[AdityaDeane]

As a replacement for my Triber I was looking for a Tata Aria 4x4, but the time was increasing and I could not find a worthy example within my limited budget and leave constraints.

So, on 23rd of June I bought a Blue 2009 Maruti Suzuki A-Star ZXi MT from Maruti Suzuki True Value with roughly 64K on the odo. A Navy person driven car with all Service Records etc.



Finally, after a lot of search and bargaining, was able to find a decent 2011 Tata Aria Prestige 4x4 in Sardinia Red from Chandigarh Tricity region, and purchased it at a good price, with almost 1.14K kilometres on the odometer.



Initial observations from my drive between Tricity to Manali:-
1. The interior is quite similar to the Triber, and it feels like sitting in a bigger and more capable Triber!
2. Interior leg room is good for all rows!
3. The ride quality is exceptional, especially on the broken roads and over highway undulations.
4. The AC is very good, the front AC was more than enough to keep us comfortable in the cabin for most times. Having Auto AC is an added bonus!

The primary reason for choosing an Aria was the flat folding seats for using the vehicle as a Campervan for nearby weekend trips, this was missing in the 60% seat of the Triber. The roof box storages are added bonus for keeping small items.

[AdityaDeane]

Niggles, Problems and Part Replacements

Have started to invest in the Aria these days! Here is the list of expenses till date:-

1. Front Brake Disc Pads -> While driving up from Chandigarh Tricity to Manali, the "Brake Fluid Low" warning started to show up around 25 odd kilometres before reaching Manali. Upon taking the car to a garage, it was found that the Brake Fluid is enough, but the Front Disc Pads were worn off. So, front disc pads were changed at Rs.1750 + Labour Cost.

2. Rear Lug Nut and Studd -> While the front disc pads were being changed, my friend's (BHP-ian anuragisaacrout) wife noticed that a Lug Nut and it's corresponding Studd were missing from the Left Rear Wheel. Decided to get that fitted on the spot, and that was another Rs.240 for the Studd and the Nut.

3. Tyres -> The car came fitted with A/T tyres in company spec of 235/65R17, but 3 of the tyres had cuts in the side wall, and the 4th had marks of rubbing in the sides.





Hence it was an immediate safety expense! So, ordered a set of 4 Ultramile UM 4x4 Bull A/T tires from Amazon.in at a discount on 27th August 2022, they will be delivered in the next 7-10 days. Hope they fare well, and give me a good grip in the snowy, rainy, slushy and highway conditions in which I will drive for the next few years.

The condition of the tyres can be seen in this post: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/assem...ml#post5390975

An immediate expense is the Coolant! Just noticed a few days back that it is below even the Minimum Level mark, have asked other Aria users for their recommendations here: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5387326 (Tata Aria : Test Drive & Review), If anyone reading the post has any recommendations for use in snowy regions, do post and let me know.

Another upcoming expense is the Air Filter Box and Air Filter! It has a 1" roundish hole in it's broken plastic casing. Need to replace both the Air Filter Box and Air Filter in the next few weeks.

[AdityaDeane]

Got to do mild off roading in the Aria this afternoon with BHP-ian @ringoism

https://youtu.be/YhYFbGM1sC0

Here is what he had to say after the drive:

You've got a good and capable car there, bro.

Guys, I had the pleasure of test-driving it for maybe 45 minutes or so today. It's smooth, quiet, has good enough power once the turbo spools, the Adapterra AWD really works, ground clearance workable, seats comfy, ride quality such that you can't feel most potholes. No considerable rattles/ squeaks inside or knocks from the suspension below, so seems well put-together and in good mechanical condition. Needs the airbox tightened up and the tyres of course, but otherwise would seem ready to drive anywhere.

The sheer mass of the thing combined with the lack of torque below 1700rpm's means that on steep gradients you've got to utilize some technique, half-clutching judiciously as possible. 1st gear is fairly low but not low enough to crawl with, 1700rpm shows about 17-18kmph so a bit of clutch-abuse is the only option in tricky stuff. That said, didn't smell anything burning after that rocky climb and would figure that unless you're doing this kind of thing daily, driver skill should pull it through most things without adverse effects on clutch life.

