Tata Aria Pride 4X4 - The Gentle Giant

[sarb19]

Looking back to the past:



Getting ready for the delivery



Panditji performing the puja



The blessings and protection of 2.2 dicor



Tata call the Adapterra i.e. Adapting the Terran



We carried a pendrive/CDs to check the USB and CD drive



My son ckecking the vanity mirror



Reached home safely



The headlight- I give the designer a 10/10



The most excited one, my son



The space inside is much more than i imagined



In a highway dhaba, on our way to the first weekend trip



All other cars looked like a toy



On the sea beach



This is the best looking angle



The sea from ARIA



With all the indicators on while starting

 

[sarb19]

Another trip; this time the road was not very comfortable

Back to the highway

Entering a sanctuary

Inside the sanctuary

Crossing a railway track

Wish this road never ends

and this road too

While driving in the highway, sometimes above 160kmph, the kids are safe and cozy.

How I felt all the way driving the car is better said by my co-passenger’s expression

 

[Ani191]

hey Sarb19, Congratulations.. I know its quite late. Your beast looks so good. seriously impressed with Aria. Never had a peek into the interiors of the car.! Hey I was just wondering what is that on the roof of the car from inside. The picture which had a view from rear to front side. are they reading lamps ?

 

[sarb19]

Hi ani191, thanks.
Yes, there are two reading lamps other than the roof lamp, in all 3 rows.

 

[sarb19]

Buying Experience:
It is absolutely mediocre, at least, I cannot say "Good".
Before booking, I visited all 5 dealers and told them I will buy two Aria Pride (one for me another for my friend). I invited all the dealer's sales Manager to my office. Next day, as they reached, I took all of them in the conference room, gave them a cup of tea and told them to give their best offer and I'll be back by 10mins and place the orders to the cheapest offer.

Finally one of them became the winner and I placed him the order.

The knowledge level of sales team is simply pathetic.I found myself to be the most knowledgeable under the dealers roof. But the dealer was very sincere. He allowed us to PDI for two days. The workshop manager was kind enough to offer us lunch on both the days. I must agree that they gave us utmost importance as Aria buyer. The Tata regional sales head , workshop manager was with us, throughout. I prepared an exhaustive checklist from the copy of Aria Manual. I checked all from them. Two things I requested them to change. Two tyres of my friends car was bit old and one fog light was not working. And from my car, one tyre was old. All our request was instantly done by the dealer. The registration process was smooth. And I selected a zero-dep bumper to bumper insurance of Future General company, which offered me the cheapest. We also managed an extended warranty, underbody coating for free other than 165000 cash discount.

I requested them to give the delivery before sunset, which then promised. But on the day of delivery they failed. By evening 8.30 I got my car and reached home safely by 9:30.

 

[sarb19]

Driving and Ride Experience:
First thing I realised is that the car is big. It is massive. Dimensionwise it is bigger than all other cars (xuv,xylo,innova,fortuner,scorpio,sumo etc). Since I was used to drive hatchbacks only, I thought it will be a pain to drive through the congested roads on daily basis. But on the contrary, I found it much easier for daily use. And it takes less time too.

There is a myth about the pickup of Aria. Throughout the internet, I found, its sluggish. The fact is, it's different, not sluggish. The pick below 1800rpm is low, compared to post 1800rpm pickup. But not less compared to other cars. In a traffic signal, I was always the 1st one to comeout , after it turns green. But after 1800rpm something magical happens. Initially, when I was new with this car, several times, I pressed the accelerator bit hard while moving in 10-20kmph. As soon as the rpm goes above 2000, it simply takes off I.e. accelerates exponentially any before I realise, I was about to hit the car in front of me. And I had to brake very hard. This happened several times for initial few months.

In highways, driving Aria is an experience ( Not considering bmw audi LR etc). It is not just the pickup and speed. With 8/9 people inside and above 140kmph, the control, stability, pickup, braking and maneuverability is so confident that it always intoxicate me to accelerate more.

In my 18months experience, it's an "Marvel of Engineering" and belongs to a different league where it's the only one of it's kind without any contender. Its my personal experience that no other car is close to Aria's highway behavior. And here I feel that giving my hard earned 17lakh to Tata is worthy.I believed that when sitting in the steering, I must feel like a king and for that I was ready to visit TASS a few more times (which never happened, fortunately).

All the threads/blogs throughout internet, that I read for six months, before buying Aria, does not even match by 1% with my experience. It turnedout to be like exitpoll. And I am really happy for reallying my own method of car selection rather than reallying on others(may be the whole net community). My suggestion to all car buyers is, use the threads/blogs to gain knowledge and be more cautious but do not allow it to decide for you. Internet blogs are guides but finally its you instinct to make the dececion.

Before Aria, I knew Maruti and Hyundai only. And reading the net reviews, I was really sceptical. But after TDs with my budget and requirements of space, ride and safety I was left with no other option than Aria. And after 18months and 24000kms, if I need to buy another car with same criteria, still I have no other option than Aria.

My only allegation with Tata is that, presently they are giving Aria with extra 10hp and Harman cardon 10speaker, for Rs 200000/- less than what I paid. This should never happen. Higher configuration versions generally comes with higher price , never for 15% lower price. And here I feel, Tata has fooled me.

To be continued (The Infamous TASS)......

