[i_m_anaconda]

Just read this on NDTV

Tata Motors is all set to launch the 2014 Aria facelift in India soon, as Tata dealers across Delhi has started taking pre-orders for the car. One can pre-book the new Aria by paying a sum of Rs. 50,000, although, deliveries will commence sometime in mid-March. We spoke to a few Delhi based dealers, who reveal that the first lot of facelifted Aria has already been dispatched, which will reach here by March 20th.

A dealer also reveals that the facelifted Aria will have a tuned version of the 2.2-litre VARICOR turbo diesel mill. The engine has been tuned to deliver 148bhp (150 PS), as against the existing version's 138bhp (140 PS). Interestingly, the fuel efficiency of the car too will get better, despite improved power output.

With updated design, features and engine, the Aria now looks a more promising product than before. On the exterior, the car will have reworked headlamps, revised bumper and grille. There will be changes inside the cabin as well; the most important one revealed by the dealer is the new music system. Unlike everyone's expectations, the company will not launch any automatic transmission version of the car, it will continue to come with a five-speed manual gearbox.

With more features and powerful engine, the Aria will cost Rs. 30,000-50,000 higher than the existing variants.

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by i_m_anaconda

...With more features and powerful engine, the Aria will cost Rs. 30,000-50,000 higher than the existing variants.

Hope they have already stopped production save for the demo / TD cars and are utilizing the line for something better!

[1100D]

Havn't seen a single Aria in the last few months on the road in Kolkata, though it was not uncommon to spot one or two weekly earlier. They dont just have a sales problem, the ones we could see earlier are mostly not on road now.

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by arjab

The Aria is perhaps Tata Motor's most competent product in all aspects.

Absolutely True.

I test drove the Aria, Safari Storme & XUV500 (Latest upgrade version) all on the same day. Aria was best of the lot in terms of space, ride & comfort. But it has certain glaring issues which makes it look a bad deal compared to the XUV.

1) It is priced beyond any rationale. Tata doesn't have the reputation to charge a premium over Toyota yet. Hyundai has gained ground by offering better value than it's Japanese competitors and not by jumping the gun and offer pricier products than it's Japanese competition.

2) The fit and finish of plastic items need to be improved. The trim around the drivers seat was coming off and the sales man actually warned me to be careful not to rip my pants/pockets. Can you imagine for a vehicle with 2500 kms on the odometer? If you want to show yourself as worth of a price higher than the Japs/Europeans, first you prove you quality is upto their level if not better.

3) The biggest issue with the interiors for me is absolute lack of cubby holes in the gear console. There is no place to keep cell phones or any such thing. They have a row of useless bins running along the roof liner but absolutely nothing down in the gear console. If you don't believe me look inside an Aria. The gear console is huge but the designers couldn't think of putting some cubby holes in there .


What I find most annoying about Tata Motors is that they put only 80% effort into a vehicle and leave the 20% effort out. But this results in such glaring issues that people cannot appreciate the 80%.

One more thing with this upgrade is that, unless they offer some sort of value proposition, they can forget about the varicor and other gimmickry.

They need to offer a version with basic features like power windows, power locks, system, ABS, airbags etc in the 10 lakhs range. Otherwise, it will become the story of how to make a dud an even bigger DUD !!

All Tata Motors needs to do to succeed is to buy an XUV500 and see what they offer for what price and try to replicate it. Just like the Korean's learn from the Japanese, Tata can learn from Mahindra since they operate in same country and go after the same clients.

[F150]

It may work if they price it right. Pricing it above Innova literally killed the product. The niggles didn't help it either.

It is a very nice looking car, but it never took off !!

[rkg]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

They need to offer a version with basic features like power windows, power locks, system, ABS, airbags etc in the 10 lakhs range. Otherwise, it will become the story of how to make a dud an even bigger DUD !!

All Tata Motors needs to do to succeed is to buy an XUV500 and see what they offer for what price and try to replicate it. Just like the Korean's learn from the Japanese, Tata can learn from Mahindra since they operate in same country and go after the same clients.

The price diffrence between XUV W4 ( 10.85) and ARIA Pure LX ( 9.71) is 1.1 lakh.

What XUV has extra is two airbags and ABS over and above ARIA pure LX

Toyota offers two airbags + ABS for 35-54K in Etios and Liva as an option

[Equus]

Firstly, was the issue with power? I guess (vaguely), yes. But it was with pricing and the fit/finish/quality. Did they address that? Scorpio's are built to last and can take a lot of abuse. If they are the ones upgrading, what would appeal to them?

