Tata Aria : Test Drive & Review

ambujlal · 22nd October 2010, 20:48

Found a video explaining Aria's safety features at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DV8kff2adhI&NR=1

sushantr5 · 23rd October 2010, 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ambujlal

Found a video explaining Aria's safety features at YouTube - Tata Aria features video_1-1.avi

Watched all three videos which explain all the features of Aria. I would say this excellent demonstration with precise animation. Animation is really good which is realistic to looks. It presents exact world conditions.

mxx · 23rd October 2010, 11:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by ambujlal

Found a video explaining Aria's safety features at

Nice video, tata dealerships should be show this video to customers when they wait for test-drive instead of the clueless sales person trying to explain what he thinks.

ambujlal · 23rd October 2010, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by mxx

instead of the clueless sales person trying to explain what he thinks.

Very true! I remember buying my car at Tata dealership in Bangalore and I knew more about the car than the salesman. Anyway I hope things would change for good with Aria.

crazycardude198 · 23rd October 2010, 17:58

Hey guys! Just finished booking the Aria today. I went for the pleasure model in and I asked for the Alloys.

I didnt go for the Pride though, I dont really need any of the equipment.

So how many bookings is that in total on team-bhp?

psbali · 23rd October 2010, 18:34

@crazycardude198

congratulations dude.. I guess there have been total 4 bookings so far.. Myself included..

Has your dealership given you some date for delivery of the vehicle?? We had booked the Aria on 12th and so far we have no clue as to when we will get the vehicle..

Which color have you booked???
And yeah even the lower end variant is quite good on the equipment front.. It got almost all the features that one would require..

dhuli · 23rd October 2010, 19:22

More white Aria - video on youtube.

YouTube - tata aria.wmv

P.S. anyone heard - Nights in white satin by Moody Blues. quoting from that song -
"Cold hearted orb,
That rules the night
Removes the colours
From our sight
Red is gray and
Yellow white
But we decide
Which is right
And
Which is an Illusion"

crazycardude198 · 23rd October 2010, 19:36

@psbali

Thanks, I got mine in Grey. As far as delivery is concerned, they told me to expect it in about 4 weeks. I booked mine at Concorde although I got a shitty deal on my old Wagon R and the buggers flat-out told me to forget about a discount on the sticker price. No one said car-buying was easy eh?

The car Im trading is a light blue 2006 WagonR Lxi Duo with 10,000 on the clock. Reason being that in 2008 the car suffered flood damage so the whole engine and tranny had to be replaced and hence the clock was reset. I didnt tell him that though.So far his offer is 1.80. Can anyone tell me if its a good deal?
Or should I just give the car to Maruti True-Value?

PlatzdaTurbo · 23rd October 2010, 19:51

Nice,detailed review GTO

Quirky to some extent maybe but i quite like the looks of the car overall.
The engine would be a disappointment IMO

Sutripta · 23rd October 2010, 22:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Hi,
Want the groups opinion on something.

How important is ESP, esp. in comparison to ABS, EBD, traction control, and airbags?
How much premium should one pay for ESP? (Compared to a car without ABS).
If I want a highway tourer (for Indian conditions) what option do I have if I want ESP?

Regards
Sutripta

Quote:

Originally Posted by ACM

ESP: - The Laura and Superb have ESP - Don't know about the I20, don't think any vechile below the Laura or Aria in pricing has ESP. Even the Fortuner does not have ESP.

All version of Aria have ABS and Airbags, what follows logically next is EBD and then TC and then finally ESP - which also electronically controls stearing inputs.

Hi,
Thanks for the (only) reply. My question was not on what is ESP, but TBhpians view of it as a safety feature, and what monetary value are they prepared to put on it. Given the constant moaning about (lack of) ABS and airbags on this forum, would have thought ESP would have figured prominently in the discussions.

Would not consider Laura/ Superb etc to be my ride of choice for Indian highways.

Regards
Sutripta

crazycardude198 · 23rd October 2010, 23:58

@suttripta
If you are asking whether the financial cost is justified, well that is something that only you can answer. If you use the highways a lot, I would recommend an investment in safety features, highways are VERY notorious for accidents and deaths.

Actually size does play a part in safety. The laura is smaller than the Aria but that doesnt mean its not safe. Infact it may be even more safe than the Aria!

As a general rule of thumb, if you spend most of your time within city limits doing city speeds, you dont need the ABS,ESP and what not. The faster you average speed, the higher the risk of accidents and hence the more you should invest in safety.

Also I have to mention that almost all cars have some standard safety features regardless of price. incl. crumple zones, seatbelts etc.

