[TORQUE_AANJANEY]

Tata Hexa Owner here -
I love the exteriors of the Harrier barring the headlight position. It's a cred catching up with car manufacturers but it's just a wild west imitation ignoring the state of Indian road conditions. Those headlamp housing are certainly going to be a risk.

Now coming back to what I'm not so certain about is the commanding view for drivers with shorter height. The view from Hexa cockpit is phenomenal whereas the low slung shape of Harrier makes the instrument binnacle way too high in my opinion regardless of the height travel of the driver seat. Also the fact it's far more noisier cabin vs Hexa (earlier flagship of TML) begs the question, why? Trust me moving from the XUV to Hexa made me really appreciate the NVH improvements. Anyone who has experienced quieter cabins will certainly put that as significant factor in going for a purchase decision.

Lastly I hear the Hexa being just a glorified MUV. Question is why ?

Is it a slightly dropping hood (though the place where Hexa clamshell bonnet ends is at the same level as that of the XUV) ?

Is it the long wheelbase ? Alturas (rebadged Rexton has 2850 mm of wheelbase vs 2800 on Hexa) Why not call that a MUV ?

Is it long overhangs ? Hexa by no means has ungainly long overhangs like Innova. It has a decent approach and departure angles. Better than again the Alturas. So what's the fuss around ?

The reason I ask these questions is because there is too much Tata bashing. Honestly Tata cars have really started setting benchmarks in dynamics and safety. However on close introspection I still feel the only car where Tata really outdid themselves in recent times is the Hexa. Yes it's based on a car that was a massive commercial failure but what they did with the facelift is amazing. The dashboard design (barring that puny touchscreen used from Bolt / Zest just to get to the market faster), the layout, the choice of materials, the way they have been screwed, the overall seat comfort, that amazing frequency valve dampers responsible for second to none ride quality, the better than segment and 1-2 above, handling (considering it's a ladder frame hence not compared with monocoques) and that surreal sound system makes me still think the Hexa in it's AT avatar (manual I wouldn't say because of cumbersome gearbox where Harrier certainly has an edge) is still a more value for money and premium product than the Harrier, save for the contemporary design. I thinking Harrier will definitely handle better than Hexa owing to it's monocoque chassis and lighter frame, but I don't think it will ride better than that.

Unless you need that 8.8 inch touchscreen and are not interested in the Butch and Boxy frame of Hexa, the Harrier will be a tough sell to anyone who goes into technical details. On the other side personally I would want the Harrier to sell well so that Tata has the motivation to bring better products.

[shashankjain16]

I had booked Harrier on the first day itself. But after the specs were revealed and reading the overly critical views in this thread I almost cancelled my bookings. However, after watching all the reviews I have reconsidered my priorities and have decided not to cancel and at least wait for a test drive.

When you buy a car, you buy it to travel and to own it. Two most important things about a good car are:

(1) It must be excellent to drive and comfortable for your fellow passengers

(2) It must give you a sense of ownership.


Features like sunroof, electrically adjustable driver's seat, auto dimming mirrors, bigger alloy wheels, etc. matter less in long run. One year later, these things are not going to put a smile on your face. People tuning heads to your car, you going on long drives with comfort of a recliner, your friends entering your car and simply be amazed by comfort, music, etc. and praising your car - these things will. Add to that - safety - and even more important thing. When your car meets an accident, it will not matter if it had a sunroof or not. What will matter is if you were alive after the accident or not?

I like traveling and go on long drives. I mostly need a car for that. Plus, some mild off-roading - for example, tackling Himalayan Roads. My city driving is very limited. And for that, I think Harrier is a perfect car. I am confident that even 2-3 years later, when I am driving the car, I will be happy. I will be confident on road. And I will have my 20L worth spent.

In my opinion, only real shortcoming for Harrier is lack for AT (not for me still) which at lot of people do need for city. Otherwise, it is a perfect package and I will have my money worth even if its priced 21L OTR.

