Two Of A Kind

The Tata Harrier and the Jeep Compass have much in common, but they aren’t without their differences. The question is – which one of these should you put your money on?

- Ravi Ved

Before you start wondering how the front-wheel-drive Harrier, priced at 16.25 lakh, compares with the all-wheel-drive Compass that’s priced at almost 23 lakh, let me explain. True, price is one of the main distinguishing factors between the two, but they do have a lot in common too.

To start with, they’re both based on the same engine – a 2.0-litre Fiat-sourced diesel paired with a 6-speed manual transmission. But, more importantly, both cars have very strong underpinnings. The Tata is built on the Omega platform – a derivative of the Land Rover Discovery Sport D8 architecture. The Jeep, on the other hand, uses the Small Wide 4x4 platform, which has proven to be worthy of the brand’s reputation.

We spent some time with these two cars to find the answers to a few questions. First, what do you get, if anything, for the additional price that the Compass demands? Is the Jeep worth the extra money or is the Tata a more reasonable choice? And, lastly, which one of these SUVs should you go for? These are the questions that need answering. So, let’s get on with it.

Size matters

In terms of design, both SUVs have very unique and independent personalities. The Compass has an old-school muscular feel to it – from the vertically stacked grille and squared-off wheel arches to the overall silhouette, everything screams Jeep here. Despite being a few years old, the Compass’s clean and elegant lines haven’t lost their charm. The Tata Harrier, on the other hand, is a perfect example of a modern-day SUV. Its sharp lines, sleek LED DRLs up front and edgy tail section make it look contemporary and modern.