The Tata HBX Is A Lesson On How To Make A Mini SUV

• The HBX is underpinned by Tata’s Alfa ARC platform.
• It is expected to be powered by Tiago’s 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine.
• Tata Motors is expected to launch the HBX by the end of this year.

It is safe to say that Tata Motors stole the show at Auto Expo 2020 with its impressive lineup of cars, more specifically SUVs. The near production-ready HBX that was showcased at the expo has got us excited for all the right reasons, and we can’t help but acknowledge the fact that it looks and feels like a mini SUV, contrary to the usual crop of pseudo mini and micro SUVs that we’ve seen up until now. 

Based on the Alfa ARC platform, the HBX was previously known by its codenames - Hornbill and H2X. Tata Motors has turned to the majestic rhinoceros for design inspiration and it shows. The HBX is short, just under four metres in length, but wide and sits squat on its bulky fenders and muscular body lines. Tata says it’s almost production-ready and we’ll get to see all of the design lines and quirks on the production version. 

The face is unmistakably Tata thanks to the Impact 2.0 design philosophy. In all honesty, the HBX looks like a scaled-down version of the Harrier from the front. The side profile is dominated by the wide, squared-off fenders that accommodate off-road specific tyres and rims. The latter minus the rather fancy roof rack should give you an idea of what the production-spec version of the HBX could look like. And we absolutely adore it. 

The HBX does justice to its SUV tag thanks to some interesting design elements. Most importantly, it doesn't come across as a hatchback on stilts or a half baked SUV. If numbers are your thing, the HBX is 154mm shorter in length, 11mm wider, and 28mm taller than the Nexon. 

Being a near-production version, Tata also revealed the HBX’ cabin which features a simple design complete with rectangular air-con vents. Those who’ve seen the Altroz will instantly recognise the steering wheel, infotainment system and the instrument cluster.

Under the hood, it is expected to be powered by the Tiago’s 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine that develops  86PS of power and 114Nm of torque. Given the higher cost of updating a diesel engine for BS6 norms, Tata is unlikely to offer an oil burner with the production-spec HBX. Nevertheless, gearbox options could include a 5-speed manual as well as a 5-speed AMT.

With rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Ignis and the KUV100, the HBX has its own identity, one which shouts its SUV credentials. We believe this could be a game changer in the mini SUV space, provided Tata gets the mechanicals and pricing right. That said, Renault is also cooking something up that goes by the name HBC. Has 2020 kicked off the era of the proper mini-SUV?