Tata Motors Makes A Comeback In South Africa With Tata Harrier, Tata Curvv, Tata Punch And Tata Tiago
The Harrier, Punch and Tiago get the same engine options as the India-spec models, excluding CNG options; however, the Curvv is being offered only with the more powerful turbo-petrol unit
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Tata Motors has made a comeback to the South African passenger vehicle market after six years, where it was previously present till 2019 with a limited portfolio. The Indian carmaker has partnered with Motus Group, starting with 40 dealerships now and aiming to expand to 60 outlets by 2026.
This time, the carmaker has launched four models in Johannesburg: the Harrier, Curvv, Punch and Tiago, each catering to a different set of buyers. Here’s a quick overview of the Tata cars that will be sold to our South African friends:
Tata Harrier
The Tata Harrier is the carmaker’s flagship SUV in South Africa, featuring a muscular build with design elements like connected LED DRLs, split LED headlights. The rear gets sleek LED tail lamps with a connected light bar, a chunky bumper and a sporty spoiler, making it look rugged.
On the inside, the Harrier is loaded with a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a digital driver’s display, dual-zone climate control, ventilated front seats, a powered driver’s seat, a panoramic sunroof and a JBL audio system.
Safety is well covered with up to six airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control and even a Level-2 advanced driver assistance system (ADAS).
Like the India-spec model, the South Africa-spec Harrier uses a 2-litre diesel engine which produces 170 PS and 350 Nm. It comes with a choice of a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic transmission.
Tata Curvv
The Tata Curvv has an SUV coupe with a sloping roofline, sleek LED DRLs across the front, flush door handles and stylish 18-inch alloy wheels. The rear is equally striking with a connected tail lamp design and a sporty bumper.
Inside, the Curvv carries a 12.3-inch infotainment display, a digital driver’s display, touch-based AC controls, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 9-speaker JBL audio system and multiple drive modes. Its safety kit includes six airbags, electronic stability control, a 360-degree camera and level-2 ADAS.
The South African-spec Curvv comes with only a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine, which puts out 120 PS and 170 Nm and is mated either with a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT).
Hence, it misses out on the 1.2-litre TGDi turbo petrol and the 1.5-litre diesel engine that are offered with the model available in India.
Tata Punch
The Punch is a micro-SUV from Tata and is also its most successful model in the Indian market. Its styling takes inspiration from the Indian one-horned rhino, including split LED headlamps, roof rails and rhino-motif unique dual-tone colour options.
The Punch comes with features like a 10.25-inch infotainment display, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a semi-digital instrument cluster, cruise control and automatic climate control. For safety, it is equipped with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, and an electronic stability program.
The Punch is powered by a 1.2-litre petrol engine producing 88 PS and 115 Nm. It can be had with a 5-speed manual or an automated manual transmission (AMT). It can also be opted for in a CNG guise in India that produces 74 PS and 103 Nm, but is not available with the South Africa-spec model.
Tata Tiago
Last but not least, Tata will also sell the Tiago hatchback in South Africa. It has crossed about ten years on our shores and is a stylish hatchback, featuring a sleek front grille, projector headlamps with LED DRLs and sporty bumpers. The side profile is neat with sharp character lines and dual-tone alloy wheels, while the rear gets wraparound tail lamps.
On the inside, the Tiago offers a dual-tone cabin with a 10.25-inch infotainment screen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control, and a cooled glovebox. Safety features include dual airbags, ABS with EBD and a rear parking camera.
The Tiago is offered with a 1.2-litre petrol engine that makes 86 PS and 113 Nm. It can be paired with a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT. Like the Punch, the Tiago also do not get a CNG option in South Africa.
Price & Rivals
| Model |
Price (ex-showroom) |
| Tata Harrier |
Rs 15 lakh to Rs 26.69 lakh |
| Tata Curvv |
Rs 10 lakh to Rs 19.52 lakh |
| Tata Punch |
Rs 6.20 lakh to Rs 9.57 lakh |
| Tata Tiago |
Rs 5 lakh to 8.55 lakh |
The Tata Harrier takes on the Jeep Compass, MG Hector as well as some variants of the Hyundai Creta and Kia Seltos. The Curvv rivals the Hyundai Creta, Maruti Grand Vitara, Kia Seltos, Skoda Kushaq, Citroen Basalt and Volkswagen Taigun.
Meanwhile, the Tata Punch has Hyundai Exter as its prime competitor, while the Tiago competes with Maruti Celerio, Maruti Wagon R and Hyundai Grand i10 Nios.
Tata was previously present in South Africa during the mid-2000s with cars like the Indica, Indigo, Vista and Bolt, but they exited in 2019, not finding much success back then. With a renewed product lineup that has won many hearts in India, can Tata Motors make a comeback to South Africa?? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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