Secondly, a good chunk of buyers would be seating in the rear seat - let them focus more on making it a proper D-segment like offering and surely there would be takers.
If offered at the right value proposition, this can do well in the market - no two ways about it. But Tata has to be willing to listen and react right.

[9thsphinx]

Harmon Kardon in a Tata? Now, that makes a Bose in a Renault look out of place!

No but seriously, I kind of like where this is going. Not too long before we see a decent branded OEM setup in the likes of Hyundai's and Hondas.

As for the Aria - it was a looker but was marred by unrealistic pricing. More power = More money, I assume. But better sales?

[girishglg]

Tatas seems to look away from instead address the real issue in hand. The simple case of the product not worthy of the price tag should have been addressed by relaunching with improvements in quality levels and offering it at realistic price points.

Even if this would require retaining the base and base plus trim levels in the 4x2 form. Let us be clear a MUVish type of a vehicle is not expected to do any 4x4 stuff that they thought would be lapped up by the customers.

Keeping fingers crossed on this one!

[4x4addict]

Originally Posted by rkg

The price diffrence between XUV W4 ( 10.85) and ARIA Pure LX ( 9.71) is 1.1 lakh.

What XUV has extra is two airbags and ABS over and above ARIA pure LX

Toyota offers two airbags + ABS for 35-54K in Etios and Liva as an option

Then why can't Tata add 2 airbags & ABS for another 40K and sell it for 10.1 lakhs, then they can pit it against the W4 XUV? Most people in the 10 lakhs range would prefer to get safety features.

Lowering the price of a 10 Lakhs car by stripping it off safety features is not the smartest move to get private customers. LX is purely targeted at Taxi segment where the passenger income is more important that passenger life !!.

Let's not come up with excuses for Tata...

[rkg]

Originally Posted by 4x4addict

Then why can't Tata add 2 airbags & ABS for another 40K and sell it for 10.1 lakhs, then they can pit it against the W4 XUV? Most people in the 10 lakhs range would prefer to get safety features.

Lowering the price of a 10 Lakhs car by stripping it off safety features is not the smartest move to get private customers. LX is purely targeted at Taxi segment where the passenger income is more important that passenger life !!.

Let's not come up with excuses for Tata...

Not at all defending TATA here. They have spoiled a good car by over optimistic pricing.

Even now, pleasure with 2 airbags, ABS ,music system, "great roof bins" and better interior theme costs whopping 2 lakhs more than Pure LX.

They should take leaf out of Toyota and provide safety features as option in LX also

[PPS]

Originally Posted by M35

Motorbash seem to have updated the content saying the launch to happen soon, in a month or so.

Tweet by Hormazd Sorabjee.

[aravind.anand]

I recall the day when I walked into the TATA showroom in about 5 years ago when the Aria was launched. The leather trim and the fit and finish of the interiors were amazing for a TATA product ( then perceived bad, not any more! ) and loved the music system and the features on offer, TD was not given, but the pricing was 16L for the starting variant, upon hearing which, I walked away laughing! As the Innova was 12.5L OTR back then.

But today, the badly hiked pricing of the Innova has made the top end retail at 17L OTR and this car is more than sorted than the now built to a cost Innova.

Sure, the reliability of the Toyota cannot to be questioned, but that alone does not let a product command such a premium. And with the advent of the Zest and the Bolt, the cheap image of the TATA has turned into a sense of pride, that an Indian automaker is truly going global! Today, I will not buy an Innova over an Aria. TATA has come a long way, hope they price it rightly and get the numbers they have always deserved!

[WhiteKnight]

Originally Posted by arjab

A flawed initial pricing strategy and confused product positioning let the Aria down.


Hopefully, the new upgraded Aria will get the retail numbers it so rightfully deserves and potential buyers will not cock a snook at an "indian badged mpv" trying to win over customers from its Japanese rival.

You rightly put the perspective. However, Aria is not going to sell. Ego to accept failure is a big issue even for corporates.

Aria is dead, so please stop

[lurker]

Aria will sell, but only after customers are convinced of long-term reliability. Now how is that possible in the short-term. That is what is plaguing Aria. First impression is indeed the last impression in the auto-world. But I hope that Tata somehow perseveres with Aria and doesn't just listen to market voices to dump the vehicle.

1. It has much better sheet-metal than Innova
2. Better ride quality & high speed stability
3. More exclusive image than the Innova

If only they could ensure long-term reliability and just tune up the Indica-ish front. The problem with the former happening is that TM just doesn't seem to be changing fast enough or hard enough for the change in perception to occur. Design-wise after introduction of Bolt & Zest there is more promise in that dept.