August 2021 - Tata Harrier Diesel Variants Explained - Which One To Buy?

What Are The Pros And Cons Of Tata Harrier Diesel?

The pros or advantages of Harrier diesel are:

• The Harrier has the best ground clearance in the class of 205mm
• So far, the only car in the segment with diesel + automatic transmission combo
• Aggressively priced base variant and VFM top variants
• Gets a healthy list of safety features (ESC, TC, HSA, 6 airbags, ABS)
• Gets features like multiple drive modes and terrain modes
• Automatic transmission is available in 4 of the 6 variants

The Tata Harrier diesel has the following shortcomings or problems:

• Overpriced XM and XT variants and stripped XE and XM variants
• No petrol engine option
• 6-month service interval is too short
• Multi-terrain modes in a front-wheel drive, monocoque car has questionable efficacy and usability

What Is The Price Of Tata Harrier Diesel In August 2021?

The 2021 Tata Harrier is available in 6 variants: XE, XM, XT, XT Plus, XZ and XZ Plus. An automatic transmission is also available as an option in 4 of these 6 variants: XM, XT Plus, XZ and XZ Plus.

The Harrier diesel automatic starts at Rs. 17.06 lakh and goes up to Rs. 20.81 lakh. The diesel variants of the harrier are about Rs. 1.22 - 1.3 lakh more expensive than the manual.

Tata Harrier XE Variant - Base Variant Features And Review

The XE is the base variant of the Harrier, and it costs Rs. 14.4 lakh. The Harrier XE variant carries a fairly aggressive price tag for a D-segment diesel SUV. This variant also ranks high on safety with features like ESC, HSA, traction control and other standard safety features. However, we believe that you may miss the following features in this variant considering its price and segment:

• Music system
• Body-colour door handles and outside mirrors (it’s unacceptable for an Rs. 15 lakh car to skip these basic features)
• Multiple drive modes (a feature Tata offers in many of its cheaper cars)
• Power mirrors (it’s a must-have for such a wide car as it’s not easy to physically stretch and adjust the mirrors every time)
• Steering-mounted controls
• Remote central locking system
• Height adjustable driver seat
• LED DRLs (without the LED DRLs, the Harrier’s front design looks incomplete)

If you’re comfortable with adding some of these features aftermarket and mainly want the Harrier because of its engine performance and road presence, then this is a great option. But the lack of these must-have features makes it difficult to recommend to most buyers. Although the Harrier XE offers good value-for-money, this variant is not worth buying.

Tata Harrier XE vs XM Variant

The XM variant of the Tata Harrier costs Rs. 15.8 lakh. This price is about Rs. 1.4 lakh more than the XE. If you want it with an automatic transmission, then you’ll have to pay Rs. 16.25 lakh - Rs. 1.27 lakh more than the Harrier XM manual.

The XM variant somewhat covers the must-have features well. But, it still misses the following features:

• Android Auto
• Apple Carplay
• LED DRLs
• Rear armrest
• Rear parking camera

Besides, the XM variant is straight-up overpriced considering the additional features over the XE variant and its incremental cost. If you want the Harrier with an automatic transmission and don’t want to spend a lot, then this is your option. However, with the addition of the XT Plus automatic variant, you don’t have to stretch your budget too much for the XZ automatic.

If you’re interested in manual transmission, then the Harrier XM offers poor value for money. And not worth buying. Consider the Harrier XM manual only if you don’t want to stretch your budget any further.

Tata Harrier XM vs XT

The Tata Harrier XT variant is only available with a manual transmission, and it costs Rs. 17.04 lakh, which is Rs. 1.25 lakh more than the XM variant.

The XT variant better justifies the price jump from the XE variant with more features. It’s worth noting that the alloy wheels play a big role in plugging the cost gap, and it’s an easy-to-upgrade cosmetic feature. However, it’s still not the best value for money option in Harrier’s variant lineup.

This variant has a far better balance of features and price as it covers most of the must-have features. Harrier XT is the most affordable variant that we can recommend.

Tata Harrier XT vs XT Plus

The Harrier XT Plus variant costs Rs. 17.84 lakh, which is Rs. 80,000 more than the XT variant. For another Rs. 1.3 lakh, you can get the XT Plus variant with the automatic transmission. Compared to the XMA (XM automatic), the XTA Plus automatic is Rs. 2.08 lakh more expensive.

The only additional feature the XT Plus gets over the XT is a panoramic sunroof. This is a high-value feature and it justifies the Rs. 80,000 price bump. But, this is a feel-good feature and therefore, consider upgrading if you want the sunroof.

For the automatic buyers, the Harrier XT Plus better justifies the asking price than the XM automatic. So, you should buy at least the XT Plus automatic for a good value-for-money and better ownership experience.

Tata Harrier XT Plus vs XZ

The price jump from the XT Plus to the XZ variant is only Rs. 50,000 lakh for the manual transmission and Rs. 47,000 for the automatic. The XZ automatic is Rs. 1.27 lakh more expensive than the XZ manual.

For the additional features, XZ justifies the asking price over the XT Plus. Although, the XZ doesn’t get the panoramic sunroof. However, if you want safety features, then you should buy the XZ variant over the XT or even the XT Plus.

Tata Harrier XZ vs XZ Plus

The XZ Plus variant of the Harrier costs Rs. 19.59 lakh with the manual and Rs. 20.81 lakh with the automatic transmission. This price is about Rs. 1.2 - 1.25 lakh more than the XZ and XZA variants.

Because of some desirable high-value items like the power driver seat and panoramic sunroof, this variant justifies the upgrade over any of the lower variants. It’s a great value for money but none of these features is in the must-have category. So, we’ll leave it up to you to decide if you should buy the XZ Plus.

Which Variant Of The Tata Harrier Diesel Should You Buy?

For the manual transmission, the Harrier’s XE variant offers a good value for money but it’s too basic in terms of features. The XT Plus variant is the next in line and is the second-best VFM variant of the Harrier. You should at least buy the XT variant to get good value for your money and enjoy a decent ownership experience.

The XZ variant is our top recommended as it offers some important safety features while offering a fantastic value even without the sunroof.

With the automatic transmission, the XMA is the most affordable variant but you should seriously consider stretching your budget for the XT Plus. For the best value-for-money, the XZA is our top recommendation.

What Are The Engine Specifications Of The 2021 Tata Harrier Diesel?

The Tata Harrier has a 2.0-litre diesel engine, just like the MG Hector. It makes 170PS of power and 350Nm of torque. In its class of D-segment SUVs, the Harrier is the only one to offer an automatic transmission with the diesel engine. But, the XUV700 will also get an automatic when the more powerful version goes on sale. For now, the XUV700 is only available with the 155PS engine and its specs are on par with other cars in the segment.

What Are The Dimensions Of The 2021 Tata Harrier?

In terms of dimensions, the Harrier is the shortest among the D-segment 5-seater SUVs. However, its width is about the same as the Mahindra XUV700 and it has the best-in-class ground clearance as well. The XUV700 is the tallest in this segment and the only one that offers 18-inch wheels.

What Are The Colour Options Of The 2021 Tata Harrier?

The 2021 Harrier is available in the following 5 colour options:

• Brown
• Grey
• Red
• White
• Green Camo
• Black exterior and interior (Dark edition only)

Here’s the variant-wise price list for the Dark, Camo and dual-tone colour options of the Harrier:

Note: Here is a quick look at our length-based segmentation of cars to give you an idea of how we are classifying cars based on their size.