[SR-71]

Looks like everyone has a opinion even before the car is officially launched. So let me add my 2 cents too :-)
- This has a good potential to eat into Creta manual & XUV manual share given its close pricing and huge road presence
- Folks looking for a AWD / 4x4 this side of 22L will still beline to XUV (If Auto is not a concern Hexa might be a choice)
- Folks looking for a big SUV with the additional 2 seats / Auto tranny this side of 22L still have XUV as the only choice
- Folks who dont care about space but about over all fit and finish might opt for the Compass.

In all IMHO, Harrier will unsettle the 18 - 22L bracket but none might emerge as the ubiquitous winner. Tata has a fantastic opportunity. Introduce it with an auto box / Higher state of tune / AWD in that order and Harrier might emerge as the winner in this price bracket

[AirbusCapt]

Originally Posted by SR-71

Looks like everyone has a opinion even before the car is officially launched. So let me add my 2 cents too :-)
- This has a good potential to eat into Creta manual & XUV manual share given its close pricing and huge road presence
- Folks looking for a AWD / 4x4 this side of 22L will still beline to XUV (If Auto is not a concern Hexa might be a choice)
- Folks looking for a big SUV with the additional 2 seats / Auto tranny this side of 22L still have XUV as the only choice
- Folks who dont care about space but about over all fit and finish might opt for the Compass.

In all IMHO, Harrier will unsettle the 18 - 22L bracket but none might emerge as the ubiquitous winner. Tata has a fantastic opportunity. Introduce it with an auto box / Higher state of tune / AWD in that order and Harrier might emerge as the winner in this price bracket

Agree on all, except the statement on Hexa
If auto is a concern, then it is Hexa over anything else, for manual there is choice between the others mentioned, purely because the Hexa manual gearbox is underwhelming.

[ihrishi]

The only grouse I have against the auto hexa, and what is holding me back, is the lack of electronic safety aids which are missing. I thought they would be introduced down the line, but I am still waiting!

[vibbs]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

But the power to weight ratio is still more for Creta.

Creta - 126hp / 1376kg = 90 bhp/ton.
Harrier - 140hp / 1675kg = 83.58 bhp / ton.



This is wrong buddy. Creta gets the 6 speed TC only, not a CVT.

Don't forget the Torque.

Harrier has a higher torque to weight ratio. And the max torque available from a lower rpm brand. For Creta to extract that additional power, it needs to be revved at a much higher rpm. Not the ideal way to drive a diesel.

Real world performance and driveability would be much different from what is being successful by the Power figures.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by mroutlander

On the AWD/4WD front, here is an article from Rushlane that says - "Harrier 2WD is good enough, 4WD might not get launched"

Rushlane has said some really stupid things in the past (such as 'breaking news' on the Harrier AT offering 'creep' function, Harrier taking sharp turns at 120 KMPH etc) and I wouldn't take their report very seriously.

While the system on the Harrier is undoubtedly better than the regular 2WD, it cannot match the 4WD.

In all probability, it must be a system in which when one of the front wheel starts spinning (due to lack of traction), it applies brake to that wheel so that the power is routed to the other wheel. Throttle response is also blunted so that the wheels don't spin more and loose further traction.

But imagine, if both the front wheels are on a surface which offers no traction. In that case it helps if the other 2 wheels are also driven.

[urajkumar]

This car is certainly bringing a new level of polarised opinions in team bhp, more then I can ever remember for any other car in the past 😃
well I am in market for a new suv around 20 lakhs range and have been following this thread closely now. This is my personal view
- Automatic is a must in todays clogged world (creta and compass had options at launch, why not Tata)
- the stance is awesome but front look is overdone to me. Imagine the same with proper headlamp plus drl. A big miss
- why go for jeep engine and Hyundai gearbox when you already have a 150 ps engine with 400 NM torque mated to automatic gearbox which is working well in Hexa. Dont see any perceived impact of Fiat Engine in any test drives.
- bit too large for a city car and so compass which was never in my list is now top of the list. Tuscon is way above budget

however for 70% market which buys manual and love the way it looks (which is a personal choice), I guess Tata has given a winner at a competitive price point, features, Rich interiors and am sure will get 4 star safety rating minimum for sure. Something tells me this car will sell well though might not set sales chart on fire.

