Tata Motors has stated that up to 17 new products could arrive in South Africa in the next few years, with the Harrier carrying the mantle as its flagship offering. But has the brand read the room correctly?
Image: Peet Mocke
Having sampled the brand’s Tiago entry-level hatchback, the subject of this test, the Harrier midsize SUV, is Tata’s latest flagship offering. Introduced in 2018 yet extensively updated in 2023 ahead of its planned shipment to markets outside of India – of which ours is the first – the Harrier is immediately interesting in that it’s built on a re-engineered version of the D8 platform used by Land Rover for the Discovery Sport and Evoque. Indeed, when the Harrier project was first conceived, Tata, which has owned Jaguar Land Rover since 2008, initially considered strategically rebadging the Discovery Sport for this purpose.
Instead, aligning with plans for a portfolio of in-house, European-styled modern wares, the Harrier adopts a relatively distinctive stance, featuring a two-tier grille with sharp LED daytime-running lights, strategically placed cladding, and 205 mm ground clearance. Its exterior dimensions position it comfortably among a group of established local rivals, including the Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.
Available in three specification levels, both variants above Pure+ are equipped with 18-inch alloy wheels, rear disc brakes (instead of drums), a panoramic sunroof, comprehensive parking and ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), and automatic wipers and headlamps. The flagship Fearless+ derivative, tested here, is distinguished by its contrasting black roof.
Image: Peet Mocke
Complementing faux leather upholstery in the top two versions, the most expensive model introduces dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a driver’s knee airbag (taking the total to seven), electrically adjustable and ventilated front seats, an electric tailgate, a sophisticated JBL audio interface and an upgrade to a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
While we’re curious as to why this display in our test unit was positioned ever-so-slightly towards the passenger’s side, this detail highlighted a few ergonomic inconsistencies in the Harrier’s interior. Together with a curious selection of materials, including cheap-feeling, hard plastics on the door cards and smudge-prone piano black finishes on the centre console, the position of the car’s drive mode control dial makes it unnecessarily difficult to access the wireless phone charging pad. While these oversights will be difficult to rectify, an ill-fitted centre console storage lid and an unwelcome level of lateral play in the transmission lever on our test unit will hopefully be addressed.
Impressive levels of rear passenger comfort are aided by the inclusion of dedicated air vents, while, by our measurements, the Harrier’s luggage capacity is above average for this segment. It’s worth noting that the spare wheel is mounted underneath this vehicle’s body, as opposed to below the boot board.
Image: Peet Mocke
As outlined in our India Rising: The Growth of the Indian Car Market feature, much of the impressive growth in the automotive sector in India can be attributed to a keenness for collaboration and joint ventures. A perfect example of this is the fitment of a Fiat-sourced (Multijet) 2.0-litre turbodiesel engine, which is paired in all models destined for South Africa with a six-speed automatic transmission sourced from Hyundai.
While the combination of these two proven components (Multijet was introduced in 2008) adds a welcome level of assurance to the Harrier package, this otherwise relatively punchy 125 kW/350 N.m powertrain is certainly not the final word in terms of overall refinement and, indeed, efficiency.
While its rugged workings admittedly suit the left-field character of the Harrier (with testers highlighting similarities with the charming, previous-generation Renault Duster), this relatively workmanlike solution could be found wanting when compared with more modern applications found elsewhere. We averaged 8.2 L/100 km on our standardised fuel route.
Image: Peet Mocke
An area where the Harrier was updated ahead of its export aspirations was the adoption of electric power assistance for the steering, the first cars featuring a hydraulic setup. While the Indian motoring press has confirmed that this new solution has added newfound ease of use and manoeuvrability round town, on the open road, the Harrier’s steering lacks the weighting and precision of some of its rivals, requiring constant minor inputs at motorway cruising speeds.
The flagship Tata thankfully offers a well-resolved default ride quality that should comfortably cope with most road imperfections, as well as long sections of gravel. There are five driving modes available, including ‘Sport’ and ‘Rough’ settings, the latter ostensibly linked to the car’s stability control program rather than contribuing to any serious off-road prowess.
This brand is also suitably proud of its achievements in crash safety. The Harrier boasts a full five star rating in both the Global NCAP and Bharat NCAP collision test programs, the latter a new initiative that caters specifically to the Indian market.
With the above in mind, an average recorded emergency stopping time of 3.01 seconds on our test strip is a little disappointing when compared with other vehicles in this segment.
Image: Peet Mocke
It’s in comparing other vehicles in this segment where the top-of-the-range Harrier’s price point comes into sharp focus. In the Indian market, this Tata is priced well below products like the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. The fact that diesel-powered versions of either of these impressive Korean SUVs are available in South Africa within the same price range as the top-spec Harrier is a sticking point for us.
While there’s a lot to like about the Harrier package, including its styling, impressive standard specification and a proven powertrain combination, we’re looking forward to revisiting this vehicle in more affordable Adventure+ guise (R649 900). We’re also keen to see how the brand’s operations pan out, once it’s had time to understand the South African landscape and implement its dealership and after-sales networks.
Based on our time with the Tiago, though, we still think that Tata’s selection of characterful compact offerings will likely create a greater market disruption than the Harrier.
Published in the December 2025 issue of CAR magazine.
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