Tata Sierra EV Review: Reborn In The Electric Age

The Tata Sierra name carries with it a certain weight. For many, it evokes memories of an era when SUVs were simple, distinctive and unapologetically characterful. Yet sentiment alone is rarely enough to guarantee success in today’s fiercely contested SUV market. The new Sierra EV understands that, so instead of relying solely on nostalgia, it uses the name as a starting point for a whole new experience. But is it worthy enough to be picked in a lot of C-SUVs? Let’s find out.

Driving Performance

Having spent time in the turbo-petrol and diesel versions of the new Sierra, sampled the Harrier EV QWD extensively, and lived with the Hyundai Creta Electric for the past couple of weeks, the Sierra EV had a high benchmark to impress me. The first impression from behind the wheel is how effortless it feels. Firstly, the seating position is commanding, outward visibility is excellent (both traits we had seen in the standard Sierra).

Like the Harrier EV, which felt vibration-free, less intimidating, and much more friendly when compared to its diesel counterpart, the same can be said about the new Sierra EV. Its controls are light and easy, especially for everyday use. At the same time, the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version is undeniably quick, dispatching the sprint to 100 kmph in well under six seconds. It’s not jarringly or neck-snapping quick, but it's for the better as the power comes in smoothly and predictably, making city driving and highway overtakes almost effortless.

Ride And Handling

We all know by now that the ride quality has long been a Tata’s forte, and the Sierra EV is no different. The suspension is tuned primarily for comfort, absorbing broken surfaces without sending most of it inside the cabin. The battery pack’s low-mounted centre of gravity gives it an unexpected sense of poise through fast corners. It holds a clean line and remains reassuringly stable at speed.

Having said that, the brake pedal and regenerative braking calibration could be one area of improvement. There’s no strong one-pedal setup even in its highest regen setting. And the feel from the brake pedals isn’t confidence-inspiring either.

Exterior Design

When it comes to appearance, Tata did a fabulous job with the standard Sierra, making it modern and lending it a unique styling. This directly benefited the new Sierra EV as it didn’t have to put in a lot of effort to stand out and look like an EV. Sure, there are a few tweaks here and there, but the design philosophy belongs to the house of thought that wants their EVs to look as conventional as their ICE counterpart.

The Sierra’s upright stance, flat roofline, clean surface, minimal character lines and unique glasshouse translate beautifully for an EV. It looks modern without taking any additional effort or becoming a bit gimmicky.

Interior and Features

On the inside, the same sense of familiarity and modernity prevails. The layered dashboard, dominated by three large displays, appears contemporary, modern and yet not out of place. The quality of materials used all around is impressive too, and the airy cabin created by the generous glass area makes the Sierra a good family-focused SUV. Both rows offer ample space and comfort, while there are thoughtful storage solutions all around, with a genuinely large boot space at the back.

The features list is comprehensive and offers everything you could think of in this segment and some more. This includes connected technology, advanced driver assistance systems, an augmented HUD, powered everything (headlamp, wiper, tailgate, front seats, etc.), panoramic sunroof, auto parking, reverse assist, passenger infotainment screen, and a premium audio setup.

Driving Range

In the limited time we had with the car, a proper range test wasn’t possible for a simple reason: these media cars are not driven like a regular buyer would and need at least a couple of cycles of charging and discharging before the range figures settle down. But with a large 75kWh battery, even with the QWD, Tata promises a C75 figure (which is the most important figure to pay attention to) is around 500kilometres.

However, given the fact that the Harrier EV QWD did around 400 km on a full charge, and the Sierra EV being smaller and relatively lighter, it should do more than that in real-world conditions. Ideally, a good figure to have at this point is between 430 and 450 kilometres in mixed driving. We will be testing the real-world range for the new Sierra EV later, but that figure, if achievable, should make the Sierra EV a genuine good primary family car which can be capable of handling both the weekday commute and the weekend getaway with equal ease.

Conclusion

Can an icon be built twice? The answer, after spending time with the Tata Sierra EV, appears to be a yes. While nostalgia may draw buyers into the showroom at first, the Sierra name has a lot more riding on it, especially after the dismal performance of Curvv in the lucrative C-SUV segment. The new Sierra is an improvement. And with that, the Sierra EV is further still.

In a segment where the Curvv EV tried and failed, and the Creta Electric’s sales figures aren’t a great shake either, while the Honda Elevate EV was supposed to arrive yesterday, the Sierra EV comes with huge responsibility riding on its shoulders. That is compelling buyers to switch to EVs when there are genuinely good alternatives available at its price point. If the original Sierra created cherished memories for one generation, this new electric interpretation has every chance of doing the same for the next.

Pictures by Pawan Dagia