[curiousnewbie]

Originally Posted by dsingh70

I find myself in the same quandary of choosing between harrier and safari. Safari looks to be bigger than harrier but actually its just 2.5 inches longer than harrier . I would choose safari over harrier probably only because of EPB, rear disc, TPMS , practical use of boot space when needed , reclining 2nd row seats etc. All these with approx 1.5-2 lacs difference on road prices between the two.

Additional features mentioned by you along with 18” alloys and an additional row make Safari more VFM and even though you might not use the 3rd row, it’s always good to have that option if the premium is low.
I think Kushaq is smaller than Creta by a similar margin but from outside it looks much smaller. Extra overhang of safari makes it look oversized (especially from rear) and takes away the macho appeal of Harrier. Though the colour combination of adventure persona edition is just amazing. But then looks are subjective

[cpabhijit]

Wait for the Kushaq 1.5TSI and test drive it. It sure won't offer the space that Harrier offers but the 1.5 TSI is a lovely engine and I'd vote for Skoda's fit and finish way over Tata's.

And reliability does not mean only the engine or the gearbox. My brother has a Nexon and after 4 odd years, it's a proper lorry. Most of the innards are broken and repeated visits to the service center seem to yield no results. He says they break a few more and send it back. The AC works only for a few days after a visit to the service center. While it's space in the segment is awesome and it's ground clearance is commendable, the car is a festoon of issues which Tata's service network is not keen on solving or are incompetent to do so.

Skoda's service experience is improving and is certainly not the horror that Tata's seems to be.

[adamkathy23]

There is a saying, the more you think, the more negative you think. You are confused all right! And you should be, as Tata is still amateur in Car business. I had personally pledged never to own a Tata product before i bought a Harrier. So if you have still not bought it, I would say do not buy it. Wait for the new XUV/Scorpio. And if all else fail, buy the Innova and live happily.
I would be very happy to help if you ever need. Good Luck.

[moh1t]

My new harrier is making a weird noise when I break when it comes to complete halt. it's a mild screechy sound like when the break pads have run out.

It's only been a week, should I take it to the service center or wait for the first service period to come up. I want it to be fixed free of cost since it was there from the start

[greyhound82]

Originally Posted by moh1t

My new harrier is making a weird noise when I break when it comes to complete halt. it's a mild screechy sound like when the break pads have run out.

It's only been a week, should I take it to the service center or wait for the first service period to come up. I want it to be fixed free of cost since it was there from the start

Me too facing the same sound, not always but after the brakes are cold . It is a common issue it seems
A discussion on this is here
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...review-67.html (2020 Tata Harrier Automatic : Official Review)

[dh.harshal]

Need honest owner's opinions !

I test drove Harrier AT, Seltos AT and T-Roc today.

I was expecting that Harrier will wow me, it was always my favourite on paper. However, apart from the External looks, descent tuning of engine/gearbox and Solid High strength steel body, I found everything else to be sub par quality.

Negatives
- All the interior plastics were comparable to my dad's 10 year old Liva.
- Fabric at the back of the seats was pathetic and sewn poorly.
- Boot lid looked misaligned.
- Roofliner was really thin.
- Enough bad has already been said about the ICE.
- Leather touch points felt inferior to the Seltos lether touch points, including leather steering.
- My wife exclaimed yikes when I put it in reverse, this is how bad & blurry was reverse camera.
- Overall fit & finish was closer to Indica than Discovery. Inconsistent panel gaps everywhere.

Positives
- Body frame felt really solid.
- Drive was fairly good.
- Suspension was spot on.
- Looks are something else all together.

What put me off was the treatment from the Sales guy. However hard he tried to be knowledgeable & polite, he came across under prepared. When I pointed out some flaws to him, he said the demo car was more than 2 years old This is where I lost him because there was no Harrier AT in 2019.

Overall, when I thought Harrier would be my most likely choice, I concluded that Tata is still not good at making premium cars in India.

