Complete Guide to Buying a Tata Harrier

Tata started its passenger car story in India with the Indica, India’s first indigenously developed motor car. The carmaker soon offered other models including various SUVs such as the Sumo, Safari, and Sierra. But all these names are long gone, although not forgotten. Tata’s Indian chapter took a big turn in terms of quality and engineering in the last decade, especially since it acquired the esteemed British brands Jaguar and Land Rover. Ever since that, Tata has been on a roll with great products that are engineered and built to high standards making them compete with European and Japanese brands. The Tata Harrier is one such car and it is the face of modern Tatas. 

Built on Land Rover’s platform that underpins cars such as the Discovery Sport, the Harrier has its roots in the right place. This coupled with a contemporary design language, a great engine, a good set of features, and a commanding road presence explains why the Tata Harrier is one of the most popular SUVs in India. The Harrier is priced between Rs 15.00 and  Rs 24.07 lakh in India and is available with one engine option, a 2.0-litre diesel mated to a 6-speed manual or an automatic gearbox. Although there is a fair bit of competition from rivals, the Tata Harrier is a de facto choice for many SUV buyers in India. What makes it so popular in India and why should you put your hard-earned money into one? We try to answer that question. 

Tata Harrier Specifications

Why you should consider the Tata Harrier

Yes, on paper the Tata Harrier sure looks promising as it ticks all the boxes required for a big SUV. But here are the three reasons why the Tata Harrier is the right SUV for you: 

The Diesel Engine

Under the hood of the Harrier is the 2.0-litre Kryotec diesel engine that produces 170 PS and 350 Nm of torque. For the uninitiated, this 2.0-litre engine is the acclaimed Fiat Multijet unit and it is the same engine that powers many other cars including the Jeep Compass and the MG Hector, both of which rival the Harrier. It is a gem of an engine that develops more than adequate numbers and does its job perfectly. There’s ample torque to move the Harrier making it a quick SUV coupled with the 6-speed manual or torque converter automatic gearboxes. The powertrain setup is the strongest trait of the Harrier and how smoothly the engine and gearbox work makes it a brilliant SUV. And as a pleasant surprise, Tata also claims the Harrier can deliver around 16 kmpl which is impressive for a large SUV.

Imposing Design

Tata’s modern design language has been a hit with the crowd. Gone are the soft lines and predictable design language for a sharper and more modern look with sleek elements. The Harrier is one of the first SUVs in India to offer a split headlamp design and this has been carried over by many rivals since that. The silhouette of the SUV is butch and the rear-end design lends a modern look to the SUV. Overall, we can safely say the Tata Harrier is one of the best-looking SUVs available in India. 

Size and Space

Road presence is the Harrier’s forte and the next best thing about it followed by the powertrain setup. Thanks to the Land Rover underpinnings, road presence is never an issue as the Harrier is an imposing SUV on the road. Measuring 4598 mm in length, 1894 mm in width, and 1706 mm in height, the Harrier is bigger than most of its competition and it genuinely feels like an SUV from a segment above in terms of sheer size. All of this translates to a ton of room inside the cabin, something you can never get bored of. The Harrier is extremely comfortable and spacious on the inside along with a massive boot of 425 litres. 

Why you should not consider the Tata Harrier

The Tata Harrier looks like the perfect SUV on paper but is it really? Here are two things that might suggest the Harrier is not the SUV for you: 

No Petrol Engine

Tata is only offering the Harrier with the Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre diesel engine. Although this engine is fantastic and it hauls the Harrier with ease, the SUV is missing a petrol engine for buyers who prefer the same. With impending rules and regulations to follow, diesel engines might get a boot soon and for that reason alone, customers might prefer a petrol engine as it is more future-proof. In this regard, the Tata Harrier fails to score and it is better you look at other SUVs that offer a petrol engine. 

Missing AWD

Apart from a petrol engine, an AWD setup is another miss in the Harrier. The Harrier is a big SUV with solid underpinnings. Without an AWD setup, it is nothing more than an urban SUV or a soft-roader at best with no real abilities to make it competent off-road. We wish Tata had offered the AWD as an option for customers looking for a Harrier that can also deal with any surprises or terrain differences with ease.

Tata Harrier Variants

The Tata Harrier is available in more than 20 variants! Yes, considering all the special editions, Tata really does offer a lot of variants. The SUV is priced from Rs. 15.00 lakh to Rs. 24.07 lakh (ex-showroom). 

Best Tata Harrier Variant to buy

If you are looking for a diesel+manual option for the Tata Harrier, the XZ variant priced at Rs 19.24 lakh makes the most sense from a value point of view. It has all the essential features and it is not priced too high as well. As for the diesel+automatic option, there are way too many variants to pick from. Out of these, the XZA Plus looks promising and it strikes a good balance of all variants. However, if you wish to get any of the special variants, we do suggest the new Red Dark Edition, but please do note that it comes at a premium

Tata Harrier Warranty & Service Cost

The Tata Harrier comes with a standard warranty of 3 Years/ 1 lakh km across the range. However, like every other Tata model, this can be extended to one or two years by opting for an extended warranty package. As for the service cost, an estimated service cost for the Tata Harrier comes to Rs. 68,557 for the first 5 years. 

Final Thoughts

It is obvious that the Tata Harrier is one of the best SUVs available in India right now. What the Harrier brings to the table is a big SUV that is high on styling, road presence, and space. The diesel engine and gearbox work flawlessly to deliver a good driving experience making the Harrier a great highway SUV. There’s little to fault with the Harrier and if you can look past its minor flaws, the Tata Harrier is a great buy and an SUV that will keep you happy over a long time.