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-   -   Tata Harrier : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/209281-tata-harrier-official-review-46.html)

I agree on how the company has failed to market their products. Also there is frustration on how the management behaves: as lethargic and unresponsive as any typical government office. However, this is definitely not the thread to vent it out.

Appreciation has to be given where its due, irrespective of the brand!

Coming to the topic, It was a great feeling to attend a show created for owners back then and when we came out, all our cars were decorated with ribbons and flowers. It would be great if someone could share more details or images!

Many want a sun roof and blackened roof in their cars but I find it difficult to drive my car in summer without sun film. Won't the sun roof and blackened roof increase the temperature inside the car? Is it suitable for our climate? Can any one who owns a sunroof car comment on this.

Wow! I love this gesture from Tata :thumbs up

For all the relatively not-so-good moves (read: launching kind of half-baked product) so far by Tata, this is surely a great move to reconnect with the existing customers and appreciate their loyalty for standing by a product, which Tata and the customers believe in!

This is a good move from TATA to regain the customer confidence. While one must accept that there were flaws in the initial batches, we must also accept the fact that TATA followed up with customers and resolved issues one by one.

As a person driving the Harrier for the past three months, I am yet to face a major "issue" that is not seen in any other car sold in India. Since someone is likely to ask what issues I face, let me say that the only issue that I face once in a while is with the infotainment unit. Resetting it resolves the issue and the system continues to work as normal.

Attempting to connect with existing customers is a great thing and I think TATA must be thinking of how to turn around things in favor of them before their upcoming launches.

One year of Tata Harrier: Right SUV at the wrong time?

Interesting article on Tata Harrier in the Auto HT yesterday. Makes an argument on why Harrier sales are less than Seltos or Hector. Says, the competition upped the game. But then, it is already widely known now, ain't it. Tata launched Harrier early to have the advantage over MG Hector but failed to gauge what Seltos or Hector might pack in with their offerings.

https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto...289068036.html

I think the Harrier is going to turn out to be a late bloomer. Seltos sales crashed by two-thirds in December while Harrier sales doubled. Seltos is so ordinary when you see it on the streets and the lower end variants look as inconspicuous as the Maruti Breezas. On the other hand, any variant of the Harrier looks majestic and stylish. Hector actually looks decent except for some quirks like tiny tires on such a large body.

Once the auto transmission comes in, I believe we are going to to have a more complete package in the Harrier that should take the sales further north. It can easily do 3k a month if the BS6 variants are priced right.

Agree with you that Harrier could be a late bloomer. It is in any case a solid and majestic looking car. Tata only goofed up in understanding that customer now wants everything in their cars which Kia and MG provided and Tata did not. It is unfortunate that a domestic manufacturer does not understand its own audience. If Tata can mend that, with a face lift or a new variant, things might get better. December sales should not make them complacent.

As for Kia's crashed sales, I think that could be a conscious decision on their part (the sales figures are factory dispatches and not customer deliveries). They may not have wanted a 2019 inventory that could attract discounts in Jan'20. Also, it was known that Seltos prices will increase in the new year, so why not make more money instead of discounts. I think Kia sales will pick up from this month again. Though the price increase may have a negative effect on the VFM buyer, will be known in coming months.

Thanks for this Ram. If possible, can you also enquire about the adjustable handrest? Thanks!

Secondly, I need some advice from the experts. While I have been waiting patiently for the automatic for a year now, what are your thoughts on booking one from the first lot? Is that a good decision or should I wait for a couple of months to gauge the feedback from early adopters?

Thanks in advance. Cheers.

In short: NO. Even a full panoramic glass roof is as cool or cooler than a metallic roof simply due good quality glass and high quality tinting. Lot of high end cars have it and no one complains of increased heat.

Yes will try to check if the Harrier is going to come with adjustable driver's armrest.

As far as being one of the first customers is concerned, I would say that for any new car its better to wait a bit and see how it performs in our market and on our road conditions. This is even more important for a new variant coming from Tata stable. As Tata has a reputation of having some niggles with initial batches.

The Hyundai automatic though a proven and reliable unit is being mated with the Multijet for the first time so it's better to take a cautious approach. Also I have heard from my sources that they are facing an issue with the automatic variant in which in stop go traffic when creep mode is activated, the krrrr sound that we sometimes get upon disengagement of brakes and the activation of creep mode is a lot more than acceptable in the Harrier/Gravitas automatic. Tata is still working on that.

So my suggestion to you would be to wait for a couple of months and if possible till our very own Tbhp review is out and then take the plunge.

Tata Harrier prices hiked by up to INR 45,000.

I beg to differ. Which offering did Seltos or Hector add which Tata did not know they might pack?
An Automatic?
A Sun-roof?

Tata failed to understand what the market has been demanding for a long time.

And even if we give them the benefit of doubt, what is inescapably a failure is their ability to offer something which is ground breaking. Why couldn't Tata think about offering something new and just continue with aping the current market offerings? [I would give you the answer as well, these designs begin 4-5 years before they are launched and hence they are unable to incorporate new trends. This long lead time in design to production has always been Tata's Achilles heel.]

So, Tata had the first mover advantage. They had the looks. They had the underpinnings of LR and great marketing around it. But their inability to give exactly what the customer wants laid waste to such an awesome product.

This is exactly the point I was trying to make alongside the HT article. Tata did launch the Harrier to have the first mover advantage over Hector, but they took the customers granted for and thought just by using the LR platform they will be able to woo the customers and they do not require to give what competition is giving or might give in future. The the Tata mentality about Indian customers which is pulling them down. They to fix their mind.

Sometimes, the critical /important things need not be ground-breaking. For example, the five star safety rating in Nexon or that excellent ride quality in Hexa. There are things that a customer wants and things that customer needs. Safety is what the customer really needs and sadly in our market, this is not in a customers' wanted list. I say, it's not Tata's fault. If only our market is more matured, we will have much better and safer cars.

As far as I am concerned, if the choice is between a car that will save my life and a car that offers more convenience oriented features, I will pick the former every single time.

You have a valid point here. However, while we wait for NCAP ratings for India spec Kia Seltos, the ANCAP ratings for Australian Seltos (Korean made) shows that Safety and features can be given together. Just to provide safety, they don't have to compromise on features really. It is more like arrogance from Tata that I am giving you this so you don't deserve that!

Not to offend anyone, this is what I personally think.