Team-BHP - Grande MkII 2.2 DiCor EX BS4
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Grande MkII 2.2 DiCor EX BS4
(Still says Sumo on the rear door badging)

Model : EX (1 stage lower than top-end model)
Seating : 8-seater with front facing last row
Colour : Platinum Beige (I really like a the dark green colour aka RR, but sadly that has been stopped – though don’t think dad would have gone with it)
Warranty : 2 years Unlimited mileage

Ex-factory price : 6.31 lakhs
Killer Taxes (12.50%) : 79k
Ex-showroom : 7.10 lakhs
Reg, Road tax, Hypo, MCD : 33k
Extended Warranty(2 yrs) : 6.5k
Other charges : 3.7k (Logistics & standard accessories)
Insurance : 23k – 65% NCB = 8K
Total : 7.61 lakhs
Discount : -8k (nominal discount which we got after writing to Tata Motors as a sort of loyalty bonus, as dealer was offering no discount)
On-road : 7.53 lakhs

Gear lock and music system extra.

For features and specification, please check the following URL
The All New Mark II - Specifications

Views expressed in the following review are based mostly in comparison to our 13 year old Sumo and to an extent with the Innova (have driven it and sat in all three rows on a long drive and in the city), the Xylo (have sat in it) and the Scorpio (have driven it and sat in all seats including the bench seats at the rear, on a long drive).

We didn’t test drive any other vehicle, though Innova was the only other option, but the almost 3 lakhs price difference (GX 7/8 seater BS4) put it out of contention. Never have taken any particular liking for Mahindra vehicles. Just for comparison Xylo E4 BS4 is for around Rs.7.5 lakhs ex-showroom.

My father is a Tata fan and after having driven the Sumo for more than 13 years, it is understandable he is more comfortable with it and more inclined towards a similar offering in a relatively modern form.

Test drive
we had to literally go to the showroom and forcibly take a test drive. Sometimes the test drive vehicle was not available and sometimes there was no one available to go along for a test drive. The dealer is M/S Auto links with their showroom in Hauz Khas, Delhi. The test drive vehicle was in OK condition, with broken A/C vents and cup holder. It was a top end model.

Down payment & Delivery
A down payment was made and the delivery was assured before 31st May as the Road Tax on vehicles costing above 6 lakhs was increasing effective 1Jun’10. The delivery schedule as expected wasn’t met. Numerous excuses were made, ranging from the delivery truck bursting a tyre to the driver not picking up his mobile and even him gone missing for two days. Finally, delivery was made on 7th Jun’10. Thankfully the increase in Road Tax was effective 10Jun’10 or so and we were spared the tax increase.

Dad got fitted a Pioneer USB music system from dealer only. Wanted a six speaker system but only a 4-speaker system was available. Gear lock was also fitted, but it seems they hadn’t fit many gear locks on the new Grande MKII. They could not properly fit the centre console below the handbrake. As a result when it was time to leave, the handbrake could not be released. Very embarrassing for us atleast if not the dealer. After a lot of effort the handbrake was released and they said that this will be rectified the next day as it was already late in the evening. The same was rectified almost a week after taking delivery. Wanted to fix parking sensors also but the workers over there could not figure how to fit it, as the bumper was curving at the ideal place for the sensors.

Another thing is the cup holders for the middle row, but could not be opened in our vehicle. We thought it was a result of the ill-fitted centre console. Even the dealers (as always) were clueless about it. Thank God for Team-BHP, I had read a review and realised that they had permanently closed that, as it was a flimsy design. Instead of fixing it and working to rectify the problem, Tata Motors took the easy way out and completely shut the entire cup holder system.

Another thing about the dealer – we haven’t received the owner’s manual about two weeks after having had taken delivery o f the vehicle.

EXTERIORS
Although the looks are a bit MPVish, but the high bonnet line imparts it a butch look. Also the ground clearance at 180mm is more into the SUV territory. It looks intimidating in the rear-view mirror of the car in front. Chrome inserts on side rub rails help quite a bit in breaking the bulk and make it visually acceptable, if not pleasing. Must admit that the Grande does look a bit queasy from some angles.

ENGINE
The best part is the engine. The 2.2 DiCor made with inputs from AVL Austria is a delight. Although a detuned version is used in the Grande as compared to the Safari, but I found it to be adequate to haul six passenger in comfort. The turbo is very linear and smooth, though I do miss the kick that I get in my Indigo after hitting 2000 rpm. NVH levels both outside and inside the vehicle are quite low.

DRIVE
Acceleration and gearing seem to be sorted, although the gearshift is a bit vague - especially shifting into 1st gear. There are no problems in engaging reverse gear though – which is sometimes the case in most cars. My father having got used to the old Sumo (with dog-leg gears) slotted it in second instead of first, a couple of times, but the engine was able to take up the load and did not stall.

The clutch though light, is still nowhere in the league of the Innova. Some drivers will feel it a bit stiff for their liking.

My father is used to sitting high up so that he has a clear view of the bonnet edges and the road ahead. Inspite of me saying that you’ll get used to the driving position he has got made a specially designed cushion to seat him higher. I guess driving the same vehicle for over 13 years results in some getting used to a new vehicle.

