Cars with Highest Ground Clearance in India

Indian roads are notorious for potholes, rough conditions, high speed breakers that could lead to damage to the bottom of your car. If you are living in an area where problems of ground clearance persists, you might want to look for cars with higher ground clearance. This article will guide you through different cars in India having the highest ground clearance in their respective categories.

List Top 10 High Ground Clearance Cars in India

Ground clearance is nothing but the distance between the car’s most bottom part apart from the tyres and the ground. Higher the ground clearance, higher the distance. Here is a list of top 10 different types of cars having the highest ground clearance in their categories:

NOTE: Prices and ground clearance may differ from location to location and variants.

1. Toyota Land Cruiser

Premium, Luxury, Rugged Performance – that’s what Toyota Land Cruiser 2025 stands for. This SUV has the highest ground clearance (235mm) of all the cars in this list, but it does come at a hefty premium price.

Key Highlights of Toyota Land Cruiser:

• Launch Date

August 2009

• Key Features

12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with android auto and apple carplay, four-zone climate control, ventilated front and rear seats, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking and advanced off-road features including crawl control and terrain modes.

• Type of the Car

Full-Size SUV

• Engine

3.3L V6 twin-turbo diesel engine

• Airbags

10 airbags

• Transmission

10-speed automatic

• Fuel Type

Diesel

2. Force Gurkha

The Force Gurkha is “the” SUV for off-roading. Boasting a high ground clearance of 233mm, it just missed the top spot in the list. Force Gurkha has a military-like resemblance, tough to miss out on the road.

Key Highlights of Force Gurkha:

• Launch Date

2008

• Key Features

Manual locking differentials, snorkel for water wading, LED headlamps with DRLs, touchscreen infotainment system and all-terrain tyres.

• Type of the Car

Off-Road SUV

• Engine

2.6L diesel engine

• Airbags

2 airbags

• Transmission

5-speed manual

• Fuel Type

Diesel

3. Mahindra Thar

The 2025 Mahindra Thar is the perfect balance between ruggedness and modern tech, making it a versatile SUV for both urban and adventurous drives. With a ground clearance of 226mm, it ensures comfort, safety and top off-road capabilities.

Key Highlights of Mahindra Thar

• Launch Date

October 2010

• Key Features

4x4 drivetrain with low-range transfer case, touchscreen infotainment with smartphone connectivity, removable hard top, cruise control, and alloy wheels.

• Type of the Car

Off-Road SUV

• Engine

2.0L petrol / 2.2L diesel engines

• Airbags

2 airbags

• Transmission

6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic

• Fuel Type

Petrol / Diesel

4. Toyota Fortuner (2025)

There’s not much to say when it comes to the Fortuner. However, the newest edition to the already legendary SUV, the 2025 edition offers features that uplifts the older models. It will have a ground clearance of 225mm, making it one of the highest in the segment.

Key Highlights of Toyota Fortuner

• Launch Date

November 2009

• Key Features

LED projector headlamps, touchscreen infotainment system, power-adjustable driver seat, cruise control, and hill assist control.

• Type of the Car

Mid-Size SUV

• Engine

2.7L petrol / 2.8L diesel engines

• Airbags

7 airbags

• Transmission

6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic

• Fuel Type

Petrol / Diesel

5. Fiat Linea

Coming into the Sedans category, Linea tops the list with a ground clearance of 185mm. The Fiat Linea offers a comfortable and spacious ride, combining Italian design with practicality for daily commuting.

Key Highlights of Fiat Linea

• Launch Date

January 2009

• Key Features

Dual-tone interiors, touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, and ABS with EBD.

• Type of the Car

Sedan

• Engine

1.4L petrol / 1.3L diesel engines

• Airbags

2 airbags

• Transmission

5-speed manual

• Fuel Type

Petrol / Diesel

6. Volkswagen Virtus

Coming into a bit premium range, Volkswagen Virtus has a sleek design, making it stand out in the crowd and with style it provides the premium comfort of a sedan. It boasts a high ground clearance of 179mm.

Key Highlights of Volkswagen Virtus

• Launch Date

June 2022

• Key Features

10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, digital cockpit, LED headlamps and tail lamps, wireless smartphone connectivity, and cruise control.

• Type of the Car

Sedan

• Engine

1.0L TSI / 1.5L TSI petrol engines

• Airbags

Up to 6 airbags

• Transmission

6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic / 7-speed DSG

• Fuel Type

Petrol

7. Skoda Slavia

The Skoda Slavia stands for elegance and comfort. With a large space inside the cabin of the car, comfort is not compromised in this sedan. Also, a high ground clearance of 179mm makes it one of the highest ground clearance sedans in India.

Key Highlights of Skoda Slavia

• Launch Date

February 2022

• Key Features

10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless android auto and Apple carplay, ventilated front seats, electric sunroof, and cruise control.

