Tata Motors showcased the upcoming concept vehicle named as the H5X at the 2018 Auto Expo. The SUV has been caught testing numerous times on Indian roads and will be launched in the market soon. The H5X is a much-awaited car and here are all the things that you should know about it.
Not H5X anymore!
While the internal codename given to the vehicle was H5X and even the concept model carried the same name, Tata has officially revealed the name of the upcoming SUV. Interestingly, Tata will name it the Harrier. Tata has officially revealed the name today. Tata has always been known for naming their concept models with bird names but with the Harrier, Tata has gone a step further and has named the production version of the SUV as Harrier, which is a bird species.
MAJOR Jeep Compass connection
How is that? Well, Tata will power the upcoming Harrier with the 2.0-litre multijet diesel engine supplied by Fiat. Currently, only the Jeep Compass is powered by the 2.0-litre multijet diesel engine on the Indian market and the Harrier will become the second SUV on the market to get the engine. However, the 170 Bhp – 350 Nm output of the engine with the Compass may change due to re-tuning.
And MASSIVE Land Rover connection
The Harrier will be the first-ever SUV from Tata that will get the Land Rover LS550 platform. The same platform also underpins entry-level JLR SUVs like the Discovery Sport. The platform will make the Harrier very capable. This is the first time that a Tata-branded vehicle will use the platform of its subsidiary.
Official reveal just 4 months away!
Tata will officially reveal the production version of the Harrier in November, 2018. After showing the concept version at the start of this year, it will be a very fast development cycle for the SUV. The pre-production version will be officially revealed by Tata with features and specifications.
Production to begin soon
Tata has been testing the upcoming Harrier in various terrains across India. The testing phase seems to be in final stages and Tata will soon begin the production of the SUV in India. Tata is expected to start the production by the end of this year.
But launch will happen later
The SUV is expected to be extremely high on demand once it is launched in the market. To keep enough stock of the SUV, the production will start by the end of 2018 and the official price will be announced in early 2019. This will ensure that Tata has enough stock of the SUVs to meet the high demands.
Flagship product!
The Tata Hexa is currently the most expensive product from the brand. The Harrier will be positioned above it in the market, which means it will become the new flagship of the brand. The 5-seater SUV will take on the likes of Jeep Compass, Hyundai Creta and will also compete with the 7-seater Mahindra XUV 500 on the Indian market.
Will retain H5X looks
Pratap Bose, the head designer of Tata Motors, revealed that the Harrier will retain as much as 80% looks of the concept model. It will follow the same path as the Nexon concept and the production version. Tata released teaser pictures of the Harrier today. It gets a sleek front and rear just like the H5X concept. We can safely assume to see a very aggressive-looking final product from the brand.
Will be a capable SUV
All the Land Rover platforms have the 4WD feature and the Harrier will utilise the same. Tata will launch the upcoming SUV in both 2WD and 4WD options, taking full advantage of the Land Rover platform. It is not known if it will get a low-ratio transfer case but it is confirmed that the Harrier will get the 4WD option.
A larger version awaited
Tata is also working on a larger version of the SUV that gets the H7X codename. It will be a long wheelbase version of the Harrier and is yet to get a name. The H7X will get seven seats and will share a lot of parts with the Harrier. However, the big brother is scheduled to be launched at a later date, which can be by the end of 2019.
Will be built in Pimpri
Tata Harrier will be built at the Pimpri-Chinchwad facility of the brand. The facility is the hub for the Tata commercial vehicles. Tata used the facility to make Indica and Indigo but both the vehicles have been discontinued now and it will be used for the production of the Harrier. It is not known if Tata will export the Harrier to the foreign markets but given the modern looks and popularity of the vehicle, it is certain the Harrier will be available in various foreign markets.
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