Tata Aria Pleasure 2014: Buying & Ownership Review

[abhijeetp]

ARIA is such a classy design. No unwanted lines anywhere. All straight curves. Its a pure design. Pre-conceived notion that it looks like Indica has not done any justice to the design.

Very True. Infact the top view of the Aria is simply awesome. Never seen any aria pic like this before.
Infact yesterday, I was with my senior colleague and chatting after office parking our cars near tea stall. When we were ready to leave, he unlocked his aria, and internal lights glowed on.
The entire car with those lights, the dark ambiance, the silhouette of the car exuded pure class. I kind of feel in love with that car again. ( I have my beast to love but that doesnt stop me from loving another car )

+1
At first look for most, ARIA looks like an overgrown indica!.
Over the time ARIA sort of grows on you Taking ARIA photos from all possible angles and at all possible locations is my latest hobby :-)

Had taken the car to concorde for the flickering door ajar warning. The flickering got reproduced when SA took the car over broken roads. It was due to some minor alignment of driver side door. The SA said that this happens over time due to door being opened and closed. It took 5 minutes for them to fix it.

 

[dreamscapes]

Abhijeet, how is the drive in cities? Is the bulk easily handled? Any minor or major issues you faced?
Just a tad confused between XUV and Aria.

 

[HARI GANGADHARAN]

Congrats Abhijeet and wishing you Happy miles with ARIA.

What about the NVH above 100km/h?Did you notice the rpm at which the engine runs when the vehicle is at 100km/h?

 

[abhijeetp]

Abhijeet, how is the drive in cities? Is the bulk easily handled? Any minor or major issues you faced?
Just a tad confused between XUV and Aria.

The handling is exceptional, be it city roads or highways. There is no problem in driving Aria even in stop-go traffic. Once you get used to the dimension of the car you can drive it as any other car.
The only issue with Aria is of finding parking place on busy roads. You cannot use this car for daily errands while returning from office!

Between xuv/aria - here are my thoughts
I felt ride quality of aria is better. XUV has minimal boot space when all rows are up. Aria can comfortably hold 2 days luggage for 7 adults.
XUV has more features. Even the base version comes with ABS and dual airbags.

Regarding issues faced by me so far
1. Reverse sensor was not working when the car was delivered - Resolved by replacing the sensor.
2. Some time back I started getting driver side door ajar warning even if the door was closed - Resolved

Congrats Abhijeet and wishing you Happy miles with ARIA.

What about the NVH above 100km/h?Did you notice the rpm at which the engine runs when the vehicle is at 100km/h?

Thanks Hari.
At 100 kph, the rpm is just about touching 2100 maybe a little bit on the lower side of 2100. The NVH is quiet low, engine is not at all strained at 100. I would say 90-110 will be the sweet spot for this vehicle.
I have taken it to 130 when the engine starts sounding harsh but still you can feel there is lot more left in the engine and if one wishes he could even go uptil 150. But this will not be in my vehicle, I will not allow anyone to take my vehicle to 150

 

[nmm mithra]

Hi Abhijeet,
I just test drove the 2014 Aria Pleasure a few months back and it handled well but my question is:
1. Have you taken your Aria to do some off-roading?
2. If yes, how well it managed ?
3. In the test drive vehicle, i noticed that the seat belt warning was a bit annoying so is there any way to cut off the warning beep without buckling up the seat belt. (I would surely wear the seat belt even during city drives, but can it be switched off)

The Sales persons tell that it can't be switched off is it so?

Please i need your suggestion as i am about to book one !

Thanks in advance.

 

[bhvm]

Lovely reports and images!
You are really taking good care of the beast.

About the headlights, ARIA comes with projector lowbeams
Upgrade them with 4300K HID kit and see a new world open up!

 

[abhijeetp]

1. Have you taken your Aria to do some off-roading?
2. If yes, how well it managed ?
3. In the test drive vehicle, i noticed that the seat belt warning was a bit annoying so is there any way to cut off the warning beep without buckling up the seat belt. (I would surely wear the seat belt even during city drives, but can it be switched off)

mithra, I have not taken Aria for any off-roading. I have driven on some of the worst roads but never been off-roading.

