Tata Sierra EV first drive review: The fastest Indian car

My day started with anxiety, confusion, and questions. It was a heavy day for Maharashtra – roads were flooded, some low-lying areas were completely submerged in water, cars and bikes were floating around, and the runway looked like we were boarding a sea plane instead of an Airbus. Regardless, we had a very experienced pilot who cut through the water at 300kmph to take off for Coimbatore, where the all-new Tata Sierra EV was waiting for us to reach, hop in, and take it through some of the toughest obstacles and off-road challenges.

Touchdown was in the next 2 hours, and I had carried an evo India mag-book to read in-flight. The best thing to read at that time was the first drive review of the ICE-powered Tata Sierra, to be able to pull some references. As we rolled into CoASTT, the weather could not have been more different. The skies were clear, the track was dry, and lined up in front of us was Tata's most anticipated electric vehicle in years. The Sierra name carries weight in India. It brings back nostalgia of a time where SUVs wasn’t a common term. Reintroducing that badge was always going to be a challenge, and doing it as an EV raised the stakes even further.

Tata Sierra EV design

Parked under the soft light of the Coimbatore sun, the Sierra EV looked instantly recognisable. The silhouette, the large glasshouse and the upright stance all paid homage to the original, but this was clearly a modern interpretation. It looks similar to the ICE-powered Sierra, but gets distinct EV elements to make it stand out. Starting off with the front that gets a blanked-out face, 19-inch EV-specific wheels that help with better efficiency, and the tail gate looks similar to what the ICE Sierra looks like, except that it gets an extra EV badge here. Purely on the basis of looks, the Sierra EV scores a solid 9. Our test car was specced in the Rishikesh Rapid colour, which looked beautiful, and the name itself evokes images of road trips, mountain roads and the great outdoors, adding to the unique factor. As a whole, the Sierra EV manages something many retro-inspired designs struggle with – it feels familiar without looking dated, and modern without losing its true identity or design. Safe to say, this is not a Ferrari Luce.

Tata Sierra EV interior

The moment I settled into the driver's seat, it became clear that Tata wasn't trying to build just another SUV to add to its portfolio. The Sierra EV's cabin feels different than its other cars, and that's becoming increasingly difficult to achieve in an era where every dashboard is dominated by a giant screen and a handful of touch controls.

The triple-screen layout consists of a 10.25-inch cluster, a 12.3-inch infotainment system and another 12.3-inch passenger display. It's a lot of screen real estate, but very good for the most part. Tata has done a brilliant job with designing their UI/UX – the display is of high quality, response is quick, and it’s fairly simple to navigate through the menus to find what you’re looking for. Most people are not fans of three screens but I like it because the third screen can be used as a device to watch football games even while driving, which is a boon when the FIFA World Cup is going on.

Thankfully, the Sierra isn't all screen and no substance. The front seats are electrically adjustable, and get memory and ventilation functions. That being said, the co-passenger seat does not get height adjust. The seats are slightly stiff and not the best if you were to sit in it for over a few hours at once. The 12-speaker JBL Black audio system with Dolby Atmos transforms the cabin into something resembling a concert hall on wheels, and I suspect most owners will spend the first few weeks showing off the speakers and its multiple modes to suit the music that’s being played. Other features include a head-up display, connected car technology, wireless charging, auto park assist, a digital key and Level 2 ADAS. In the ICE-powered Sierra we had called out some issues regarding quality and fit and finish, but Tata seems to have addressed those over here. The panels are fitted tight and stay in place, there’s no loose screws lying around in the car, and no malfunctioning electronics. Now, the top-spec all-wheel-drive variants also get terrain modes and dedicated off-road functions, which would soon prove useful on the course Tata had prepared for us.

My biggest gripe with the cabin is the second row. Despite the generous glass area that defines the Sierra's design, the rear seat can feel a little dark and enclosed because of the thick B-pillar treatment. Fortunately, the massive panoramic sunroof goes a long way in brightening things up, making the cabin feel far airier than it otherwise would. Rear passengers also get sunshades, dedicated AC vents and fast-charging ports.

Off-roading with the Tata Sierra EV

With the features explored, the speakers tested and the cabin thoroughly poked and prodded, it was finally time to find out whether the Sierra EV could back up its rugged looks with genuine capability. Tata had laid out a sprawling obstacle course at CoASTT, complete with articulation pits, axle twisters, steep climbs, side slopes and a few challenges designed specifically to test the capabilities of the Sierra EV's all-wheel-drive system.

