Top five most expensive 4WD SUVs in India

These 4WD SUVs can ford rivers, climb rocks and cross deserts, but with price tags north of Rs 1 crore, would you dare?

There are plenty of 4×4 SUVs under Rs 30 lakh, but what about the other end of the spectrum? We aren’t talking about the Lamborghini Urus‘ and Rolls-Royce Cullinans of the world, but proper 4WDs with low-range gearboxes. These cars are just as comfortable pulling up to the red carpet as they are getting muddy off-road. However, whether or not you’d dare take a car worth several crores into the wild is another matter.

5. Land Rover Defender 

Rs 1.28 crore-2.79 crore

The Defender Octa will form the basis of Land Rover’s Dakar entrant in 2026.

The Land Rover Defender in all forms – be it 90, 110 or 130 – is extremely capable off-road, but the Octa tops them all. The standard Defender can be had with a bunch of different powertrain options including a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol and diesels and even a stonking 5.0-litre V8. The Octa is the only variant to be powered by a BMW-sourced 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8 pumping out 635hp and 750Nm.

Every Defender uses monocoque construction – said to be three times stiffer than comparable body-on-frame designs – and features an all-independent suspension, a twin-speed transfer box and permanent all-wheel drive. The Octa is the most extreme, sitting 28mm higher with a 68mm wider track, featuring longer and tougher wishbones, and hydraulically interlinked continuously variable semi-active dampers.

4. Land Cruiser LC300 

Price: Rs 2.31 crore-2.41 crore

The Land Cruiser GR-S trim adds even more off-road hardware to an already capable vehicle.

The Land Cruiser 300 doesn’t have the same creature comforts and brand cache as its cousin, the Lexus LX, but it doesn’t compromise on off-road ability. It is powered by a 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel mated to a 10-speed auto gearbox. The engine produces 304hp and 700Nm and it comes with full-time 4WD system. 

There are two trims on offer – the standard ZX trim and the offroad-focused GR-S. While the ZX comes standard with plenty of off-road kit like the Adaptive Variable Suspension, torque-sensing rear locking differential and a host of terrain modes, the GR-S ups the ante with locking front and rear diffs and a specially tuned suspension setup with a longer suspension stroke and a more wheel articulation. The GR-S also gets different bumpers for better approach and departure angles in addition to a black and red interior theme.

3. Range Rover 

Price: Rs 2.47 crore-2.75 crore

Despite a greater focus on luxury, the current generation Range Rover is still a capable 4WD.

The original Range Rover started the luxury SUV movement in 1969 and the current fifth-generation model continues to be a segment benchmark. In India, the Range Rover can be had with one of four powertrain options – three 3.0-litre six-cylinders powered by either petrol, diesel or with plug-in hybrid assistance and a 4.4-litre V8. It can also be specified with a long or a short wheelbase.

Despite growing significantly compared to its predecessor, and with an increased focus on luxury, the big Rangie can still get down and dirty when it needs to. It features an 8-speed transmission mated to a twin-speed transfer case for extreme off-road situations. It also gets an active-locking rear differential as standard and the Terrain Response 2 system gets configurable off-road modes. The air suspension also enables it to be raised to clear obstacles and its wading depth is an incredible 900mm.

2. Lexus LX 

Price: Rs 3.0 crore-3.12 crore

The new Overtrail trim on the Lexus LX boosts its off-road ability.

Behind the imposing spindle grille, the Lexus LX is based on the Toyota Land Cruiser LC300, and therefore, still a ladder-frame SUV. For the Indian market, the LX is available only in 500d guise, which is powered by the same 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 diesel engine as its Toyota counterpart, producing an identical 304hp and 700Nm; this too gets a 10-speed automatic gearbox.

For 2025, the Lexus gets an offroad-biased Overtrail trim in addition to the standard Urban trim. Full-time 4WD, active height control, adaptive air suspension and a centre differential lock are standard, while the Overtrail brings in front and rear diff locks. The Overtrail also ditches much of the Urban’s chrome trim for gloss black and swaps 22-inch wheels for 18 incher shod with all-terrain rubber.

1. Mercedes-Benz G-Class

Price: Rs 3.10 crore-3.75 crore

Regardless of whether it is powered by gasoline or electricity, the G-Class is a beast off-road.

It doesn’t get more old-school cool than the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. Available in two distinct flavours – the AMG G 63 and the all-electric G 580 with EQ technology – the G-Wagen is far from a rational purchase, but that seems to have little effect on desirability. The AMG G 63 is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 putting out 585hp and 850Nm while the electric G 580 produces 587hp and a colossal 1,164Nm.

A ladder-frame chassis, solid rear-axle and three lockable differentials give the G 63 incredible off-road ability despite running on low-profile rubber. Not to be outdone, the electric G 580 gets four electric motors – one at each wheel – each with a lower-range gear to match or even surpass its ICE counterpart in the rough stuff. What it can do is match the AMG V8 for drama, although it does try with its G-Roar feature.

Also see:

4WD SUVs under Rs 30 lakh in India

Autocar India SUV Off-road Day 2024

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