Cars And SUVs With Best Ground Clearance Under Rs. 10.0 Lakh (2026 Updated)

Even the lowest car on this list offers 180mm ground clearance, which is sufficient for most Indian road conditions. In our view, 180mm is the minimum requirement to qualify as an SUV-like offering.

Here’s a quick look at all the cars and SUVs listed in this article:

Not all variants of the models listed here are priced under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom). Only select variants qualify within this budget and they are listed below:

Group 1: >200mm Ground Clearance

In Group 1, we have 7 SUVs with a ground clearance of more than 200mm.

1. Mahindra Thar - 226mm

The Mahindra Thar 2026 offers the highest ground clearance in this list at 226mm. However, only the Thar AXT 2WD Hard Top variant falls under the Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom) price bracket. This variant is offered with a 1.5L turbo diesel engine that produces 119PS of power and 200nm of torque. It is only offered with a 6-speed manual transmission (MT).

2. Tata Curvv - 208mm

The Tata Curvv coupe SUV offers 208mm of ground clearance. The 2026 Curvv is available with 3 engine and 2 transmission options. However, only the base Smart turbo petrol-manual variant qualifies for this list with an ex-showroom price tag of Rs. 9.66 lakh. This variant is powered by a 1.2L turbo petrol engine producing 120PS of power and 170Nm of torque. It is offered with a 6-speed manual transmission.

3. Tata Nexon - 208mm

The 2026 Tata Nexon offers the same ground clearance as the Curvv that sits above it in Tata’s SUV lineup. The 2026 Tata Nexon facelift offers a ground clearance of 208mm. The Nexon is available with several powertrain options, including turbo petrol, diesel and CNG, with a choice of manual, automated manual transmission (AMT) and dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). However, only select variants fall under the Rs. 10.0 lakh price bracket.

4. Renault Kiger - 205mm

The 2026 Renault Kiger is the next in line with a ground clearance of 205mm. It’s on par with the Nissan Magnite and Kia Sonet. The Kiger offers 2 engine options with a choice of manual, AMT and CVT transmissions. However, only the normal petrol-manual, normal petrol-automatic and 1 turbo petrol-manual variant of the Kiger 2026 fall under Rs. 10 lakh

5. Nissan Magnite - 205mm

The Nissan Magnite is another B2-segment SUV that offers a high ground clearance of 205mm. The Magnite, which shares its platform and powertrain options with the Kiger, is also the most affordable turbo petrol SUV you can buy currently. Almost all variants of the 2026 Magnite except the top 2 turbo petrol-automatic trims fall under the Rs. 10 lakh price bracket.

6. Kia Sonet - 205mm

The 2026 Kia Sonet offers 205mm ground clearance. Among the cars on this list, the Sonet brings a new kind of driving experience for under Rs. 10 lakh with the auto-clutch manual transmission paired with a 1L turbo petrol engine. However, only select variants of the Sonet fall under the Rs. 10 lakh price bracket.

7. Mahindra XUV 3XO - 201mm

The Mahindra XUV 3XO is the heavily updated version of the XUV300. With a ground clearance of 201mm, the XUV 3XO is offered with the choice of 2 turbo petrol and 1 diesel engine option. However, only select variants fall under the Rs. 10 lakh price bracket.

Group 2: 190-200mm Ground Clearance

In the 2nd group, we have only 2 SUVs that offer a ground clearance of 190-200mm.

1. Maruti Suzuki Brezza - 200mm

The Maruti Suzuki Brezza offers a ground clearance of 200mm. Although it is available with 3 powertrain options – normal petrol-manual, mild hybrid petrol-automatic, and CNG-manual, only 3 variants of the Brezza normal petrol-manual fall under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom):

2. Citroen Aircross - 200mm

The 2025 Aircross from Citroen offers a ground clearance of 200mm. While the Aircross is offered with a 1.2L turbo petrol engine, all variants powered by it are priced over Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom). Thus, if you only have a budget of Rs. 10 lakh and want an Aircross, your options are limited to the 2 normal petrol variants – You and Plus.