Came up over a big ledge where the pavement started again and was afraid of scraping /stalling, but it didn't. Probably was close, gotta be a little careful sometimes.

A soft-roader, granted, but the AWD system really does grab the grip wherever it can, zero wheel slippage except when I revved it and dropped the clutch on sand (in which case I think all four spun!).

Had worried about the thick and very forward A-pillars and the sloping bonnet (I hate obstructed quarter visibility and like to be able to see my edges), but went through lots of turns and also some manuevering in very tight spots (apple truck traffic jam on the Palchan bypass) and a little surprisingly didn't find either to be a problem.

FE showing as 12kmpl on the digi-display, which would be very respectable considering he drove mostly uphill for eight hours, then some local driving after, and after all that had me behind the wheel 😆 with my foot in it and lots of full-boost.

Let's see how the tank-to-tank works out.

If I have a complaint it's that the handling felt a little wallowy - not so wallowy like a Safari, CG definitely lower, but spring-rates certainly on the softer side, whereas I prefer more taut, control-biased suspensions. 'Specially when throwing something this heavy around.

Secondly the ABS was scary to me on gravelly surfaces. Hoping that's just the old tyres lacking grip, but I know ABS can be strongly biased towards keeping things straight rather than raw minimum stopping distance - and I think gravel/ sand is where ABS is at its worst. There are lots of situations where a firm grip on the wheel and some skidding can stop you shorter, had observed this way back when performance-testing ABS systems 20+ years ago in the U.S. Had hoped things had advanced since then but reality is that with ABS you have another brain taking over control, and it's not a brain (except in a Tesla maybe) capable of recognizing that object looming in front of you and deciding you need to stop NOW, even if you end up sideways!

This particular car's huge inertia probably doesn't help matters.

Service/ parts concerns may be legitimate, let's see how that all pans out.

But otherwise... wow - seems a great car, especially considering how affordable they are nowadays.

First tank to Tank mileage figure came out to be 9.83Km/L, which is decent for the hilly drives and fun that this vehicle has been providing to me and my family. Will keep updating as time progresses...

[AdityaDeane]

Introduction:
Saffira -> The huge, playful, protective, elegant and powerful dragon in the movie Eragon!

As per norm, I have named my latest acquisition as Saffira, it is a Sardinia Red Tata Aria Prestige 4x4 of the 2011 vintage. Like the dragon Saffira, in the movie Eragon, my Saffira is elegant, playful, powerful and protective.

Tata Motors developed the Aria crossover to take on the European markets, and also introduce a new breed of vehicles in the Indian market. It was spacious, built with latest European safety regulations in mind, shared many parts with the then Tata Safari, and yet was lighter and ultramodern for it's time. It had features that were way ahead of the nearest competitors, but yet it failed big time in the Indian market. As the market wasn't ready for a Tata costing north of 10 Lakhs, and priced above the ever successful Toyota Innova.

But, I always loved the Aria for the sheer practicality and space that was on offer. Whenever I would see one zoom past me, I would think if I would ever get to own one. So much so, that when I was planning to sell my Tata Nano (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...ip-report.html (Tata Nano Twist XT: 4-year ownership report)), I tried to frantically search for a Tata Aria, but there were very few in the used market, and the prices were exorbitant and beyond my budget, so I decided to rather invest in a new Renault Triber (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...tric-blue.html (Ownership Review of my Renault Triber RXZ (Electric Blue))), and that introduced me to the world of MPVs/MUVs, and I got hooked to the idea of flexible seating and big boot and creature comforts.

Then, Covid hit the world hard, and due to some financial struggles at home, I had to sell off my Renault Triber in April of 2022. It was a big shock for our family, and we still haven't come out it. We decided that we will not buy a vehicle again, and will utilize Public Transport and Taxis for our needs, if and when they arise. But, the itch to own a personal car, and have the flexibility to drive out at a second's instance kept poking me to keep looking for a good used car. My criteria was simple:
1. 7 seater
2. 4x4/AWD/4WD, as we live in the snow belt since the last over 3 years now.
3. I do not care about brands or spare parts availability or down time, as I do not use my car for office commuting