RIDE
Ride quality is quite composed – potholes and small speed-breakers are dispatched with ease. It is only the bumps or on a continuous undulating road, there is a slight pogo stick effect felt, mostly in the last row. Ground clearance is quite good. On the highway, a racing Fiesta had to come to a dead halt to tackle a rather huge, you can say almost a step, as a result of two new layers of road. I just slowed down, shifted into second and was easily able to scale the obstacle and no one in any seat was ruffled.

Rear suspension has the dated leaf-spring system which according to reviews by experts has been perfected by Tata’s and cannot be made any better. The only advantage of this system I see is that there is no suspension towers that intrude into the cabin space. There are three leaf springs now as compared to the original Sumo’s seven which was a real load carrier – we have transported around a tonne of materials to Chail (H.P.) in that with only the driver’s seat and I sat on the materials.

HANDLING
Steering is quite small compared to the old Sumo (without power steering). I felt awkward a couple of time turning the vehicle as am used to bracing my arms to get ready to make a turn in the old non-PS Sumo (it was all human muscle power turning the steering especially at lower speeds). Grande’s steering feel is just like that of a car and is quite light. Turning radius is fantastic for such a huge vehicle. The turning circle at 10.5m will embarrass a Punto (10.8m), which incidentally/hopefully is going to be my next car.

As far as cornering is concerned, the Grande can’t hide all the bulk. It is best to take corners at sane speeds, though my dad was excited, and without realizing was taking corners at slightly unnerving speeds for people sitting in the last row. But the thing is I also did corner like that - as a driver you feel well in control but people sitting in the last row feel the G forces the most. But even though it is more than 100-odd kgs heavier than the Xylo, cornering is more predictable and not as scary as in the Xylo.

HVAC
Three row air-conditioning is quite effective. We had tested it earlier during evenings and mornings. But the real test came on the highway and I believe it was 42 degrees that day. Everyone was quite comfortable. At around 4 in the evening my grandmother, sister and wifey started feeling cold and shut the a/c vents (2 in the middle row and 1 in the last row), as a result all the airflow was directed to the sole vent left, above me, and lest I froze I reduced the blower speed to 1 and asked dad to reduce the cooling as well with the thermostat (there is a three speed blower for the last two rows with fan controls above the middle row).

Another good thing is that the roof vents have an infinitesimal adjustment – not only can the louvers be adjusted but also the whole unit can be rotated 360 degrees. The only issue is that the louvers are quite delicate and will tend to break with rough usage like in the test drive vehicle.

INTERIORS
Beige coloured interiors are not to my personal liking, but does liven up the interiors and make an already spacious vehicle, roomier. The seat material looks quite smart and is supposed to be Scotch Guard treated and stain proof. I would have preferred slightly bigger knobs for HVAC control; they are a size too small for such a huge vehicle. Rest the dash is flat and nothing to write home about. A saving grace is the shade of wood veneer which I find to be alright – not too garish. Wouldn’t have like it, if the shade was any lighter.

Basic functionality is there - with the door pockets, cup holders and the space on the centre console to keep knick-knacks. Also, there are arm rests for the two front seats and one in the centre on the middle row. I thought the arm rests would foul with gear change, but found then to be comfortable on the highway when cruising and less gear change is required.

Good Bits
• Butch looks (from some angles atleast) with the huge 16-inch smart-looking rims (not alloys) shod with 235/70 tubeless Bridgestone Desert Duellers
• The middle row seats have a 65:35 split which is smart as there is equal room for all three people. In a 60:40 split one person has 40% seat space and the other two have to make do with 30% each.
• Wash-wipe with a second swipe about five seconds after the first swipe to get rid of the irritating water streaks that trickle down after the first swipe. Although the second wipe can be a bit distracting as it is unexpected
• There are two 12V power points – 1 each for the front row and the middle row
• The last row seat, in addition to folding forward and tumbling to be next to the second row, can also be removed completely to increase luggage space
• Reclining second row seats
• Height adjustable seat belts
• Spring-loaded grab handles near C-pillar to help getting into the last row
• Illuminated ignition key slot
• Theatre lighting
• Electronic headlamp adjustment

Bad Bits
• There was some noise coming from the dashboard when one accelerates from a low speed in third/fourth gear. (My father checked the gap in the mudguard and placed a rubber block, glued a plastic lining on the edge of the bonnet near the wipers, checked the dashboard to see if anything was loose – but ultimately he figured out three days later that the plastic cover on the engine was not fit properly on one side – a firm thump and it was set alright – the noise has gone almost now, but there is still some lingering noise which I don’t think will go away.
• The brake pedal squeaks when depressed.
• The spring loaded sunglasses holder was half-open and could not be fully closed. Till the time there is a solution I’ve stuck it with some masking tape.
• 30sec P/W operation after key switch off is not working
• Panel gaps and fit and finish are not up to international standards.