I havent noticed any option for stopping the seat belt warning beep.
When I was having seat covers put on , the person had removed the front seat. I noticed there is a wire that runs from the seat belt bracket to the base where there is a connector to plugin the wire. When the seat was removed, they had disconnected the wire. I am not sure if the beep would stop or not after disconnecting, one could give it a try.
The beep is indeed annoying but its better to keep this feature. :-)

Lovely reports and images!
You are really taking good care of the beast.

About the headlights, ARIA comes with projector lowbeams
Upgrade them with 4300K HID kit and see a new world open up!

Thanks for the suggestion, I will look this up.

 

[rkg123]

Brother, you are not understanding as you are new to tata,
If you take 2 years package you will get everything covered for service and other parts for 10k rupees approx. Single clutch replacement costs 15k plus, brake pads another 4k, if any thing else u have to pay from your pocket. Please do understand and make a vice decision.

Iam not new to TATA. Had a Indica Vist Qjet Oct 2008 model. Used it for 92K in 5.5 years. It has taken me all over the country. Never broke down. It had costed me almost peanuts till 50K. Sold it for 2.7 lakhs and bought ARIA

In my Vista clutch lasted 84K. Voluntarily changed due to a impending long trip.
Shocks lasted 75K
Clutch MC around 78K
Wiper blades lasted 54K
Brake pads 54K.
Tyres lasted 55K. ( good year)
None of the elctrical have gone bad even it @ 92K. I did not put any after market accessories except seat covers.
Cost of spares is less in case of ARIA compared to Vista( may be due to FIAT connection)
For example: Oil filter if Vista 375-390, ARIA: 200/-
Front bumper of ARIA is approximately 1K less tan Vista.
Will try to take a photo of the spares cost next time and post here

Coming to ARIA

Got the third free service done at concorde, hosur rod, last week. total cost of the service is Rs 3593/= ( 7.5 ltrs of oil, oil filter, sediment filter were replaced) @ 30K fuel filter has to be replaced costing around 1.8K. so it will be around 5.5 K for 30K service. Approximate total cost of service up to 30K would be 9K.

AMC cost is 14K. think which is better. Only thing which TATA can refuse in this period under warranty is burnt clutch. Otherwise every thing is under warranty upto 3 years.
It did not make sense to take AMC before the 40-50K period, at least to me. TML engineer assured me before buying the ARIA, Clutch in the new ARIA will last a minimum of 1lakh KM. Sales adviser told me warranty on cltuch will be upto 70K provided all services are done at authorized service centres.

Mileage was consistent 10.5 in the city ( stop and go trafic through central district of bangalore)
Highway mileage was around 11-15.6
I have got around 11 in Leh , where it was driven mostly in 1st gear.

 

[abhijeetp]

Cost of spares is less in case of ARIA compared to Vista( may be due to FIAT connection)
For example: Oil filter if Vista 375-390, ARIA: 200/-
Front bumper of ARIA is approximately 1K less tan Vista.
Will try to take a photo of the spares cost next time and post here

Thanks rkg for sharing your service details. Really difficult to believe that Aria spares are cheaper than Vista. It would be beneficial if you can post the spares cost.

I took up AMC as this was the first time I am going for Tata and after going through number of reviews felt it was better to have AMC. If nothing else, it would serve as a safety net :-)
At the time of taking AMC, I was told the oil change at 15K itself will cost around 7K. The oil cost that you incurred are lesser than my brothers ertiga.
Is this synthetic oil? Do we have a choice on kind of oil?

 

[rkg123]

Thanks rkg for sharing your service details. Really difficult to believe that Aria spares are cheaper than Vista. It would be beneficial if you can post the spares cost.

I took up AMC as this was the first time I am going for Tata and after going through number of reviews felt it was better to have AMC. If nothing else, it would serve as a safety net :-)
At the time of taking AMC, I was told the oil change at 15K itself will cost around 7K. The oil cost that you incurred are lesser than my brothers ertiga.
Is this synthetic oil? Do we have a choice on kind of oil?