 

[konkantrip]

Excellent review sarb19 I really was not aware of some points that ARIA has I like everythingabout the ARIA accept the looks if they really work on look I am sure this giant can make wonders in Auto Market globally.

 

[dr_vm]

Well, I joined this forum to congratulate you on such an honest review. For months I was in dilemma whether to go for the aria or not and just like you, test drove most of the cars and came to similar conclusions. Now my task is much more easier. Your advice regarding choosing a car was spot on. Dealership experience again spot on. Congrats on a beautifully written review. Sadly, quality of write ups in other popular forums has declined over the years. Thankfully AutomotiveIndia is keeping up with its standards.

 

[sarb19]

Thanks Konkantrip and Dr_VM.

@Dr_vm , just think hypothetically, that all the cars you TD has no manufacturer batch/logo. Now, you'll find that up to 25lakh there is no option that gives such space, ride and safety. And with current price of 15lakh, Aria Pride is the best VFM. Now come back to reality. Now, you'll find, with worst reputation, near extinct existence and lowest resale value, it not a good deal. But if reputation and resale value doesn't matter to you and only quality vs price matters to you, then nothing still give you better combination of space-ride-safety-features package

Will come up with TASS experience.

 

[mastiandroid5]

Really a nice description of your experience with lots of details. Looking forward to read about your experience with TASS.

 

[anshuman8]

I think its a very nice thread and you have truly used the big beast in a way.

Invite you to join maiden TAI Kolkata meet -

http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...-meet-4th-may-2014-a-6.html?highlight=kolkata

 

[DJ bro]

Great that you are enjoying your Gentle Giant Whale!
But one suggestion, given that you are concerned about safety, all the passengers, including children and rear passengers must fasten their respective seat belts for full advantage of the safety features. I always have a rule that everyone travelling in my LUV must fasten their seat belts.

 

[sarb19]

My Experience with infamous TASS

In lasts 18months I had been to the TATA Service Centre or 4 times. 3 times for schedule free services and once for a problem.

For all the 3 schedule free services, they called me and took the booking.

As I reached the service station, in the entrance they welcome me properly. Around 20 people inside, there were only 3-4 owners and rests of the people were drivers (it seemed that Indica owners do not feel the worth of time to come to the service station personally). Obviously, the interaction between the service-in-charges and the car-owners was rather crude. And waiting in the sofa for my turn, I was a bit uncomfortable.

But when my turn came they treated me differently. It seemed that they identify, who is owner or who is driver and treat accordingly. Or maybe it was simply for buying the costliest Passenger Vehicle made by TATA Motors. Whatever it is the behaved very warmly and definitely gave me importance. They always took a note of all the problems pointwise and then they took me for a ride with a senior engineer to verify the problems. Similarly while delivery they ask me to drive and check if all the the points I mentioned were solved.

Every time the Service-Centre-manager personally meet me and assured me and again while delivery the gentleman asked me if everything is perfect and satisfactory. Everytime, while taking delivery, they gave me a token gift.

And there was always a feedback form which was twice verified by TATA Motors after delivery. Once (probably while 3rd service) the reception kept me waiting a bit long. So I gave a score of 2 out of 10 about reception. After I took the delivery I received atleast 5 calls form different department of TASS and finally I received an apology letter from the Service Station. I never imagined my small feedback will scale up this big.

I am not sure but it seemed that they have a strict guideline for Costly/Highend vehicle customer.

I had been to other company’s service stations. Regularly, to Maruti and Hyundai. But fortunately, my Aria (as I cannot comment about other Tata Cars) Servicing overall experience was much ahead for my WagonR or Santro servicing experience.

But yes, please don’t expect the experience to be like Honda or VW’s service station. By simple observation to the TASS station’s Receptionist, Service-Incharge, Engineers, their dress, the way they interact, lounge or Sofa, you can very well make out that they are much lower paid and hence of cheap quality.

If you expect to sit in a plush leather sofa in a chilled glass room and a decent lady will offer you a coffee made of coffee-beans, you will be disappointed. Instead, you will sit in a bench-like sofa and after waiting some time an untidy man will casually offer you water and/or tea in a thick glass/cup. The difference is clearly like between budget-hotel and luxury-hotel.

Everywhere it was obvious that the running cost of establishment of TASS station is much less.

Nevertheless, it is also very obvious to me that TATA is sincerely trying hard to come out of this jinx.

 

[konkantrip]

Nevertheless, it is also very obvious to me that TATA is sincerely trying hard to come out of this jinx.

Great review it is good to know that TASS is improving hope they will give the best service with there upcoming vehicles like Bolt and Zest.

 

[navnit013]

My Experience with infamous TASS

feedback form which was twice verified by TATA Motors after delivery. Once (probably while 3rd service) the reception kept me waiting a bit long. So I gave a score of 2 out of 10 about reception. After I took the delivery I received atleast 5 calls form different department of TASS and finally I received an apology letter from the Service Station. I never imagined my small feedback will scale up this big.

hahaha. Anything below 7 you get 5-6 calls from different departments.

I remember giving 6. They were not able to solve a problem with the braking in my Sumo Grande. I got all these calls and a few calls, from the workshop, to get the car back to the workshop. With an offer to pick the car and drop too.

Now when I go there, they listen to every word and then when leaving the workshop, a humble special, request to give them good marks.