Tata Harrier Petrol Variant Spied Testing Ahead Of Launch

Tata Harrier has been spotted testing with a petrol engine ahead of its expected launch this year. The Harrier SUV is the brand’s flagship model and does not offer any petrol engines. Tata has taken the opportunity from the BS6 shift in the country to develop an all-new petrol engine.

Tata Motors currently do not have a bigger capacity petrol engine to power their SUVs in its line-up. The biggest petrol engine they have is the one powering the Nexon SUV. The 1.2-litre three-cylinder ‘Revotron’ engine produces 119bhp and 170Nm of torque. Although these specs are enough, it will offer minimal performance when fitted to their Harrier or Hexa models.

However, to overcome this lack of power Tata Motors is expected to develop an all-new four-cylinder 1.5-litre petrol engine. It would produce around 150bhp and 250Nm of torque, which would be enough to power Tata’s SUV line-up. Apart from the engine, all other equipment and features are expected to remain the same and carried from its diesel variant.

With the upcoming BS6 emission norms, sales of diesel vehicles have seen a decline. Although the demand for diesel vehicles is present, we can see buyers in segment opting for a petrol powertrain, instead. Tata Nexon is a classic example of this as the compact SUV’s 70 per cent sales come from its petrol variants. Tata Harrier’s segment rival the MG Hector sales report showcases the SUV’s petrol variant to constitute over 50% of the sales.

The Harrier SUV has been registering an average monthly sales figure of about 700 units. With the launch of a new 1.5-litre petrol engine in the Harrier SUV, Tata Motors aims to sell more targeting a wider audience. We also expect the same engine to power the soon-to-be-launched Gravitas 7-seater SUV.

The Tata Harrier petrol variant will compete over the MG Hector petrol featuring a 1.5-litre unit, the Jeep Compass powered by 1.4-litre petrol, and the upcoming next-generation Mahindra XUV500 which will feature a larger 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit. The upcoming Harrier petrol variant is expected to be priced aggressively by Tata Motors to gain an advantage in the competitive segment.