With these in mind, I kept searching on OLX and Droom and Quikr for hours everyday. Saw a few XUV500 AWDs, Chevrolet Captivas, Hyundai Tuscons, Honda C-RVs, Hyundai Santa Fes, Tata Safaris, Mitsubishi Pajeros and Tata Arias. But whenever I would finalize a vehicle and try to go buy it, something or the other came in between and the deal was off. Sometimes it was due to price negotiation, sometimes due to lack of leaves, sometimes due to the advice of my friends. Finally I grew tired, and bought a Maruti Suzuki A-Star in June 2022 from Maruti True Value in Dehradun (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/assem...ml#post5374747), it is a good car and gives a good mileage but it is neither a 7 seater, nor 4x4/AWD/4WD, nor does it have a decent boot space. So, I immediately started regretting my decision to buy it and put it up on Olx (by the way, I'm still looking to find a new owner for this car on Olx ).

But, my wife and I were constantly thinking and searching if only we could find a decently priced Tata Aria 4x4, it would make us happy. I was only interested in the Pride 4x4 model, due to 6 Airbags, ESP, TCS, Cruise Control etc., and never considered the base (Pleasure) or mid (Prestige) variants to be worth my time. As I was upgrading to a big vehicle, I wanted the top model, the best there was. As a matter of fact, all my previous rides had been top of the line models (Tata Nano Twist XT, Renault Triber RXZ and Maruti Suzuki A-Star ZXi ABS), and hence I wanted to continue with my streak of Blue cars and Top Models, but God had something else for me in His mind. I was getting impatient, the Tata Aria Pride's in my budget were either 4x2 models, or not available in my nearby cities/towns/States, and hence I tried exploring all the available options near me.

Finally, in late July I found this Tata Aria Prestige 4x4 near Chandigarh on Olx. It was a 2011 model, and the current owner was the 3rd owner of the vehicle. He assured me that the vehicle had been bought by a firm, then transferred to the owner's name, and finally was transferred to the 3rd owner, who happened to be their relative. So, it had been in the family for the last 11 years. He assured me that service history is available at Tata Motors Service Centres, and I can come and check the vehicle at any time. Finally, on 7th August 2022 I went to see the vehicle along with BHP-ian 'anuragisaacrout' and his wife, who are both avid auto enthusiasts, and own a Tata Safari themselves. We took the car for a test drive, checked for suspension noise, engine noise etc., and finally closed the deal as everything seemed genuine. The interiors do have some marks of abuse, but the leather upholstery has held up well, and so have the plastic interiors. Finally, I drove Saffira back home to Manali the same day.

[AdityaDeane]

Likes:

1. Huge Car - Acres of space inside, and a big and usable boot
2. Lots of Features - Auto AC, Dual AC, Auto Headlamps, Auto Wipers, Height Adjustable Driver Seat, Lumbar Support Adjustment for Front Passengers, Height Adjustable Driver and Front Passenger Seat Belts, Adjustable 2nd Row, Flat Folding 2nd and 3rd Row of seats, Overhead Cabin Storage Bins, Reclining 2nd Row Seat Backs, Arm Rests for 1st and 2nd Row Passengers, Front and Rear Fog Lamps, Charging Points in all 3 Rows, etc.
3. Torque on Demand (Adapterra) 4x4 System is more than adequate for my kind of usage (snow driving, mild off roading to Kaza, Chandrataal, Leh, etc.)
4. Pleasure and Prestige variants had Limited Slip Differential also.
5. Shares lot of mechanical components with the Tata Safari and Hexa (face lift of Aria).
6. Being 200Kgs lighter than the then Tata Safari, it had a better ARAI mileage of 13.9Km/L
7. Suspension - After driving around in the Nano for almost 6 years, the suspension setup in the Triber was a revelation. And after driving the Aria, I have realized that Triber was nowhere close to the awesome suspension present in the Aria. Highway drives are so much better now, and the suspension just keeps eating the road undulations for breakfast with such poise and grace.

