New Force Gurkha 4X4 review, test drive

And gearshifts are something you'll tire of in the Gurkha – apart from the incredibly long throws (which makes rocking a stuck vehicle back and forth almost impossible), the gearbox is rather vague and needs a lot of effort to operate.The same goes for the gearlever that operates the transfer case.

Nonetheless, the suspension seems pretty sorted. The Gurkha displayed a well-controlled ride over the Belgian pave track with little pitch from the front and just a bit of kick from the rear. As for the handling, the Gurkha uses a power-assisted, worm-and-roller steering mechanism that makes for a deliberately low-geared steering. That means plenty of turns lock to lock and slow responses. And, thanks to its two-metre height and relatively narrow width, it isn't particularly happy when going around corners fast. Which is fine – this is an off-roader, not a corner carver.