Tata Aria [2014-2017]

Summary

Tata is a home grown automobile company which has established itself by producing brilliant vehicles in terms of efficiency and power. This time the brilliance has come out in the form of Tata Aria which is a multi-purpose vehicle. It is available in three trims namely Pure LX, Pleasure and Pride; all of them are featuring smart exteriors and spacious interiors. The automaker is offering this series with a standard warranty of three years or 100000 kilometres (whichever is earlier) and extended warranty at an additional cost.

Further to this, read Tata Aria Road Test details by our expert.

Exterior

The outer appearance of the latest trim of this model series is quite a remarkable one. Its looks are very captivating as the vehicle comes integrated with a lot of rugged and lavish aspects. To start with exteriors, the front façade shows off the wide radiator grille which is garnished with three chrome treated slats. It is accompanied by a headlight cluster and dual barrel headlamps along with projector beam that are present in only Pure LX and Pleasure variants. On the other hand, the Pride variant has a black bezel headlight cluster. To give a distinct look to the exteriors, the top end variants are fitted with a couple of fog lamps. The body painted bumper houses a wide air intake section that helps the engine in cooling down in no time.

The toughened laminated glass front windscreen is quite wide and is loaded with a pair of rain sensing wipers. The side profile of the vehicle has seen no upgrades. There are a few interesting features of the side profile which include body colour door handles and outside rear view mirrors. On the contrary, the rear end has come up with minor cosmetic upgrades. These upgrades includes redefined tail light cluster with halogen based lights and turn indicators. The rear windshield is wide and comes equipped with high mount third brake light. Apart from this, the rear bumper is in body colour and mounts a cladding as well as fog lights for better visibility.

Interior

The interiors are designed beautifully with the help of premium quality materials to give away a luxurious look and comfort. A quite interesting combination of black and plum colour scheme is featured in the high end trim of this series. The cabin is quite spacious and has the capacity of housing at least seven persons. Its dashboard is wide, which comes with a metallic touch central console. Further, it features a three spoke steering wheel, a large glove box, an instrument cluster and AC vents. The instrument panel displays various elements like fuel gauge, a digital tachometer, an outside temperature display, speedometer, door ajar and driver seat belt warning notifications.

For a comfortable seating, the automaker has equipped well cushioned seats with adjustable head restraints. Its Pride variant features a combination of black and plum colour leather upholstery seat covers whereas the other trims have beige fabric seat covers. The boot volume of the vehicle can be increased as the second row seat is foldable. For more comfort, the driver seat has height adjustable feature along with proper lumbar supports. The utility based features include driver information system, goggle cases, cup holders, front seat back pockets, roof storage bins and a glove box with cooling effect. A few advanced features like satellite navigation system and audio & phone controls on steering wheel are available in the high end trims. An advanced 2-DIN integrated stereo system is available that supports Bluetooth connectivity, USB port, AUX-In and features a CD and MP3 player.

Engine and Transmission

A powerful 2.2-litre VARICOR diesel engine is incorporated in this model series of Tata. This mill is mated with a five speed manual transmission gearbox and has a potential of offering a maximum power of 147.94bhp and a peak torque output of 320Nm.

Performance and Handling

The VARICOR diesel engine is mated with a five speed manual transmission gearbox which pushes up the vehicle in breaking a speed mark of 100 Kmph in just 13 to 14 seconds. Not only this, it can reach a top speed between 180 to 185 Kmph. The common rail direct injection system ensures a decent maximum mileage of 15.05 Kmpl on highways and 12.8 Kmpl in city. For smooth handling of the vehicle, a power assisted steering system has been incorporated. It is highly responsive and has tilt adjustment function as well as supports a minimum turning radius of 5.6 meters.

Braking System

This multi-utility vehicle possesses an efficient braking system and reliable suspension mechanism. A pair of sturdy ventilated disc brakes is fixed to the front wheels whereas the rear ones have solid disc brakes. The vehicle is further assisted by anti-lock braking system (ABS) along with electronic brake force distribution system (EBD). To maintain the stability, the vehicle comes integrated with an electronic stability program along with traction control. The front axle is assembled with an independent double wish bone and rear axle is affixed with a five link suspension. For enhanced suspension mechanism, coil springs are fixed to these axles.

Mileage

The 2179 cc Diesel - powered variant delivers a fuel economy of 12 kmpl in city and 14 kmpl on highways.

Safety Features

Ensuring maximum protection to all its passengers, the automaker has designed various several crucial safety features for this vehicle. It has six airbags (driver, front passenger, side and curtain airbags), ABS along with EBD and traction control programs. The engine immobilizer comes with parametric alarm system which restricts unauthorized entry to the vehicle.

Seat belts are available for all the occupants.

Verdict

The Tata Aria possesses all the necessary features, which makes it a multi-utility vehicle. The fuel efficiency is decent but can be made more efficient. It is a perfect vehicle that can be taken for off-roading.

Competitors

This power-packed multi-utility vehicle stands out in the Indian automobile industry and gives tough competition to Toyota Innova, Mahindra Xylo, Honda Mobilio, Chevrolet Tavera and Nissan Evalia.

Pros

1. Good engine performance and pick-up
2. Attractive exteriors
3. Spacious and comfortable interiors
4. Decent ground clearance

Cons

1. Interiors can be improved
2. Price range can be more competitive
3. Lack of audio system in base trims
4. Engine noise can be reduced
5. Scope of better fuel efficiency