Tata Harrier EV First Drive Review: The Best Tata Yet?

Tata’s big electric push with the Harrier EV promises big and impressive things for the future. It might seem like yet another one of its ICE to EV conversions, like it has done with the Punch, Nexon, and Tiago, but there’s more to the Harrier EV than what meets the eye. And with the likes of the Mahindra XEV 9e and BE 6 as well as the MG Windsor gaining a lot of momentum in the Indian market, has Tata managed to hit three birds with one stone? 

Tata Harrier EV: Design

Now, while the Mahindra BE 6, XEV 9e and even the MG Windsor look radically different, quite EV-like and very futuristic, the Harrier EV looks very much like its ICE version. The facelift that came a couple of years ago did make it look more handsome. But yes, the EV still retains the Harrier’s sort of butch, muscular and imposing feel. We particularly like the new covered grille with the illuminated Tata logo.

You get these neat little air scoops on the front and rear bumpers that allow air flow neatly around the car. The large 19-inch alloy wheels with the aero inserts add to the stylishness of the Harrier EV. The body proportions and the styling elements still remain the same in profile. The lines are nice and clean and there is a very familiar feel to the Harrier EV.

The connected lights have a unique start up and end animation, which adds to the classy experience. And even the colour on our test, the Nocturne Nainital has this lovely colour changing effect which changes between blue and purple in different lighting conditions. But the rest of the colours are pretty boring to say the least. Why is there no flamboyant shade here Tata like you have on the ICE Harrier?

Tata Harrier EV: Interior and Features

Step inside the cabin of the Harrier EV and it's almost like sitting in the lap of luxury. You see soft touch materials all around the cabin, with calm undertones that give it a sense of airiness. Not to forget the panoramic sunroof also gives it a sense of a large cabin, even though it might not be larger than the regular Harrier EV. The seats are nice, soft, plush and very well bolstered.

We had the top Empowered persona on test and the QWD is only available on this trim. Hence, the interiors in this persona are finished in white and grey: the seats, the door panels as well as this dashboard. And given our Indian conditions, I sense that these seats will get dirty very quickly.

My other grouse is that the middle dash panel, while it looks nice, could have been finished in a faux white carbon fibre texture. But overall, this feels like a very premium cabin, a very well-finished cabin as well.

Now, there are loads of ways that Tata allows you to lock or unlock the car. The round keyfob looks cool and interesting with a built-in proximity sensor, there is a special NFC card that you need to tap on the driver’s side door to get car access and there will be the option to lock and unlock your car with either a smartphone or a smartwatch, thanks to the Tata iRA connectivity app.

We got to test a development version of the smartphone app, but not its entire potential. And for the smartwatch, the app will be ready by September. The connectivity suite will be free for all Tata Harrier EV users for the first four years of their purchase and will also unlock features like DigiPay, something that can be used to automatically recharge FASTags and charging stations for now and maybe even drive through services in the future.

The new and fancy large screen is only available on the Empowered trims. And it does look crisp. Couple that with the Dolby Atmos and JBL sound modes that the car comes with, and you are looking at a theatrical experience to enjoy during charging stops on your journey.

Tata Harrier EV: Rear Seat & Boot Space

The Empowered persona of the Harrier EV really wants to empower the boss feeling that this car is supposed to give you especially from the rear seat. So even though it gets a flat floor, because the batteries are laid beneath, under thigh support is really good and the sense of space is really wide. I think that two adults can sit comfortably for long hours on end. It will be a tight fit for three adults, though.

You can charge a proper MacBook thanks to these two 65W Type-C chargers. But there is no tray to place my laptop and work from. Not really boss mode. Speaking of which, this persona is the only one that gets boss mode. So, I can push the seat further and stretch out my legs and really get the full feeling of being a boss.

The boot space of the Harrier EV is a little compromised because of the large rear motor. The spare wheel has to be placed inside the boot and a little higher than usual. And even though it's a space saver and not a full-sized wheel, it does eat into the boot space. And finding the right button inside to open the boot takes a little getting used to. Thankfully, it's an electric tailgate with kick gesture controls to open it.

The 502-litre boot can fit two large suitcases very well. We managed to fit in say one very large suitcase, one medium-size backpack, two laptop bags as well as a small bag. So, that should be enough for say a week long getaway if you were to take it on a family trip.

