Upcoming Tata H5X SUV spied again; Launch and other key details surface

The upcoming Tata H5X SUV, which was unveiled in its concept avatar at the Auto Expo 2018, was recently spotted testing in Wakad, Pune by a friend of ours. As you can see in a couple of images we have on this page, the H5X has been testing with a lot of camouflage to hide its production-spec body shell. However, our sources inform us that the production version will look a lot like the concept that was unveiled earlier this year. The H5X will be launched in mid-2019 and will become the flagship product of Tata Motors. It will be built on an all-new platform that is based on the Land Rover Discovery Sport’s underpinnings.

This means that the H5X SUV will become the first-ever Tata Motors product to have borrowed technology from a JLR model. Underpinning the H5X will be the new ‘Optimal Modular Efficient Global Advanced (OMEGA)’ platform, which, in turn, is highly based on the Discovery Sport’s LR4 chassis. The H5X will offer a spacious and comfortable cabin that will be sufficiently feature-laden to justify a high price tag. Powering the H5X will be a Fiat-sourced 2.0-litre MultiJet II diesel engine that will offer a maximum power of 140 to 170 bhp. The engine will come mated to a 6-speed manual transmission as standard. A ZF-sourced 9-speed automatic transmission will be optional. Even the four-wheel-drive system will be optional.

The Tata H5X is likely to have a base price of roughly Rs. 16 lakh. At this price point, the H5X will be significantly costlier than the Tata Hexa. That said, it must be noted here that Tata Motors is known to price its cars pretty aggressively. Hence, it would be safe to assume a similar pricing strategy for the upcoming flagship. The local manufacturing and the various changes that Tata Motors has made to the LR4 platform should help the company price the upcoming SUV very aggressively. The Tata H5X SUV will take on the Jeep Compass, Hyundai Tucson and high-end variants of the Mahindra XUV500.

Images courtesy – Akash Sharma, Pune