A diesel-powered, automatic, entry-level SUV is something that we Indians were not privileged to have, until some time back. The Tata Harrier now is finally offered with the Hyundai sourced 6-speed torque converter and the Jeep Compass too, now comes with a 9-speed, ZF sourced automatic gearbox with its diesel engine. Both these cars use the same, Fiat manufactured 2-litre diesel engine rated to produce 170 hp of peak power and 350 Nm of maximum twist in both these cars. Despite belonging to the same segment, these two cars have their own distinctions. Here is our attempt at comparing these two extremely capable SUVs.
Talking about the exterior, the Harrier, with its modern design, bumper-mounted headlamps sharp creases, looks quite imposing. The LED DRLs mounted on the top of the car give the front fascia the look of a hungry lion, ready to pounce on its prey. The Jeep, on the other hand, follows a simple and sophisticated design. Equally imposing with its straight lines and typically American grille, one may argue that it is not as emotive as the design of the Tata. While the design of the cars is subjective, both these brands do not compromise on build quality and offer a strongly built vehicle.
Coming to the insides of the car, the Harrier, being a larger vehicle of the two, offers much more space on the inside. Rear legroom is much better than that of the Jeep, making it a much more comfy space for the second-row passengers. That said, the Jeep is not too far behind, with more than decent second-row space to offer. Both cars come are offered with a panoramic sunroof in the top trim levels along with a touch-enabled infotainment screen. The Harrier holds a trump card in the infotainment sector with a JBL tuned, 8-speaker sound system along with a subwoofer.
Moving further, let us talk about how the cars perform off-road, which is quite important for an SUV. The Jeep borrows its off-roading heritage from the likes of the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee, known to be one of the best handlers in the rough stuff. The Compass, coming from such strong lineage, paired with a proper 4×4 drivetrain can indeed handle any challenge thrown at it. That said, the Harrier too has an off-road capable chassis, derived from the previous generation Land Rover Discovery Sport. Moreover, clever ESP along with driving modes modulate the throttle response to allow the car to grip on slippery surfaces. However, due to lack of a proper 4×4 drivetrain, the Harrier can not come close to the Compass, off the road.
Well, now to take a call on which car to go for. If you compare the prices of both these cars. The Harrier Automatic starts at an ex-showroom price tag of INR 16.25 Lakh while the Jeep Compass starts at INR 21.96 Lakh. While the Compass, with its additional 4×4 hardware and a more fancy gearbox, does demand quite a good premium, for you, as a buyer it seems to be a premium worth paying for only if you plan to use it. If you want a car to do the school run and call driving on the broken roads of our country, Off-Roading, the Harrier should seem to do the job for you. However, if a proper SUV, capable of going through trails and tackle any sort of off-road challenge is what you want, the additional amount spent on a Compass is indeed worth the price.
Author: Videh Vora
