The Tata Harrier and Jeep Compass have a common heart: they both use a 2.0-litre diesel engine produced from FCA. But which of these is faster in the dash up to 100 kph? Both SUVs have different gears and sizes, so let's see how this affects their performance. For this comparison, we analyzed the diesel-AT powertrain, and both SUVs are front-wheel drive; the Compass also has an all-wheel drive variant.
Tata Harrier vs Jeep Compass spec comparison
| Harrier vs Compass specs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Harrier | Compass | |
| Engine | 2.0-litre, 4-cyl turbo-diesel | 2.0-litre, 4-cyl turbo-diesel |
| Power | 170hp at 3,750rpm | 170hp at 3,750rpm |
| Torque | 350Nm at 1,750-2,500rpm | 350Nm at 1,750-2,500rpm |
| Gearbox | 6-speed AT | 9-speed AT |
| L x W x H (mm) | 4605 x 1922 x 1718 | 4405 x 1818 x 1640 |
| Weight | 1,823kg | 1,656kg |
| Power to weight (hp per tonne) | 93.25 | 102.65 |
| Power to torque (Nm per tonne) | 191.99 | 211.35 |
Same engine but different gearboxes
The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder diesel engine in both SUVs produces 170hp at 3,750rpm and 350Nm at 1,750-2,500rpm. However, the Compass has a 9-speed torque converter automatic gearbox, whilst the Harrier has a 6-speed torque converter automatic. The Harrier is larger in every metric and heavier, therefore the Compass has an obvious advantage on paper.
Tata Harrier vs Jeep Compass 0-100kph acceleration times
| Harrier vs Compass 0-100kph acceleration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Harrier | Compass |
| 20kph | 1.33 sec | 1.30 sec |
| 40kph | 2.94 sec | 2.79 sec |
| 60kph | 5.16 sec | 4.93 sec |
| 80kph | 8.30 sec | 7.82 sec |
| 100kph | 12.60 sec | 11.79 sec |
Compass consistently builds its lead over the Harrier
As shown in the table above, the Compass accelerates faster and maintains a steady advantage over the Harrier, expanding the distance by the time both SUVs reach 100 kph. This is despite the Compass' 9-speed transmission's sluggish nature, as opposed to the Harrier's 6-speed unit, which has better spaced gearing and is more responsive. The Harrier's larger size and weight account for the performance gap of 0.81 seconds at 100kph.
Tata Harrier vs Jeep Compass 40-100kph roll-on acceleration
| Harrier vs Compass roll-on acceleration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Harrier | Compass |
| 20-80kph (3th gear) | 7.20 sec | 6.48 sec |
| 40-100kph (5th gear) | 9.52 sec | 8.82 sec |
Jeep quicker in roll-on acceleration as well
Even in terms of roll-on acceleration, the Tata falls short of the Jeep's performance. Our tests revealed that the Compass accelerates 0.72 seconds faster in third gear from 20 to 80 kph, with the advantage narrowing somewhat to 0.70 seconds in fifth gear from 40 to 100 kph.
Tata Harrier vs Jeep Compass price
Compass is way more expensive
The Harrier diesel-AT is priced between Rs 19.35 lakh and Rs 26.25 lakh, and the Compass diesel-AT 4x2 is priced between Rs 26.83 lakh and Rs 30.33 lakh, ex-showroom. Essentially, the Compass price starts where the Harrier ends, but for the extra money, you get a faster and more enjoyable-to-drive SUV.
