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Sierra First Impressions: Tata’s Icon Returns in Style

Sierra First Impressions: Tata’s Icon Returns in Style

Tata Motors has brought back the Tata Sierra in India with careful attention to detail. Both the exterior and interior leave a strong impression.

Written by Ankit Sharma | Updated: 8 December 2025 16:53 IST

Sierra First Impressions: Tata’s Icon Returns in Style

360-degree camera provides high-quality views for easier crowded-area navigation

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Highlights

New co-passenger screen allows independent entertainment and video calls
Three terrain modes enhance driving experience
Window seals are hidden inside doors, reducing wind noise and dust

The launch of the new Tata Sierra is an important chapter for Tata Motors. After first appearing in 1991 and being discontinued roughly 25 years ago, the Sierra is making its comeback in a modern, reimagined version. The Sierra comes with three powertrain options - two petrol units and one diesel. Tata has launched it at an introductory price of Rs 11.49 lakh (Petrol), placing it in competition with midsize SUVs like the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, Kia Seltos, and Honda Elevate.

We drove the car for nearly eight hours and tested all the technology packed into it. Tata created quite a buzz eight years ago when it launched the Nexon in the compact SUV (Sub-4 Meter SUV) segment. Whether the Sierra can repeat that success in the premium midsize SUV space is something only time will show. However, it would be fair to say that the company intends to shift its loyal Nexon and broader Tata customer base to the newly launched Sierra. For now, here are our initial impressions.

Tata Sierra price in India, variants

The Tata Sierra will come in seven trim levels: Smart+, Pure, Pure+, Adventure, Adventure+, Accomplished, and Accomplished+. The Sierra's petrol lineup begins at Rs 11.49 lakh and goes up to Rs 17.99 lakh for the Adventure+ version. The diesel variants start at Rs 12.99 lakh (Smart+) and go up to Rs 18.49 lakh for the Adventure+ model. The company has not yet announced the prices of the Accomplished and Accomplished+ variants. The Sierra has been introduced in three powertrains – two petrol and one diesel engine. There are three engine choices: a 160hp 1.5-litre turbo-petrol mated to an automatic transmission, a 106hp 1.5-litre petrol available with manual and dual-clutch automatic options, and a 118hp 1.5-litre diesel offered with manual or automatic gearboxes. Tata offers the Sierra in six paint options: Pristine White, Pure Grey, Coorg Cloud, Munnar Mist, Bengal Rouge and Andaman Adventure. Colour availability depends on the chosen variant.

Tata Sierra: Technology Features Inside the Car

The cars we got to drive were the Tata Sierra's 1.5-litre turbo petrol and the same 1.5-litre diesel engine with a dual-clutch automatic Accomplished+ variant. The car we drove for our test drive had ventilated front seats, and the driver's seat was adjustable with a 6-way power mechanism. The Sierra offers three terrain modes for driving: Normal, Wet, and Rough. The differences among the three modes are noticeable while driving. This car comes with segment-first extended sun visors for the driver's seat, offering better coverage and protection from bright sunlight.

Display: The biggest highlight of driving the Tata Sierra is its premium cabin feel. The car we tested came with a triple-screen glass panel setup. It features a 12.3-inch infotainment display and another 12.3-inch screen for the co-passenger, which is quite impressive. There's also a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that adds a modern and premium touch to the dashboard. While driving, videos can be played on the co-passenger's screen but not on the main display for safety. The co-passenger can operate their screen independently. Unlike the driver and rear passengers, they can connect headphones to their screen and even take office video calls without disturbing anyone. We used both screens throughout the drive, and they worked smoothly the entire time.

Sound: The Tata Sierra features a powerful 12-speaker JBL audio system (8 speakers + 4 tweeters) with Dolby Atmos. The car's Dolby sound delivers a theatre-like experience. Additionally, the Tata SonicShaft soundbar is available at the front, enhancing your in-cabin entertainment experience. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and voice assist worked smoothly while driving in the car.

