Tata HBX was unveiled in concept form at the 2020 Auto Expo in February. The mini-SUV has been on test runs for more than a year now and has been spotted several times on the Indian roads. Recently, it was spied again as a test mule, albeit with lesser camouflage that partially exposed its front fascia. Tata HBX mini-SUV was originally scheduled to launch during this year but the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown delayed the plans of the company. The HBX will directly rival Maruti Ignis and Mahindra KUV100 in the Indian market.
Going by the spy-image, it is clear that the HBX is a downsized version of Harrier with identical ‘Humanity Line’ front grille and split headlamps with LED DRLs. The dual-tone front bumper is also visible through the image. The A-Pillar houses the ORVMs while the air dam finds place on the lower end of the front bumper. The HBX also gets plastic cladding around the wheel arches. The spied vehicle appears to be production ready due to the presence of several other exterior elements such as Tata logo in centre at front grille, blacked-out B-pillars and C-pillar mounted rear door handles. Being the second company vehicle to be based on ALFA architecture after Altroz, Tata HBX will get the cabin layout similar to latest Tata cars such as Harrier and Altroz.
Mechanically, it is expected to be powered by the tried and trusted 1.2L naturally aspirated petrol engine. The power output and torque performance are believed to be 86bhp and 113Nm, respectively. There could be an all-electric version of the micro-SUV at a later stage. The gearbox options could be a 5-speed manual and an AMT unit. Earlier, reports indicated that the final production version could be named as Tata Timero as the company had trademarked this moniker. Tata HBX price could start at as low as Rs 4 Lakhs for the base variant while going as high as Rs 7 Lakhs for the range-topping variant. It will go on sale in the Indian market in the first half of 2021 after the launch of Altroz turbo petrol and Gravitas 7-seater SUV.