Now my questions to the Harrier owners -
1) Honestly is the fit & finish as bad as I felt?
2) How's after sales service of Tata?
3) Are there minor niggles every now & then?

Please enlighten.

[greyhound82]

Originally Posted by dh.harshal

Need honest owner's opinions !
Now my questions to the Harrier owners -
1) Honestly is the fit & finish as bad as I felt?
2) How's after sales service of Tata?
3) Are there minor niggles every now & then?

Please enlighten.

Honestly, I will say that you should not buy Harrier. You find more negatives than positives and you have to spend a lot of time time inside the cabin. If some niggle pops up at later stage you will repent the decision.

Before answering your question I will explain why I bought Harrier
1. For touring India. I require a rugged SUV within 25 lakhs which I can drive tirelessly for 15-16 hrs
2. As we are touring we require pan India service network
3. Spare parts availability. As it’s a electro-mechanical device it’s bound to fail
4. Needs a torquey engine and a good reliable automatic
5. Active safety system. Safety rating is not known as it is not crash tested

For a person looking for a more smooth experience, a family car with both city and highway drives there are amazing petrols available in seltos / creta gt, VW-Troc, Skoda Kushaq and VW Taiguan along with smooth diesels in Creta/Seltos twins, Tucson and Innova

Coming to your questions :
1. Am fine with interior as the dash is soft touch and material on door pads are also good. Plastics near leg region are the one that is bad. Seats are not fabric it’s a Benecke-Kaliko perforated leather seat upholstery
2. Depends on your area. In Bhopal and Trivandrum I got good service, but may be not in the league of Maruti or Hyundai
3. I didn’t face any niggles after an initial hiccup due to faulty ac pipe. But a lot of people are facing niggles. Again you should open to the idea of niggles popping up

[dh.harshal]

Originally Posted by greyhound82

For a person looking for a more smooth experience, a family car with both city and highway drives there are amazing petrols available in seltos / creta gt, VW-Troc, Skoda Kushaq and VW Taiguan along with smooth diesels in Creta/Seltos twins, Tucson and Innova

Thank you! Precisely my thoughts.

My usage is mostly city and twice a month tours to my town, 400km each.
Harrier seems to be a good fit for the long tourer profile and not for the occasional tourer.

I loved the Seltos drive & overall quality of materials. But the safety rating is proving to be the hurdle to make that final leap.

I may end up getting another sedan or spending more to get Jeep Compass.

[greyhound82]

Originally Posted by dh.harshal

Thank you! Precisely my thoughts.
I may end up getting another sedan or spending more to get Jeep Compass.

If you are spending more try both Skoda Karoq and Hyundai Tucson. Will rate it both better than Jeep Compass . FCA after sales is still a risk.

[dh.harshal]

Originally Posted by greyhound82

If you are spending more try both Skoda Karoq and Hyundai Tucson. Will rate it both better than Jeep Compass . FCA after sales is still a risk.

Thanks!
But Karoq imports have been stopped, otherwise it's a very good option. And Tucson is expected to get a new version next year, so it's better to wait than buy now in it's case. I wish, T Roc had continued the last year version.
I also checked on new Taigun launch, but Volkswagen sales manager said that Tiguan will be launched first in July and after that Taigun will come only in October/November.

[Endofdayz]

Originally Posted by dh.harshal

Thanks!
But Karoq imports have been stopped, otherwise it's a very good option. And Tucson is expected to get a new version next year, so it's better to wait than buy now in it's case. I wish, T Roc had continued the last year version.
I also checked on new Taigun launch, but Volkswagen sales manager said that Tiguan will be launched first in July and after that Taigun will come only in October/November.

Let me put in my perspective. I have XZA+ dark Automatic. driven 1000kms till now. Absolutely no niggles faced till now.