Connected Car Technology
You also get 5G-based connected car features in the Sierra. In simple words, you will easily get map loading, traffic updates, faster navigation, and software updates over the air through high-speed internet in the Sierra car. And yes, Map My India was working fine in the car. You get two 65-watt charging sockets in the car, which can be used to charge your laptop and smartphone.

Exterior

Tata Motors has retained some of the legacy of the original Sierra in the new model. The new Sierra also features a classic boxy stance. If you look at the Tata Sierra from the outside, you will see the same legacy you saw in the 1990s and 2000s. For example, while the old Sierra featured a single-pane curved rear window, the new model recreates this effect with a contrasting black finish on the clean rear glasshouse. In the latest Sierra, you are getting many features like body colour flush door handles, LED DRLs, voice-assisted electric sunroof, and end-to-end connected LED tail lamps.

Headlamps: The Tata Sierra features Bi-LED headlamps. These headlamps are 17mm thin, a first for the company in this segment. They're also unique because they come with a booster, allowing you to further enhance their brightness in the dark. However, we drove the car during the day so we couldn't use this feature.

Premium Window Design: The new Sierra's window seal design is similar to that found in high-end vehicles like Land Rover. While most affordable cars use visible rubber seals on the door windows, the Sierra places them inside the doors. This gives the car a more premium appearance, reduces wind noise, and protects against water and dust.

Safety and Security

Five-star performance has become standard hygiene for Tata, and with Sierra, the target is to set a new benchmark that goes beyond just the score. The 360° camera also makes your driving experience easier while driving in crowded areas. You get features like ABS with EBD, all-disc brakes, a collapsible steering wheel, corner stability control, an electronic parking brake with auto hold, hill descent control, a rear defogger, a reverse parking camera, and a tyre pressure monitoring system in the car.

No Seat Belt, No Drive: The new Sierra continues to offer several safety and security features that drivers will appreciate. One standout is a segment-first feature that prevents the car from moving if the driver isn't wearing a seat belt. We tested it ourselves, and without the seat belt, the car simply wouldn't move.

ADAS Features: The top variant of the new Tata Sierra comes with Level 2 ADAS, which adds an extra layer of safety. It includes 22 features, such as blind spot detection, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change alert. We tried the adaptive cruise control during our drive, and it worked well, though it did disconnect on its own a few times. We were also able to test the lane change alert once, but only briefly. Features like these can be fully evaluated only in a long-term review.

Final thoughts

Tata Motors has brought back the Tata Sierra in India with careful attention to detail. Both the exterior and interior leave a strong impression, as we experienced during a drive of around 6 to 7 hours. Safety and security have become key considerations for car buyers today, and Tata has clearly focused on them. Along with offering Level 2 ADAS, the company has also worked on finer details - for instance, adding extra lights below the taillights and on the doors, which can be very useful in darkness or fog. The 360-degree camera is high-quality, making it easier to navigate crowded areas. Tata positions the Sierra as a premium mid-size SUV, and this is evident from the first experience, both inside and out. You also get an air purifier in the cabin in the top variant

The car comes with several ADAS features, which can be turned off if desired. Since we only had a few hours with the car, we couldn't fully test all the ADAS functions, so a detailed evaluation will come in a long-term review. Still, the price range at which the Sierra has been launched makes it an attractive option, likely to appeal to buyers in the same way as the Nexon and Punch.

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Further reading: Tata Motors, tata sierra, Tata Sierra 2025, tata sierra price in india, Tata Sierra Specifications, Tata Sierra Features, Tata Sierra First Impression

Ankit Sharma Email Ankit

Ankit Sharma is Deputy Editor at Gadgets 360 and has been tracking technology and business news for over a decade now. He has written extensively on a range of topics including smartphones, apps, electric vehicles, share market, and cryptocurrencies in his journalism career. Write to him at ankits@ndtv.com or get in touch on Twitter at @ankitnailwal128 More