The Tata Harrier can in a sense be called a sleeper hit. After the initial buzz around its styling, sales of the SUV tapered off as customers found it lacking in the features department compared to the competition. But following an upgrade, it has been doing fairly well, with demand for the car silently on the rise, so much so that potential buyers have to wait for over two months to get their hands on one. Now, however, Tata Motors has added a new variant to the Harrier line-up, one that the Indian carmaker promises will have a shorter waiting time.
Sitting right between the XZ and the top-spec XZ+ trims, the new Tata Harrier XZS comes with a waiting period of just 30 days. This is in contrast to the 10-week waiting period for the other models. There are trims on offer, each with minor price differences — XZS, XZS Dual Tone and XZS Dark.
Exterior
The new variant is designed to slot right in between the two top-spec variants, the price difference between which is a whopping Rs 1.6 lakh. Other than a features list difference, however, the new variant does not see much difference.
Design-wise the Harrier XZS is identical to the rest of the Harrier line-up. It features the same split-headlamp face, bold lines and a sturdy stance. The XZS also gets the new panoramic sunroof and R17 diamond-cut dual-tone alloy wheels that are present on the top-spec variant.
Additionally, the XZS also features Xenon HID projector headlamps, LED DRLs, fog lamps with cornering function and electrically foldable ORVMs (outside rear-view mirrors) with integrated turn signals as standard.
Interior
The Harrier XZS has a fairly well-rounded features list. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come as standard alongside an 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Audio needs are met by an 8-speaker JBL sound system and a 7-inch TFT instrument cluster sits behind the steering wheel.
Speaking of which, the steering wheel is leather-wrapped as is the gear shifter and gear knob (depending on which powertrain option you choose). The XZS also gets an air purifier, automatic climate control, auto dimming IRVM (internal rear-view mirror) and a 6-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with lumbar support.
Unfortunately, the XZS does miss out on Tata Motors’ iRA connected car technology as well as the ventilated front seats that the carmaker offers on the XZ+ trim for an additional Rs 36,000 or so.
Safety
The company has not skimped on this front. The XZS will come fully loaded with features such as six airbags including those for the driver and passenger, and curtain airbags.
Other safety features include hill-descent control, hill-hold assist, off-road ABS, cruise control, traction control, electronic stability programme, corner stability control, roll-over mitigation, rain-sensing wipers and reverse parking camera and sensors.
Powertrain
The XZS is powered by the same 2.0-litre engine that does duty in the rest of the Harrier line-up. This diesel engine produces 170 PS of maximum power and 350 Nm of peak torque. The XZS also gets a 6-speed manual transmission as well as a torque converter automatic gearbox as transmission options.
There is currently no petrol option for the Tata Harrier, but work is underway on a face lifted variant which should be powered by an optional 150 hp petrol engine. The facelift is also expected to pack in some other features such as 360-degree camera and advanced driver assistance systems.
Price and rivals
The Tata Harrier line-up starts at Rs 14.64 lakh for the XE manual transmission variant going up to Rs 21.94 lakh for the XZ+ automatic transmission variant. Prices for the XZS trims are as below:
The SUV segment in India is only seeing growth and a wide range of sub-segments has been introduced in the past few years that have only added to the variety. In direct competition with the Tata Harrier, however, are the likes of the Mahindra XUV700, Hyundai Alcazar, MG Hector and Hector Plus as well as the Jeep Compass.
With the new variant, Tata Motors hopes to further improve on its sales numbers. In April 2022, Tata sold 2,758 units of the Harrier, a growth of 62.68 percent year-on-year with 1,712 units sold in the same month last year.
Tata’s EV endeavour
Aside from the conventional internal combustion engines, Tata Motors is increasing its focus on its upcoming electric vehicles. The Tata Nexon EV Max, launched just about a week ago, promises more range than the standard Nexon EV. Additionally, the Tata Tigor EV also continues to see decent sales numbers.
Worth noting, however, are the two concepts that were recently showcased. The Tata Curvv is a coupe-SUV based on Tata’s new Generation-2 architecture. The Avinya, on the other hand, is based on the Generation-3 architecture which is an EV-only platform and will not support internal combustion engines.
Tata’s plans of launching eight EVs by 2025 are currently underway and include the resurrection of the much-loved Tata Sierra SUV.
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
