When it comes to com­mercial pickups, there are a number of options to choose from, and Mahindra and Tata are leading the pack in terms of sheer number of offerings. But there is a new player in town: Force Motors. While most auto enthusi­asts will relate the brand with the popular Gurkha, the commercial segment is where they excel. You will have noticed their Trav­eller model, which is a passenger carrier often used as school busses or as public transport.

 

But what we have with us is the Kargo King single cabin pick up, their goods carrier. We bring you the experience from behind the wheels.

 

Exterior

 

The masculine, boxy design of the Force Kargo King is an aesthetic advan­tage. A macho radiator grille with metal bumpers is flanked by clear lens headlamps. There isn’t a lot of fuss with the bonnets, but it accentuates the overall hand­some appeal.

 

Because it is a single cabin pickup the elongated side pro­file is evidently visible. The overall length is a massive 5,060 mm, with the cargo hold 2,442 mm long and 1,610 mm wide. With a clearance of 210 mm, it is a fair distance off the ground to ensure no road poses a problem.

 

Interiors

 

Ingress and egress from the Kargo King is as easy as you’d expect them to be. There is only a single cabin capable of seating two adults, plus with the driver. Hand brakes have been shifted to the right to ensure there is enough legroom for all three occupants.

 

In order to provide a clear vantage point, the driving position is high and upright, with the driver seat getting adjustment options. Analog dials and a clean dash is pretty much all that you get, so don’t bother asking about added interior equipment.

 

Cargo hold

 

The overall dimensions of the cabin are 2,242 mm in length, and 1,610 mm in breadth and the gate measures 546 mm. Loading and unloading does not pose any particular diffi­culty, and the vehicle comes with with a maximum payload capacity of 1,250 kg.

 

Performance

 

We had a lot of fun driving the Force Kargo King. The van­tage point is terrific and you can see everything that is hap­pening ahead and around the bumper. It might not be too peppy off the line but there is undeniable power under the bonnet. There is a 2.0 liter engine with a trusted Mercedes derived driveline sending 67bhp and 175Nm of torque to the rear wheels.

 

It is surprisingly slick through the gears. Leaf spring suspensions with hydrau­lic telescopic shock absorb­ers at both ends take care of suspension duties, providing decent ride quality. Discs at the front and drums at the rear take up braking duties.

 

You do get power steering as an option, which we had in the one that we were test-driving. This came handy while making tight turns and U turns with the 7.0 meter turning radius.

 

Verdict

 

The Force Motors Kargo King is a great commercial vehicle for carrying goods. The single cabin pickup can be put to good use in the commercial sector and the masculine good looks are added bonus. Drivability is great and reliability wise you get a three-year war­ranty or a 300,000 kilometer warranty. They also claim to have phenomenal mileage and minimal maintenance cost. This makes the Kargo King a profitable option for commercial use o