The Drive Report: 2023 Tata Harrier

The Harrier continues to get the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel as before, tuned to deliver the same amount of power and torque.

A year prior to the launch of the much-awaited Harrier EV, Tata Motors has decided to give its present-day SUV flagship — the ICE (internal combustion engine) Tata Harrier — a comprehensive design and tech overhaul. The latest slew of changes have been made to prime the Harrier for electrification, but there’s no denying the cumulative effect of the changes, which not only serve to contemporise the Harrier, but also make it a far more compelling option than before.

Bright plumage

The most noticeable physical change is the inclusion of a few bright and bold paint schemes. Given the Harrier’s unconventional and sculpted form, the brand felt confident enough to adorn it in shades you’d normally find on a sports car. The new Harrier’s trademark shade of sunlit yellow might look ostentatious online, but in the metal it looks distinct and makes the Harrier far more noticeable than before. Of course that’s just the beginning.

The front and rear bumpers have been redesigned, with the daytime LEDs now appearing more slender than ever, even getting a connecting LED bar which gets animated upon locking / unlocking, adding a sense of occasion to the otherwise humdrum process of getting in and out of your car. The tail lamps get a similar light bar — the whole design is concept car like, and this bodes well for the eventual production models of vehicles like the Curvv and the Avinya.

The projector headlamp cavity, which previously occupied a lot more real estate on the lower half of the front fascia, bordering on the ungainly, has been completely redesigned. It’s now a vertical unit with compact, ice cube like structures designed to offer better illumination than before. But, having driven it during the day, this feature remains unexplored.

Instead of faux vents that have become embarrassingly common, even on high-end SUVs, the vertical structure is accompanied by aero-vents that help enhance its aerodynamics. Even the bash plate on the bumper is now larger and more purposeful than before, blending into the large, prominent grille that gets silver and metallic embellishments (that aren’t actually metal).

The wheel size has also gone up, with the base version getting 17-inch units while the top-spec `Fearless’ variant gets 18-inch wheels. Tata Motors claims customers will get the option of upgrading to 19-inch wheels that are sold on the majority of the Tata Safari’s variants, or, if you prefer Tata Motors’ marketing spiel, `Personas.’

Interiors

Despite its robust build quality and solid safety credentials, the Harrier was lagging when it came to interior embellishments. The MG Hector offered ADAS and the largest touchscreen in the segment, along with internet connectivity, and the Harrier had none of those. Now all that has changed. Along with an electronically operated tailgate which can be opened by swiping your foot under the rear bumper, the top-end version gets several features. The six-speed automatic version gets adaptive cruise control, which reads the terrain around you and automatically applies brakes, accelerating only when there’s no obstruction ahead. The manual Harrier also gets the standard suite of ADAS functions, including automated emergency braking. The function has been designed keeping in mind Indian driving conditions, so it won’t come to a grinding halt every time a motorcyclist or motorist cuts into your lane without warning.

Those familiar with the new Nexon will find a lot of similarities here. There’s a much larger (12.3-inch) Harman infotainment touchscreen, which is a significant improvement over the previous one. The 10.25-inch instrument cluster has also been updated with a full SatNav view. However, it’s buried far too deep into the instrument gauge recess, and doesn’t display Google Maps, if you’ve got Apple CarPlay. Tata couldn't get permission for the same, so the issue that ails the Nexon, ails the Harrier. Android users don’t have this issue.

The menu feels fairly accessible, with ADAS settings just one tap away from the main menu. You can even calibrate the sensitivity of the collision avoidance system, with the lowest setting offering a gentle “ding” sound, whenever somebody appears in your blind spot. Speaking of blind spots, the use of the indicator activates the blind spot camera, on either side, but it does so while covering the SatNAV display. A split screen function would be far more preferable.

The Harrier now accepts voice commands in five Indian languages, with multiple presets for combinations of two languages. The 360-degree camera, offering a hi-def view of the surroundings, along with a 3D model of the car for better articulation. This is easily the best-in-class feature, and, along with the seven-airbags, remains one of the best aspects of the car’s cabin. Other than the five speaker, four tweeter, JBL sound system with an integrated subwoofer, which gets 13 audio modes, all of which deliver above-exceptional audio quality.

DRIVE

Things stay more or less the same here. The Harrier continues to get the same 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel as before, tuned to deliver the same amount of power and torque. However, the Harrier does switch from a hydraulic to an electronic power steering, and there are certain tweaks to the suspension settings, which, along with the larger wheels, make it a more adept handler than anything in its segment.

What’s sweeter yet is how far the Tata Motors diesel unit has come. No longer does a Tata SUV shudder when the ignition is turned off, the vibrations and the NVH levels have been brought down to a whisper of its former self. The electronic power steering does make it easier to manoeuvre the vehicle in traffic, while offering greater control at high speeds. Tata claims that the wheel also nullifies any vibrations that could possibly result from torque steer or wheel spin, making for a more assured drive.

The Harrier now gets a knurled rotary knob, helping it switch terrain modes which include Wet, Normal and Rough, while drive modes include Eco and Sport, which can be engaged by clicking on adjacent buttons. Despite the terrain modes, the front-wheel drive Harrier is very much a soft-roader, and has been designed as a more dynamic SUV meant to be driven primarily on the tarmac. The larger wheels do add to its overall high-speed stability, something that the likes of the MG Hector simply cannot match.

The diesel motor, with its 170 hp and 350 Nm of torque, displays similar characteristics as before, with a steady dose of torque, which allows the Harrier to gain pace with remarkable alacrity. The absence of a petrol option is still a setback, something that the competition will continue to take advantage of, especially in regions like Delhi NCR. Given the dwindling diesel sales, it’s a baffling omission.

Verdict

Although the odd ergonomic niggles continue to persist, the Tata Harrier is a far more wholesome version of its former self. It’s also a very handsome looking SUV, which is far more comfortable and feature-rich than ever before. As long as the price range remains between the Rs 16-Rs 25 lakh mark, and isn’t considerably higher than the outgoing model, the Harrier will have far more takers than before, even without the option of a petrol engine.