You know the Tata Sierra is a true icon when driving on the highways and hill climbs of Chandigarh, the car instantly drew all eyes to it.
The iconic Tata Sierra has officially returned to Indian roads.
Shedding its utilitarian '90s roots, the 2025 avatar positions itself comfortably between the Hyundai Creta/Kia Seltos and the larger Tata Harrier.
Unveiled on November 15 in Mumbai's Mukesh Mills, at a starting price of ₹11.49 lakh, the new Sierra is a blend of nostalgia with modern tech.
We took it for a spin to see if the driving experience lives up to the legacy.
Step inside, and you are greeted by an all-new, clean dashboard layout that sets a new benchmark for this segment.
The placement of the Start/Stop button on the right, as seen above, clustered with Hill Hold, Drive Modes, and the Terrain Mode dial, is a sophisticated touch.
The top trim we drove gets a massive 3-screen setup, a first for this segment, giving it a distinct technological edge over competitors.
The standout feature is the intelligent user profiling. You can set up to three user profiles, and the car remembers your seating position, music preferences, and mood lighting. It even learns your usage patterns over time.
This is where the Sierra truly distinguishes itself from rivals like the Creta or the Grand Vitara.
Both the front seats feature extendable under-thigh support.
The rear cabin offers immense space with a nearly flat floor bed. The signature "Alpine" windows (now just a visual homage to the '90s icon, via blacked-out pillars) combined with a massive panoramic sunroof banish claustrophobia completely.
The boot has a massive 622-litre capacity, expandable to 1,257 litres by folding the 60:40 rear seats.
The Tata Sierra comes in 3 different hearts, ie, two petrol engines and one diesel engine.
We got to experience the Diesel 1.5L Kryojet, 4-Cylinder, which is also shared with Nexon and the Altroz and the all-new Petrol TGDI 1.5L Hyperion engine on the mixed roads of Chandigarh to see how the two engine options compare.
We first drove the diesel version, which offers excellent mid-range torque (280 Nm) and cruises effortlessly above 100 km/h. But it lacked the explosive power of the Harrier's 2.0L engine.
Refinement is the engine's weak point. It gets noisy under hard acceleration, and that noise that seeps into the cabin is quite irritating, even if you are listening to the Dolby Atmos music system given in the top variant.
This diesel version is best suited for long-distance travellers who prioritise high mileage over raw power.
See the drive video below
Next was the petrol version. Clearly The Star Performer!
This 1.5L Hyperion TDGi, a brand new 4-cylinder Engine from Tata Motors, delivers a sporty drive. Producing 160 HP, this engine is punchy, refined, and fast. The new 6-speed Torque Converter from Aisin (Japan) is highly responsive too, making overtaking effortless.
So, if you enjoy driving, this is the engine to pick. It brings an instant smile to your face.
Both the Sierras felt confident on the road. The steering is light at parking speeds but weighs up reassuringly at high speeds, reminding you that you are driving a substantial SUV.
You know the Tata Sierra is a true icon when driving on the highways and hill climbs of Chandigarh, the car instantly drew all eyes to it.
Here's a story that proves its magnetism. See the video below
Later, we did help him get the keys out, but please do not ask how.
The excitement peaked at the foot of Morni hills in Haryana. While shooting our final bit of footage in a remote patch of land, two men approached the Sierra. One man, Rahul Choudhary, was from a family that had already booked three Sierras sight unseen. After getting a personal, close-up view with us, he was so convinced he immediately called his brother to book a fourth one!
Although the suspensions of both the diesel and the TGDI Hyperion Petrol engines took on the speed-breakers and bad roads with a heavy, confident thud rather than a crash, it was still not as good as the Tata Nexon, the Altroz or even the Punch! Tata Motors still has some finetuning to do on this front
And the NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) levels, despite the premium positioning, leave room for improvement. Significant outside noise and engine noise seep into the cabin, which unfortunately hampers the experience of the 16-speaker Dolby Atmos music system.
Tata has launched the Sierra with a tiered pricing structure, though the top-spec pricing still remains under wraps.
The variants start at ₹ 11.49 lakh for the Smart +. The Pure variant starts at ₹ 12.99 lakh, and the Adventure variant starts at ₹ 15.29 lakh ex-showroom.