In short:

Highways: Maximum investment in safety equipment
Highway/City cycle: Airbags+Side airbags should do.
City: No real need for extra equipment. Seatbelts are more than enough.

Hope that helps

damodar · 24th October 2010, 00:14

Carwale`s review mentions 0-100 in 15.8 secs and fairly quick in gear acceleration times.Here is the link
Tata Aria Road Test - Singing a new tune - CarWale

My guess is Tata will be launching its basic 2WD drive model with atleast a sticker price of less than 1.5 lak than the Pleasure model in 2011.Was that model displayed at the Auto Expo?I remember reading somewhere that the 2WD model ground clearance was 175mm.Carwale does mention about the Pure at the end of the review.That model should bring decent volumes for Tata when it goes on sale pan India.

sbraj · 24th October 2010, 00:31

We (wife, son and me) had visited Tata Showroom (Mohandas motors, TVM) on the day of Aria launch in Kerala. Demo vehicle was not on display. They brought it from the yard, but was not having temperory registration, hence I could not take it out on road.

Our experience below:
- We were well received by the showroom folks. Aria (Prestige version) was introduced to us by the Product Head of Sales. He was quite knowledgeable on all aspects of Aria, including its competition. We discussed W201, Fortuner, Santa Fe and Innova and also Freelander (whose interiors inspired Aria it seems).
- I wish the headlamps could have been little more bigger for a vehicle of this size. Adds some more character.
- Third row is not as wide as the second row, the side walls are intruding more into the third row.
- I noticed a distinct vibration of bonnet while engine was switching on. The vibration vanishes once the engine settles. Similar vibration while switching off.
- Wife found it difficult to get into and out of 3rd row. She feels Innova's 2nd row (captain seats) are more comfortable that Aria's.

I am tempted to go for Aria as I see more value in function. Of course, my view point is skewed from the perspective of driver. I rarely sit in the 2nd/3rd rows.

Wife thinks since Innova is similar looking and is more comfortable, it is a better choice if we decide for a MUV. She does not like van-like looks, prefers SUVs.

But overall, I was impressed by the way the dealer treated me even though the vehicle was not on display. This was when I had told that I am based out of BLR and I may not be buying from TVM. They proposed to connect me to BLR dealer so that I could get a test drive. Later, when I was in BLR, they called me to check whether any assistance was needed. All this made me feel exclusive. This short experience with TVM dealer is not in line with the comments expressed here. If I buy Aria, it will be from this dealer I suppose.

Interesting comments on the thread on the pricing. One point that I noticed - Prestige variant has alloy wheels, leather seats, climate control extra over Pleasure variant. Does this warrant a 1.6 Lakh price difference? The pricing strategy of the variants is leaving me confused.

dark_horizon · 24th October 2010, 01:31

Booked the Pride Variant yesterday. Color - Sardinia Red. Delivery on Dhanteras. Dealer is ready to deliver the car in a week, but we will take it on Dhanteras.

VeluM · 24th October 2010, 15:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by LobsterB

My vehicle delivery is currently scheduled for Saturday.

Hey! It's Sunday, did you get your car on time? If so, where's the review + Photos!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhuli

23rd October 2010, 17:58	#395
crazycardude198 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: HYDERABAD Posts: 87 Thanked: 25 Times	Hey guys! Just finished booking the Aria today. I went for the pleasure model in and I asked for the Alloys. I didnt go for the Pride though, I dont really need any of the equipment. So how many bookings is that in total on team-bhp?
	() Thanks

23rd October 2010, 18:34	#396
psbali BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: PNQ - PUNE Posts: 382 Thanked: 709 Times	@crazycardude198 congratulations dude.. I guess there have been total 4 bookings so far.. Myself included.. Has your dealership given you some date for delivery of the vehicle?? We had booked the Aria on 12th and so far we have no clue as to when we will get the vehicle.. Which color have you booked??? And yeah even the lower end variant is quite good on the equipment front.. It got almost all the features that one would require..
	() Thanks

23rd October 2010, 19:36	#398
crazycardude198 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: HYDERABAD Posts: 87 Thanked: 25 Times	@psbali Thanks, I got mine in Grey. As far as delivery is concerned, they told me to expect it in about 4 weeks. I booked mine at Concorde although I got a shitty deal on my old Wagon R and the buggers flat-out told me to forget about a discount on the sticker price. No one said car-buying was easy eh? The car Im trading is a light blue 2006 WagonR Lxi Duo with 10,000 on the clock. Reason being that in 2008 the car suffered flood damage so the whole engine and tranny had to be replaced and hence the clock was reset. I didnt tell him that though.So far his offer is 1.80. Can anyone tell me if its a good deal? Or should I just give the car to Maruti True-Value?
	() Thanks

