Tata showcased the HBX concept at the 2020 Auto Expo and now, a test mule has been spied testing for the first time. Find out how different the productions-spec HBX will be from the concept.
Tata Motors debuted the HBX mini-SUV at the 2020 Auto Expo as a concept but the company claimed that it was a close-to-production version. In fact, Pratap Bose, vice president, Global Design at Tata Motors, had said that the show car was 95% production-spec model. Now, the very first spy images of the Tata HBX mini-SUV on test have surfaced on the internet and we are going to tell you if Tata’s claims are actually true.
Exterior Design
The Tata HBX is based on Tata’s Impact 2.0 Design language and although the car is heavily camouflaged, you can still make out key design elements. The first thing you’d notice is definitely the split headlamp design that has been borrowed from the larger Harrier. Like we had seen in the concept, the production-spec HBX also gets a flat bonnet, a stand-up ‘A’ pillar, some plastic cladding on the doors, and a prominent belt-line. All of this lends the HBX a distinctive SUV-like stance.
However, there are certain design differences from the concept shown at the Auto Expo. The bumpers and the grille receive a more traditional design. The imposing faux-silver skid plate have been given a miss and now there are circular fog lamps on the bumper. The indicators are now mounted on the outside rear-view mirrors.
The HBX gets a raked rear windscreen at the back, both on the concept and the production-spec version. At the back, the mini-SUV also gets a small roof-mounted spoiler, a neat-looking tailgate, and compact tail-lights. Just as we had seen on the concept, the production-spec HBX continues with the tri-arrow LED pattern for the tail lights. Another noticeable change from the concept are the wheels, and that was pretty expected. It seems to be wearing 15-inch alloys with road tires which are probably of 185mm thick.
What about the interiors?
The new spy shots also reveal the interiors of the production-spec HBX. And we are glad to report that there seems to be even lesser changes on the inside than the outside. What’s not there on the production car are some of the fancy details we had seen on the concept, like the gold accents on the dashboard. The squarish central AC vents have been retained and so has been the flat-bottomed steering wheel. The dashboard layout and design also look identical to that of the concept.
The Tata HBX is based on the same platform as the Tata Altroz, i.e., the ALFA platform. This means that the HBX will also come with generous legroom, space and comfort. From what we had seen on the concept, the HBX has a much higher ‘H’ (hip point) than its sister car, the Altroz hatchback. Also, the front seats seemed large and supportive and the rear seats seemed to have enough space to seat three people in decent comfort. The floor was also relatively flat which should make things a little more easier for passengers on the second row. Like the Altroz, the production-spec HBX will also have doors that open 90 degrees for easy ingress and egress.
How much of the features have been retained?
From what is evident in the spy shots, the production-spec HBX seems to have retained most of its equipment from the concept car. That includes the part-digital, 7.0-inch instrument cluster, the steering-mounted audio controls, automatic climate-control system and free-standing infotainment system. In fact, all of these equipment is actually shared with the Altroz. The fact that this test mule comes equipped with all these features also hints that this spied test mule must be higher-spec model.
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What will be under the hood?
The test mule does not reveal details about the powertrains that would be offer on the production-spec HBX. However, from what we know, the Tata HBX will be powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine that produces 86bhp. This engine is also on offer on the Altroz, Tiago and Tigor. As for the gearbox options, the HBX is expected to come equipped with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT gearbox.
In the future, the HBX being based on the ALFA platform which supports electrification, will also be available in all-electric version. It will likely be the third model to be powered by Tata’s Ziptron EV tech after the Nexon EV and the Altroz EV. The launch is however expected to happen by 2022.
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Launch and Expected Price
The Tata HBX is likely to be launched in the country by Diwali this year. Prices for this mini-SUV are expected to be in the region of Rs 4.5-7.5 lakh (ex-showroom). At this price point, it will rival the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Ignis (Rs 4.89-7.20 lakh) and Mahindra KUV100 NXT petrol (Rs 4.88-7.01 lakh) head-on the Indian automotive market.
