Harrier / Safari facelift will have updated styling, based on Harrier EV that was unveiled at 2023 Auto Expo
Facing tough competition from XUV700, Scorpio N and new MG Hector, Tata Motors has already introduced several new advanced features with Harrier and Safari. It includes ADAS, 10.25-inch touchscreen, new TFT instrument cluster and 200+ voice commands in 6 languages. There’s more in store with the facelift versions of Harrier and Safari, which are expected to debut later this year.
Ahead of their launch, Harrier / Safari facelifts have been spotted on road tests in Pune. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Anvay Sheolikar for sharing these exclusive spy shots. Giving company to the Tata SUVs on testing is XUV700, which is likely being used for benchmarking purposes. Although heavily camouflaged, some exterior details of Harrier / Safari are evident.
Harrier / Safari facelift getting benchmarked against XUV700
As compared to triangular shaped headlamp and fog lamp housing of current model, the test mule can be seen with a trapezoidal-shaped, vertically stacked housing. This appears to be almost the same as that of Harrier EV. The new housing for the lighting is a lot sleeker and futuristic. Basic outline of the front grille and bumper section also seems to be similar to Harrier EV. The facelift is expected to get a top-mounted, full-width LED strip.
Side profile seems largely the same, although the test mule can be seen with a new set of alloy wheels. At rear, updates could include new tail lamps and an interconnecting LED light bar. Apart from these, most other features will be carried forward.
To push sales to earlier levels, it is imperative for Harrier and Safari facelift to bring in some best-in-class and segment-first features. Merely matching rival offerings is unlikely to achieve desired results. It is possible that the facelift could get a new range of ADAS features.
Safety kit could also see some new additions. From the user’s perspective, there’s growing curiosity about safety ratings of Harrier and Safari. These are yet to be tested by Global NCAP. Hopefully, there could be some developments in this context in near future. Rivals XUV700 and Scorpio-N have 5-star safety rating in Global NCAP crash tests.
Harrier / Safari to get petrol option?
Another area where Harrier and Safari seem to be lacking is unavailability of petrol engine option. Current versions of both Harrier and Safari are powered by a 2.0-litre turbo diesel motor. It generates 170 PS of max power and 350 Nm of peak torque. Transmission choices include 6-speed manual and 6-speed automatic. In comparison, rivals like XUV700, Scorpio-N and MG Hector have both diesel and petrol powertrains.
It is possible that Harrier / Safari facelift could get a new 1.5-litre turbo petrol motor. Tata had showcased their new petrol motor at 2023 Auto Expo. It churns out 170 PS and 280 Nm. Transmission choices will include both manual and automatic. With option of petrol, Tata should be able to reduce the starting price of Harrier and Safari. Consumers could save up to Rs 1 lakh with the petrol variants, something that can boost sales of Harrier and Safari.
