Tata Motors is late to the 4.3-metre or compact SUV party. The likes of the Hyundai Creta and the Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara are already ruling the roost. So, to combat an unfavourable market scenario, Tata will come all guns blazing with two potent compact SUVs that promise to cover the bases and plug the gaps.
The two-prong approach
Tata Curvv will be the first of the two SUVs to enter the fray. The Curvv will be launched as an EV first. It will then come with an ICE powertrain soon after. It will cater to buyers looking at something younger, sportier, and visually captivating. The Curvv will also be the first coupe SUV in the 4.3-metre class. We expect it to cost between Rs 10 to 15 lakh ex-showroom, for the petrol-powered versions. The electric versions would breach the Rs 20 lakh price point.
The second SUV to take the fight to the Koreans and the Japanese in the compact SUV class will be the Tata Sierra. The Sierra too will come with both electric and ICE powertrain options. Now, while the Curvv will appeal to the young-at-heart, fashionable, and extrovert crowd, the Sierra will cater to the more traditional SUV buyer. With its squarish and practical design, things like space, ingress and egress, and ease of driving will take precedence in the Sierra. It should, therefore, appeal to those who want a no-nonsense family SUV.
It will also have the added advantage of nostalgia for some of the older prospective customers.
Two beats one
The choice of going with two SUVs instead of one, in what is already a crowded market segment, is a smart one by Tata Motors. It won’t be easy to draw customers away from the Creta or the Grand Vitara. But, it would have been twice as difficult if Tata had chosen to offer the same, segment-standard recipe for its compact SUV as well. But, having two distinctly different propositions in the same segment to cater to different buyers’ needs and wants, gives Tata Motors a much higher chance at success.
Furthermore, even though the Curvv and Sierra will sport completely different designs, the two SUVs will still share quite a few components under the skin. The two will share powertrains along with mechanicals like suspension, brakes, and the underlying technology that drives them. And therefore, there will be significant savings in terms of costs. We expect the Curvv and Sierra duo to bring in new customers into the compact SUV fold besides eating into some of the sales of the incumbents.
Launch details
The Tata Curvv will be launched in the first half of FY24 while we expect the Sierra to come towards the end of the same financial year.
