Tata sedans return to SA

FAST LANE: INDIAN CAR MAKER TEAMS UP WITH MOTUS TO SELL 4 MODELS HERE

- Ciaran Ryan

Indian car manufacturer Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, has returned to SA after a six-year absence with the launch of four models – the Tata Harrier, Curvv, Punch and Tiago – to be distributed through a network of 40 Motus dealerships.

Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles exited SA in 2019, though the commercial truck and bus division kept operating.

The re-entry to the passenger market appears timed to ride the wave of SA consumers buying down due to economic pressure.

Feature-rich Chinese vehicles now account for about a third of SA's car market, with the average price hovering around the R500 000 mark.

Tata's new models aim to capitalise on this trend towards more budget-friendly vehicles with modern features.