Tata Harrier

Buying Harrier was not only my decision, it was my family's collective decision. We sold our Chevrolet Sail and we were looking for a replacement. We took test drive of many cars, but it was the Harrier that grabbed our eyeballs.

At 22 lakhs (On road price at that time), it was an all rounder SUV. It is with us since the last year. Like any car, it has its own pros and cons.

Look & Paint Quality

Firstly, the Harrier is a giant leap over the older Tata cars in terms of looks, paint quality. While the older Tata's looked boring, the paint quality, fit finish was below average, the Harrier is a giant leap over them. It looks absolutely stunning with tremendous road presence. Its paint quality, fit finish, although not at par with the Germans, is still way improved.

Build Quality & Interior

The doors are heavy, build quality is very good (although GNCAP scores are pending, expecting no less than 4 stars, as it is based on the Landrover's D8 platform).

Interior is a mixed bag, while the seats are very comfortable and supportive, in terms of the infotainment screen and instrument cluster, it is way behind the competition, especially when you see its main rival, the XUV 700, which is fitted with the dual screen system.

The Air condition is a chiller and it cools down the cabin in no time. The rear seat is wide enough to accommodate 3 adults easily.

Driving & Performance

Next comes driving and performance, this is where the Fiat sourced 2.0 litre engine brings a smile to your face. It is the same engine that powers the Jeep Compass, MG Hector too. Power at 168 bhp is more than adequate. Overtaking at National Highways is very easy. Refinement level is very good for a diesel engine, until and unless you rev hard, its quite silent inside the cabin. 

Hit the sport mode, and the 2.0 litre Fiat sourced engine shows its true brutal nature. The driving dynamic is quite good, considering it is a big SUV. The braking performance is good and you can certainly enjoy long highway trips in the Harrier. 

Steering & Safety

One area where I believe Harrier could have been better is the tuning of steering. Above 120 kmph, it becomes too sensitive, but nothing uncomfortable. Next comes safety, this is where Tata nailed it. All the safety features you can expect from a car of this price bracket is available in the Harrier. It is well built car, which should score well in the GNCAP rating. The doors shut with an assuring thud. While as of now, I haven't faced any issues with the Harrier, its a very well put together car from Tata. While the Harrier has few flaws, but the pro's dominate. 

Service Experience

The service experience is good so far. I get my car serviced in Kamakhya Tata, one of the authorised sales and service centre of Tata in Guwahati, and the staffs are very friendly, and will definitely make you feel comfortable. 

Personal Experience

The first year with the Harrier was absolutely enjoyable. Happy to see the success of an Indian brand, which they thoroughly deserve. Paint quality, fit finish, is okayish, not at par with the Germans, but it's a giant leap over the older Tata cars. If they improve in the technology department, the Harrier and Safari can become the most favorable cars. 

As Sunderdeep Singh rightly said "this is the decade of Tata and Mahindra", as these two brands are giving their best. 

The experience so far is excellent with my Harrier, hopefully, it will be amazing in the coming time too.