After reading negative review for months, i was bit skeptical about car performance. Was so much into niggles that i panicked once a symbol blinked in my dashboard while driving. finally after checking it closely got to know it was speed limit icon which lits up after 80km/hr.

Reading so many negative experiences do put you down. However i did not find any alternatives to Harrier nor i faced any problem till now. Built quality is good. And people comparing creta and seltos with harrier actually should understand that harrier is size bigger than two.

To be very frank, there are so many horror stories when it comes to Skoda and VW. However people dont hesitate faith in their product. Not sure why harrier is given such a treatment. May be service center.

[Rollingwheels26]

Originally Posted by greyhound82

No, not a single niggle.
The condensation was due to a crack in the AC pipe which they changed . Luckily after that not even a single stray warning on the dashboard or any

Sorry not able to find it but there was a issue mentioned right here on TBHP about someone owning an AT Harrier who faced issues with car not moving. Not sure if it got resolved or not.

Originally Posted by NotanF1driver

Sure,.... Hyundai Elantra and Compass petrol AT). Both these are safe bets, though I would need to jack up my budgets.

Luckily I am a purist who loves his gears so no such quandry for me

Originally Posted by nkaru

Hi Rollingwheels26,

I was in a similar situation as yours last year, upgrading from an i10 automatic petrol. I will try to address the issues you brought up.
Bought the 2020 December Harrier-....
SaiTeja V
Naveen K

Naveen I really appreciate the detailed feedback you have given. And the fact that you typed it all out shows just how much you love your Harrier and I resonate with that Its feedbacks like these which is why I cannot let go of Harrier *wistful*

Originally Posted by Big Smoke

Hyundai Tucson is the way to go buddy.
I'll not recommended the Kushaq because if the Jeep's service center itself is bothering you, it's a no brainer to stay away from Skoda..

Big smoke thats a valid point about Skoda service centre's being less but at the end of the day 99% of their issues are with DSG gearboxs so a manual Kushaq should, hopefully, involve lesser visits to the torture chamber (aka Skoda A.S.S) since overall their build is top notch.

Alturas G4 , IMHO, is too big and too boring so it never came in my consideration. I was thinking about extending the budget to include the Tucson but the missus feels spending 30 Lakhs on a car will draw unnecessary attention on a 30 year old couple from their extended familes and I feel she has a point For now I have parked the Tucson option..perhaps after 5-6 years as the next upgrade !

Originally Posted by rpm

Please allow me to be the spoilsport who (hopefully) puts an end to your quandary. .

RPM these posts are certainly concerning. And I have a feeling that in a head on collision certainly there would be foot injuries hence Tata is reluctant to send harrier for testing. But if you see pics of tata harrier accidents, especially the famous one where a Seltos t-boned a harrier you will see how solid the body shell is. So overall I am sure that the HArrier IS one of the safest options (not discounting the footwell issue). But you have played a spoilsport to a certain extent my friend !

[Rollingwheels26]

Originally Posted by ankurkundan

Hey RollingWheels26,

As someone else also said, you need to seriously consider Hyundai Tuscon diesel AT. And if price is a concern, then go for Hyundai Elantra diesel AT.

Tucson I could have bought and it was considered too but it has been eliminated for a silly reason as mention above Previous generation elantra, best looking hyundai IMHO, was my fav sedan but unfortunately Bangalore roads and frequent trips dictate that we get a car with decent (if not great) GC. Me from 5 years ago would have bought the elantra eyes closed based on its GORGEOUS looks alone !

Originally Posted by krishnakarthik1

Go buy the automatic Dark Edition Harrier man, you will be fine

Finding a good service is easier said than done buddy !

Originally Posted by Raghuwire

Hi Rolling wheels, I had initially booked a Nexon then changed to Altroz I turbo when it launched and cancelled the allotted car and got

"...nothing in the price range that comes close to it" Amen to that my friend !