23rd October 2010, 19:51	#399
PlatzdaTurbo Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,304 Thanked: 329 Times View My Garage	Nice,detailed review GTO Quirky to some extent maybe but i quite like the looks of the car overall. The engine would be a disappointment IMO Last edited by PlatzdaTurbo : 23rd October 2010 at 19:54.
	() Thanks

23rd October 2010, 23:58	#401
crazycardude198 BHPian Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: HYDERABAD Posts: 87 Thanked: 25 Times	@suttripta If you are asking whether the financial cost is justified, well that is something that only you can answer. If you use the highways a lot, I would recommend an investment in safety features, highways are VERY notorious for accidents and deaths. Actually size does play a part in safety. The laura is smaller than the Aria but that doesnt mean its not safe. Infact it may be even more safe than the Aria! As a general rule of thumb, if you spend most of your time within city limits doing city speeds, you dont need the ABS,ESP and what not. The faster you average speed, the higher the risk of accidents and hence the more you should invest in safety. Also I have to mention that almost all cars have some standard safety features regardless of price. incl. crumple zones, seatbelts etc. In short: Highways: Maximum investment in safety equipment Highway/City cycle: Airbags+Side airbags should do. City: No real need for extra equipment. Seatbelts are more than enough. Hope that helps
	() Thanks

24th October 2010, 00:14	#402
damodar BHPian Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: VGA<->BLR Posts: 644 Thanked: 1,900 Times View My Garage	Carwale`s review mentions 0-100 in 15.8 secs and fairly quick in gear acceleration times.Here is the link Tata Aria Road Test - Singing a new tune - CarWale My guess is Tata will be launching its basic 2WD drive model with atleast a sticker price of less than 1.5 lak than the Pleasure model in 2011.Was that model displayed at the Auto Expo?I remember reading somewhere that the 2WD model ground clearance was 175mm.Carwale does mention about the Pure at the end of the review.That model should bring decent volumes for Tata when it goes on sale pan India.
	() Thanks

24th October 2010, 00:31	#403
sbraj Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: B L R / T V M Posts: 1,071 Thanked: 9 Times	We (wife, son and me) had visited Tata Showroom (Mohandas motors, TVM) on the day of Aria launch in Kerala. Demo vehicle was not on display. They brought it from the yard, but was not having temperory registration, hence I could not take it out on road. Our experience below: - We were well received by the showroom folks. Aria (Prestige version) was introduced to us by the Product Head of Sales. He was quite knowledgeable on all aspects of Aria, including its competition. We discussed W201, Fortuner, Santa Fe and Innova and also Freelander (whose interiors inspired Aria it seems). - I wish the headlamps could have been little more bigger for a vehicle of this size. Adds some more character. - Third row is not as wide as the second row, the side walls are intruding more into the third row. - I noticed a distinct vibration of bonnet while engine was switching on. The vibration vanishes once the engine settles. Similar vibration while switching off. - Wife found it difficult to get into and out of 3rd row. She feels Innova's 2nd row (captain seats) are more comfortable that Aria's. I am tempted to go for Aria as I see more value in function. Of course, my view point is skewed from the perspective of driver. I rarely sit in the 2nd/3rd rows. Wife thinks since Innova is similar looking and is more comfortable, it is a better choice if we decide for a MUV. She does not like van-like looks, prefers SUVs. But overall, I was impressed by the way the dealer treated me even though the vehicle was not on display. This was when I had told that I am based out of BLR and I may not be buying from TVM. They proposed to connect me to BLR dealer so that I could get a test drive. Later, when I was in BLR, they called me to check whether any assistance was needed. All this made me feel exclusive. This short experience with TVM dealer is not in line with the comments expressed here. If I buy Aria, it will be from this dealer I suppose. Interesting comments on the thread on the pricing. One point that I noticed - Prestige variant has alloy wheels, leather seats, climate control extra over Pleasure variant. Does this warrant a 1.6 Lakh price difference? The pricing strategy of the variants is leaving me confused.
	() Thanks

24th October 2010, 01:31	#404
dark_horizon BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: mumbai Posts: 78 Thanked: 6 Times	Booked the Pride Variant yesterday. Color - Sardinia Red. Delivery on Dhanteras. Dealer is ready to deliver the car in a week, but we will take it on Dhanteras.
	() Thanks