Dislikes:

1. Big Car - Not easy to turn around in narrow hilly roads, and parking also becomes an issue sometimes
2. Some Issues with Ergonomics - 60% Seat in 2nd Row does not flip over fully in any position, You can either use the front Cup Holders or the USB/Aux Ports in the front at a time and not both.
3. Not a proper 4x4 with Low Range and Differential Locks.
4. Ground Clearance and placement of the Intercooler keep you from using it as a serious off roader.
5. Aria specific parts are hard to source sometimes, and require lot of follow ups with the Service Centres.
6. Real World Hilly Mileage has come out to be a little over 9Km/L for me in the few hundred kilometres that I have covered, tankful to tankful.
7. Suspension - Being a Body of Frame vehicle, slow speed body roll is a lot even for the driver. It really rocks like a boat, and my wife has Motion Sickness, I hope that she copes well in the long drives that we do in this vehicle.

[AdityaDeane]

Engine Type

BS4 2.2L DICOR with Dual Mass Flywheel producing 140PS (Power @ 4000rpm) and 320Nm (Torque between 1700-2700rpm)

Transmission

5 Forward 1 Reverse Manual Transmission

Safety Equipments

Dual Front Airbags
ABS with EBD
Engine Immobilizer with Perimetric Alarm System
All Wheel Disc Brakes
Ultrasonic Reverse Guide System (Reverse Parking Sensors) displayed in the DIS above the music system



Reverse Parking Camera (aftermarket, displayed in the touchscreen system)
Front and Rear Fog Lamps
Automatic / Darkness Sensing Headlamps
Automatic / Rain Sensing Wipers

Number of Kilometres

At the time of procurement -> 113907Kms
At the time of writing the review -> 114335Kms

My Usage Pattern

Not used for daily commute
Used primarily for long drives to my native (Dehradun), or some weekend nearby drives around Manali
Based upon my previous cars -> Roughly 1000 Kms per month

Exterior Styling and Design

Tata had opted for a very balanced design for it's crossover MPV/MUV, which usually look like breadbox with wheels. If you ask my parents, as a teenager I used to make a drawing of my favorite Tata cars. It was a mix and match of Safari (front), Sumo (mid) and Indica (rear), I used to call it a "SaMoCa", so the front bonnet was like the Safari, mid portion was tall and flat like in a Sumo, and the rear had a flat hatch with Indica's tail lamps.

Seems like someone from Tata Motors saw my drawing, and they retained the MoCa part, while they changed the front to a Indica again, in short they made an InMoCa and called it as X-Over concept, or Tata Aria as we know it in production form.

I personally love MPVs, and this looks stately and elegant to me. Clean lines, bulges over the wheel wells (which actually are a pain in the narrow hilly roads, but add character to the looks), Butterfly Wipers, Projector Low Beam and regular Headlamps etc. I find the Aria to be classy, and not overdone, like how the Mahindra XUV500 came out to be a few months later and spoilt the party for the Aria.

Overall Build Quality, Fit and Finish, Paint Quality and Panel Gaps

I have bought the vehicle after almost 11 years of use and abuse. But, despite of scratches on the body, the original paint and accessories have held up well. It just needs to be sent for buffing and mild Denting, and it will look quite new again after that. This being Tata's attempt to make a world class product, this came with all the latest safety equipment and was built to those standards, which shows in the way the doors close, the metal feels, the panel gaps are not much, and there is use of soft touch plastic and rubber liners everywhere the metal touches metal (like between doors etc.).

I remember reading about some BHP-ian who had trouble with his Aria, but ultimately it saved his family in a fatal accident, and that shows that Tata Motors didn't compromise on safety or build quality for their flagship, of that time.

Wheels and Tires

Aria Prestige and Pride models came shod with Alloy Wheels, which look decent. They're not too flashy, but just do their job. The alloy wheel radius is 17 inches, and their size is 7.5J X 17, as per the owner's manual. The Pure LX and Pleasure models came with 16 inch steel wheels with wheelcaps.

Tire size is 235/65R17, and the previous owner had already installed A/T (All Terrain) tires from 2018 lot, but 2 of them cuts in the sidewalls, while 2 were scraped on the sides, maybe while parking or off roading, so I have ordered a set of 4 Ultramile UM Bull A/T 4x4 tires, which should be delivered before 5th September and installed a few days later along with alignment and balancing.

This is the condition of the tires currently:

Front Right


Front Right Tread


Rear Right


Front Left


Front Left Tread


Rear Left


Rear Left Tread

Interior Design and Quality



Being Tata Motors flagship and a product that will represent the company internationally, the interiors are quite good. There are soft plastics on the dashboard and touch points of the door trims. There is decent use of Leather in the upholstery and few different places. As I have bought it at 11 years old, I can say that the Leather Upholstery has been kept well. There are very few signs of wear and tear, especially on the Gear Knob and around the Seat Belt Locks in the 3rd row of seats, otherwise the seats still look good for an 11 year old vehicle.