Originally Posted by TrackDay

Although I am not in the market for an SUV, the Harrier/Safari always had my atte

Fortuner is simply too unweildy and too crude for me although I love how butch it is and the awe it evokes in people. Perhaps when I undergo middle age crisis it will be my first purchase :P

Originally Posted by TROOPER

From one fanboy to another, just go buy the Harrier.
.

Hexa would have been a good choice since it was more sorted than the HArrier. Sadly it went off sale before I could buy it :(

Originally Posted by IP_Man

Kia and MG are good cars

Sadly it is Tata's Quality control alone that has led to this quandry or else I would have gone for them in a heartbeat !

Originally Posted by charanreddy

Let me offer an ‘out of the box’ suggestion:

Honestly speaking the Innova feels more like a ...cab. And whats the point of having a car if it doesnt tug at the heartstrings ! I mean if I had to be practical I would stick with the Grandi10 for few more years as someone suggested on here

Originally Posted by Sentinel17

https://www.cartoq.com/one-family-4-tata-harriers/amp/

Oh boy,if only you had half the luck this man has.

Not willing to bet on luck in matters of car my friend

Originally Posted by abhishek46

The majority of the issues found in the Harrier are in the Infotainment, Creature comforts areas.

Given your high focus on safety, as a whole, you should go ahead for the Harrier.

The thing is I was planning for XZ variant since it would skip out on the sunroof which , in my mind, one less problem. But considering the plethora of problems EVEN WITHOUT it, means that while HArrier is safe it wont be of much joy if I keep having some issue or the other ! And whats the point of spending 17 lakhs for a base variant of a new car and skimping on creature comforts when a new purchase should pamper you !

Originally Posted by 07CR

I would avoid the Harrier, because just like you I hate niggles. Some of them in Harrier have been pretty serious too. And having first hand experience of dealing with Tata ASS, I never recommend Tata vehicles.

.

MG HEctor was eliminated from the start since it looks too boring and I couldnt even bring myself to test drive it.

Originally Posted by blackbeast

Rollingwheels, 2 cents from my side.

Harrier is most practical of the lot out there, it beats the competition on space comfort & performance. If harrier were as reliable as korean twins, it would be priced at 30L+ alongside compass. Hence, you get a bargain upfront for the all the misery (surely)you will face on your visits to TASS. Point is that it is an extremely VFM car and the rest are overpriced.
.

Compass does seem to be one of the only options left honestly. And yes a manual. As a purist I cant see myself living with a slushbox, despite having an AT hatchback in the household.

Originally Posted by abhatt

Huge Harrier fan here. Chased it for more than 18 months waiting for things to get better. Almost gave SA the token money.

One day decided to give the New JC a look atleast. Next day took my father to finalize and everything changed. Ended up spending 3l more and letting automatic go. Jeep Compass Blue Limited Manual it was.
.

Jeep is certainly on my radar as well. In fact Ihad the same experience. I TD after HArrier and it was the only car that came close to matching it in terms of experience. Ofcourse in my case to get equivalent features I would have to stretch by budget by 7 Large ones ! But it definitely worth it for the premium experience like you rightly said !

Originally Posted by CarML

I think you have the following options:
1. Buy the Harrier with a mindset that it will have niggles, but you don't mind getting them fixed and enjoy the experience that it has to offer. Go for AT, you will not regret it.
2. Spend a few lakhs more and consider cars like Compass or Tucson. If you plan to keep it for many years to come, you will enjoy the premium ownership experience.
3. Consider a pre-worshipped car from the next segment. Hope you have seen this advice already -
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buyin...-car-less.html (ARTICLE: The Beauty of Lateral Upgrades (Getting MORE CAR for LESS $$$))
4. Your Grand i10 is just 3 years old with 18K KM on the odo. Isn't she too young to part with? Just wait for a few weeks for your "upgrade itch" to pass . Link to wise man's words -
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/ownin...rade-swap.html (ARTICLE: YOUR 5 year old car : Keep, Upgrade or Swap?)

