Tata HBX was showcased earlier this year at the 2020 Auto Expo in near production form and is expected to launch later this year
With Indian car buyers flocking towards SUVs and crossovers, it comes as no surprise that every manufacturer is rushing to offer one. Many had decided to take it one step further, offering crossover-style hatchbacks that offer relatively higher ground clearance and plastic cladding all around.
Tata Motors had also taken a similar approach earlier with the Tiago NRG, but sadly, it has been discontinued now. Thankfully, we’ll soon see another crossover from the company, which is expected to be even better, the HBX. Regular readers would know about this upcoming crossover hatchback for India, which was showcased by Tata at the 2020 Auto Expo in near-production guise.
The Tata HBX is built on the ALFA Arc platform, which also underpins the Altroz, and will be powered by the manufacturer’s tried-and-tested 1.2-litre ‘Revotron’ petrol engine. This 1199cc, naturally aspirated, 3-cylinder motor can generate a maximum power of 86 PS and a peak torque of 113Nm. A 5-speed manual will be offered as standard while a 5-speed AMT will be available as an option on select trims.
The HBX is designed using the same ‘Impact 2.0’ philosophy as the Harrier, with a similar vertically split headlamp design. The upper portion consists of LED DRLs, while the lower portion houses the headlights and turn indicators. The taillights are all LED units, and the car has pronounced wheel arches and black-coloured plastic cladding along its entire length, to add some muscle to the looks.
While Tata has confirmed the launch window for the upcoming Gravitas SUV, the same is not the case with the HBX. Although it was confirmed by Pratap Bose, Vice President of Global Design, Tata Motors, that the HBX was 95% production-ready at the Expo, thus fueling speculations about the closeness of the launch date. We expect the car to launch by the end of this year (around festive season).
Upon launch, the Tata HBX will receive a new animal-inspired name, just like the rest of the lineup. Tata might choose to use the ‘Hornbill’ name, but there’s no official confirmation on that yet. The pricing is expected to range from Rs. 5 lakh to Rs. 8 lakh, and the car will directly compete against the likes of Maruti Suzuki Ignis, Ford Freestyle, and even Mahindra KUV100.