Most of the lights inside the cabin are still in working condition, just a few have been abused and/or are now broken, like the front left puddle lamp, boot lamp and the front passenger vanity mirror light. The Rain Sensing Wiper sensor is faulty, as it just keeps the wipers on even during a hot summer afternoon, but the Darkness Sensing Light sensor works like a charm, even though they're both housed in the same unit in the middle of the front windshield.

I would say that the interiors and material used in the car have held well for an 11 year old vehicle.

Interior Space and Comfort

Thankfully like my Triber, the first and 2nd row of seats have sliding mechanism to increase leg space in all three rows. Though I would say that Triber had more sliding available, as compared to the Aria, in the 2nd row. Have not sat in the 3rd row, so can not say if it is adequate for adults or not. I am the tallest in my family at 5'8", so I am sure that my family will be able to sit in the back for long drives too, without much of a problem.

There is Automatic AC for the front with a blower in the rear end of the centre console. The AC also has ECON mode to aid in mileage. The switches for the Rear AC are next to the cabin lamp, and it throws out air through the vents on B-Pillars and C-Pillars.

The seats have Black and Plum Leather Upholstery, and are comfortable for long drives. You can even adjust Lumbar Support for both the front passengers. The recline angle of the backrest in 2nd row of seats can be adjusted by pulling on a lever. I would say that 3 can sit abreast in the 2nd row, and 2 each can sit in the front and last rows.

Driving Position, Ergonomics, Controls and MID

Being a mid model, the steering is only adjustable for Height, not for reach. But thankfully the driver seat is height adjustable, and so is the Driver Side Seatbelt. Lumbar Support is also adjustable in the mid model.

Most of the controls are easy to reach even while driving. The light switch is the rotary European kind, and will take a little time to get used to. Thankfully it has Auto Headlight, and I leave it in Auto mode mostly. The switches have worked for 11 long years for most of the things, and that is commendable. The ORVMs have electrical adjustment and folding mechanism.

MID shows 2 trip meters, Average Fuel Efficiency, Instantaneous Fuel Efficiency and also Distance To Empty.

Visibility and Size of Mirrors

The ORVMs are wide and not too high. They give a good rear view, and cover almost 2 lanes on the highways. They do obstruct the view in hilly roads, and need to be closed while driving through narrow lanes or mountain roads.

The IRVM covers the rear view pretty much and is of good size. It has a Manual Switch for Day/Night Function.

The door windows are quite large, and open down all the way for all 4 doors. All the Power Windows are 1 touch down, and all of them are illuminated as well.

AC Cooling and Effectiveness

The AC is very good, the front AC was more than enough to keep us comfortable in the cabin for most times. Having Auto AC is an added bonus in comparison to my Triber! It also comes with an ECON mode to aid in mileage.

The rear passengers have separate AC controls next to the Rear Cabin Lamp, and it is sort of loud at 2 and 3. Level 1 is nice and calm. Not sure how it was when new.

[AdityaDeane]

Audio System and Sound Quality



The previous owner switched the OEM Music System with a touchscreen music system. The car originally came with a 2 DIN music system with Aux, USB and Bluetooth.

Link to the details:-
Link 1 -> https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...ml#post5383131 (Tata Aria ICE Redefined)
Link 2 -> https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...ml#post5384072 (Tata Aria ICE Redefined)
Link 3 -> https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/car-e...ml#post5386132 (Tata Aria ICE Redefined)

The new system supports Steering Controls (which are yet to be configured), Wireless Screen Mirroring through an app (mentioned in link 2) and has Google Play Store to download apps and games.

I am not an audiophile, and prefer to listen to light music just to keep awake by rocking to the music or singing along with it. And in that way, I am more than happy with the 6 speaker system in my Aria. It gives decent music output, and is not shaky or bad at all. I am not sure if the OEM speakers were changed at any point of time or not.

