Tata Harrier vs Buzzard: 5 similarities & 5 differences

Tata revealed its complete upcoming vehicle portfolio at the Geneva Motor Show this week. This includes the Buzzard, Altroz, H2X concept, Altroz EV and the Buzzard Sport (Harrier for European markets). Among these, the Altroz and Buzzard were among the most awaited model. Talking about the Buzzard, it is the bigger brother of the Harrier with a seating option for seven people. Both the SUVs have several points of similarities as well as differences among them, which can be crucial in deciding between the two. Here then are 5 similarities and 5 differences between the Tata Buzzard and the Tata Harrier.

Similarities

Platform

The Tata Harrier became the first vehicle to use the company’s new OMEGA ARC platform. This platform is derived from Land Rover’s D8 platform that underpins famous SUVs like the Land Rover Discovery. The Buzzard is also built upon the same platform and will have similar chassis characteristics as the Harrier. This platform can be altered to fit different engines, gearboxes and body sizes.

Engine and gearbox

The Tata Harrier is powered by a 2.0 litre Fiat sourced KRYOTEC diesel engine. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. The same set of engine and gearbox options will be made available with the Buzzard at the time of its launch. However, the company could also bring the long-awaited Hyundai sourced 6-speed torque converter gearbox on the Buzzard. The same will be available on the Harrier too, either at the same time a little later.

Wheelbase and Width

That’s right. The Buzzard will have the same wheelbase and body width as the Harrier. This has been confirmed by the stats released by the company which reveal Buzzard’s dimensions. The new SUV will have a width of 1894 mm along with a wheelbase of 2741 mm. This is the same as that of the Harrier. However, the Buzzard is a bigger SUV than the Harrier in overall size.

Drivetrain

Tata has equipped the Harrier with only an FWD type drivetrain, though the chassis and engine of the SUV are much more capable. Therefore, the company is considering the idea of bringing out an AWD version of the SUV. As for the Buzzard, the company has not made it clear yet whether it will come with only FWD option at the time of launch or also with an AWD option. However, if the company does launch an AWD version of the Buzzard, the same will be brought to the Harrier as well.

Similar interior and dashboard design

Both the SUVs sport similar interior as well as the exterior design theme. Talking about the interiors, the picture above from the Geneva Auto Expo reveals that the Buzzard will have a similar dashboard design and layout as on the Harrier. However, whether the feature list would be the same or not is something that remains unanswered for now. The seats and seat spacing will also be identical among the two SUVs.

Differences

Power output

As mentioned already, the 2.0-litre KRYOTEC engine will be featured on the Buzzard too. However, it will be available in a higher state of tune than the Harrier. On the Harrier, this engine produces 138 Bhp of power along with 350 Nm of torque. However, on the Buzzard, it will produce around 170 Bhp of power. This bump in power is to counter the added weight on the Buzzard.

Height and length

It is a known fact that the Buzzard is the bigger version of the Harrier and then some. However, how big is it than the Harrier is the real question. To let you know, the Tata Buzzard measures 4661 mm in length, 1894 mm in width and 1786 in height. It has a wheelbase of 2741 mm. This translates into the Buzzard being 80 mm taller and 63 mm longer than the Harrier. The extra height and length also improve its road presence significantly.

Third-row seats

One of the biggest difference between both these SUVs is that the Buzzard comes with the seating option for seven people. The Harrier, on the other hand, makes do with only 5 adults seating capacity. The extra row of seats will make the Buzzard take on the fight to the Mahindra XUV500, which till now had this edge over the Harrier. Also, how spacious the third row on the Buzzard will be is a question that will be answered only after the company brings the Indian spec model out here.

Price and positioning

This is another area where both these SUVs differ. The base price for the Tata Harrier is Rs. 12.69 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) and goes all the way up to 16.35 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi). This makes it a competitor for both the top end variants of compact SUVs like the Hyundai  Creta and Nissan Kicks as well as more expensive vehicles like the Mahindra XUV500, Jeep Compass and Hexa. The Tata Buzzard is expected to start around Rs. 14.5-15 lakh price mark and will be positioned as a more powerful and better seating option alternative of the Harrier.

Boot space

This is one area where the Harrier buzzes past the Buzzard easily. Though it has a shorter overall length, the absence of a third row gives it an advantage of big boot space. To be particular, the Harrier comes with a boot space of 425 litre, which is quite large. The presence of an extra row of seats will make the Buzzard low on boot space when compared to the Harrier. The exact volume of the boot is not yet revealed by the company but it could be around half the capacity of the Harrier speculatively.