[nainan]

Originally Posted by ACM

SOUL is actually not Safari Owners but SUV Owners club and includes owners of Aria and Hexa. Right now most new members come in from Hexa rather than Safari.

It was Safari owners and later got changed to SUV owners:-
Tata Motors Launches SOUL | Tata Motors Limited

The Harrier H7X 7 seater will be much shorter in height than the Safari. (Which is good). Though that need not imply anything about it's future name.

The Harrier sits at 1714 mm and the Safari at 1965 mm a difference of 251 mm. The rear section is raised almost by 50% of the wheel width which on 235/65R17 tyres is about 366 mm. This is true of the X2 platform as well on which the Safari is built.

As the hump is to compensate the loss of height in the third row it needs to be at least 200 mm which makes it more or less a similar height as the Safari.

[kalleo4]

Originally Posted by uday.ere

Media drives announced

Its an Eye Candy!!

& I just wish there launch Automatic transmission at its launch itself + Seat Add-on Option to 5-seater, to convert it into a 7-seater.

[Steeroid]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Any guesstimates as to pricing?
Possibly in the early-mid 20’s do you think? So as to murder the Compass?

Can’t kill a corpse, Shankar.

Pricing ‘hint’ from TML is on this thread a few pages back, after which we have had essays written on it and the price discussed to death before anyone had any clue about the vehicle.

Wait a couple of days and you should have the real prices - I think it’s parked in the old Yeti territory. CRV size with 2012 Yeti pricing would make it really interesting, no?

[avdhesh15]

Obviously team bhp will be there. But the review will only come way later once they get the car solely to themselves some time down the line.

In meantime, requesting mods to give a preview of the review!

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Can’t kill a corpse, Shankar.

Pricing ‘hint’ from TML is on this thread a few pages back, after which we have had essays written on it and the price discussed to death before anyone had any clue about the vehicle.

Wait a couple of days and you should have the real prices - I think it’s parked in the old Yeti territory. CRV size with 2012 Yeti pricing would make it really interesting, no?

So around 20 Lacs for the top spec. Yes, given the general buyer penchant for vast tracts of real estate at a nice price, then CRV size at old Yeti pricing (or new Creta pricing) will definitely find favour with the consumers...

Poor Compass.

(Apologies for using Bill Mauldin’s evocative WW2 Cartoon..)

[Ironhide]

Rushlane reports that the Media drives are slated to take place in Jodhpur - one can see the famed Umaid Bhawan Palace in the background.



Mild weather and good roads - right time to test drive a car in Rajasthan .

Cheers !

(Article Courtesy : www.rushlane.com)

[shashanka]

Originally Posted by uday.ere

As per the below Autocar report, it is interesting to see that the Harrier is bigger than even the XUV500!! Whats good is the wheelbase is also a healthy 41mm more than the XUV. While it will be extremely spacious for a 5 seater, it also allows Tata to provide an option of a 5+2 combination on the Harrier, with minimal changes.
"The Mahindra, despite having seating for seven, is also slightly smaller – its wheelbase is 41mm less, its length is 13mm less and its width is 4mm less, though it stands 71mm taller than the Tata. This bodes well for the Harrier’s interior space, with the numbers showing that it could be class-leading ."

The Harrier is certainly larger than the XUV with a WB that's also larger - and that is a good thing?

FWDers with large WB-es (without the benefit of an AWD option, check the link - https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...harrier-410581), specially pseudo-SUVs like these (the Marazzo & Harrier among others), under fully loaded conditions, have always struggled up steep inclines with less than ideal road conditions - gravel and the like.

Such roads are common in our hill regions, with steep inclines combined with tight hair-pins. Speaking personally (I have been driving frequently around the Kumaon hills for the past couple of decades) I would be less than enthusiastic about large WB-ed FWD-ers without the AWD option!

Originally Posted by civic-sense

The Harrier suddenly looks like a XUV competitor than a Compass killer.
They should definitely have space for a third row. Such large dimensions definitely call for 3 rows of seating.

The Harrier an "XUV competitor than a Compass killer"? Both these have the AWD option, the Harrier doesn't have one (please read my above post) .
Mfrs. are having a field day quenching our craving for "SUVs" without offering the means for some basic off-roading abilities, which is AWD.
After all an SUV (sports utility vehicle) should possess some basic utility credentials!

