Tata Harrier Red Dark Edition Review

The Red Dark Edition of the Harrier represents the best of what Tata can currently offer when it comes to technology and the materials used inside the cabin. For starters, the old 8.8-inch touchscreen display has made way for a much better 10.25-inch unit. This improvement is monumental, to say the least. The Red Dark Edition also gets ADAS features and a lot of red inside. More on that later.

On the outside, the Harrier is obviously all black though you do get a tinge of red on the gloss black grille, the brake calipers, and the #Dark logo on the fenders. Exterior-wise, that’s pretty much what you get that is different compared to the regular Harrier. Let’s delve into the finer details.

It’s on the inside where you get to see and experience what’s new in terms of look and feel. Now, there is a lot that has been added or improved to make the Harrier a better car to live with. For starters, the main infotainment screen as well as the display for the instrument cluster are entirely new, and I couldn’t be happier. Tata Motors have finally dropped their ancient-looking (and feeling) part-digital instrument cluster and the 8.8-inch infotainment display that were slow to respond and riddled with issues.

The new 10.25-inch display feels at home. It’s quick to respond and has a much better user interface and nicer-looking graphics compared to the old system. I am happy to report that the quality of the reversing camera has also improved.

In fact, you get 360-degree views, including the bird’s eye view. However, the system on our test car was a little wonky – it wouldn’t show visuals from the front camera when engaging the 360-degree view.

The 7-inch display in the instrument cluster is also new for the Harrier, although it’s not as impressive as the main infotainment display. The visuals are nowhere as crisp and the font size is quite small. You will invariably end up looking at it for a second too long to check the trip info or what radio station you are listening to while driving.

The red interior theme for the Harrier looks rather sweet. I like that the shade of red that has been used isn’t too bright. It’s the right amount of flash, adding to the premium look that one would expect in a car that costs nearly Rs. 30 lakh on-road. You get red leatherette seats with diamond-style quilting, perforated-like finish for the red grab handles on the doors and center console, the #DARK logo on the headrests, and gloss black accents on the steering wheel and the dashboard. In terms of features, this Red Dark Edition gets a six-way powered driver’s seat with a memory function, a panoramic sunroof, and ADAS for safety, to name a few.

The Red Dark Edition feels exactly like the regular Harrier to drive. Thus, nothing has changed when it comes to performance, ride, and handling. The 2-litre turbo diesel engine makes 168bhp and 350Nm and it delivers most of it in a rather calm fashion. There is some lag at low RPMs which is expected. Rev it past 2,000rpm, and there is a strong power. The Harrier will further continue to pull hard until you hit 4,000rpm. The 6-speed automatic gearbox does a good job of delivering the torque to the wheels in a smooth manner. The gearshifts are quick, yet smooth, and there is no perceptible lag when you put your foot down expecting a downshift or two.

The Harrier is a big old thing and it shows when you drive it across bad roads. The suspension setup is sturdy and the whole car feels indestructible when you plough through road imperfections. Sure, it isn’t the most planted ride in the world but the Harrier simply decimates everything that comes in its way.

Of course, there is one area where this Red Dark Edition feels totally different to drive and it’s when you engage ADAS. The Harrier has ADAS functionalities that are beyond Level 1 but there are a couple of crucial functions missing. You do not get adaptive cruise control or lane keep assist, both of which are available in mainstream vehicles with ADAS. So what do you get in the Harrier?

There is forward collision warning and blind spot detection, which worked flawlessly when we tried them. You also get autonomous emergency braking, which unfortunately didn’t work as precisely as we would have wanted it to. It didn’t come into effect a lot of times, even after pulling up really close to our other test car ahead. As for the rest, there’s a rear collision warning, lane change alert, lane departure warning and high beam assist as standard.

The Tata Harrier is already known for its solid road presence, spacious interiors, and comfortable rides. What makes this Red Dark Edition even more compelling is the massive improvement in tech although it is now also available in the regular Harrier. That said, the latter will not get you the tastefully done red and black interior theme and for that one reason itself, the Red Dark Edition makes for a convincing buy if you want your Harrier to stand out.

Pictures by Kaustubh Gandhi