Best of luck with making an important life decision!

Literally all the options running in my head and you penned them down ! Selecting one out of them is the problem

Originally Posted by arjab

Let me give you some honest feedback on Tata's after sales service....
Happy driving!

Thats the problem. Being able to strike a rapport with a service person is a hit or a miss. If I dont do it right I might have to suffer every year and thats the risk that is bothering me.

Originally Posted by Anjadekar

@Rollingwheels26, have you considered the Volkswagen Tiguan? The 5-seater is about to be reintroduced any day and looks extremely promising. I’m a huge fan of the understated styling on VW cars and the Tiguan seems like a very competent, well kitted mid-size SUV. I’ve been eyeing it for over a year and hope it gets here soon enough!

Tiguan is simply too expensive. At 35L its too close to the Fortuner. OFcourse if it gets introduced at 22-24L on road it would be a good pick for me but knowing VW I doubt that will happen.

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

If you can live with the limitations of the ground clearance of the Honda City, I'd pick it over any of your other options. Honda has a track record of reliability which is as good as Toyota in India. While some of their cars might skimp on features, the build & mechanicals are robust. No Brio owner will complain about part failures (vs i10s steering columns in a few years), although he may complain about the cheap interiors.

Honda city has a reputation over 20 years and I don't think you can do anything wrong by choosing it. If you must have a big car, get a pre-owned Innova or even a Hexa. I've heard good reviews about a friend's high-mileage Hexa.

I have a 8 year old AT Brio in the family which I drive frequently and know what you mean. Honda Civic would have been my first choice simply because of my love for the 8th Gen Civic. Unfortunately even the 10th Gen Civic has been stopped and my love for the City isnt strong enough to live with its low GC. Especially with the moutain like speed bumps in bangalore.

Originally Posted by PranavJoshi

I would like you to check out the Innova Crysta Zx, if you are not hooked on SUVs. It is reliable, powerful and comfortable. There are many horror stories including one of my friends, where the Harrier started giving troubles after 8 months of ownership.

Innova is too cab like and simply doesnt attract me hence it was eliminated right at the outset. Besides considering it will be max 4 people in the car getting an MPV just doesnt make sense IMHO .

Originally Posted by Livnletcarsliv

My few cents as follows to confuse even more (or probably influence you to decide on one)


Strengths - Build, Space, Engine, Performance, Ride and Handling (for its size), Mileage, Looks, Auto Gear Box, Safety
Weakness - After-sales service, Fit and Finish, Features, No Petrol option, Small niggles, Infotainment, Refinement,
Subjective - Size, Mileage

My recommendation - based on your full story, you SHOULD go for it. However, I suggest you go for automatic since B'lore traffic is a total nightmare unless you are very specific about manual.

Mileage is a strength ? This is genuinely surprising since I had heard that it averages 10-11 in the city. Which isnt bad but nor is it good. Do elaborate on that if your experience has been different, please.

Originally Posted by Neo18

I think we are fighting a losing battle to convince you otherwise! (not buy a harrier), since you are already sold on it, not on objective terms though.

In matters of the head versus the heart, unless Vitamin M is the main issue, it pays to go with your heart. Make sure you have parked enough moolah for those known niggles and be mentally prepared for the coming agonies(hopefully small and irrelevant in the long run). Once you have prepared mentally and financially, go ahead and enjoy your new Harrier! ��

Its not Vitamin M thats the issue its the Vitamin P (patience) to deal with the niggles thats in short supply

Originally Posted by allinbalance

I have driven the Harrier, and while the seating position is good and the overall build quality is of a completely new level (considering Tata's very poor fit and finish in the past) - there are two major problems with the Harrier - a) very buggy HU/Infotainment module; b) the engine noise at higher revs - it ends up sounding like a lorry.

I have owned Skodas in the past, and my suggestion would be that you seriously check out the new Kushaq. Drive, safety, cornering, engine performance, engine tone, overall reliability, safety all are at a whole other level.

