Check out the new Tata SUV

MANILA: There is no denying to the fact that the SUV and crossover segment is the most sought after genre of the automobile industry in today’s days. Every other manufacturer is coming out with its offering in the same segment in the quest of having a piece of the cake.

However, not everyone is treated with the cake though. While some manufacturers have been ruling the SUV segment, few have failed miserably too. In time around, it is Tata, the Indian auto giant who has presented the automobile world with its latest SUV Harrier.

The wait for the Tata Harrier has been quite long. Just like any other automaker in the world, Tata spent a lot of time, first in building a world-class compact crossover, and then in teasing the world before officially launching the vehicle. The later wasn’t really needed, was it? We would have appreciated the Harrier the same if it was released before any of the teasings.

Underpinned by a platform which has been derived from the D8 by Land Rover, the Harrier stands 4598 mm long, 1894 mm wide, and 1706 mm tall. While the wheelbase measures 2741 mm, the SUV has got a ground clearance of 205 mm. Talking about the looks, the Tata Harrier has got a lot of them. In fact,

Tata calls the Harrier’s look 'Stunning Impact 2.0'. Up front, we see a blacked-out grille flanked by a pair of slim LED DRLs. Sitting under those slim DRLs are the larger headlights. Well, isn’t that similar to Hyundai Kona? Nevermind, all the manufacturers seem to be following the league.

The setup looks good, though. The SUV rides of five-spoke 17-inch alloys. Both the front and the rear bumpers feature a unique design. The rear of the Harrier is very well complemented the wrap-around LED taillights.

Move inside the Tata Harrier, the scenery is calm, yet exciting. Elements like metal & wood trims, gloss plastic, and leather upholstery with contrasting stitches provide the Harrier with an appealing interior. Features like multi-function steering wheel, leather-wrapped seats, multi-info display, automatic climate control, cruise control,

navigation, and push-button start also make their way to the high-end variants of the Harrier. The centre console houses an 8.8-inch floating touchscreen display infotainment system which comes with video & image playback, voice recognition, alerts, remote function, and Android Auto & Apple CarPlay connectivity. A JBL 320W, 9-speaker setup leaves no stone unturned in providing the occupants with a thrilling ride.

Let’s talk about what is under all that glorified beauty. The Tata Harries houses a 2.0-litre 'Kryotec' turbo-diesel motor which is capable of producing 140 PS of maximum power at 3750 rpm and a peak torque of 350 Nm at 1750 – 2500 rpm.

The availability of the peak torque at such low rpm levels is all due to a variable geometry turbo (e-VGT) which is electronically-controlled. This turbo-diesel engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and also features three Engine Drive Modes (Eco, City, Sport) along with ESP Terrain Response Modes (Normal, Rough, Wet).

To no surprise, Tata has not compromised on the safety front a bit. The safety features list on the Harrier includes six-airbags, ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, electronic stability, traction control, hill-descent control, torque vectoring, hill-start assist, speed-sensing door locks, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and roll-over mitigation.

The Tata Harrier seems to be one promising compact crossover and we expect this SUV to give other cars in the segment a run for their money. What are your thoughts on the all-new Tata Harrier?

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