All said and done, happy that the customer had a huge variety of choices now. If only govt didnt tax such exorbitant taxes.

[rovingeye]

If you have a half hour to kill and if you've not already made up your mind about the Harrier from the onslaught of reviews, please give this one a go. It's a good one if you're watching the test match on the side and need something else to watch on the phone.

It's chatty and long and tries to answer the question - who is the Harrier really for, and made a lot of sense.

https://youtu.be/HSWP9_Pu9-8

[amrutmhatre90]

Originally Posted by rovingeye

It's chatty and long and tries to answer the question - who is the Harrier really for, and made a lot of sense.

These guys are stuck with the price which was leaked online, from the sources that price was to test grounds on how many people will want to plonk their money on the Harrier. And how many backout after the car was revealed completely. Even Tata themselves have not decided the price, few things they are waiting for Mahindra's Tivoli unveil, iron out or make changes to things they got feedback on during the media drive.

From what I hear it is going to be cheaper than the prices announced.

[AtheK]

All said and done I think the dilemna is for buyers who specifically wanted AT, they need to take a call. When it comes to manual variant, this car has pretty much everything covered, and should be a top contender. For people looking for AWD, Tata guess made it clear, please shop elsewhere, which is fair, as not all products are catered to all customers.

Now there is another set of customer, who are not looking to upgrade immediately or in the market for a car right now, but probably would be half interested, this is the group that will wait for AT and let tata fix any initial niggles. This set of customer after a year will probably get the best product, with all niggles sorted and much desired AT and maybe a version with sunroof too. I am happy I sit in this quadrant right now. Tata will benefit from this set a year or 10 months down the lane and see a spike in sales again for few months.

[rovingeye]

Originally Posted by amrutmhatre90

These guys are stuck with the price which was leaked online, from the sources that price was to test grounds on how many people will want to plonk their money on the Harrier. And how many backout after the car was revealed completely. Even Tata themselves have not decided the price

While price was discussed amongst the 4 dudes in the review, the main message that they bandy about is that the end product somehow did not match up to Tata's marketing messages that claimed that the Harrier is this car that will beat every other car in its segment to dust. And I think that's true about most reviews we've seen. Everybody says it's good, some critique the USB port placement, the blind spot from the A pillar, the huge ORVM. But, in the end, none of them have put their foot down and said this is the car you should buy if you've got the budget.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by AtheK

This set of customer after a year will probably get the best product, with all niggles sorted and much desired AT and maybe a version with sunroof too. I am happy I sit in this quadrant right now.

Me too. From almost buying the Compass when it launched to being a complete fence sitter these days - I've slowly lost interest in an upgrade, but keep track just in case my oldie gives up on me.

I'll wait and watch for the AT version, and it might probably also get a panoramic sunroof one year down the line. Plus the market will change drastically next year with Kia and MG both targeting this exact segment - so all the more options to choose from.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Plus the market will change drastically next year with Kia and MG both targeting this exact segment - so all the more options to choose from.

Kia, yes. Brilliant vehicles with sharp styling.

MG, no matter how much they try to play up their legacy, is a Chinese vehicle. One that I have seen people buy here in DXB and discard within 6 months. MG is not competition and I hope people in India see it for what it is, and don’t get blown away by the manufactured legacy. It’s a pile of rubbish, no matter what spin they put on it.

Unless of course they come with electric drivetrains, which the Chinese are the kings of.

[JKBKS]

Originally Posted by amrutmhatre90

These guys are stuck with the price which was leaked online...From what I hear it is going to be cheaper than the prices announced.

That's what it's going to boil down to now. Everything else is marketing !!!

A rational price, i think, should be bench marked against a manual XUV, considering that both have nearly the similar features, size, brand recall/value, market perceptions etc.

XUV has the edge in it being proven and a 7 seater car. So accordingly Harrier has to be priced below XUV (variant for variant) if they want people to give it a try, i believe.