It was back in February this year when Ford India launched the BS6-compliant Endeavour. Now, the brawny SUV has received a price hike. The entry-level variant costs Rs 44,000 more than before. The remaining two derivatives get an upward revision by Rs 1.2 lakh. Here’s how the new price list looks like:

• Titanium 4×2 AT – Rs 29.99 lakh
• Titanium+ 4×2 AT – Rs 32.75 lakh
• Titanium+ 4×4 AT – Rs 34.45 lakh

So, why a price hike? In all likelihood, Ford took this step to counterbalance the input costs. As far as the package goes, the Endeavour remains the same as before. In other words, there are no mechanical changes and no change in the list of features.

To meet the stricter emission norms, Ford has to ditch all the old powertrain options and rely on a brand-new one. All three variants mentioned above come with the same engine-transmission. Under the hood is a 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that pumps out 168bhp/420Nm. The engine comes from Ford’s EcoBlue range. It comes mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. No other passenger vehicle currently on sale in India offers such an elaborate gearbox. With the 4×2 setup, Ford claims a mileage of 13.9kmpl. If you opt for the 4×4 variant, the mileage figure drops to 12.4kmpl.

In India, the Ford Endeavour competes directly with two SUVs – the Isuzu MU-X and the Toyota Fortuner. Both of them offer a rugged combination of power, dependability and serious off-roading potency. Apart from them, models like the Honda CR-V and the Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace fall in the same sort of price bracket. Skoda will join the party with the BS6-compliant Kodiaq sometime early next year. Also, Citroen’s gunning to start its Indian innings with the C5 Aircross. The expected starting price is around Rs 30 lakh.