Tata Motors will discontinue the Hexa SUV, which is currently the company’s flagship offering in the country. Launched in 2017, the Hexa hasn’t really managed to set the sales charts on fire. However, the main reason behind discontinuation of the Tata Hexa from India is the upcoming BS6 emission norms.
It is a known fact that the Indian automotive industry will be switching to BS6 emission regulations from April 1, 2020. As a result, all new cars to be sold in the country will need to come with BS6-compliant engines. Post the implementation of these new emission norms, Tata Motors has decided to no longer use the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine that powers the Hexa. The company will thus discontinue the Hexa SUV altogether from the Indian market.
However, Tata Motors will continue to use the 2.2-litre, four-cylinder diesel powerplant in its range of commercial vehicles. It is important to note here that BS6-compliant emission levels for CVs is slightly lower than that of BS6-compliant emission levels for personal vehicles. As a result, Tata will be able to tweak the diesel engine slightly and make it compliant with BS6 norms for the commercial vehicle segment.
Meanwhile, the void left after the discontinuation of the Tata Hexa will be filled by the 7-seater version of the Tata Harrier. Unveiled earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, under the moniker of Tata Buzzard, this new model will be pegged as the company’s flagship offering. An official India launch of the Tata Buzzard (Harrier 7-seater) is expected to be scheduled for early 2020.
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Like the Harrier, the 7-seater model too will be based on Land Rover’s D8 platform. This is the same chassis that underpins the Land Rover Discovery Sport. However, the Buzzard is 62 mm longer at the rear, which results in an increased cabin space for the third row of seats.
Powering the Tata Buzzard SUV will be a BS6-compliant version of the 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine. Thanks to a few tweaks, this block will develop close to 170 PS and 350 Nm of peak torque. Transmission options on offer will likely include a 6-speed manual and a Hyundai-sourced 6-speed torque-converter automatic.