JOIN USTata's Harrier: All you need to know
Known primarily as a maker of heavy commercial vehicles, Tata Motors has upped its game when it comes to the passenger car segment.
Their product line is definitely getting better and more refined. Their latest offering, the Harrier is fine proof that the Indian giant is capable of rolling out a world-class product. This sports utility vehicle has created a buzz in auto circles and excitement among potential buyers.
Tata Motors plans to launch the vehicle early in 2019. The starting variant price is expected to be in the Rs 13 to 14 lakh range.
The Harrier’s structure is a derivative of the Land Rover’s D8, which has sold over a million SUVs worldwide. It has been built on the Optimal Modular Efficient Global Advanced Architecture and has been built in collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover and of course adapted to suit Indian conditions.
The body is a monocoque construction with a crumple zone. The exterior sports exciting and contemporary SUV style and proportions. The huge and flared wheel arches give the vehicle a chunky look. The front also sports a dual tone bumper with a silver chin guard, Xenon HID projector headlamps, dual function LED daylight running lamps and 3D tail lamps.
Tata’s latest offering sports 235/65 17 inch five spoke alloy wheels, with tubeless radials, that seem fitting to transfer the output of the engine. The front suspension has been carried over from the D8, while the rear suspension has been designed by Lotus Engineering (UK) while keeping in mind Indian conditions.
The power plant is a 1956 cc four-cylinder turbocharged diesel one that can churn out a maximum power of 140 PS at 3750 rpm and a whopping torque of 350 Nm between 1750 and 2500 rpm. This engine has been mated with a six-speed forward manual transmission. The front brakes are discs, while the rear wheels have drum brakes.
Drive assist includes the Eco, City and Sport modes, while the stability modes are normal, wet and rough. The Harrier also has ABS with EBD.
The safety features on the Harrier include front, passenger, seat side and curtain airbags, plus the other ones like speed sensing auto door lock, alarm system, lockout prevention, child locks et al.
Bright on the oak brown finish dashboard is a multi-colour 8.8-inch touchscreen high-resolution display. Included in the mix are nine JBL speakers, including a subwoofer. The audio system has the latest connectivity features with Android Auto, with Apple Car Play to be introduced shortly.
Seats are the premium leather range from Benecke Kaliko in Oak brown, while there are satin chrome touches on the interior.
With a fully automatic AC system, the convenience features include a cooled storage box, 12V power outlet, push-button start, electrically adjustable and foldable rear view mirrors, rear AC vents, cruise control and rain sensing wipers.
With this latest announcement from Tata, the Jeep Compass, Mahindra’s XUV500 and the Hyundai Tucson might just get a little more competition in this ever-burgeoning Indian automobile market.