency is taken care by common rail direct injection technique. Apart from it, Force also offers a 2.6-litre inter cooled diesel mill whose performance is monitored by a turbocharger. This engine carries an ability to churn power worth 82PS against a peak torque of 230Nm. Both the engines are fine tuned and maintain low levels of NVH. The former power mill complies with the BS IV emission norms while the later one goes with BS III norms.

Force One returns a fair mileage with the respect to its size and number of features it adorns. The turbocharged 2.2-litre Daimler power mill of this vehicle ensures a mileage of 11.6kmpl as conformed by ARAI. ON regular drives, it offers a mileage of 14kmpl over city roads and 17kmpl on highways provided the roads are well-maintained. The car’s fuel tank bears a capacity to store fuel worth 70-litres which means in a single fill the SUV will help you cover a minimum distance of 812kms under standard conditions.

The efficient braking system of the SUV offers minimum roll to the car ensuring safe deceleration from high speeds and sudden halts. The braking system of the car consists of disc brakes that help in safe and in-time braking of the vehicle. The braking aspect has been further taken care of with features like Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic BrakeForce Distribution (EBD) system that ensures complete safety of the car and its passengers. Other measures that have been added to enhance safety level of the SUV include fog lamps, remote key entry, central lock, reverse parking sensor, brake pad wear indicator, seat belt warning, speed warning buzzer, reverse parking sensors, and a tilt adjustable collapsible steering wheel which acts as a big safe guard under all conditions.

Force One is a strong option when it comes to driving, performance, and handling. The much spoken about Lotus tuned suspension system of this car acts as one of its biggest strengths that help it passing through all kinds of rough roads without any hassle. The front axle of the car is balanced against bumps by an independent double wishbone kind of suspension that is supported by coil spring, anti roll bar, and gas filled telescopic shock absorbers. The rear axle on the other hand is kept safe by a multi-link coil spring based suspension much supported by an anti roll bar along with gas filled shock absorbers.
The car offers quite a decent ride along highways as well as regular city roads. The performance is aided by its multi-functional steering wheel that comes with cruise control, powerful engine, and a strong suspension system that keeps the car intact over potholes and uneven paths. The car can smoothly glide over 0-100kmph speed gap within 17 seconds. The car can smoothly attain top speed of 150kmph which seems quite convincing considering its size and weight.

Force One is a well-built car that presents a unique combination of power, performance, and ruggedness in all kind of terrains. The SUV meets all expectations of a regular SUV buyer in an efficient way. But the segment that it belongs to is presently the hottest segment of Indian market which is full of brands that have been offering highly magnificent and spectacular models from a long time. One seems quite an ordinary vehicle when compared to them, right from its design to its features list there is nothing that distinguishes it from others and helps taking an edge over them. Though in terms of performance, the SUV makes an strong impression. Force One offers a commendable performance in all kind of terrains and sets a distinct standard in this respect. It is one point that acts as its identical feature in SUV segment.
The exteriors and designed seem quite conventional and fail to present a unique mark in memory. The high ground clearance and strong suspension system makes it quite a suitable offering in terms of long journeys and adventurous rides. The braking system is pretty good and offer minimum body roll which means the car is fit for all kind of rough roads and drives. On interior front, the cabin is bright and airy due to an extended wheelbase and light color upholstery. Apart from space, the cabin is filled with all kind of convenience features that help you enjoy a comfortable ride along all kind of paths. The power and mileage offered by its updated power mill is sufficient but needs to be improved considering the hard competition offered in this domain by Mahindra and Tata Motors. The ride quality is pretty good and acts as a strong plus point in overall profile of the vehicle. But the biggest challenge that Force faces is that of brand of recognition. Apart from a small club of motor and utility vehicles enthusiast, there are hardly any buyers who know about Force One. The lower penetration of this brand in Indian territories is another issue that Force needs to address if it needs to register aggressive growth in Indian market.

Force One stands a few steps back when considered in terms of its chief rivals due to lack of brand recognition and any strong USP. Since SUV segment is one of the most booming segments in Indian automotive market, there are large number of players that offer lucrative combinations of muscle and power at reasonable price along with a long list of features. Utility makers such as Mahindra, Tata Motors, Mitsubishi, etc. have quite an upper hand in this segment as compared to Force Motors. One has been directly competing against XUV 500, Safari, Duster, Scorpio, and a few others. These are the models that offer high power, performance, along with strong build and advanced features like automatic transmission, climate control, 2WD & 4WD options which are currently missing from Force One.