By Admin 
Tata Sierra: Tata Sierra has a special place in India’s automatic history. Tata Sierra, launched in 1991, was the country’s first compact SUV. Now after almost 2 decades, Tata Motors has brought back the name Sierra in a new avatar. In the meantime, let us know why the original Tata Sierra was discontinued.
India’s first compact SUV
When Tata Motors introduced Sierra, it was different from every other vehicle available in the market at that time. Initially it had a naturally aspirated diesel engine and was later upgraded with a turbocharged version. It became a style icon in the 1990s. In 1997, Tata launched a facelifted variant with cosmetic updates and improved performance. This SUV maintained its strong presence on the roads for more than a decade from 1991 to 2003. But despite this it was not successful in the mass market.
three door design
One of the biggest challenges the Sierra faced was its three-door layout. Although it was trendy and people liked it, it did not suit the needs of Indian families. Sitting on the rear seats was inconvenient, especially for the elderly and children, and it was also difficult to carry luggage. This limited the number of buyers and affected long-term sales.
High price makes it out of reach
Another big reason was its high price. The Sierra was priced too high for the market of the late 1990s and early 2000s when Indian customers were very price sensitive. Before its closure, the price of Sierra was around Rs 25 lakh.
Low sales and increasing competition
Sales of this vehicle were limited due to its high price and impractical three-door design. With time, as the competition increased, new SUVs with comfort and good value for money came into the market. Its engine performance, interior features and ride quality gradually lagged behind the new technology.
Why did Tata discontinue Sierra?
The three-door layout reduced its popularity. At the same time, due to its high price, it was out of reach of most buyers. At the same time, due to low sales it was not financially sustainable. By 2003, the Sierra was unable to keep pace with India’s rapidly growing automotive market.
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