Points to Note:
• Rear Fog lamps can’t be switched on unless the headlights are on. I thought the switch was defective but found this out later only.
• The interiors are light-beige coloured including the roof, which would get dirty over a period of time
• Rear doors open in two stages, but are very tight to open after first stage. Feels like the doors can’t open any further – my grandmother hardly managed. May be it will become easier to operate after some usage.
• Internal rear-view mirror is a size too small and can have blind spots – my father has clipped on a bigger mirror from his old Sumo which also had a similarly small mirror.
• Analog clock is a joke with only 12’O clock marking and is quite small
• The digital Trip and Odo display should include distance to empty/average in a 7 lakh plus vehicle
• Wipers are there on the windscreen and not hidden just below the bonnet and therefore spoil the looks
• Clutch pedal is offset a tad too much to the left, leaving no place for a foot rest and can be tight for people with large shoe sizes (size 10 or more).

I feel it will take about five more years to get more inputs from JLR and make truly international quality products. Hope the Indicruz is a step in that direction.

Let me be the first one to congratulate you. Nice report and pics, please post some pics of the interiors also.

Has delhi hiked the road tax ? Earlier it used to be 5% or so.

Interiors and legroom

Congrats on the new addition, wishing you many happy miles ahead :)

Space management pictures

More Misc images of Grande

The ugly truth - Panel gaps/misalignment pictures

First Long Trip (5 days after buying the vehicle)

330 kms X Rtn = 660 kms in one day (left at 0600 hrs and returned by 2030 hrs)
Mileage: 13kmpl

I cranked the engine at 5:30 in the morning and could not believe how silent it was. Being a modern common rail engine, it was understandably more silent than my 4 year old Indigo TDi But I was truly impressed by the first cold start early morning. Touched 120kmph and the engine was smooth and didn’t feel like it was at the limit. Braking was quite linier and had the right amount of bite. But the lack of ABS will be felt on sudden braking and emergency situations.

Tumbled the middle row single seat and we kept a camper/ice box over there. I on the last row could extend my legs over the camper and was very comfortable. The last row is best suited for people below 5’5” which my better half is and she was quite comfortable. Anyone taller will have very less under-thigh support as the ladder frame chassis results in a high floor and you sit in an awkward position with your knees up in the third row.

Although it is an 8-seater, I believe six people can be accommodated in comfort and seven people at best with three in the middle row. Three in the last row though will not find any shortage of space, but will be uncomfortable on long journeys.

The only problem is – where to keep the luggage for six people on a long trip. Dad has asked me to research about roof-top luggage carriers. Have seen aerodynamic ones made by Thule. If anyone knows about Thule or any other company having any dealer in Delhi NCR, please let me know.

nice analysis and yes, detailed pictures. Thank you for sharing this review. It is going to be Sumo Grande Mk 2, I think they are not going to remove Sumo word from it

Congrats Jessie. Nice detailed report. A 7 lakhs car but without a space for 2 DIN music system?

Congratulations on your buy!! its a nice comfortable vehicle.

Very nice detailed report, look forward to more from you in the travelogues.

Nice report. I too like a Grande. Hope to see it in a 4*4 avataar. I read somewhere that the MK2 comes with 4 spoke steering wheel, and your's is 3 spoke, what's the misery?:)

Heartiest congratulations. Have a safe and comfortable drive.

1. I hate this sumo word being carried forward. Always reminds of the taxis. Wife's opinion "Grande? so what its still sumo".

2. Pardon my ignorance whats this killer tax @12.50% (some humour??) in addition to Reg, Road tax, Hypo, MCD. I never heard of any such tax. If you can throw some light on this.

3. What are these logistics accessories?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessie007 (Post 1945217)
Grande MkII 2.2 DiCor EX BS4
(Still says Sumo on the rear door badging)

Ex-factory price : 6.31 lakhs
Killer Taxes (12.50%) : 79k
Ex-showroom : 7.10 lakhs
Reg, Road tax, Hypo, MCD : 33k
Extended Warranty(2 yrs) : 6.5k
Other charges : 3.7k (Logistics & standard accessories)
Insurance : 23k – 65% NCB = 8K
Total : 7.61 lakhs
Discount : -8k (nominal discount which we got after writing to Tata Motors as a sort of loyalty bonus, as dealer was offering no discount)
On-road : 7.53 lakhs


Hi,

[quote=jessie007;1945328
If anyone knows about Thule or any other company having any dealer in Delhi NCR, please let me know.[/QUOTE]

Thule distributor is Methods. Check them out at Methods Car Parts and Car Accessories Online Shop and Distributors in Bangalore India, K&N Performance Filters, Sparco Motorsport Accessories

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessie007 (Post 1945328)
First Long Trip (5 days after buying the vehicle)

330 kms X Rtn = 660 kms in one day (left at 0600 hrs and returned by 2030 hrs)
Mileage: 13kmpl
...
Tumbled the middle row single seat and we kept a camper/ice box over there. I on the last row could extend my legs over the camper and was very comfortable.
....

Jessie, Congratulations on buying Grande MK II. ITs awesome and the color is very nice, not too harsh, not too dull, "Pleasant" to me :)

I liked the way you made yourself sit in the last row with a stool-like thingy to extend your legs. Thats TATA vehicles where you get humongous space to customize like this.

Enjoy and have a safe/happy motoring :)

Prem.


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