[Aditya]

Tata Harrier

What you'll like:

• Smooth & competent 6-speed automatic transmission
• Far improved over the 2019 work-in-progress Harrier beta
• Stunning looks & strong road presence. Solid build too
• Classy, spacious cabin with comfortable seats & a chilling air-con
• Fantastic 9-speaker audio system. Sound quality & bass are enjoyable
• The Harrier's 2.0L diesel now gets 30 BHP more & offers good performance
• 205 mm of ground clearance + terrain response system. Latter will make monsoon driving safer
• Topnotch safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP, break reminder, hill hold, brake disc wiping & more
• Features such as the panoramic sunroof, Eco & Sport modes, auto headlamps & wipers, cruise control…

What you won't:

• Heavy steering gets cumbersome at parking / u-turn / crawling speeds (<5 km/h)
• Harrier AT’s focus is on smoothness & comfort; gearbox is not the most responsive
• Concerns over niggles & long-term reliability associated with Tata cars
• Service visit every 6 months / 7,500 km (12-months is the norm today)
• Diesel engine does get loud at 3,500 rpm & its engine note is quite sad too
• No petrol option (almost all competitors offer it). No AWD for enthusiasts either
• Although improved, the Harrier's steering @ 120 km/h is still a level too sensitive
• Price has increased by ~1.5 lakhs ex-showroom since launch. Unwise for a slow-seller
• Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble

Link to Review

Hyundai Creta

Link to Launch Thread

Link to RavenAvi's Ownership Report

Kia Seltos

What you'll like:

• A superbly engineered all-rounder that delivers a premium experience
• Handsome, contemporary styling. Looks very sharp
• We find the Seltos to be well-priced for what it offers
• Nice, user-friendly interiors with sufficient space & good quality
• Loved the 1.4L turbo-petrol & 1.5L diesel. They are BS6 compliant too
• Both the automatics - Diesel AT & Petrol DCT - are simply fantastic!
• Mature on-road behavior, including at highway speeds. A+ brakes as well
• Unusually wide variant offering. Seems there is something for everyone
• Top safety package includes 6 airbags, ESP, all-wheel disc brakes, blind spot monitor, TPMS etc.
• Impressive kit (360 degree camera, HUD, front parking sensors, Bose sound system, cooled seats, cabin air purifier & loads more)

What you won't:

• Firm suspension. Liveable, but bad roads will bother you (especially on 17" wheel variants)
• Back seat's width makes it better for 2 adults and a kid, rather than 3 adults
• Niggles are being reported by owners (details here)
• Some misses (no paddle shifters or illuminated window buttons, thinner spare tyre on top trims, no dual-tone option on GTX+ / HTX+)
• Dual-clutch ATs (like the Petrol DCT) have a history of poor reliability in India
• Diesel’s 113 BHP & 250 Nm – although adequate – are the lowest in the segment.
• Extremely confusing & complicated variant spread. We still haven’t gotten the hang of it!
• Kia's after-sales service quality is an unknown. We await details in our ownership reports
• Waiting periods are a couple of months long for some trims
• You get bigger SUVs & Crossovers for the same money (e.g. Hector, Harrier, XUV500)

Review Link

MG Hector

What you'll like:

• Big size & lots of bling for the money! We find the Hector to be well-priced
• A spacious cabin that can easily seat 5 adults. Massive 587 litre boot too
• Fiat-sourced 2.0L diesel is simply fantastic
• Compliant ride quality. Suspension is tuned for comfort
• Lots of kit (panoramic sunroof, 360-degree camera, electric seats & tailgate etc.)
• ‘Connected’ Tablet ICE with an embedded SIM & lovely sound quality
• 5-year / unlimited km warranty with roadside assistance
• Top safety equipment includes 6 airbags, ESP, HSA, all-wheel disc brakes, TPMS & more

What you won't:

• Awkward styling on the side & rear profiles. Looks weird from some angles
• Sloppy high-speed handling, noticeable body roll & easy understeer
• The petrol engine is “adequate” at best. Its guzzling Automatic variant is unimpressive
• No Diesel AT (Creta, Seltos, XUV500, Hexa offer this combination, which we love)
• Some annoyances like the ~6 meter turning radius, no auto-dimming IRVM, strange rpm meter…
• Small after-sales network. Service quality & long-term reliability are big unknowns
• Waiting period runs into a couple of months
• Don’t get blinded by the British branding. This is a Chinese car

Review Link

Mahindra XUV500

What you’ll like:

• A well-engineered, contemporary SUV with a value-for-money price tag
• More mature styling. Front end no longer looks garish
• Acres of space on the 1st & 2nd seat rows
• Competent engine delivers fantastic urban driveability, as well as fast highway performance
• Balanced ride & handling package
• Safety kit includes 6 airbags, ESP with rollover mitigation, ABS + EBD and all-wheel disc brakes
• Expansive feature list (sunroof, touchscreen ICE, powered driver's seat, cruise control etc.)

