2019 Tata Harrier review, road test

Tata’s big SUV sure got people talking. But is it as good as everyone hoped it would be? Only an exhaustive road test can give the definitive verdict.

Published on May 07, 2019 10:00:00 AM

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The striking-looking Harrier stands out in the urban jungle and the real one.

Pinched glasshouse at rear looks sleek but rear window is small.

Thrust control-like handbrake lever nicer to look at than it is to use. It is fiddly to operate.

Stylish and richly finished dashboard uses different materials to great effect.

Thanks to a cabin that sits at just the right height, you walk into rather than climb aboard into the Harrier. And the large doors open to welcome you into Tata’s best interior to date. Top-spec XZ trim Harriers, like our test car, make generous use of leather (including on the door pads), the faux wood on the neatly styled dash looks convincing, the free-standing 8.8-inch touchscreen is sleek and even the metal-like element that splits the dash horizontally (à la the Nexon) appears premium. An all-digital instrument cluster would have taken things to the next level but even the informative part-digital (the speedo is analogue) display does its bit to up the ambience. Yes, there are some average plastics in the cabin but you have to hand it to Tata for the strides it has made in the department of perceived quality.

USB slots, both front and rear, are hidden from view and are irritatingly hard to access.

Drivers sit at a nice height in the Harrier, and the commanding seating position gives that feeling
of being in something substantial – something that SUV buyers tend to appreciate. However, all’s not perfect. Over long stints, some of us found the large, lumbar-adjustable front seats excessively bolstered in the region of the lower back. And though there is a dead pedal, folding your left leg will result in your knee brushing uncomfortably against the centre console. A bigger issue is the sheer size of the external mirrors. They are large and create a blind spot large enough to cover SUVs, let alone two-wheelers. If there’s a model that needs the Audi e-Tron’s camera-based Virtual Mirrors, this is it. Even within the cabin, you’ll have a tough time locating the USB slots that are positioned out of view under the centre console. We also weren’t sold on the thrust control-like lever for the handbrake. You do learn to live with these things but they are irritants nonetheless.

Front seats are large and well-finished but there’s excessive lumbar support.

Occupants seated at the back will have less to complain about. The seat is nice and supportive, there is an enormous feeling of space and you can easily stretch out, thanks to the ample legroom on offer. The cabin is also wide enough to seat three abreast with ease. On first acquaintance, you might think the Harrier misses rear air-con vents. But it doesn’t; it’s just that they are mounted on the B-pillars, and do a fair job of cooling the rear section of the cabin. The rear centre console is home to charging slots but, again, you’ll have to feel your way around to find them.

There’s loads of room at the back and the rear seat is big on comfort too.

In terms of storage for small items, the Harrier comes across as well thought out. There are large door pockets and the shelves incorporated on the ones at the back are a smart place to stow your phone. A large glovebox and cooled recess under the centre armrest also come handy. What’s also nice is that there’s more room in the luggage compartment than its 425-litre capacity would lead you to believe. The loading lip is high but there’s plenty of space for large suitcases. Top-spec versions get split and folding rear seats that take boot capacity to 810 litres. And before you ask, the spare wheel (16-inch) sits under the body and not the boot floor.

425-litre boot can hold big suitcases with ease. Loading lip high though.