• Type of the Car

Sedan

• Engine

1.0L TSI / 1.5L TSI petrol engines

• Airbags

Up to 6 airbags

• Transmission

6-speed manual / 6-speed automatic / 7-speed DSG

• Fuel Type

Petrol

8. Renault Kwid

The Renault Kwid reigns as the king of ground clearance in the compact hatchback segment. It has a ground clearance of 184mm. The Renault Kwid offers a compact and stylish design, making it an ideal choice for city driving with its fuel efficiency and affordability.

Key Highlights of Renault Kwid

• Launch Date

September 2015

• Key Features

8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, LED DRLs, digital instrument cluster, reverse parking sensors, and ABS with EBD.

• Type of the Car

Hatchback

• Engine

0.8L / 1.0L petrol engines

• Airbags

2 airbags

• Transmission

5-speed manual / 5-speed AMT

• Fuel Type

Petrol

9. Tata Tiago NRG

The Tata Tiago NRG model is a unique hatchback, bringing ruggedness and off-road capabilities to the hatchback segments. The ground clearance of 181mm surely helps support that ruggedness. It is affordable and comes with the top safety features from Tata, making it an ideal choice for someone who is looking for a compact hatchback, but on a budget and wants off-roading capabilities.

Key Highlights of Tata Tiago NRG

• Launch Date

September 2018

• Key Features

10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless android auto and Apple carplay, digital instrument cluster, cooled glovebox, auto-folding ORVMs, and rain-sensing wipers.

• Type of the Car

Hatchback

• Engine

1.2L Revotron petrol engine (86 PS) / 1.2L petrol+CNG (73 PS)

• Airbags

2 airbags

• Transmission

5-speed manual / 5-speed AMT

• Fuel Type

Petrol / CNG

10. Maruti Suzuki Ignis

The last but not the least, Maruti Suzuki Ignis is an iconic hatchback that boasts a ground clearance of 180mm. City commuters love this vehicle, as it has high ground clearance, style, fuel efficiency and comfort, all packed in a compact design.

Key Highlights of Maruti Suzuki Ignis

• Launch Date

January 2017

• Key Features

7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with android auto and Apple carplay, LED projector headlamps with DRLs, automatic climate control, reverse parking sensors and camera, and ABS with EBD.

• Type of the Car

Hatchback

• Engine

1.2L K12N petrol engine (83 PS)

• Airbags

2 airbags (driver and passenger)

• Transmission

5-speed manual / 5-speed AMT

• Fuel Type

Petrol

How to Choose a Car with High Ground Clearance for Indian Roads?

As we know, Indian roads do not exactly provide the best of comfort while driving. Uneven roads, bad conditioned or “kaccha roads”, potholes, speed-breakers, etc are a huge nuisance to Indian drivers, making high ground clearance roads even more viable in India. But what factors should you consider while buying a high ground clearance vehicle? To answer that, follow these factors:

1. The Minimum Clearance

• For city driving 170–180 mm is sufficient
• For rural roads or light off-roading 190–210 mm
• For extreme terrains 220 mm and above

2. Type of Vehicle

• Hatchbacks and Sedans are better for city commuting
• SUVs are better for long rides and off-roading

3. Feature and Safety Balance

• Ground clearance isn't everything. Check different factors required for your needs, mainly the features and safety of the car

4. Budget

• Of course, one of the crucial factors while purchasing a car is the budget. Make sure you get what's best in your budget, not what’s best in the segment.
• For example, With a budget of ₹10 lakh, you shouldn’t aim for a Fortuner just because it has one of the best high ground clearances, instead you can opt for something like a KIA Sonet, which is near your budget and also has a good ground clearance.

How to Modify Ground Clearance?

While having an already high ground clearance built in your car is feasible, you can actually customise and modify your current car to have a little bit higher ground clearance. But, it is not as easy as it seems, and should be done by a mechanic or a professional. There are 2 main methods of doing so:

1. By modifying your car’s wheels

You can upsize your car’s tyres to increase the ground clearance by 10-20mm. Similarly, swapping with alloy wheels and getting bigger rims can do the magic as well. However, this method might affect the car's overall mileage, speedometer readings and suspension wear. Therefore, ensure you stick to the manufacturer’s recommended sizes only.

2. By modifying your car’s suspension

Modifying your car’s suspension can be done by adjusting or replacing suspension components like springs, dampers, or adding spacers to lift the vehicle. This can significantly increase a car's ground clearance, providing better off-road capabilities. However it can lead to more body roll, reduce comfort on highways and can also potentially void warranty if not done properly.

Key Takeaways

While buying a new car, there are many factors to consider. They include the budget of the car, type of wheels, type of the car, variants, features, safety features, and another such factor is the ground clearance. Ground clearance ensures that the bottom of your car is at a safe distance from the ground below. Another main factor to look out for white buying a car is buying car insurance. Car insurance ensures financial security at the time of need. You can get the best car insurance quotes online at Coverfox. Get insured today.

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Frequently Asked Questions