Tata Aria Review
Tata Aria: A Very Good MPV but Overvpriced
Monday, April 22, 2013Overview of Tata Aria
Tata Motors India has launched the much awaited MUV - Tata Aria. The Aria competes head on with the Toyota Innova and is much better in terms of design, styling, exterior, interiors and safety features. But because of high price it failed to impress the prospective buyers. Now, Tata Motors has launched the Aria 4x2 to boost the sales. The Aria is a 7 seater multi utility vehicle and features the latest 2179cc DiCOR 4 valve DOHC diesel engine. All the models of Tata Aria 4x4 are equipped with disc brakes in all wheels plus all-time 4 wheel drive system. Both these features are first for a multi utility vehicle in this segment in Indian market.
Tata Aria Exterior
If you are looking for a touch of luxury, then Tata Aria Pleasure will never fail you with its classy exterior design that will make you feel like the king of the road. Its curvaceous mould gave this car an aerodynamic design that is well-loved by car enthusiasts. In general, length of the car is 4780mm, while its width is 1895mm. The overall height of Tata Aria is 1780mm which give ample head room for passengers. The wheelbase of the car is 2850mm with a ground clearance of 200mm. It comes with a weight of 2720kg that is neither too light nor heavy for vehicles in this segment. The rear window washer, rear window wipers, and rear window defogger are some highlights of this car which may improve as new models come out. At the moment, critics praise the front and rear fog lights and adjustable headlights which are very handy especially during foggy days. It comes with smoothly finished rub rails, twofold barrel headlamp with projector beam, 16-inch steel wheels with wheel cups and chrome waistline on windows along with chrome surround grill that makes the car stand out.
- Huge 17" wheels, Chrome finish front grille, ORVM integrated turn indicators
- Round shaped fog lamps, Vertical pillar mounted tail lamps
- Swept back head lamps with integrated turn indicators
Tata Aria Dimensions
Length of Tata Aria is 4780mm, width is 1895mm and height is 1780mm. Tata Aria has a seating capacity of seven passengers and all are comfortable, all because of Tata Aria's huge wheelbase of 2850mm and overall ground clearance of 200mm also lends off-roading capability to Tata Aria. Tata Aria is bigger than Toyota Innova in all respects and hence proves to be much more comfortable with more legroom and headroom.
Tata Aria Interior
Many car enthusiasts have waited for Tata to launch an SUV in the luxury segment. Everything was made possible as Aria was introduced in October 2010. It comes with big double barrel headlamps which are now becoming a trend in most Tata car models especially in this segment to give it a sportier look. Once you step inside Tata Aria, you will notice the use of high quality plastics. There is an ample amount of room inside the car for biggie adults plus well-upholstered seats that are nice and comfortable. Controls are also available at the steering wheel so the driver can operate the music system without taking eyes off the highway. It has built in cruise control which is another first among vehicles with this price range. The only thing about the controls is that some drivers usually touch them by mistake especially when they are driving since the buttons are position where they can easily be touched by the hand or palm. Tata Aria’s Pure and Pleasure versions come in either black or beige interiors with wood inserts, while the Prestige and Pride versions are bolder as it comes with Black and Plum interiors with a touch of metallic inserts.
- Infotainment system with GPS based navigation
- Automatic Climate control, B pillar mounted AC vents
- Pillar mounted AC vents on third row
- Music system with USB port, aux-in jack and 6 speakers
- Tata Blue connect to pair up to 5 phones with the infotainment system
- Steering mounted controls for infotainment system
Interior Color Combinations
In Tata Aria you can even choose the interior color scheme according to your choice. Three options are available:
- Black and Plum
- Black and Black
- Black and Beige
Main Storage and Luggage compartments
- 6 overhead storage bins on the roof
- Spacious luggage compartment with boot light
- Completely fold-able second and third row seats for a flatbed luggage load area.
- Split folding feature on second row of seats
- Collapsible third row for 5 seater plus generous luggage
Variants
- 4x2 Pure LX
- 4x2 Pure
- 4x2 Pleasure
- 4x2 Prestige
- 4x4 Pleasure
- 4x4 Prestige
- 4x4 Pride
Tata Aria 4x4 is available in 3 variants: Pleasure, Prestige and ride. Tata Aria 4x2 is available in 4 variants: 4x2 Pure LX, 4x2 Pure, 4x2 Pleasure and 4x2 Prestige.
Engine and Gearbox of Tata Aria
For supreme performance, the Tata Aria has been equipped with one of the world’s powerful engine of 2.2 litre DICOR that is BS IV Compliant that comes with a Dual Mass Flywheel made with 4 cylinders for a maximum movement of 2179 cubic centimetres and supreme power output of 140 horse power at the speed of 4000 rotations per minute. It has a maximum rotating force of 320 newton meters at the rate of 1700-2700 rotations per minute. The vehicle comes with a multi-point fuel injection system or MPFI extreme performance. Tata Aria can reach the speed of 100 kilometres per hour in just 13.9 seconds.
