Tata Kite Compact Sedan could make an all-new segment

Nov 10, 2015
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2 min read

If priced as low as Rs 4 lakhs, the upcoming Tata Kite Compact Sedan could shake up the automotive segment by creating an all new segment and give Tata Motors a much needed boost in the minds of the Indian car buying audiences

Tata has always managed to carve out a segment where there never existed before. It was the first Indian automobile maker to adapt to the sub 4-meter problem when it launched the Indigo CS and of course, everyone is well versed with what the Tata Nano has done. Now though, there is another product that could very well give Tata another much needed push.

The Tata Kite hatchback is just around the corner and from what our sources tell us, will be priced at a mouthwatering Rs 3.5 lakhs onwards in order to take on everything else in that price segment while still offering a larger car with more gizmos. In a way then, just as the original Indica, the new Kite will also be ‘More Car Per Car’. But the Kite hatchback is not the car that is bound to send shockwaves. That, we think, could be done by the Kite Compact Sedan.

The Tata Kite Compact Sedan will be based on the Kite hatch as obvious and will have the same running gear and interiors. On the engine front, the Kite compact sedan will get two brand new engines that have been made inhouse by the Tata Motors engine works. The Kite compact sedan will get a 1.2-litre petrol engine that is expected to make in the region of 85PS of peak power and about 110Nm of peak torque.

The Kite compact sedan will also get a 1.0-litre turbocharged diesel motor that is said to make just under 70PS of peak power and about 140Nm of peak torque. The engine will essentially be a three cylinder of the tried and tested 1.4-litre turbo diesel that has been doing its duty in the Indica and the Indigo CS for the last few years. The diesel is expected to return over 25kmpl in terms of fuel mileage.

From what reports indicate, the Kite compact sedan could be priced as low as Rs 4.0 lakhs for the base model petrol and about Rs 4.5 lakhs for the base model diesel. The Kite compact sedan will effectively be the cheapest sedan in India when launched. What this could mean is that Tata could carve out an all new entry level compact sedan segment that does not exist today. This could force manufacturers like Maruti and Hyundai to bring about smaller and cheaper compact sedans based on the likes of the Wagon R/Celerio and the i10.

This could also mean that car buyers who would generally opt for something like a Wagon R could seriously consider the Kite compact sedan as it will only be a slight price difference with the added benefits of a fully functional boot. And considering the fact that Indian audiences love sedans as much as they love SUVs, the Kite compact sedan could be an unexpected success for Tata Motors.