Overview
A multi-utility vehicle which resembles the size of a minivan! Yes, that’s true, and I am talking about no other than FORCE TRAX CRUISER BS-6 today. This vehicle is absolutely astonishing when talking from value for money proportion. But it misses out on some important things too. In this article about Trax cruiser, we will discuss all that you need to know before making the buying decision.
Engine
It has the same Mercedes driven FM 2.6 CR BS-6 engine. Output figures are 90HP and 250 NM of torque b/w a wide range of 1400 to 2400 RPM. The flat torque curve will definitely help to carry those extra passengers. This makes the vehicle bit slow. Engine tuning has been done from the older generation to make this BS-6 complaint. The mileage figures of ~ 10 KMPL also seem justifiable from this engine.
GearBox
Coming to the gearbox, it is 5 speed five forward and one reverse manual stick operated. The synchromesh gears have a decent throw and engage pretty well. I will post more details after testing this vehicle in a 1000 km run.
Suspension and Chassis
Surprisingly all the variants now get the power steering which is much needed to turn this MPV. This is based on rectangular c in c type chassis section. Also, this is claimed to be more sturdy and has greater torsional rigidity.
The front end has double wishbone suspension with anti-roll bars. The rear disappoints a lot with only leaf springs with anti-roll bars on offer. This is good for any commercial vehicle which takes up cargo but is a bit unfair to the passenger-carrying vehicle. The minimum ground clearance of this vehicle is 160MM because of leaf springs at the back. . This can be a real positive while abusing the vehicle with Extra passengers. As this continues to maintain a certain ground clearance even in rural India with no roads.
Safety
The vehicle is equipped with dual circuit hydraulic vacuum assisted with auto wire adjuster brakes. The front two wheels get disc brakes. The Rear wheels house the drum brakes inside them. The parking brake is mechanically active on rear wheels only. As a part of government regulations, we get ABS with EBD as standard with all the variants of this MPV.
Tyres
The design of the wheels is ok keeping in consideration the price of the vehicle. The 15″ Tyre with the tube inside seems justified. The 215/75 R15 tyre size don’t call any further complaints. Do let us know if you feel the need of 16″ tyres in the segment?
Dimensions and Sitting capacity
All the FORCE TRAX CRUISER BS-6 model are 5120 mm long, 1818 mm wide, 2027 mm Tall. The wheelbase is 3050 mm. The Trax cruiser is available in 12 + D and 9 + D sitting configuration. The Trax variant is only available in 11 + D only.
Interiors
FORCE TRAX CRUISER BS-6 features dual-tone interiors. There are plenty of handles to grab. They help us to encounter the extra body roll which is natural for the body on the chassis platform.
Coming to the interiors, this now looks more fresh and elegant. The 3 spoke steering wheel has a smooth rubberised feel on it with force motors logo embossed in middle.
AC vents are circular in shape and have good throw off the air. AC controls are in the centre. We have a few buttons in middle like hazard lights etc. Above that, we have provisions for storage and music system. There are plenty of smart storage spaces and dashboard seems clean.
The instrument cluster is done in blue colour and it looks really good with orange needles.
Conclusion
It has also got the roof-mounted dual AC
Surprisingly, we also get power window options and a few other addons. These are really good addition in a cost-sensitive MUV like a cruiser.
The final verdict from my side is quoted in the below paragraph before driving it for 1000Km.
FORCE TRAX CRUISER BS-6 is not something which you will feel very premium. But will never disappoint you on the basis of what you had paid for. This Is absolute value for money for the number of people it carries out comfortably. Mostly used as a commercial vehicle/Tourer it serves its purpose well. If you are someone who is thinking of making a good profit out of this machine then you can blindly go for this. Because there is no direct competition which this vehicle faces out currently and has got an impressive resale rate and value in the market.
With 3 lakh kilometres warranty and 3 free services, I don’t think you need to think more about buying this. Well, within the price table of 11 to 13 lakh rupees this is best you can buy today.