[uday.ere]

Harrier new pic featured

[Inder7]

There is another aspect to the size discussion. Tatas appear to have done their homework well and they are trying something special in the positioning of Harrier. The ever rising aspirations of the Indian middle class is the target here. I have made a table below to highlight this. They deliberately leaked the dimensions to guide the pre - launch discussion. Though much of what I'm saying has been discussed in this forum but in non cohesive parts. Positioning is about size, brand value and competition. The traditional auto industry mindset has been milking this size 'need' of the customers. The price of the vehicle increases with increase in size, sometime without adequate logic. The new CRV is a prime example. Mahindra (XUV500) understood this and reaped a bonanza by giving much more in size for a given price. Now the Tatas want to crash that party by giving more than just size. They are promising LR pedigree. The second point I wish to make is that Creta is not even in this competition bracket. Hyundai is going to feel the most pressure from Harrier. Both there SUVs are going to be seriously challenged. One for size and the other (Tucson) for value - what it offers for the price.

[kalleo4]

Originally Posted by uday.ere

Harrier new pic featured

I Love its Stock Coloured Roof too, but couldn't Stop myself from checking/doing this Black roof MOD!

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by shashanka

FWDers with large WB-es (without the benefit of an AWD option, check the link - https://www.autocarindia.com/car-new...harrier-410581), specially pseudo-SUVs like these (the Marazzo & Harrier among others), under fully loaded conditions, have always struggled up steep inclines with less than ideal road conditions - gravel and the like.

Such roads are common in our hill regions, with steep inclines combined with tight hair-pins. Speaking personally (I have been driving frequently around the Kumaon hills for the past couple of decades) I would be less than enthusiastic about large WB-ed FWD-ers without the AWD option!

You will get your answer if you will look at the sales split between the AWD models and regular two wheel drives. These are strictly city SUV's which means they will handle our waterlogged streets after normal amount of rain (not a downpour) just fine, will be easier to drive on our traffic congested streets where knowing the corners of a car helps and also handle mount everest rivalling speed breakers, not touching the running board with our massively high kerbs when turning tight and giant potholes just fine. Any serious off road stuff and you should not be looking at anything within this segment.

Originally Posted by shashanka

The Harrier an "XUV competitor than a Compass killer"? Both these have the AWD option, the Harrier doesn't have one (please read my above post) .
Mfrs. are having a field day quenching our craving for "SUVs" without offering the means for some basic off-roading abilities, which is AWD.
After all an SUV (sports utility vehicle) should possess some basic utility credentials!

I dont think XUV had an all wheel drive option from day one either but thats beside the point. The fact remains that we will cry out for safer cars and then go ahead and buy a Swift believing the masses buy it because it the most sporty drive of the lot, or worse an Alto, want a ladder frame SUV and then buy Fortuner 2WD, cry out for affordable fast hatchbacks but when launched (JTP twins) lament how close the said hatchback is priced to a cut price unsafe psuedo sedan aka Dzire etc etc. There is no market in India for enthusiast cars, we only like to talk about them. I am glad Tata is taking a pragmatic approach and to be honest even if they do not listen at all to the so called enthusiasts it wont be hurting them much in sales anyway.

[nainan]

Originally Posted by shashanka

The Harrier an "XUV competitor than a Compass killer"? Both these have the AWD option, the Harrier doesn't have one (please read my above post) .
Mfrs. are having a field day quenching our craving for "SUVs" without offering the means for some basic off-roading abilities, which is AWD.
After all an SUV (sports utility vehicle) should possess some basic utility credentials!

Oh yes !!!! I too believe a proper 4WD is a must for an SUV. In the Scorpio and the Safari of the last decade it was an option throughout the range. However even then dealers used to say there were very few takers for it due to the 1 lakh extra it would add to a 7 lakh on the road vehicle and a mileage drop.

Occasional use was the reason that was oft cited and if you look at the market today from being offered on all trims as an option it has been reduced to being a luxury SUV option in the top trim. If we go at this rate we will be a 2WD country in the next decade. The Creta in other markets has a 4WD option but Hyundai decided against launching it in India. Others are following suit.

[AirbusCapt]

With due respect to the afficianados of 4x4, let me state a fact. About 90/95% of all Indian roads are naviagable by a high ground clearance 4*2 car. Out of the remaining 5% roads, about half are navigable by 4*2 when dry, it's only the remaining 2% of roads/tracks which are pure 4*4 territory. No point in lugging around the extra weight, driveline stresses, lower fuel economy, more maintenance and higher initial price of a 4*4 SUV.
Most of our premium SUV are long wheel base versions, which will get stuck in all but the gentlest of off-road terrain. The ideal 4*4 is always a short wheel base one, which unfortunately may be too crude for a family to travel in. Imo it's a sensible idea not to launch a 4*4 in a city car like the Harrier, but the automatic is a must.

[amartyasg]

Details about the media drive!

https://youtu.be/vvv0v_pzdLg

[sharninder]

Does anyone know what's the process to cancel the online booking made earlier? Their email doesn't have any details. Since it's almost certain there won't be an automatic at launch, I'm thinking of cancelling my booking in a couple of days.