Top 5 SUVs The Tata Sierra Must Beat To Rule The Segment

The all-new Tata Sierra is all set to enter the Compact SUV segment in India, a territory with several established nameplates which already dominate this space, each bringing their own strengths in performance, features and value. Will the Sierra be able to survive and prove itself the best amongst the others? That is exactly what we will find out today in this article. Buyers with a budget of Rs 16-20 lakhs now have a vast variety of cars to choose from. 

Here is a closer look at the top 5 rivals the Tata Sierra will have to compete with and what they have to offer:

Hyundai Creta 

Priced from: Rs. 10.72 lakh (ex-showroom)

The Hyundai Creta has always been marketed as a stylish, urban family SUV, and the current model keeps that image going. The long list of features like Level-2 ADAS, 360-degree camera, 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, electrically powered and ventilated front seats, ambient lighting, and a panoramic sunroof has always kept customers happy.

It gets powered by a choice of 3 engines, including a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a 1.5-litre turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre diesel. Here are the detailed powertrain specifications of the Creta:

Maruti Suzuki Victoris 

Priced from: Rs. 10.49 lakh (ex-showroom)

The Maruti Victoris is the brand's most recent product with classy styling and sharp lines geared to appeal to younger buyers. On the inside, it carries a dual-tone black and white theme and comes equipped with features like a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, a 10.25-inch digital driver's display, electronic parking brake with auto-hold, 64-colour ambient lighting, electrically adjustable and ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof.

The Victoris is available in CNG, mild-hybrid, and strong hybrid powertrains. Here are the detailed specifications:

Honda Elevate 

Priced from: Rs. 10.99 lakh (ex-showroom)

Honda has designed the Elevate to appeal to consumers who value simplicity combined with a hint of toughness. The SUV’s design is well-balanced with a sophisticated road presence.

In terms of equipment, the Elevate gets a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a single-pane electric sunroof, an 8-speaker sound system, wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, multi-colour ambient lighting and a 7-inch semi-digital instrument cluster. The safety suite of the Elevate includes  Level-2 ADAS, 6 airbags, electronic stability control, hill hold assist, tyre pressure monitoring system and a rear parking camera. 

Under the hood, the Elevate gets Honda’s tried-and-tested 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine, which can be had paired to either a 6-speed manual or a CVT automatic transmission. Here are the detailed specifications:

Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder / Maruti Grand Vitara

Urban Cruiser Hyryder is priced from: Rs 10.94 lakh (ex-showroom)

Grand Vitara is priced from: Rs 10.76 lakh (ex-showroom)

Toyota's competitor in the compact SUV space is the Urban Cruiser Hyryder. The SUV also shares its underpinnings with the Maruti Grand Vitara, making them closely related siblings. On the inside as well, the dashboard layout is the same, but with different colour themes. 

In terms of equipment, both cars come equipped with a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera, electric-powered and cooled front seats, and a 9-inch infotainment screen. You also get an optional all-wheel drive system with differential lock control and terrain modes. 

Powertrain options in the Urban Cruiser Hyryder are the same as to what we have seen in the Maruti Suzuki Victoris and the Grand Vitara. Here are the detailed specifications:

Skoda Kushaq / Volkswagen Taigun

Kushaq is priced from: Rs 10.61 lakh (ex-showroom)

Taigun is priced from: Rs 10.58 lakh (ex-showroom)

The Skoda Kushaq and the Volkswagen Taigun are some of the more sophisticated SUVs in the market, thanks to their distinctively European design. On the inside, the cabins of both cars are well laid out. Key features include a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment screen, a one-touch electric sunroof, and electrically powered and ventilated front seats. The quality of materials used is also worth appreciating.

Both the Kushaq and Taigun are available with two engine options, including 1-litre and 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engines, both of which are offered with manual and automatic gearbox options. Here are the detailed specifications of these powertrains:

Engine	1-litre turbo-petrol	1.5-litre turbo-petrol
Transmission	6-speed manual/6-speed torque converter automatic	6-speed manual/7-speed dual-clutch automatic
Power (PS)	115 PS	150 PS
Torque (Nm)	178 Nm	250 Nm

It is noteworthy that both the Skoda Kushaq and the Volkswagen Taigun are due for a facelift sometime early next year, which could result in the duo getting more niceties to stay relevant in the segment.

BONUS: Next-gen Kia Seltos 

The next-gen Kia Seltos has now been spotted undergoing tests multiple times. While we don’t yet have a clear picture, we expect the new Seltos to come with a new, more boxier design,  inspired by the other recent Kia SUVs globally. It is expected to come with redesigned alloy wheels, a new front and rear fascia, new LED headlights and connected taillights. No clear spy shots of the interior have surfaced yet, but the new Seltos is likely to feature an updated interior layout with a lot of new features, which might also include a new triple-screen layout. Stay tuned to ZigWheels for the latest updates on the next-gen Seltos.  

ZigSays… 

With each of these rivals bringing strong styling, feature-loaded cabins and distinct personalities, the Tata Sierra will have to come well-prepared to stand out in this fiercely competitive segment. The Sierra is a very capable product; all eyes are now on the official pricing of the car, which will ultimately decide its fate.

Would you pick the Tata Sierra over these SUVs? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!