The Tata Aria is definitely the first car from the Indian car maker to be built with upscale components and aimed at the entry level luxury market. It is essentially a cross between an MPV, a sedan and a SUV. It is also the first time a Tata vehicle has been loaded with new age features. The car was first showcased as a concept in 2006, but made its production debut in 2010. It has now been refreshed for 2014 with a better design and more features. To make the car comfortable, it was shipped to Jaguar Land Rover to enhance the fit and finish of the car and make it more luxurious. The car shows the direction that Tata will now hope to move in by offering cars with better quality components. There is a 4WD as well as a 2WD variant. Its closest competitor is the less expensive Toyota Innova.
Design & Styling
Tata seems to have got the design spot on for the 2014 edition. The Aria is a good looking crossover vehicle that looks modern and up to date with good quality components. The front hood swoops down and the front grille is attractive with some nice newly designed long sweeping headlights. The mid section is that of an SUV with a high roofline and a good ground clearance of 185mm. Then the rear looks sharp and clever with the taillights that stretch across the C pillar. It definitely looks upscale and nothing like any Tata we have ever seen. There are also large tyres on 17-inch alloy wheels that give it a nice touch. It’s got phenomenal on road presence and a good stance and it also features a new decal along the sides.
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Interiors
The interiors have also been immensely improved in terms of quality when compared to other Tata vehicles. There is planet of room and the seats are made of good quality. There are essentially three rows of seats so you can fit in almost 7 people with plenty of space to spare. Even the dashboard looks modern, fresh, smart and functional with the cleverly laid out design and the use of strong materials. Although it is not as good as the Toyota Innova, it is still well appreciated by us. Even the instrument cluster and the steering wheel have a completely new plush design and the colour scheme is also very attractive. The driving position is also very nice and the ergonomics are very decent.
Engine & Transmission
The Aria borrows the engine from the previous Safari Dicor. It is a 2.2 litre DiCOR engine that has been further refined and you can hardly hear it as you would in the Safari. Tehe engine has been updated to add 10bhp more and now you get around 150bhp from the engine and 320Nm of torque. The engine is also mated to a newly designed all wheel drive 5-speed manual transmission. There is also the option of a rear wheel drive variant.
Performance and Handling
The new engine is quite brilliant and the initial turbo lag which the older Aria had is no longer existent with this new engine. The car accelerates smoothly and is a great performer, especially on the highway. The gear level is positioned well and the clutch is nice and sturdy so changing gears is not a problem. The overall ride quality of the car is also very good. The suspension is set up to absorb ever kind of bump or dip you encounter, and it can really take on bad roads without a problem. Even at higher speeds the car is very smooth, but it does feel like the suspension is very light, so it doesn’t feel too well planted. Nonetheless at high speeds the Aria doesn’t make any sounds and there are not many vibrations inside the car. There is a bit of body roll and the steering response is quite light and could be a little better weighted.
Fuel Efficiency
You can expect to get a fuel efficiency averaging around 14kmpl in the 4x4 variant and around 15kmpl in the 2x4 variant.
Features
Yet again Tata has surprised us by putting in some modern features into the Aria. There is of course power steering, power windows and air conditioning with climate control, but then the higher end variant also get an infotainment system that includes an audio system with steering mounted controls and Bluetooth. Then there is also an in-dash satellite linked navigation system preloaded with maps. There are also rain sensing wipers and cruise control.
Safety
There are also some very up-to-date safety features. These include Electronic stability program and traction control. The there is also ABS with EBD front, side and curtain airbags as well as keyless entry. These are very good features to have on a vehicle like the Aria.
Quality & Reliability
The quality of the car overall is very good. Of course it is not as good as a Toyota or a Skoda, but the attention to good components and parts has been a very big USP for the Aria. The interiors are comfortable and look good and clean. The exterior parts and panels are also sturdy and well polished. The car seems very reliable and is built on a strong chassis than is rugged. Spare parts might be a little costly but nothing to worry about much since the car seems like it has been built well.
Value for Money
The lower variants are priced reasonably well but they come without the bonus features some people might say that the top end variants are too expensive for a Tata, but that is because Tata had invested a lot into the development of its interior quality and comfort and in-cabin entertainment. Of course the car is great value for money and you get your money’s worth, but most customers wouldn’t go for a car made by Tata and that is more expensive than a Toyota Innova.
Verdict
The Aria is a great car. It has a better ride quality than the Innova, it has more power and it looks better. However in terms of space it is not much different but the Aria does not meet the same standards of quality as the Toyota Innova. That would be the deciding factor, plus an expensive car with a Tata badge is not very appealing. But you do get a lot of nice features in the car and you get a car that is more fun to drive.
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Nice car for long drive, safe and enjoy the driving with complete family. Driving peacefully and mileage is quite good just more than any SUV present in the market. I love to be a proud owner of this car.
Tata Aria is one of the best SUVs now available. It is a strong vehicle. The luxury inside is very good . Interior looks rich and the comfort inside the vehicle is excellent. While going for long drives, it is giving a super experience even on bad roads.
I booked Tata Aria pure 0n 28-sept to Oberai Motors Dehradun on delivery in Navaratras groundson 2nd oct TATA dealer took my old car still not provided the papers of car. Nor are they delivering the Tata Aria as they say we will let you know when it is manufactured in the plant. When they do not manufacturer Aria, why this Navratras, Deepawali etc. offers by Tata Motors. I was going for SUV, they trapped me took my money and now saying even they dont know when they will deliver me ARIA. Today is 21-Oct. I strongly recommend customers dont fall in their sales people trap. Go to some international brand they think every body going to drive a taxi with Tata. Let Mr. Karl (M.D.) know very well, thats why Tata is lacking behind Mahindra. They are not trained to handle people. I do not know how they treat with customers for their flagship vehicle.I realy feel sorry. Also I want to donate my whole amount to Tata Motors, so that they may educate their sales people. By by Tata Motors, enjoy with my money which is only 2,75,000+2,100. If u need not to deliver Aria in time nor I want this pity amount.
I bought an Aria from Hyson Motors at Thrissur six months before after selling my Innova. Five years Eight years before ,I bought a Sumo of Tata and was fed up with its performance. Due to that only I went for Innova in 2008.
As my friend suggested to have a testdrive on the Tata Aria assuring me that the vehicle is an excellent one because this vehicle was introduced with many of the technologies of Landrover, I went to the dealer Hyson and took a test drive. The vehicle found good for me and I purchased the top end Aria Pride.
Recently I went to Coorg with my family on this vehicle . The riding comfort was superb .The air conditioning is very good and the cabin inside is very silent. My whole family liked the car very much. I felt the Aria Pride is much much safer than any other car I ever driven and I felt that that this is the best car luxury car for long drives with family. i liked the car very much. Really tata has proved that they can make world class Cars.
I also like to comment on the services rendered by Hyson Motors. Their showroom and Service center are of world class standard and the quality of service will make us to visit them and also to refer our friends also to them. World class manufacturer got a world class dealer.
Tata , in the recent past, has generated huge fan following from all around, with each new product from the Tata stable, setting new benchmarks. The turnaround started with the Indica Vista, where customers got to see a Tata vehicle with a level of finesse that was till then not associated with Tata. Then came the Manza, which, with its refreshed looks and loads of space and features raised the bar even further. But the most notable improvement was in the quality, rising exponentially with every new car.
So with Tata having launched an all new product, and with the kind of buzz surrounding it, owing to Tata’s online marketing initiatives, I had no problem in getting a few colleagues to accompany me to the dealership. So we set out, to explore the new kid on the block and to find what special Tata has to offer.
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