Tata HBX will be the second model based on the ALFA platform and it could come with high standard safety rating; could be powered by a 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated petrol engine
Tata Motors has been on a roll lately and is posting record sales numbers. In recent months, the homegrown manufacturer has regularly been recording three digit YoY volume growth and is mainly due to the good reception for the Tiago, Nexon, Altroz and Harrier in the domestic market as it is a mainstay in third position in the overall manufacturers’ table.
The trio of Tiago, Tiago and Nexon received a major facelift early last year and it has helped in them bringing in consistent volumes. Just a few months ago, Tata introduced the Safari and the return of the iconic nameplate certainly consolidates the company’s SUV portfolio and it will likely be joined by an entry-level model in the second half of 2021.
The brand has been testing the HBX concept-based production micro SUV on public roads for quite a while now and it will be the next major launch. It could be christened the Hornbill and it will be positioned below the Nexon compact SUV in the lineup. The Hornbill will be the second model underpinned by the ALFA (Agile Light Flexible Advanced) platform.
The Tata Hornbill will be based on the Impact Design 2.0 philosophy and it will likely be powered by the same 1.2-litre naturally-aspirated three-cylinder petrol engine found in the Tiago and Tigor. It produces 84 bhp maximum power at 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm of peak torque 3,300 rpm. It is paired with either a five-speed manual or a five-speed AMT in the Tiago and the identical combo could be used on the Hornbill.
As for the features, it will likely have projector headlamps, LED DRLs, wraparound LED tail lamps, a touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, digital instrument cluster, multi-functional steering wheel with mounted controls, dual front airbags as standard, ABS with EBD, reversing camera and sensors, layered dashboard, and so on.
The HBX/Hornbill will likely aid in garnering more volume numbers for Tata as the micro SUV segment has untapped potential and it could be retailed in the Rs. 4.5 lakh to Rs. 7.5 lakh (ex-showroom) price range.