Tata Sierra Enters A New Era

One of India’s most anticipated cars and a revival of the cult vehicle, the Tata Sierra, took place in Mumbai this week. The mid-size SUV retains the DNA of the original vehicle, which hit Indian roads in 1991 and was known for its progressive design and features. Tata Motors MD and CEO at the launch event expressed how Tata Sierra is the company’s step in premiumisation: “Tata Sierra takes a familiar footprint and expands it into every meaningful way, in space, in comfort, in luxury, and in every usability. On several parameters, it even surpasses high-end and luxury SUVs. We built the Sierra around a few core pillars: space, tech and safety, craftsmanship, and design. For today's consumer, premiumness begins with comfort and an elevated sense of roominess.” The Sierra delivers a class-leading, expansive cabin experience with a generous seating space, a highly usable boot and a true glasshouse ambience.

The new Tata Sierra has segment-leading features such as a triple-screen infotainment experience, a sound bar audio set-up, a first for the industry, which is part of 12 JBL Black speakers with Dolby Atmos 5.1 and up to 18 JBL modes. It is India’s first ICE SUV with integrated 5G connectivity, offering real-time intelligence, cloud services, and extensive personalisation. We spoke to Martin Uhlarik, Vice President and Head of Global Design, Tata Motors and Executive Director of Tata Motors Design Tech Centre, to share how the vision for Tata Sierra came to life, from a clay model to a car.

What draws people to nostalgia that brands like Tata are pivoting on?

I think we need to make an emotional connection with customers. There's a certain level of romanticism that comes with it, and those are not bad things to add. It adds a human dimension to a product. We could have designed a generic, well-designed, well-evolved SUV, but the name ultimately would have been something new. It would have taken a lot of education to tell the story behind the vehicle, but we had this car in the past, which had a cult following. The original Tata Sierra had a certain set of values, not just the design, but what it stood for and represented. For many, it represented a dream and an aspiration of what could be, because it was an SUV. And SUVs are always associated with a sense of freedom. From a 1990s point of view, the design itself was quite timeless, stable and classic; nothing superficial, no crazy lines, not like here today, gone tomorrow. You could take those elements and put them into a new vehicle and reinterpret them. And then once you put the name, it separates it from others because it also has a status that people will recognise.

Can you share the journey of bringing this Tata Sierra to life?

In 2019, we had the idea that maybe we could revive the name. In 2020, we created the concept car, which was a very different design, but it gave us the market reaction that there was name recognition and also enthusiasm about the Sierra. But then we basically recut the car completely. That was the whole development of getting the proportions, the platform, the package, the powertrain story right. And we previewed that in 2023. The last two years have essentially been an exercise in discipline. We already had the direction because you can't tell the difference between the concept and the production car. And that's an achievement in itself because there's no compromise in terms of the vision.

How have you brought back the older Sierra into a new modern design language for a contemporary vehicle?

I've never seen the car as retro or nostalgic. I just saw it as a set of principles and ideals that have to be translated into a new car. Of course, the name is a heritage name. But I always visualised the car as a forward-looking product and a modern design. The old one was a three-door, while the new Sierra is a five-door. This is a far more practical and a far more universally usable vehicle. It's a mainstream product. The idea was to lift the quality level to a new sort of benchmark, not only in this segment, but for us. This vehicle challenges the status quo.

What are some of the facets of the new car that push the status quo?

On the bonnet, for instance, there is a clamshell bonnet that was challenged. The rear tailgate is a single piece as wide as it is. I wanted it to be as clean as possible, but also to communicate the functionality and the space of the rear compartment as much as possible. On the side glass, the original car had a single-piece glass, which is in many ways the signature of the vehicle. But, this car, I wanted all of it to be single-piece flush glass because it's a five-door, so all of the rubber seals are hidden. For me, the perception of quality has to look almost like a consumer product, but in the form of an SUV.

How have you set the benchmark of good car-making with Tata Sierra?

I always wanted this vehicle to have a premium element or feeling because it's aspirational. In this segment, we have incorporated a lot of elements from vehicles that would traditionally be more expensive. The newer models from Tata will definitely take their lead from the Sierra, so it becomes the new sort of flag bearer in the portfolio. But to be honest, people always ask me, ‘What is your best design vehicle?’ I always say the current one.

Design plays a crucial role in convenience and efficiency, and ergonomics. How has this been achieved for Tata Sierra, both for the driver and the passenger?

Design is obviously about appearance, but design is also user interface in the sense of ergonomics, stepping in and out of the car, the package, spatial awareness, the proportions of the vehicle, both from an exterior and interior point of view. Tata Sierra feels and looks bigger than it actually is mathematically. It's not a big car if you measure it, but the impression you get, especially when you sit in it, is definitely a larger car.

Published on: Saturday, November 29, 2025, 07:00 AM IST