- 2179cc DiCOR engine - 140 Bhp and 320 Nm
- 32 bit ECU, 16V DOHC, Variable turbine technology
- Dual Mass Flywheel Improves refinement and reduces NVH
Tata Aria Mileage
When it comes to fuel economy, Tata Aria is complimented by critics as it offers a mileage of 14.7 kilometres per litre on highways and 11.2 kilometres per litre on urban roads. Overall, the mileage of Tata Aria is 11.8 kilometres per litre which is fair enough for a car in this segment. According to the Automotive Research Association of India or ARAI, the fuel efficiency of Tata Aria Diesel is at 13.7 kilometres per litre based on road tests.
Safety Features
Tata Aria is also packed with loads of safety features. The body over frame construction of this car is most suited for all types of drivers. As one of the rare crossovers in the world, it was constructed not only for smooth Indian roads but also for rough ones. It has a hydro-forming forming frame made of metals shaped into lightweight but architecturally firm and strong parts which makes Tata Aria a safe vehicle to drive. It comes with 6 full surround airbags which is a first in Indian cars. Most vehicles in India only have front row airbags but the Tata Aria team believes in giving utmost safety to everyone thus they packed the Aria with full-support side airbags to prevent serious head injuries in case of a side crash.
The driver and passenger airbags are programmed to inflate within a few seconds or milliseconds of an impact to keep passengers safer from injury in case of a rollover or collision. These airbags are made to cradle one’s head from all sides to reduce the likelihood of fractures or soreness during an accident. Aside from airbags, Tata Aria is equipped with seat belt pre-tensioners. These seat belts provide apt strain to the seat belts to help prevent the torso from moving forward in case of a frontal crash. This new innovation in car technology has proved that Tata Aria is a good choice when it comes to providing safety. The vehicle has been built in such a way that it does not only meet Indian crash safety standards but also all current European crash safety requirements thus making it one of the safest vehicles on the thoroughfare.
- Disc brakes for all wheels: Ventilated discs at front
- Reverse guide system with parking sensors and a reverse camera
- ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) and EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution)
- Six SRS Airbags along with Traction control with Cruise control
Shades
Tata Aria is available in eight shades:
- Castelle Gray
- Arctic Silver
- Walnut Gold
- Sardinia Red
- Quartz Black
- Pearl White
- Surf Blue
- Night Shade Black
Tata Aria - Feature List
Tata Aria comes fully loaded with lots of entertainment, comfort and safety features, some of which will be segment first. Here is a list of features of Tata Aria:
Tata Aria Pure LX:
- 2200cc DiCOR, 140 Bhp Power and 320 NM torque
- 4 way adjustable lumbar support, Electrically adjustable OSRVM
- Power steering with tilt adjustment, Power windows with express down
- Vanity mirror with light on co driver side sun visor, Flat floor fold second and third row seats
- Puddle lamp, Turn indicators on OSRVMs, Twin exhaust, Front and rear mud flaps
- Scuff plates, Door handles are body coloured
- Rear number plate garnish chrome border, Rear windshield defogger
- Electrically operated fuel lid and tailgate opening
- Follow me home headlamps, Glove-box lamp
- Wood trim, Height adjust driver’s seat, First row arm rests, Fog lights
- Luggage compartment power outlet, Body coloured side mouldings
Tata Aria Pure - features in addition to Tata Aria Pure LX
- All wheel disc brakes, Dual mass flywheel, ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System)
- 2DIN music system with six speakers, Dual Air Conditioning system
- 16 inch steel wheels, Interior scheme-beige and dark beige
- Fabric upholstery, Chrome surround wheel, Chrome inside door handles, Key-less entry with immobilizer
- LCD display screen, Driver information system
- Roof utility bins and goggle cases, Rear washer and wiper
- Tata Aria Pleasure - features in addition to Tata Aria Pure
- Airbags-driver and front passenger, Front seat belts with re-tractor and pretensioners
- Audio controls on steering wheel, Soft touch cockpit
Tata Aria Prestige - features in addition to Tata Aria Pleasure:
- Electronic stability program (ESP), Traction control system (TCS)
- Rain sensing auto wipers, Darkness sensing auto head lights
- Black and plum interiors
- Tata blue connect Bluetooth enabled music system with phone controls on steering wheel
- 17 inch alloy wheels, Parcel shelf, Cooled glove-box, Full chrome grill
- Body coloured side mouldings with chrome
- Power retractable (auto fold) outside rear view mirrors
- Body colored door handles with chrome lining
Tata Aria Pride - features in addition to Tata Aria Prestige:
- Side airbags and curtain airbags, total 6 airbags
- Cruise control, GPS enabled navigation system
- Reverse camera with display on GPS system
Verdict
As one of the best automobile companies in India, Tata Motors, made sure that Aria sets a new trend when it comes to crossover vehicles. For this reason, Aria is highly recommended for those who are looking for sports utility vehicle specially designed for the Indian roads that offers functional controls and luxurious look inside and outside. The big cabin space and safety features are also exceptional and is worthy enough to be ranked with five stars.