Interior Storage, Practicality and Boot Space

Aria is provided with Bottle Holders on all 4 door. There is another Cup/Bottle Holder at the rear end of the Centre Console. There are 2 Cup Holders, which slide out, below the music system. There are 2 Cup Holders in the centre armrest of the 2nd row, along with space for a mobile or something small. There is 1 Cup Holder on either side in the last row as well.

Apart from these, the door pockets can hold magazines or knick-knacks. There are 2 glove boxes in the front, the one above is cooled and illuminated. The lower one is adequately big.



The Roof Liner has a few small and flat storage bins, along with Sunglass Holders. There is one sunglass holder above the driver's head in place of a grab handle as well.

The Aria has a big boot space. It is usable and wide and high. Even though I do not know of the exact specifications, but it should be more than 250 Litres in space, and can easily hold a few Aircraft sized suitcases inside, without having to affix a Roof Carrier on the top. The boot space can be further increased by either folding the 3rd row seats, or even folding the 2nd row seats. This way you can move large and huge cargo boxes inside the vehicle. But, the floor isn't fully flat, it is slanted from the front to the back. The seat backs of the 3rd row of seats have flat boards which can be opened and used either as Boot Cover or folded on top of the flat 2nd row seats, to slide in big boxes or to sleep inside the car.

And this was one of the biggest factors why I bought the Aria. This configuration can be used along with a mattress to sleep inside the vehicle, while overlanding. The XUV500 had a flat floor stretching only about 6 feet, the one in the Aria is even longer and my son and I love it. We both are fans of Campervan culture and Overlanding, and we were looking for an all rounder / mild off roader within our budget to be used as our day to day car, or weekend Campervan in one.

Engine Performance and Driveability

The Aria comes with the 2.2L DICOR engine which it shares with the Safari. The engine is powerful and has good grunt for everyday drives in the city or hills. It is a little lethargic below 1700rpm, and I am yet to get used to bringing it in the power band before attempting to climb steep inclines near Manali. Otherwise, the car has good pull and pick up and is fun to drive, despite it's heavy weight.

The ARAI certified mileage is close to 13.9Km/L, and I have seen IFE of around 22Km/L while driving on the highways in 5th gear. But, my first real Tankful to Tankful mileage came out to be 9.83Km/L, which includes all of hill driving from Swarghat to Manali and nearby short drives.



Overall NVH Levels

The engine noise is well insulated and you only hear a faint engine noise while driving. When revving up, you do hear the engine noise, but overall the insulation is pretty good and adequate. The car shakes when starting and switching the engine off, but I find that to be okay. You can easily sit inside and talk to the fellow passengers with the windows closed.

With the windows open, there is road and engine noise coming in to the cabin, and then you need to talk loudly or increase the music volume to be able to hear things clearly.

Suspension and Ride Quality

Already shared here: https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/assem...ml#post5390963

Braking

Aria comes with 4 channel ABS module. It is good for the highways and cities, but here in the hills, especially on gravel roads, it takes more time than it would have taken without ABS, and the car still skids a bit. May also have to do with the current tyres it is on, will see if things change after the tires are changed in a few days.

In comparison to the Triber, it takes almost 1.5-2x the distance to stop, and I am slowly getting used to that. Thanks to the ABS, it does not slide as much as the Safari does, when braking on turns. Will learn to drive with this in due time.

Ground Clearance

The official ground clearance of the Aria is 200mm. It is much better than my Triber, but it also has a long wheelbase, which means it fares poorer than a Safari or Scorpio while going into the unknown and unchartered territories. So, you always have that in mind, and you are always waiting to hear it bottom out over rocks etc.

[GTO]

Thread moved from the Assembly Line to the Reviews section. Thanks for sharing!

Going to our homepage tomorrow .

An MPV that was truly ahead of its time and the segment-best in many ways; if only Tata had priced it correctly. In its renewed avatar, the Hexa was even more impressive. Wishing you a happy ownership & many fun road-trips with your Aria!

[condor]

Congrats on getting the Aria. A lovely vehicle when it was introduced, and the learnings that Tata got from that have helped us Storme and Hexa owners a lot.

Inertia of these vehicles is something you can actually take advantage of. Try and see how and where you can let the inertia be to your advantage, thus increasing FE and reducing wear too. The trick is to not continuously use the accelerator, but observe when you can let go of the accelerator for short distances in between, on gentle down slopes, before you have to stop etc ..

