Exclusive: Tata Nexon, Harrier And Safari R Versions In The Works
The current portfolio of Tata Motors is dominated by SUVs. The carmaker's SUV lineup consists of the Punch, Nexon, Curvv, Harrier and Safari. Together, these drive good monthly volumes. The Nexon in particular, has a huge acceptance. It should also be noted that these models have long been on sale, and are due for major overhauls. We have learnt from sources who prefer to be anonymous, that the Nexon, Harrier and Safari will soon get generational updates. In dimensions, these will be larger than the outgoing models. When launched, these could be named with an R at the end, the 'Safari R' for example.
Tata Nexon, Harrier And Safari R Versions: What To Expect?
The next generations of the Nexon, Harrier and Safari will likely be called Nexon-R, Harrier-R and Safari-R upon launch. It remains to be seen if these will be sold alongside the outgoing models or will replace the present lineup.
One possible intention of the manufacturer with the next-generation SUVs could be to seal the price gaps that currently exist in the SUV space. This could be done in a way that a fully loaded Safari R would lock horns with the Fortuner.
To give you some context, the top-spec Fortuner costs around 52 lakh, ex-showroom. The current ex-showroom price of the top-spec Safari (Stealth Edition) is 27.24 lakh rupees. Despite being comparable in size, cabin room and features, the Safari R could be a lot cheaper owing to the heavy localisation that Tata Motors adopts in manufacturing and due to their smart pricing strategies.
The introduction of R versions will allow Tata Motors to have an SUV variant available for people with almost every budget.
In addition to being bigger in dimensions, the next-generation SUVs will also pack more features and come better laid out on the inside. Although it is too early to cast a word on it, the powertrains could also witness a rejig. There is no word yet on if the R versions will make it to the electric vehicle (EV) lineup as well.
Outgoing Nexon, Harrier And Safari: What Are They?
The Nexon is the oldest of the three. The first generation of the SUV went on sale in 2017. It was based on a modified X1 platform- an iteration of what underpinned the Tata Indica!
The SUV soon rose to acceptance and people loved both the petrol and diesel engines it came with. It got two comprehensive facelifts so far- the first in 2020 and the latest in 2023. The generational update is known to phase out this platform and make a transition to a more advanced architecture.
In 2025, the Nexon is probably the automobile model with the most number of variants and most expansive powertrains on offer. It can now be had with a 1.2 L turbocharged petrol, 1.5 diesel, 1.2L CNG and all-electric powertrains.
The Harrier had its market debut in January 2019, and sits between the Nexon and the flagship Safari in Tata's SUV portfolio. It is underpinned by the the OmegaArc platform which, Tata says, is derived from the Land Rover D8 platform.
Powering it is a Stellantis-sourced 2.0L turbocharged diesel engine that produces 170 hp and 350 Nm. Both manual and automatic transmissions are available. Almost the same mechanicals can be seen on the Safari.
It is in fact, the manufacturer's attempt to capitalise on the popuylarity of the legendary Safari nameplate. Both the Harrier and Safari, at the time of writing this article, continue to be diesel-only models. Tata Motors, however, is known to be developing a petrol engine (likely a 1.5L direct injection turbocharged unit) for the duo. Plus, the carmaker recently revealed the production-spec Harrier.EV, the prices of which are expected to be out soon.
The Price Chart
India is a price-sensitive market and Tata Motors is good at pricing its products right. If you look at the chart now, the Punch is the entry-spec SUV (the 'Micro-SUV' as the name goes) with a starting price of Rs 6.2 lakh. It ends at 10.32 lakh rupees, and 8 lakh rupees is where the Nexon begins. The top-spec Nexon variant will cost you around 15.60 lakh.
The Harrier starts at Rs 15.49 lakh- slightly below the range topping Nexon. The fully loaded Harrier has an ex-showroom price of 26.44 lakh. The Safari starts at 15.50 lakh and goes up to 27.25 lakh for the top-spec. There is a clear price overlapping between the Harrier and Safari.
Having said that, Tata Motors seems to have sealed the 8- 28 lakh price bracket with their products. (Yes, there is the Curvv as well). This, if you see, is a brilliant game plan. The new R versions will further spice things up!