Once known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company, the history of Tata Motors dates back to 1945, when it was truly one of India’s very few automobile companies. Since then, Tata Motors have come a long way, gracefully passing the test of time, with several milestones touched and numerous feats achieved. Being the parent company of automobile giants such as Jaguar Land Rover and Daewoo, Tata has made a global name for itself. Be it the evergreen Tata Sierra, the legendary Tata Indica, or the revolutionary Tata Nano, the carmaker has always managed not just to capture the market but also to tap the hearts of Indian consumers. What makes Tata so special that it enjoys the confidence of an entire nation? Well, here’s why India’s in love with Tata.
Rich Legacy
Established in 1945, the legacy of Tata Motors goes beyond India’s independence. With the brilliance of J.R.D Tata setting the stage for what we know as Tata Motors today, for over 78 years, Tata has been an unparalleled name in the automobile sector. Credited for giving India its very first SUV, Tata was also instrumental in shaking up the market’s price sensitivity with revolutionary products like the Tata Indica. It is this glorious legacy of Tata that makes people fall in love with the brand, ready to bring home products one after the other, generation after generation. Another thing that has always worked in favour of Tata and has helped the carmaker garner unprecedented love over the years is its inspiring leadership. Despite all the ups and downs, Tata Motors have always led from the front. Be it the iconic acquisition of the Jaguar Land Rover Group or the ever-increasing exports, Tata Motors’ rich legacy is a source of inspiration for thousands of Indian brands, that aren’t just limited to automobiles.
It is Tata’s glorious legacy that still impresses millions of car buyers that chose Tata over the other only because of what the brand has achieved in India, for India.
India-First Approach
With a plethora of carmakers already competing in the Indian automobile market, what sets Tata apart is its roots. What was and will always be the top priority of the carmaker is its India-first approach. While Maruti Suzuki might be India’s largest carmaker, it is, in fact, a subsidiary of Japanese automaker Suzuki. But when it comes to Tata Motors, the company takes pride in its rich legacy that has always kept India at the forefront. With 100% of the research, development and production taking place from within India, Tata Motors is the spine of the Indian automotive industry. From the historic Tata Indica to the latest Tiago EV, almost every vehicle Tata has launched since 1998 has been a fully indigenous product. The Pune plant of the carmaker has witnessed the production of some of the company’s most popular offerings, such as the Safari, Harrier, and Altroz and it is this nationalist approach that has genuinely made Tata Motors a favourite in India. No matter how appealing offerings from carmakers around the world get, Tata cars tend to never lose their charm, as they were and always will be the pride of India.
Tata Motors is one of the very few Indian brands with a strong global presence, and that’s what makes it one of the most loved carmakers in India.
Tough Build Quality
While rich legacy and nationalistic value do play an important role in making Tata one of India’s most loved carmakers, it is Tata’s unmatched build quality and long-lasting package that sets it apart. With legendary cars like Tata Safari Dicor, Safari Storme, Indica, Sumo etc., still being seen owning the roads in several parts of the country, Tata’s tough build quality is indeed one of its strongest suits. With several Tata models outlasting even their owners, witnessing a Tata car being passed on from one generation to another isn’t an uncommon thing. With Tata having strong roots in the steel and engineering industry, the carmaker has always focused on creating products that come with robust bodies, are elevated with strong structural integrity, and have the latest R&D.
It is this build-to-last approach that renders Tata Motors its unmatched popularity and preference in a market that is filled up to the brim with car makers from around the globe.
Top-Notch Safety
Going a decade back, the Indian automobile market was a highly price-sensitive market that came at the cost of features, design and even safety. Fast forward to today, things have changed for the better, with safety slowly taking centre stage. A big role in this monumental shift has been played by Tata Motors with cars that offered high safety standards, forcing other car makers to up their game. It was the Tata Nexon that became the first Indian car to score a perfect 5-star GNCAP safety rating, and since then, the feat has been achieved by several other Tata cars. It was with the Nexon that Tata showed the world its segment-defining safety standards that changed the way people looked at what a modern Indian car should be. Even in the hatchback and sedan segments, cars like the Tiago, Altroz and Tigor offer best-in-class safety standards that are unmatched by any other carmaker to date.
With the entire inventory of Tata Motors offering unparalleled safety standards, one of the biggest reasons that people chose a Tata over anything else is its top-notch safety. Even today, if you see a carmaker updating its popular cars to offer better safety, you know who to thank for it.
Power-Packed Engines
No matter how much value a car offers in terms of looks, features, or even safety, it all comes down to the heart of the vehicle: its engine. This is the reason why Tata Motors constantly innovates to create engines that pave the way for the future. Propelling the entire growth of Tata’s passenger car segment are two of Tata’s most innovative machines; the Revotron petrol engine and the Revotorq diesel engine. First unveiled in 2014, both engine families have come a long way since then. Undergoing at least 50,000 kilometres of high-stress endurance testing, both engines offer great driving dynamics, efficiency and refinement. While the majority of Tata’s passenger car inventory is catered to by the Revotorq and Revotron engines, the larger models like the Safari and Harrier bring in Tata’s latest 2.0-litre KRYOTEC engine that is engineered to deliver exceptional refinement, superb efficiency, and great performance. Tata is also one of the few carmakers offering exhaust after-treatment system that releases an extremely low carbon footprint, which has helped it sustain the BS6 transition.
Together, all three engines upscale Tata’s brilliant passenger car offerings, helping the brand get abundant love and praise.
EV Dominance
While India was always ready to welcome the electric revolution, the advent of EVs in India still felt like a far-fetched dream. Yet again, Tata Motors proved to be a true leader and showed that India is capable enough to not just adopt EVs but also progress through them, both in terms of sales as well as industry-leading research and development. Despite several global carmakers in India, it was Tata Motors that worked towards realising India’s EV dream. With R&D efforts leading the way, Tata launched the Nexon EV as its first all-electric offering in 2019, a time when the market wasn’t even fully ready to adopt the change. But shocking the entire nation, the Nexon EV proved to be a raging success and became a milestone that laid the foundation of the EV transition in India. Despite the success of the Nexon EV, Tata did not stop its efforts and eventually released the Tiago as well as Tigor EV. With three all-electric vehicles in its inventory, Tata Motors became the first Indian carmaker to offer not just one but three EV offerings, all of which came at electrifying prices.
The EV Dominance of Tata Motors showed the world why Tata Motors is genuinely one of the most loved carmakers in India and why Tata Cars are here to stay.
Summary
With a legacy that clocks back almost eight decades now, Tata Motors has not just seen the Indian Automobile market evolve but also played a crucial role in its evolution. Redefining standards with every milestone, Tata cashes in on its legacy with an India-centric approach to create some of India’s toughest, safest and most fun-to-drive vehicles. Even in the EV segment, Tata Motors continues to lead from the front, with three all-electric offers dominating the market and helping the EV sentiments gradually grow. A brand that is made in India for the entire world, Tata Motors was and will continue to be one of India’s most loved automakers for decades to come.