What you won’t:

• Absolutely no luggage capacity with all the seats in place
• Cramped 3rd seat row is best suited to children only. A sliding middle row is sorely missed
• Interior quality, although better, still has a lot of scope for improvement
• Clutch is lighter now, but has a long travel range & high resting point. Gets cumbersome in traffic
• Niggles & issues, as reported by existing XUV500 owners
• Mahindra's inconsistent sales & service experiences

Review Link

Review Link - Diesel AT

Jeep Compass

What you'll like:

• Handsome Cherokee-inspired styling & loads of character
• Solid build. Feels very robust, just as a Jeep should
• Powerful 2.0L diesel. Good driveability in the city, fast on the open road
• 1.4L turbo-petrol makes 161 BHP! Offers fast performance.
• Mature suspension setup, nicely-tuned EPS & rock-solid stability
• Capable AWD available (unlike some competitors)
• City-friendly: Compact size, higher seating, smooth gearshift, soft clutch & low NVH
• Topnotch safety: Strong all-disc brakes, a plethora of electronic aids & 6 airbags
• We think the Compass is well-priced for what it offers. The driving experience & overall package feel premium

What you won't:

• Small size for the price! A sentiment echoed by most people who saw it in person
• Suitable for 4 adults, not 5. Boot is small too
• Inexplicably, only the AWD Diesel gets 6 airbags! All other variants have 2
• Tiny dealership network. Plus, after-sales quality & long-term reliability are unknown factors
• AWD's premium is over 2 lakh rupees on-the-road. Includes 4 extra airbags, but is still too much
• Turning radius of 5.65m is wide. Also, 17º approach angle is too low
• Missing goodies (blanks on the steering, auto-dimming IRVM, auto wipers & headlamps, lumbar adjustment, reclinable rear seats)

Review Link

The Petrol Automatic:

• Review Link

The Trailhawk:

• Link to Report

[GTO]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

Voted for the Kia Seltos. The Diesel + AT combination is superb - that engine & AT are a match made in heaven. As good as the car itself! While the Petrol DCT is also fast & competent, I'll go with the diesel due to its inherently superior reliability over a dual-clutch gearbox, higher FE and the fact that both are similarly priced. Even otherwise, I am really attracted to the Seltos' styling + interior + features + handling.

Have to admit that Tata has made giant strides with the '20 Harrier AT. It is in a strong 2nd place for me. It's the best looking here, has a spacious cabin, the AT is wonderfully matched to the 2.0 diesel and there is something special about cruising in a large SUV on the highway.

I could never live with a car that looks like the new Creta (styling is important to me), the current-gen XUV500 is due for replacement, while the Compass Diesel AT is overpriced & outclassed by the others here. FCA's dual-clutch is imperfect. The Hector Petrol AT is quite a poor combination - with the MG, the Diesel MT is the pick, but we are focusing on the ATs here.

[a4anurag]

A close tie between the Harrier Diesel + TC and Creta Diesel + TC - my vote went in favour for the Creta. Latest on the block, perfect size for the city and has all the features one will look for in the current age. Both cars being TC, will be reliable and Harrier has a Hyundai in it anyway. I love how the Harrier looks but prefer to keep as a second choice due to its size for City use.

But the respect that one will command when seated in the Harrier, is unbeatable in that segment. The other cars that will garner such respect are Endeavour and Fortuner. Live what Tata had done with the Harrier and hope it sells well.

[AnandB]

New Harrier for me. Seltos looks great from the front but Harrier does it even better. Also it looks and feels like proper a SUV compared to Creta/Seltos.

[extreme_torque]

Voted for the Harrier simply because I love what Tata has done with it. Its got all the basics right - powerful engine, good auto, good stereo and infotainment, panoramic sunroof and the looks. There is no real weakness except if you wanted your SUV to do offroad as well in which case I would take the Compass.

Seltos and Creta are a size smaller. Have never been a fan of XUV500. Its too chintzy and now too old as well.