3. Tata Punch EV - 195mm

Tata Motors launched the updated 2026 Punch EV in February. The Punch EV now offers 195mm ground clearance, an improvement of 5mm over the older model. Additionally, the 2026 Punch EV now offers 450mm certified water wading depth. This is a significant improvement in its water resistance. It has gone from a mere IP67 water ingress protection for the motor and battery to a full 450mm water wading capacity. Thus, it has now become a car you can more confidently drive during our monsoons and water loggings. However, only the base Smart 30kWh variant of the 2026 Punch is priced under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom).  

4. Tata Punch - 193mm

The popular Tata Punch SUV received its mid lifecycle update in January 2026. The latest update saw the introduction of new powertrain options such as a new turbo petrol-manual and CNG-automatic variants. Offering a ground clearance of 193mm, all variants except the top CNG-AMT trim of the Punch are priced under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom), making it an ideal choice for those who want a compact car with a high ground clearance and SUV-like design.

5. Hyundai Venue - 190mm

Now in its second generation, the 2026 Venue’s ground clearance has dropped by 10mm to 190mm. The 2025 Venue is available with multiple powertrain options. However, only select normal petrol-manual, turbo petrol-manual and diesel-manual are priced under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom).

6. Maruti Suzuki Fronx - 190mm

The Maruti Nexa Fronx offers a ground clearance of 190mm. It is available with 3 engine options, including a 1.2L normal petrol, 1L turbo petrol and a 1.2L CNG option. While all variants equipped with the 1.2-litre normal petrol and 1.2-litre CNG fall under Rs. 10 lakh, only 1 turbo petrol-manual makes it to this list.

7. Toyota Taisor - 190mm

The Taisor is Toyota’s version of the Maruti Suzuki Fronx above. It offers 190mm of ground clearance. Toyota offer the Taisor with the same engine options as the Fronx above. However, only 3 normal petrol-manual, 2 normal petrol-automatic, and 1 CNG-manual variant fall under the Rs. 10 lakh price cut-off for this list:

Group 3: 181 - 189mm Ground Clearance

In the 3rd group, we have only 2 SUVs that offer a ground clearance of 190-200mm.

1. Skoda Kylaq - 189mm

The Kylaq, which received an update at the beginning of 2026, is Skoda’s first foray into the ultra competitive sub-4 metre SUV segment. The 2026 Kylaq SUV offers a ground clearance of 189mm. Powered by a 1L turbo petrol engine, the Kylaq produces 116PS of power and 18Nm of torque and it is available with 2 transmission options – a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed torque converter automatic. However, only 3 petrol-manual variants – Classic, Classic Plus and Signature – and a single turbo petrol automatic variant – Classic Plus – fall under the Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom) price bracket. 

2. Kia Syros - 189mm

The 2026 Syros SUV from Kia is offered as a more luxurious alternative to the Kia Sonet. The 2026 Syros offers a ground clearance of 189mm. However, only 3 turbo petrol-manual and the base diesel-manual variants of the Syros are priced under Rs. 10 lakh.

3. MG Windsor EV - 186mm

Launched in September 2024, the Windsor EV rivals other electric SUVs such as the Tata Nexon EV and Mahindra XUV400. The MG Windsor EV is offered with a 38kWh battery pack that gives it a range of 331km per charge. The Windsor EV offers a ground clearance of 186mm, which is quite impressive for an electric vehicle considering all the batteries are placed down low, under the floor. However, only the base Excite variant of the Windsor EV qualifies for this list with one caveat – it costs Rs. 9.99 lakh (ex-showroom) only if its optioned with the Battery as a Service (BaaS) package.

4. Hyundai Exter - 185mm

The Hyundai Exter B1-segment SUV offers a ground clearance of 185mm. All variants of the 2026 Exter cost under Rs. 10.0 lakh (ex-showroom). The Hyundai Exter is worth considering if you value safety along with a healthy ground clearance. It also offers a generous boot space of 391 litres, which is higher than the Tata Punch.

