BS6 Tata H5: The Upgrade

We loved the Tata H5 when we first drove it back in late 2019, so much so that we spent several days with it exploring the nooks and crannies of Narayanghat. From traversing jungle paths and river banks to cruising on smooth tarmac and gravel paved roads, we put the Tata H5 through its paces. It was an amazing experience that we still reminisce upon from time to time. (If you're interested, you can head on over to our YouTube channel and check out our video on the Tata H5).So, when we had the opportunity to get behind the wheels of the new Tata H5 again, we jumped at the chance. Except, this time, we get the new H5 with a BS6 engine. The engine isn't the only thing that's changed, so let's get right into it.What HAS changed? The most major change is definitely the engine. The new Kryotec 170 Turbocharged BS6 engine not only complies with the new emission laws (in India), it also puts in an effort to refine the 2.0L diesel engine. In this regard, Tata has softened the engine mounts to improve vibration absorption along with providing additional sound insulation. This goes a long way to dampen the harsh diesel drone and clatter, but you'll still know that you're driving a diesel mill.However, to further the cause of creating a quieter driving experience, the suspension mount point stiffness has been altered to reduce component sounds inside the cabin. More good news! The new engine spruces up performance with a 30HP increase in power, bringing the total up to 167.67BHP. The previous engine lost our 33 BHPs to the Jeep Compass despite having the same unit under the hood. Now, the H5 is only 3 horses shy of the Compass.Furthermore, the new Tata H5 also gets the option of a Hyundai sourced 6-speed automatic transmission which elevates convenience to a whole new level. While the transmission isn't suited for aggressive driving, the shifts come seamlessly and manage to provide composure to the hefty H5. You do get the option of shifting into 'sports manual' mode by pushing the gear lever to the left, but it's difficult to extract as much performance from it as you'd like.Rev too hard and the gear does shift upward automatically; let the revs fall too low and you're back down a gear. We did not find ourselves using the sports manual mode for a long period of time. In terms of handling previously, the steering of the Tata H5 was definitely on the lighter side. While it made driving in tight traffic easier, the feedback during highway driving was lacking. This also seems to have been corrected and you get a firmer steering experience with the new Tata H5 that inspires confidence.The addition of the full-length rain-sensing panoramic sunroof (in the top variant) ups the premium quotient of the H5. The panoramic sunroof also gets Rain Sensing closure (to prevent rainwater from getting into the cabin). The list of upgrades continues with the inclusion of an auto-dimming inside mirror. While the size of the 17inch alloys remains the same, they do get a design update that looks better.Other upgrades that we noticed and liked are the smaller ORVMs that reduce the blind spot along with a more accessible USB port that didn't have us struggling to access.What remains the same?The Tata H5 retains the same robust stance inherited from Land Rover’s legendary D8 platform, making it a consistent performer on all types of terrains. It gets Multi Drive Modes 2.0 with three Engine Drive Modes (Eco, City, Sport) that are married to the ESP Terrain Response Modes (Normal, Rough & Wet) for taking on difficult terrains. The announcement of the chosen modes over the speaker was… let’s say, peculiar. It took all of our energy to keep a straight face every time the speakers iterated that “wet mode” had been activated. We had clear skies throughout the duration of the test drive.In city mode the revs won't build up higher letting you cruise in a relaxed way. Switch to sports mode and you can push rpms to the redline, the machine responds quicker, and is an overall more fun vehicle to drive.The 8.8” floating island touch screen infotainment system did not appear to be laggy like last time. It still gets Android Auto & Apple Car Play Connectivity over USB with 9 speakers acoustically tuned by JBL.Drive quality remains supple. The automatic transmission is responsive and makes for a more convenient driving experience. On the safety front you get 6 airbags along with a list of features including Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Corner Stability Control, OFF road ABS, Electronic Traction Control, Electronic Stability Control, Hill Hold Control, Hill Descent Control, Roll Over Mitigation, and more. No wonder Tata Motors keeps boasting about their impeccable safety record.The overall design of the H5 remains pretty much the same. Styling is still precise and purposeful. The slim LEDs play the central role in the design of the front fascia, but they only function as DRLs and turn signal indicators; the actual headlights sit lower on the bumper. The carefully crafted rear design is still the best angle to view the H5 from.VerdictAnother thing that hasn’t changed is the way we feel about the Tata H5. It is a great car to look at and it is a fun car to drive. The safety element is always a big plus when it comes to Tata.With the BS6 there are some very welcome changes that make the Tata H5 even more likable. 30 more horses under the hood mean that the driving experience is even better than before. Small niggles of the previous H5 have been improved upon such as the smaller ORVMs that don’t hinder driver visibility, a better-weighted steering, and the electronics no longer gave us any trouble. Then there’s the convenience of a slick automatic transmission and the luxury of a massive panoramic sunroof.We are still waiting on an AWD version, although we’re probably just building castles in the sky with that one. One change that we did not mention yet is the increase in price of the Tata H5. The prices come in at Rs. 84.99 Lakhs and go up to Rs. 89.90 Lakhs. At the end of 2020, the BS4 engine H5 started at Rs.58.55 Lakhs and topped out at Rs.77.99 Lakhs. So, it’s clear, the massive updates don’t come cheap. The value for money factor does take a hit, but don’t let that take anything away from the Tata H5. It is still worth considering if you are looking to buy an SUV.