But in case you remove the parcel tray and you have to load in a lot more luggage that obstructs the view of the driver, then what? Well, Tata has a very neat little trick because on the shark fin antenna, there is a rear camera. That rear camera sends the feed directly to the inside rear view mirror. So, even if the boot is loaded up to the brim, you will still be able to see what's behind you on the road. Plus, it also doubles up as a dash cam.

Tata Harrier EV: Battery & Performance

Tata will offer the Harrier EV with two battery pack options: 65 kWh and 75 kWh. Only in the larger battery pack do you get the Quad-Wheel Drive system. When it comes to the power figures on offer it's not quite beating the Mahindra twins handsomely but on torque 504 Nm enables you to go from naught to 100 kmph in 6.3 seconds. Thus, making the Harrier EV a very sprightly, quick and lively car.

Each of the modes that you get with this car (Eco, City and Sport) have a very different flavour. But in the QWD version you also get Boost mode, which gives you a little extra juice for a brief driving period. The charming thing about the car is that it masks the speeds that you are doing very well. This makes getting to serious speeds simple business, which means one has to pay caution to its capabilities.

Although, when you want to dial down and drive the Harrier EV in a calm and controlled manner, you can stick it into Eco mode where the responses might be dull, not lethargic nor it does not become a hazard on the road. 30 to 50 kmph driving in around town feels very relaxed, feels very easy. The mode that I preferred was City, giving a very good balance between accessible performance as well as healthy range.

Tata Harrier EV: Ride & Handling

The Harrier EV still has that sense of solidness and robustness that the Harrier platform provides. It doesn't feel very firm or taut when you are going over speed breakers. Nor does it feel very floaty and mushy, like a Hyundai Creta does. It has a very flat, well-planted suspension setup. Even when you take the curves in a slightly spirited manner, body roll is very well controlled. Tata has definitely nailed the driving dynamics of the Harrier EV.

Tata also offers four levels of regen that you can adjust on the fly via the paddle shifters. And each one is noticeably more aggressive than the other. And you also have the option to shut off the regen completely. You can almost drive it as a one pedal system in the third-regen mode. No need to go heavy on the brakes until and unless you absolutely need to. But I do not prefer to have a lot of regen intervention, allowing the car to free roll as much as possible.

Tata Harrier EV: The Gremlins

But all is not well with the Harrier EV. And mainly it comes down to the features and electronics of the car, not the driving part of it. Like we mentioned earlier, the connectivity app is under development, the driver’s one-touch auto window roll down and up didn’t work properly and neither did the boot unlocking button, which is a pain to find. Plus, the keyfob is supposed to enable Summon mode that will help bring the car out or into a tight parking spot but we couldn’t manage to get it working smoothly.

Lastly, while it has ADAS only on the top Empowered trim, the system was a bit irritating on Delhi’s extremely chaotic streets. Hence, turning the aids off for at least commuting is logical.

Tata Harrier EV: Best Tata Yet?

So, is the Harrier EV really worth the asking price? Tata has developed a really great car and large electric car that the masses would like. Considering the Harrier brand name itself is quite popular, the electric version would enhance its popularity further. It will serve the family better than the Curvv EV would and Tata has nailed the driving as well as the handling dynamics of the Harrier EV. 

What still remains a bit of an issue are the electronic glitches. The tailgate button didn’t work on a number of occasions. The connectivity suite is still in beta testing and a few of the apps are still under development. So even if you get the car right now, you will still be a beta tester for all of the fancy gizmos that are there in this car.

Tata Harrier EV: The Bottom Line

Which version should you get? Well, technically in case if you are really not going to be making use of the entire potential of the all-wheel drive system, then it is better to save a lot of money and get just the rear wheel drive version. Which battery pack? We'll leave that up to you depending on your range needs. But the rear wheel drive version should suffice for a lot of buyers. And Tata will also throw in the telematics suite for the next four years for free. So charging options also are pretty decent. The 7.2 kW AC fast charger costs an additional ₹49,000 and Tata promises to have 120 kW Superchargers installed across the country in the future as well. 

So attractive pricing aside, does the Harrier EV hit the Mahindra twins as well as the Windsor EV where it hurts? Well, certainly because this is after all a pukka SUV design. It gives you that macho feel, which the coupe SUVs of Mahindra don't give you and the MG Windsor after all is an MPV in disguise. So with the Harrier EV Tata is packing a mean punch no pun intended dealing a heavy blow to its rivals that is the Mahindra twins as well as the MG Windsor.