MG Hector vs Tata Harrier: Which one is better on bad roads [Video]

Ever since MG announced the Hector to be India bound, the SUV has been regularly pitted against the Tata Harrier which is seen as its chief rival in the market. Now both the SUVs are in the same price range and have raised the segment’s bar in several ways but a major question that still looms over many minds is that which of them is better. Well, the answer depends mainly on one’s requirements and how they tend to use the SUV. What we are here to tell today is that which among the two performs better on bad roads. Check out the video below by Nexon Problems And Solutions to know the same.

Note that neither the MG Hector nor the Harrier comes with a 4×4 or AWD drivetrain. Both the SUVs are strictly front-wheel drive vehicles and are not meant to be taken for heavy off-roading. This video, however, mostly shows slushy terrain that is not much tough to conquer, though for heavy SUVs with front-wheel drive, it can be challenging. Talking about the results, the Harrier clearly had an edge over bad roads or what some may call mild-offroading. The Tata Harrier has an advantage in such conditions as it is underpinned by the OMEGA platform that is based on the Land Rover D8 platform. The same platform underpins the Land Rover Discovery, which is a very capable off-roading vehicle.

In terms of power, the Hector is more powerful than the Harrier when considering the diesel engine options on both the SUVs. However, power is not the only thing that matters when driving on such surfaces. Another thing to note here is that though the Harrier is an FWD SUV, it comes with a multi-mode traction control system that helps it tackle such terrains. It also has a higher ground clearance of 205 mm when compared to the Hector’s 195 mm. Over regular road conditions and broken surfaces, not much difference will be felt between both the SUVs but during occasional encounters with rough terrain, the Harrier will definitely beat the Hector.

Talking about the engine powering the Tata Harrier, the SUV uses a 2.0-litre KRYOTEC diesel engine which is a Fiat-derived unit. The same engine is found under the hood of the Jeep Compass, albeit in a higher state of tune. The upcoming Tata Cassini (7-seater Harrier) will also sport the same engine but in a higher state of tune. On the Harrier, this engine puts out 138 Bhp of power along with 350 Nm of torque and comes mated to a 6-speed manual box. Talking about the MG Hector, the newly launched SUV also used the same engine as its diesel mill. However, the power output here is 168 Bhp but the torque output remains the same at 350 Nm. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed gearbox.