Intending to put the Tata Harrier through its paces one last time before it went back, I’d planned a 1,500km round trip from Pune to my hometown, Jalgaon in north Maharashtra. And expectedly, the Harrier proved to be comfortable on the drive, thanks to its tall seating and excellent comfort. The steering is light and helps at highway speeds, and the suspension soaks up bad roads in cities and rural areas very well. The Harrier is also light on the pocket and retuned around 20kmpl in Eco mode on the highway. Not bad for a near two-tonne apartment on wheels!
Besides that one trip, most of my driving has been restricted to crawling through city traffic, being ‘brake-checked’ by autorickshaws and two-wheeler riders. Parking it is a bit of a challenge given its size but with that said, the Harrier makes itself surprisingly easy to maneuver in tight spots. The 360-degree view system is a boon too! Its JBL audio system has been a great companion, on the highway and on my commutes to work, while the big, well-bolstered and ventilated seats have kept me comfortable.
Our test car being the manual, I was initially a bit skeptical of driving it daily, but the Harrier has turned out to be impressive, thanks to its light clutch. My long drive also had the Harrier impress as a family SUV – the boot took in all our luggage easily, while the back seat was a cozy place for my daughter to spend hours in, especially courtesy the well-positioned arm rest. I’m a little sad the Harrier is going back, but who knows, we might just get the Safari next?
