The wait for the Tata Harrier fans is almost over. This beast has been in the news for a few weeks now and the prospective buyers and enthusiasts are keen to know about its features and variants. It is the first time that Tata has taken a bold step as this SUV is based on a platform derived from Land Rover which makes it a product of a global entity. The engine is sourced from Fiat and has been prepared and designed in-house.
The Tata Harrier shall be launched in January 2019 but its specifications and features have been released for its buyers and fans. The SUV is a throttle beast as it can be driven on rough terrains, rural roads and highways. It is truly a stunner but also has certain shortcomings. Here is a complete review of the Tata Harrier underlining its pros and cons.
Design-
If you have already seen the pictures, I must tell you it looks even better when you see it for real. It will make your mind go Wow! The Tata H5X concept was displayed at the Auto Expo2018 and in a period of less than a year it is production ready. The Harrier is pretty much like it was shown in its concept form.
In the position where most SUV’s have their headlamps, Harrier has razor sharp LED, DRLs that make the front look cool and edgy. The lower part of the bumper has the projector headlamp and the fog lamp giving it a dynamic appeal. The designers have really experimented with the look instead of a chrome look the Harrier has no chrome at all and rather has a glossy black grill on the front end making it look strong and unconventionally bold. The hood has strong lines and the complete front look is worth it.
On the sides, it has a 17- inch alloy that comes along with 235 section rubber. It fills up the wheel arches adequately and enhances the well-built appeal of the Harrier. All those that love fancy alloys, it is a disappointment for them as the alloys are simple and come in a diamond cut design. The portion of the window glass streamlines at the back of the C-pillar and provides the roof a floating effect. The tail lamps are also synchronized with the design to provide the SUV with an edgy look as the black panel joins both of them. It appears as if the tail light is running across the body.
All these features make Tata Harrier the best SUV in its own segment and even in a segment above it. It is a good deal for the buyers and for all those who like to keep it dusty and rough.
Interior, Cabin, Features
You may love the exterior but do not expect the same at the interior end. The SUV has an 8.8-inch touchscreen at the center of the dashboard. It supports Android Auto, Apple CarPlay. The touchscreen is a decent one and has a good touch response and user interface. As per the reviews, the screen needs an upgrade as it stops or hangs multiple times and also certain features do not work properly. But after receiving the reviews it is assured by the engineering team that the production models won’t have any such flaws.
The dashboard has an aluminium- brush and wood finish that gives the cabin a classy look. The quality and appearance of the dashboard are good but the lower end the plastic used is not of very high quality and contradicts with the rest of the parts in terms of quality and appeal.
The multi-information display is striking and delivers various information like the instant power and torque usage. Like in almost all SUV’s the Audio, phone and cruise controls are placed on the steering wheel for the convenience of the driver. There is enough storage space all over the cabin and a cooled storage box is located in the front armrest. The seats are comfortable and have an appropriate legroom and headroom making it easy for even the tall occupants to sit with ease. It comes with a 425-litre boot, which can be extended up to 810 liters of volume if the rear seat is held down.
There are a few things that must have been included to make it a complete hit. It does not have an electrically-adjustable driver seat and also does not come with a sunroof. One small issue is also the placement of the USB sockets at odd locations which will make it difficult to charge or connect the phones both at the front and the rear end. It also has a narrow footwell which will make it uncomfortable during the long jou
eys.
Engine & Gearbox
The Tata Harrier has a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine. The engine is sourced from Fiat and can be detuned to build up 140 hp and 350 Nm of torque amidst 1750 to 2500 rpm. The engine alteration levels are respectable but still have some scope for improvement as some of the diesel clatters go into the cabin while using the throttle openhandedly. It has a good and linear acceleration which makes your drive smooth and easy.
It has City, Eco and Sports modes and you can clearly identify their different effects. As it is designed on the Land Rover platform, the SUV gets a Terrain Response System with a choice between Normal, Wet and Rough mode. It is a nice but ineffective feature as the Harrier only has a front-wheel configuration. The ABS in the correct mode runs good in off-road conditions. The gear shifts are not very smooth and in the current model used for testing there is a metal clanking sound audible with every gear shift.
Safety
Harrier comes with six airbags and as an ABS with EBD. Since it is based on the Land Rover platform the build and quality provide it a safe structure. The Harrier is a safe ride on all parameters.
Price
The Tata Harrier shall come in 4 variants starting from Rs 14 lakh for the base model and Rs 19.5 lakh for the top model.