5. Renault Kwid - 184mm

The Renualt Kwid is one of the most affordable options on this entire list with a ground clearance of 184mm. The Kwid has 3 powertrain options — a 0.8L normal petrol-manual, 1.0L normal petrol-manual and 1.0L normal petrol-automatic (AMT). It’s not just the ground clearance of this car that impressed us. It’s one of the few cars that deserves a spot in the higher segment but its price and performance options compel us to keep it in the A-segment. The Kwid has a large boot, big 14-inch tyres and a tremendous road presence for the price.

6. Mahindra Bolero Neo - 184mm

The Bolero Neo from Mahindra also has a 184mm ground clearance. It too has a much stronger road presence than its B2 SUV rivals because of its body-on-frame construction. Unfortunately, only 3 of its most affordable diesel-manual variants cost less than Rs. 10 lakh. Moreover, despite a fairly punchy diesel engine, the heavy kerb weight takes a toll on its efficiency and performance.

7. Renault Triber - 182mm

The Renault Triber is the most affordable 7-seater car on this list. Surprisingly, it’s also fairly affordable and with the removable 3-row seats, it offers enough boot space to move your house. The only notable problem with the Triber is its 1.0L normal petrol engine, which doesn’t have the performance to continuously haul 7 adults at expressway speeds without stressing the engine. We wish it had the option of 1.0L turbo petrol engine and CVT automatic transmission.

8. Nissan Gravite - 182mm

The Nissan Gravite, which launched earlier in 2026, is a badge-engineered version of the Renault Triber above. All variants of the new Gravite are priced under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom) and they all offer a ground clearance of 182mm.

9. Tata Tiago NRG - 181mm

The Tata Tiago NRG is an ideal choice for buyers interested in a safe car with a low budget and a high ground clearance. At this price range, nothing else beats the Tiago NRG’s 12.52/17 score in GNCAP adult safety. Its 181mm ground clearance is better than that of even the Mahindra XUV300.

Group 4: 180mm Ground Clearance

The Group 4 has 5 cars with exactly 180mm ground clearance. This is the last group as this is the minimum a car should offer to warrant an interest among buyers looking for a high-ground-clearance car.

1. Citroen Basalt - 180mm

The Citroen Basalt is the second coupe SUV on this list to offer a high ground clearance. Launched in August 2024 with 2 engine options, the base You and Plus variants qualify for this list with ex-showroom prices of Rs. 8.55 lakh and Rs. 9.99 lakh, respectively. These variants are powered by a 1.2L normal petrol engine that produces 82PS of power and 115Nm of torque. Both variants are only available with a 5-speed manual transmission.

2. Maruti Suzuki Ertiga - 180mm

The Maruti Ertiga has a 180mm ground clearance and it’s the third car on this list that offers 3-row seating. However, being a larger, more powerful car with a bigger engine, you have the option of only 2 petrol-manual variants under Rs. 10.0 lakh.

3. Toyota Rumion - 180mm

The Rumion is a badge-engineered version of the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga. Hence, it offers the same ground clearance and choice of powertrains as the Ertiga above. Only the base normal petrol-manual variant of the Rumion is priced under Rs. 10 lakh (ex-showroom).

4. Citroen C3 - 180mm

The Citroen C3 is another option if you think the XUV300 is a bit too expensive while the Punch is too small for your taste. The issue with the C3 is that it doesn’t get an automatic transmission with either of the 2 petrol engines.

5. Maruti Suzuki S-Presso - 180mm

The S-Presso is the most affordable option on this list of cars with high ground clearance. Its styling may not appeal to everyone but its efficiency figures certainly will. Around 25kmpl mileage is something you just can’t ignore.

Also Read: Affordable Cars & SUVs With Sunroof Under Rs. 10 Lakh (2026)

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