I am intending to TD the 1.5L manual next month. If it gives me even 80% of the joy that HArrier did, I guess I'll have to go with the Czech since it does outrank Tata in terms of refinement, fit &finish and reliability (no DSGs for me) !

Originally Posted by Arjun Bharadwaj

Was the King of reliability - Innova Crysta considered at all? It would not leave you too embarrassed I think, in terms of presence, space, reliability or that 2.4L monster of an engine!

If it must be a Harrier, I would bet my money on the low end version being most niggle free(befriend an expert Tata mechanic and have him with you while doing PDI)

Befriending a Tata mechanic seems to be quite a common suggestion. I hope some kind BHPian would do me a favour by introducing me to their tata mechanic friend since I honestly dont know where to being

Originally Posted by jithin23

I'd say no car is ever perfect and will never be no matter how technologically advanced the car maker is or the car is. What kind of compromise you prefer to live with matters.
Ex: If you like the Harrier so much, go for it and the occasional niggles might bug you for a few days in a year, and you might enjoy driving for the remaining 350 days in the year.

Or if you are fine with the bells and whistles but willing to compromise on the core structural quality and safety of the car, that's your choice again!

Choose your compromise you're ready to live with wisely

One important tip, no matter which brand it is, maintain a good relationship with the service advisor and the service head(if possible even technicians) and that'll go a long way in maintaining your car in good shape and a peaceful ownership experience.

Originally Posted by cpabhijit

Wait for the Kushaq 1.5TSI and test drive it. It sure won't offer the space that Harrier offers but the 1.5 TSI is a lovely engine and I'd vote for Skoda's fit and finish way over Tata's.

Skoda's service experience is improving and is certainly not the horror that Tata's seems to be.

Absolutely. I have decided to wait till next month to see if 1.5L truly is as good as the reviews say. It just might trump the Harrier !

Originally Posted by adamkathy23

There is a saying, the more you think, the more negative you think. You are confused all right! And you should be, as Tata is still amateur in Car business. I had personally pledged never to own a Tata product before i bought a Harrier. So if you have still not bought it, I would say do not buy it. Wait for the new XUV/Scorpio. And if all else fail, buy the Innova and live happily.
I would be very happy to help if you ever need. Good Luck.

I havent bought anything yet. I am leaning towards Compass/Kushaq for now. Because it seems to me maintaining a Harrier involves creating friendship with service providers which honestly isnt cup of tea for social pariahs such as myself

[greyhound82]

Originally Posted by Rollingwheels26

I havent bought anything yet. I am leaning towards Compass/Kushaq for now. Because it seems to me maintaining a Harrier involves creating friendship with service providers which honestly isnt cup of tea for social pariahs such as myself

Does the service of FCA that premium ? My experiences with Punto was so bad , both in NAVI Mumbai and Pune. The number of jeeps that are selling per month is around 700 -800 and have no idea how these service centres manage with out fleecing customers

[andafunda]

Originally Posted by Rollingwheels26

Finding a good service is easier said than done buddy !

I havent bought anything yet. I am leaning towards Compass/Kushaq for now. Because it seems to me maintaining a Harrier involves creating friendship with service providers which honestly isnt cup of tea for social pariahs such as myself

As someone with multiple VAG cars in the family, I can tell you that whatever you've heard of Tata Service, multiple that by 2-3x for Skoda. 99% of their dealers are out to scam you - can't blame them. They have twice tried to scam me by charging for warranty replacements.The SC I used for my car was opposite the one for Hyundai where business was brisk, while one could get a Skoda appointment by just walking in.

For Jeep, please do see John Cadogan's YouTube video on the company and their service issues in Australia. The company had to publicly apologize and release an ad campaign to the effect!

Not saying you buy the Harrier - I myself went with the Civic as I'm a sedan lover - but do keep these points in mind while you make a decision.