[ashis89]

I would choose between the Harrier and the Seltos. Based on my budget and my usage, the size of car preferred would be different.

Harrier is a size too big for pure city use and more suited for highway. Seltos is the other way round. Having shortlisted both during my purchase, I got the Seltos as it fit my budget and usage to the T.

Even after seeing many of them on the road now, I can't digest the looks of the new Creta and even the Hector and the XUV is too old. Compass is overpriced for its size.

[Storm2.0]

Voted for Harrier. When I'm paying huge money, I'd expect the space to commensurate with it (unless buying a 2 door sports car).
Rejected Hector because of its disproportionate looks and XuV 500 because of the weird rear end styling of the current facelifted variant on sale.

[46TheDoctor]

Voted for Jeep compass because even though it is overpriced for diesel AT combination, it is the complete car here with best ride-handling, Diesel+AT+4X4+features+Euro NCAP 5 star rating. Only missing features are ventilated seats and premium sound system like the other players.

But if Harrier gets AWD/4WD and rear disc brakes, it will be my natural choice.

On the other hand, I think that Thar should also be added to this poll because people with small families and buyers of 2nd and 3rd car at home will definitely cross shop due to features and 4X4 AT abilities of the Thar.

[sharninder]

Such a disconnect between the enthusiasts on this forum and the real world The top cars here are Harrier and Compass, both of them not doing that well in the market. The ones doing the best are closely following behind but still. Harrier is a surprise though, way ahead of everyone. I chose Seltos personally because that's a more practical car for the regular public, otherwise Harrier would probably have been my choice too. But like I said, the enthusiasts on this forum think slightly differently

[raj_5004]

While I feel that the Seltos is the best vehicle here, I have voted for the Harrier.

Very few vehicles appeal to the heart and the Harrier is one among them. The size and road presence of the Harrier makes other vehicles feel tame in comparison. And of course, we can live with a few shortcomings.

I sincerely wish that the new Harrier sets the sales charts on fire as it rightfully deserves so, but I also know that it would be a distant dream. In a way, I like a certain exclusivity and that again would be a bonus point for the Harrier for me!

[nishsingh]

As much as I wanted to, I simply couldn't get myself to vote for the Harrier simply because of the Tata service stories. The Harrier may be extra-ordinary, but Tata's after sales service (and pre-sales too for that matter) is not an inch beyond ordinary.

[TorqueIndia]

Voted for Tata Harrier which is the all rounder choice right now in the price bracket. Tata Motors can enjoy some market share untill the new cheetah is out for its hunt !

Creta/Seltos might be the most selling cars but I would pick them only in their sub 12-13 Lakhs variants which are pretty loaded too. Also observed a combined strategy between Hyundai & Kia in the variant distribution like affordable AT & Turbo variants are available with Seltos but not in the Creta . Similar trends may be followed in Sonet/Venue variants too.

I won't call Jeep Compass over priced it's a premium product just like Karoq/TRoc.

XUV500 is due for a substantial update which will come back with all guns blazing, might be with a strategy similar to Koreans - Petrol,Diesel MT/AT+ AWD, it's running late come on Mahindra !

[Shreyas_H]

I have voted for the Harrier too.

There is just something special about that car, and with the improvements in the 2020 version plus the well-tuned AT, it's a great option for anyone shopping in this segment. I remember my jaw dropping when I had seen the Dark Edition Harrier in the flesh for the first time. The presence is unmatched by any car in this segment or even a segment above!

Realistically speaking, the new Creta will lead the sales charts, followed by the Seltos and then Harrier/Hector/XUV will be scrambling for 3rd place.

The Seltos for me is a close second and then the Creta (hate the look, love the features and variant spread)

[Researcher]

Voted for other.

If I had to put my money on any one of these, I would wait a few months if possible to check the next generation XUV5OO. The current one, though with quite a good reputation, has been out for quite sometime and is almost end of life.

Also, I am quite surprised that there are no competent Japanese 5/7-seater crossover-SUVs in this bracket, even though Creta along with XUV5OO have been dominating since quite a few years.

[Garth]

Voted for the Harrier AT.
Looks, road presence, pedigree. It seems to have it all.

Reliability/ after sales is a bit iffy, but I am sure Tata will take care of its premium car and premium customers. Its a Tata afterall.

I always drooled over the Safari in its prime, head ruled over the heart then and I ended up with a Rapid. Not that I am complaining, loved every moment of it. My next definitely will be the new bad boy from Tata.