Earlier this year in January, Tata took the mid-size SUV segment by a storm by launching the Harrier at a very competitive price. While it naturally rivals the likes of the Hyundai Tucson and the Jeep Compass, it's low pricing also puts it against the best-selling compact SUV in the country, the Creta. So, while we have already compared the two SUVs on paper, let’s see how they fare in the real world conditions.
Before diving into the real-world figures, let’s take a look at what the two SUV’s house under their bonnet.
Performance Comparison
Acceleration and Roll-on Tests:
The Hyundai Creta is quicker than the Harrier by over a second to hit the 100kmph mark from standstill. However, when it comes to in-gear accelerations, it’s the Harrier that takes the lead. It is quicker than the Creta by 0.73 seconds in the 20-80kmph sprint, while it’s a whole 2.2 seconds quicker in the 40-100kmph run. That should make overtaking slow-moving traffic relatively easier.
Braking Distance:
As far as braking equipment is concerned, both SUVs get disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. However, it’s the Creta which takes a shorter distance to come to a halt. The Harrier’s higher distance could be a result of its higher kerb weight, which leads to greater momentum. Where the Harrier is 277kg heavier than the Creta, which weighs 1398kg.
Fuel Economy:
The Creta is the more frugal SUV here both in the city and on the highway. While in the city it returns an extra 2.7km to a litre, on the highway it’s 6.45kmpl more fuel efficient.
Let’s take a look at this in terms of fuel expenses. Here’s how much you’ll have to spend if you plan to clock an average of 1000km every month based on three different driving patterns (based on real-world fuel efficiency figures listed above). The following has been calculated considering the price of a litre of diesel as Rs 70.
From the above table, the difference between the running cost of the two SUVs goes up to Rs 1305/1000km, which is over a rupee per km!
So, if you are planning to do frequent long distance journeys with your new SUV or have high usage, the Creta should be your choice. Even after completing 50,000km, you’ll spend around Rs 65000 more on fuel in the Harrier compared to the Creta.
Verdict: Given the Harrier’s in-gear acceleration, it will be a more relaxed cruiser than the Creta. However, the Creta will be more frugal overall. So if your daily average running is high and you’ve shortlisted these two SUVs, the Creta should be a good choice.
Source: cardekho.com
