2020 Tata Harrier review, road test

Broken roads that would make some of its competitors wince are a piece of cake for this hardy Tata SUV. Its Land-Rover-derived underpinnings give it a sense of toughness and solidity that you’d otherwise get only from some body-on-frame SUVs. For this version, the suspension mount point stiffness has been altered to reduce component sounds inside the cabin. The large, 235mm-wide tyres do well to iron out tinier road imperfections and dismiss potholes. But, being on the firmer side, the suspension doesn’t deal with sharper bumps as nicely as the MG Hector does, and like the earlier version, passengers seated at the back especially will feel more of the road shocks. The manual version feels a bit tauter and more composed than the automatic, and while both variants are well behaved on the highway, neither feel as rock-stable as the Jeep Compass.

With its wide track, firm suspension and wheels pushed to each corner, the Harrier does boast of a solid mechanical grip, and even its handling and body control really impress. Its steering is chunky to hold, but piloting this SUV does require some effort, as the hydraulically assisted power steering is on the heavier side, particularly at low and parking speeds. This heft does offer a degree of confidence at high speeds, but the manual’s steering especially feels a bit too sharp and sporty for this SUV, with no free play at the straight-ahead position. Its brakes require a firmer press than usual to shed speed, and still lack a strong bite (as reported in our earlier road test), and the pedal feel isn’t very confidence-inspiring.