A new breed has come.
Is it a sedan or suv?
A new breed.
A sedan and a suv rolled into one!
These are the tag lines going about in the news paper and the internet. The marketing department of Aria has termed it as a “crossover”, because it has suv looks and ruggedness and claims to have sedan comforts, that could be the logic behind it . But when one looks in deeper , he realizes that it is just an stretch and spruced up version of Innova , or CRV. Its not a crossover but is a MPV. The target customers will be urban family consisting of husband, wife, parents and a bunch of kids wanting to travel together. The differentiating factor here is , Aria is fully loaded while the other’s are rather basic with respect to features . Pricing of Aria is on the higher side which puts in the premium league market and up to now no mass car maker has been able to capture this market share . Maruti failed with Grand Vitara and Hyundai with Terracan. So TATA’s have a challenge at their hands which is to provide premium service through it’s present non premium mass market service centers.
Back Ground
The X2 is Tata's first new UV platform in about 20 years. You see, Tata has been so busy with hatchbacks & sedans (Indica, Indigo, Nano, Manza etc.) that it completely ignored the lucrative UV segment for a long time. Its last all-new launch - the Tata Safari - was way back in 1998! And you can easily trace the roots of the Safari to the 207 platform. The UV segment is incredibly important to Tata. Wafer-thin margins of 2 lakh rupee Nanos & 4 lakh rupee Indicas are incomparable to that of 8 - 15 lakh rupee utility vehicles, whether SUV, MUV or...well...crossover! The Innova’s success is in great part due to its work-horse nature and stunning durability. It's quite obvious that, for the Aria to succeed, Tata is going to have to burn the midnight oil & ensure consistent quality (read = no niggles), while its dealers need to provide fine sales & service experiences.
Features
The Aria's premium positioning starts with the equipment list. Full marks to Tata for the level of kit; we’re seeing stuff that beats 20 lakh rupee SUVs and matches 30 lakh rupee German sedans. Heck, the spec sheet makes the Fortuner look completely naked in comparison. The Aria Pride (top variant) is equipped with all-wheel-drive, 6 airbags (including side & curtain), ESP + traction control system, ABS + EBD, disc brakes front & rear, GPS navigation system, reverse guide camera, climate control, dual air-conditioner (front & rear), auto headlamps, auto wipers, cooled glove box, cruise control, 6 speaker music system, audio & phone controls on the steering, bluetooth pairing with upto 5 phones, height adjustable driver seat, electric adjust & retract for ORVMs, full leather and 17 inch alloy wheels. However, I have a question : Since Tata has given so much, why skimp on a practical add-on like reach adjustable steering, or a feel good accessory like the sunroof? Given its extensive feature list, I'm surprised Tata didn't see value (and safety) in providing an active tyre pressure monitoring system.
Design impression
Thanks to the futuristic front end and her dimensions, the Aria has phenomenal presence on our roads. The fat tires give it a planted look (which is my favorite part) . Considering her bulk and size, the Aria actually needs 235 patch tyres. Any thinner and she’d end up under-tyred. You only need to glance at the side profile to realize the Aria's sheer length. There are some parts of the Aria that are too quirky for my tastes. I also feel that the futuristic front doesn’t gel with the bland rear. However, there is no doubt that the design is proportionate; not too tall nor too narrow.
Conclusion
I have an intuition that this car will do good presuming that it’s reliable. It’s nearest competitor is Fords endeavor and Toyota’s Fortuner . Since this car has presence on the road and to top it all heck of features available, it can cut a sizable market for itself. Adding to above, it is a TATA product which means in near future local mechanic can fix minor problems while you are holidaying with your family and service stations are out of reach. It is one of the few products which makes a positive lifestyle statement.