Oil was what was mentioned in the service manual. i did not go for ynthetic and will never do. Oil 7.5 ltr around 2.2K, oil filter 200+ and sediment filter 800+, Misc 75 /- + service tax. Total cost was 3593 as stated. No service charge being free service. Fuel filter change interval is 30K and it costs around 1.8K same as Vista.
Infact over all service costs may be less for ARIA, because of 15K service interval , where as it is 10K for Vista. Fuel filter change interval for Vista is 20K.

 

[abhijeetp]

Back from a memorable and a heartbraking ooty trip

Over the sankranti week we had been to Ooty, Mysore, Srirangapatna, Bandipur.
While going to Ooty, took the Masinagudi route with 36 hair pin bends. The turns are quiet steep, but Aria went through without any issues.
While coming back decided to take the Gudalur route as we had read its more scenic. Took the Gudalur route and had a small accident. I had turned on GPS and at one place much before Gudalur the GPS directed to take a small road through a tea-plantation. I was looking at the GPS and missed that the minibus in front of me had braked hard. I realised very late and couldnt stop the car from bumping into the bus :-(((( The dent is small but its on an area that is across the grill, bumper and bonet. The bumper and bonet can be fixed, grill has a crack and will need to be replaced. :-(

Fate has a strange way to catch up and even out things! I have been driving aria in hyderabad for more than 7 months and didnt get a single scratch. And got a dent on bumper when the complete road was empty! Really idiotic mistake on my part.

If not for this incident, the trip was fantastic. But now the everlasting memory of this trip will be the dent!

Some statistics of the trip-
Total distance covered -1980 KM
Total Fuel filled - 155 litres

Crossed 10K mark during this trip.
During both onward and return journey, covered Hyderabad-Mysore (760 KM) in a day. This is my highest run in a day.
Both Hyd-mysore and Mysore-Hyd journeys were with just one break for an hour. Drove the car at a stretch for 500+ KM without the engine being switched off.

Hyderabad-Bangalore highway (NH7) is an absolute gem. One can easily keep on doing 100+ speed for hours together.

Statistics regarding my till date fuel consumption-
Distance Driven - 11519 KM
Fuel Purchased - 935 litres
Average Fuel economy - 12.48 KM/L

Aria has two trip meters. I had not reset the 'A' trip meter until it crossed 10K. The FE as per MID for my first 10K run showed 12.3. Quiet close to the actual value!

Attaching some photos of the car through the trip.

Crossing 10K


Hotel Mayura Riverview Srirangapatna


Bandipur Forest Rest House



Hotel LakeView Ooty



Finally Number plate got bent on oneside and there is a dent on the area circled across grill/bumper/bonet

 

[bhvm]

sad to know of the mishap. I hope your beast is up and running again. yes the gadgets can be distracting so always Instruct the navigator to adjust GPS, songs etx.

 

[nmm mithra]

I feel so sad for your car. Be careful while driving and if you are driving all alone then park your car carefully and operate any type of gadgets which you have in your car.

Be Safe and Drive Safe.

 

[Ambylovers]

Hi,
Kindly be careful while driving on unknown route and using your GPRS. Thank God for saving your Family and the Car.

 

[abhijeetp]

An update from my ARIA

Last month got the grill replaced and the small dent (below the cut part on the grill) on the bumper and bonnet was repaired.
As the grill needed to be replaced I decided to claim this repair through insurance. It took a while for Concorde to get the grill. I had ordered it in January and initially they got the grill which did not have chrome border. The pleasure variant comes with a chrome border on the grill. So I insisted on the same grill that has chrome border. Then they got the grill with full chrome (Pride variant version)! I agreed for the full chrome, as that looked better on silver colour and I didnt want to waste another 10 days again. In this whole duration of ordering and getting the grill from Pune which lasted a month, I made another Hyd-Pune-Hyd by Aria over one of the weekend.

This was my first insurance claim ever. The entire process was hassle free.
Except for the apprehension of leaving the car at the service for 3 days and constantly worrying about it during those days, I did not face any issues. Felt like some one close being admitted to hospital for a minor surgery ;-).

Trying to upload one photo, the quality of photo is quiet poor, but the work quality is indeed good.