Tata bets new SUV will boost fight with Hyundai, Suzuki

India's Tata Motors is betting its newly launched sport-utility vehicle will help step up competition to rivals like Hyundai Motor and Maruti Suzuki in a fiercely fought and fast-growing part of the market.

Tata, which is India's third-largest carmaker, launched the mid-sized Sierra SUV on Tuesday, resurrecting a decades-old cult brand that will go head-to-head with Hyundai's Creta SUV and Suzuki's Victoris.

"The Sierra is not just a launch ... it's a statement we are making as we head into our new phase of growth," said Shailesh Chandra, CEO of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles.


Tata has staged a comeback in India in recent years with new car launches that score high on safety and a push into electric vehicles, boosting its market share to over 13% at the end of September from 5% in 2019. It is India's biggest EV maker.

But competition is intensifying, with Mahindra & Mahindra launching SUVs and EVs with widely praised designs and Hyundai dominating some segments with its value models. EVs from JSW-MG Motor, part-owned by China's SAIC Motor, have also chipped away at Tata's lead in EVs.

Tata and Mahindra are battling to dislodge Hyundai from its No. 2 spot in India's passenger vehicle market, which is dominated by Suzuki's Maruti Suzuki unit.

Built on a new vehicle architecture and fitted with Tata's latest gasoline engine, the Sierra is expected to drive volumes and will be followed by more launches including an electric version in the fiscal year starting April 2026, Chandra said.