Going by age, I think it's time for a timing belt change. (5 yrs/1 lakh km is the replacement interval). If not already done, pls do so.

Wishing you a long happy ownership.

[padmrajravi]

Wish you all the best with the Aria. Happy to see an Aria review coming up a decade after its launch. I have always felt, that it was not the cost, but the looks that resulted in Aria's low acceptance. But come 2017, I bought the Aria 2.0/Hexa because it presented so much value at that time and the looks were taken care of. Hexa had the same interior layout as Aria just with some color changes. And my family was a happy bunch with the space and ride quality on offer. I am sure your family will enjoy it too.

I still see a lot of Aria 4x4 in Kerala roads. Since they are manual cars that share most of the internals with Varicor Safari, I guess, long-term maintainability will not be a problem.

[UD17]

Originally Posted by AdityaDeane

[b]

The Roof Liner has a few small and flat storage bins, along with Sunglass Holders. There is one sunglass holder above the driver's head in place of a grab handle as well.

Congratulations. Wish you a fuss free and happening ownership with your Aria. A much underrated vehicle of the past.

Roof liner storage bins were so uncalled for, i know what designer thought at that moment. They were targeting Innova and thought that these storage would be well perceive due to utilitarian nature. I have seen during testing how some of the storage rattles and some even open automatically on rough roads. Hope this is not the case with your Aria.

Please keep updating this thread during the coarse of your ownership. If you don't mind, please share the acquisition price.

The road manner were very sorted and confidence inspiring at that time (2007-2008 testing phase), i don't know what subsequent changes they did later on.
The engine i know that had a lot of improvements done on Hexa later on like- complete valvetrains, timing drive, accessory drive, isolations, pistons, connecting-rod, crankshaft bearings, flywheel etc. were revamped for durability and reliability.

[digitalnirvana]

Congratulations on your Aria dear AdityaDeane. Welcome to the club. The space inside is fabulous as is the ride quality and features offered. Tata did intend to make her a flagship.

Wish you many many happy miles with Saffira. Please keep the thread alive and I'll try and post some stuff that I've done on my Aria here as well.

[AdityaDeane]

Originally Posted by UD17

Congratulations. Wish you a fuss free and happening ownership with your Aria. A much underrated vehicle of the past.

Roof liner storage bins were so uncalled for, i know what designer thought at that moment. They were targeting Innova and thought that these storage would be well perceive due to utilitarian nature. I have seen during testing how some of the storage rattles and some even open automatically on rough roads. Hope this is not the case with your Aria.

Please keep updating this thread during the coarse of your ownership. If you don't mind, please share the acquisition price.

Thank you sir!

Thankfully the Roof Storage in my Aria do not rattle or open on their own till now. They do have some alignment issues, and need some force to open or close 1-2 bins, but most of them are in good shape. May not have been used much.

As far as the pricing in concerned, let's just say that I'll be paying close to 3 Lakhs with the acquisition, purchasing accessories and spares which needed to be changed/installed and finally transfer of ownership etc.

[abhijeetp]

Congrats on your purchase! Wishing you many happy miles with your Aria. Its a very capable car.
I do own a 2014 facelift Aria Pleasure variant. Used mainly for our road trips and holidays across the country - Currently my odo stands at 1.2 lakhs KM without a rattle anywhere.

[AdityaDeane]

An update on the tyres, just received my set of 4 Ultramile UM Bull A/T 4x4 tires from Amazon.in

2 tires are of the 01st week of 2022 (0122)
2 tires are of the 08th week of 2022 (0822)

The outside lettering is in Blueish White, and the size is the correct size ordered, that is 235/65R17

Will get them installed in a few days in Ludhiana.

Niggle Update:-

The Brake Fluid Low warning has come up again, and this is despite chaging the brake disc pads just 2 weeks ago. My FNG is closed for a few days, will get it checked before leaving for Ludhiana, probably around this weekend.


A glimpse from our outing to Khoksar village today.


We do not use drinks on the move, and always stop for tea or coffee, hence we're using this space as our Cup Holders now.

P.S. - Thanks to all the readers who went through the thread and for all the 'Thanks' recieved on the the posts.