Tata Aria is the First Indian Crossover

Tata Aria comes fully loaded with lots of entertainment, comfort and safety features, some of which is a segment first including its crossover image. It is based upon the Tata Xover concept showcased in 2006 Geneva Motor Show. If you are still confused, the Tata Aria is a blending of an MPV, Sedan and an SUV.  The Aria with its three rows of seats attempts to blend the experience of a family luxury tourer with the refined driving dynamics and the looks of aggressive sports utility vehicle. The feature list includes satellite navigation, CD changer, Bluetooth connectivity, USB/aux-in port, a reverse camera with parking sensors, eight airbags, climate control, cruise control, Electronic Stability Program and Traction Control system. The features seem fitting for a vehicle that is luxurious with the finesse of a sedan and the muscle of an SUV all blended in one car.

The Aria uses a 2.2-litre DiCOR engine which produces 140 bhp. The Tata Aria competes with the likes of Ford Endeavour, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Innova, Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Captiva, Toyota Fortuner and Skoda Yeti.

The Aria has been available only as a 4x4 with the option to switch to 2WD on the fly. However seeing the demand Tata introduced a 4x2 version of the vehicle. The 2WD Aria comes in Pure, Pleasure and Prestige variants. The Pure is a base model available only in the 4x2 version. The 4x4 Aria comes in Pleasure, Prestige and Pride trims. Only the Pride variant is still available as a 4x4. Unlike most of its previous cars, the Tata Aria is priced slightly on the higher side and aims at the top end of segment. The 4X2 variant is slightly cheaper and ranges from 11.61 lakh to 14.26 lakh for the high end Prestige variant.

The Tata Aria redefines several benchmarks with its design and technologies, offering class-leading features that take comfort and safety to a new height with. In fact Comfort and Convenience of occupants is one area where the Aria truly excels. On the drive you will hardly find any turbo lag, this coupled with minimal gear shifts makes city driving like jogging in the park. 

The Aria looks like an overgrown crossover and has a very crisp design that is a mix of aggressive elements, like the front fascia. Not only does the Aria absorb shocks from the most uneven roads, but it also reduces roll to a minimum. The actualized up and down bound grills seems extremely enthusiastic and adds a bit of diversity as well.

However the Yeti is probably the best built which feels quite solid and can give many up market cars including the Tata Aria a run for its money. In terms of the looks the XUV500 catches your eye instantly when parked alongside the Tata Aria. Where the Aria clearly hurts the XUV is in terms of the mileage. The Aria has a mileage of 18.7kmpl on the highway and 11.1kmpl in the city against the 16.12kmpl and 11.67kmpl respectively of the XUV 500.