Tata Harrier To Be Available Only With Manual Gearbox At Launch
Expect Tata to roll out an automatic variant at a later date as it’s been spied testing already
- The Harrier will be powered by a 2.0-litre diesel engine mated to a 6-speed MT
- Expect an automatic transmission to be introduced a few months after the launch
- Harrier will compete with the Jeep Compass in the sub-Rs 20 lakh compact SUV segment
Tata is expected to unveil the production-spec Harrier a few weeks ahead of its launch, which is expected to take place in January 2019. With the launch date fast approaching, we’ve been receiving more details about Tata’s upcoming flagship. While Tata has already confirmed that the Harrier will be powered by a 2.0-lite Kryotec diesel engine, we now know that it will only be available with a manual transmission at launch. This is quite surprising since a test mule of the SUV sporting an automatic gearbox has been spotted testing quite a few times. Tata has not revealed any details of the manual gearbox. However, we expect to it be a 6-speed unit.
Apart from the official info, a new set of spy shots that have surfaced online reveals more about the upcoming SUV. So let’s take a look at them.
The Harrier, as expected, features a floating touchscreen infotainment system. It looks big in size (bigger than Nexon’s 6.5-inch unit). The dashboard looks premium thanks to the wooden finish (like the concept) and a silver accent that runs along the entire width of the dashboard.
The new set of spy shots also reveal the Harrier’s instrument cluster. It consists of two parts. On the right sits an analogue dial for speed, while the left side gets a full-colour screen that displays the tachometer and MID (multi-info display).
While we know that the Harrier will get a cooled compartment in the front armrest apart from smartphone holders, the new spy shots reveal a stick-type manual adjustment lever for the ORVMS. However, we feel might these might be limited to the pre-production models. Being quite a premium SUV, expect Tata to offer electrically adjustable ORVMs in the Harrier right from the base variant.
The top-spec variant of the Harrier will get features like ESP, rear wiper and washer, defogger and alloy wheels. What it will not get is a sunroof like the one seen on the H5X Concept that was showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. What do you think of the Harrier after seeing these latest images? Let us know in the comments section below.