Tata Motors has revamped the 2023 Harrier, which is slated to officially make its debut on October 17th. The SUV first broke into the market in 2019 and has seen its fair share of ups and downs. The Harrier facelift will have its hands full as it will take on the already congested and competitive mid-size 5-seater segment. We tell you why you should buy it or not.
2023 Tata Harrier Review: Looks could kill
It wouldn’t be far from the truth if we said that the Harrier is the most stunning-looking SUV in its segment. The new Tata Motors design philosophy has completely shaken up the automotive sector in India starting from the recently launched Nexon. Based on the Curvv Concept ethos, the Harrier retains its macho presence but now sports dynamism that will attract the new generation of SUV buyers. The Harrier retains the split headlamp design but now has a cleaner and more contemporary look. The shape remains more or less the same but has a busy-looking composition with chrome finish studs. This same architecture is retained in the air dam area and bumper.
The new sleek and slim connected LED DRLs are tucked below the bonnet hood which also boasts sequential indicators. Tata Motors has changed the headlight structure as it is now in a vertical column with cornering fog lamps beneath it. The silhouette of the SUV remains the same but it comes with newly designed alloy wheels available from 17-inch to 19-inch based on the variant. Complementing the front design, the rear also showcases connected LED tail lamps with new vertically designed reflectors and reprofiled bumpers.Â
2023 Tata Harrier Review: Newfangled interiors
Step inside the cabin and the Harrier feels space-age, airy and tech-laden. Tata Motors has tried to add a dash of premium quality with a personalized dual-layered dashboard. It gets a combination of black and body-coloured panels to make the interiors more lively. The glossy black centre console has touch capacitive buttons and two toggle switches to control the dual-zone climate control.
The new four-spoke steering wheel looks something straight out of Sony’s world of gaming consoles. The 12.3-inch infotainment system is for the top Harrier trims which gets a powerhouse 10-speaker JBL music system and a subwoofer that offers multiple sound modes. It comes equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice assistance like Alexa and over 250 voice commands like operating the panoramic sunroof. The 10.25-inch all-digital instrument cluster reads comprehensive information like ADAS functions, navigation system, tyre pressure monitor etc.Â
No stone is left unturned when it comes to charging and connecting devices. The centre console houses 45W C-type and USB ports, a wireless phone charger, two additional charging slots and a 12V socket inside the storage place inside the armrest. The rear passengers also get a C-type and a traditional USB slot.
Harrier continues to offer one of the most ergonomic seats both in the front and rear with abundant back and under tight support. With front ventilated seats, the driver’s seat is 6-way power adjustable while the front passenger is 4-way adjustable. For rear passengers, the doors get sunshades. Â
2023 Tata Harrier Review: Safety features
The Harrier comes standard with six airbags and the top variant gets an additional driver’s knee airbag. The earlier edition of the Harrier came with rear parking sensors, but the 2023 version now has front parking sensors. Other additional safety features available are emergency call support, all three-point seat belts, a 360-degree camera and electronic stability program, ISOFIX anchorages and ABS with EBD. It has three traction control modes — normal, wet and rough.
In February this year, Tata Motors introduced the ADAS suite in the Harrier with ten features including forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, high beam assist, lane departure warning, lane change alert, blind spot detection and much more. Now with the 2023 version, it comes with the new adaptive cruise control. It also comes with a blind view monitor that captures the traffic with the help of cameras in the outside rearview mirrors.
2023 Tata Harrier Review: Driving Experience
The Harrier continues to be powered by 168bhp 2-litre diesel with 350Nm of torque. It is mated to either a 6-speed torque converter automatic or a manual transmission. We drove the latter one. The engine feels responsive and fairly eager in low RPMs but the Harrier is the happiest at midrange power band. What could have been better is the refinement levels. The engine is noisy and can be jarring to the ears. The manual gear shift is quite laborious and could have been lighter and effortless. The Harrier still suffers from the lack of adequate space for the left foot as there is very little space between the centre console and the clutch pedal.Â
The suspension set-up is decent for tarmac driving and cushions broken roads though one should slow down when deep potholes pop up. You will always be aware of the road conditions but passenger comfort isn’t compromised.
The Harrier has done away with hydraulic steering and now gets an electric-powered one. Thanks to its light nature, the Harrier is easy to manoeuvre in tight corners and parking spaces and even U-turns. With three different driving options — Eco, Normal and Sport both the engine response and the steering weight vary based on the chosen mode.
2023 Tata Harrier Review: Should you buy?
The 2023 Tata Harrier has a lot of things going for itself starting from the stand-out design, a range of new comfort and safety features, updating the ADAS suite and now offering it in a slew of vibrant colours. It is only available in a diesel engine with enough power but could have been smoother. With all these updates, the price tag will surely increase, but it is an attractive proposition.