The Sierra EV comes equipped with a host of terrain modes, and Tata encouraged us to use them throughout the course. Depending on the obstacle ahead, I cycled through Rock Crawl, Mud and Ruts, Snow, Grass and several others, each one tweaking the throttle response, traction control and power delivery characteristics to better suit the terrain underneath. While some of the differences were subtle, the system worked well enough to give you the confidence to tackle the next obstacle without overthinking it. You can also make proper use of the 360-degree camera with the under-bonnet view while tackling such obstacles. Steep climbs, axle twisters, articulation pits and side slopes that looked intimidating from outside the car were dispatched with surprising ease. A large part of that was down to Utkarsh, our instructor for the day, whose clear instructions made the course feel far less daunting. More importantly, it highlighted just how capable the Sierra EV actually is. Time and again, I found myself approaching an obstacle expecting a struggle, only for the Sierra to crawl through it.

That being said, it also reminded me of something I've felt with most electric off-roaders. The torque delivery, while impressive, isn't always the most natural when you're crawling over difficult terrain. With an internal combustion engine, you can lean on the torque progressively and maintain a steady flow of power. In an EV, it's often a case of giving it some throttle and getting an immediate surge, then lifting off and being met with instant deceleration. There's very little in between.

That characteristic can make technical off-roading slightly intimidating, especially if you're not a pro. More often than not, you're left wondering whether the car is capable of clearing the obstacle or whether you're asking too much of it. The uncertainty comes not from a lack of capability, but from how differently an EV behaves compared to what most enthusiasts are used to.

Tata Sierra EV performance

The Sierra EV’s highlight is not probably all-wheel-drive and its off-roading capabilities. The highlight is that it is the fastest Indian car. The Sierra EV goes from 0 to 100kmph in 6.15 seconds (tested on Vbox), provided you have more than 50 per cent charge and use the Boost mode. In comparison, the Mahindra BE 6 reaches 100kmph in 6.7 seconds (claimed) and the Harrier EV does it in 6.3 seconds (claimed).

The dual-motor system pushes out a combined 253bhp and 504Nm, and is paired with a 75kWh battery pack that showed us a range of 500km on the display on a full charge. Put your foot down and the performance is properly brisk, as you would typically expect of electric cars. Overtakes require little planning, and there is always a healthy reserve of performance waiting under your right foot. The range, however, starts dropping in multiples the minute you start asking too much from the car. As a result, those headline-grabbing 0-100kmph runs become something of an occasional party trick rather than something you'll find yourself doing regularly, because range anxiety is still very much a thing. We started off with 500km as I mentioned, and returned the car with about 200km range left while I had driven only about 220km, so that’s 80km lesser than predicted.

What I also wasn't particularly fond of was the amount of torque steer under full throttle. Floor the accelerator and the steering wheel squirms in your hands more than I'd like, especially for a vehicle that is otherwise so polished. It's not enough to make the car feel unruly, but it does chip away at your confidence when attempting quick overtakes or exploiting the Sierra's performance on an open road. For a car capable of putting down these sorts of numbers, a cleaner and more reassuring power delivery would have made the experience feel that much more complete.

Tata Sierra EV ride and handling

If there's one thing Tata has consistently got right over the last few years, it's suspension tuning, and the Sierra EV is no exception. The ride quality is excellent, and strikes a good balance between soft and stiff. The Sierra EV flattens out most small potholes and broken surfaces with ease, and the larger impacts are absorbed without sending a harsh thud through the cabin. The Sierra lands softly after crossing speed breakers even when carrying more speed than you probably should.

Handling is good too. The steering is direct and grip levels are strong. Push harder, however, and you do begin to notice a slight top-heavy sensation, reminding you that this is still a tall family SUV rather than something built for carving corners. For the sort of driving most owners will do, it does the job well and will only falter when you really start to push it. While the performance figures may grab the headlines, it's the ride quality that will win owners over and over everyday.

Tata Sierra EV price and rivals

The Tata Sierra EV’s pricing starts from ₹18.8 lakh and goes up to ₹26 lakh. It rivals cars like the Mahindra BE 6 priced from ₹19 lakh to ₹27 lakh, but its top-spec version costs ₹1 lakh more than the Sierra EV and does with RWD only. The Hyundai Creta Electric’s entry-point is similar to the Sierra EV and tops out at ₹23.8 lakh, but it gets a smaller battery and is FWD. The Maruti Suzuki e Vitara comes in the same segment but is much smaller in size and power delivery is linear, contrary to what the Sierra EV is. For someone who wants a car that has enough tech, and has a linear torque curve rather than instant acceleration than that car is for you and is priced from ₹16 lakh to ₹20 lakh.

On paper, the Sierra EV enters one of the most competitive segments in the country, but after spending a day with it, it feels like it has carved out its own niche. It looks good, drives well, and there’s tons of cubby holes and storage spaces in the cabin, a complaint we had with the Curvv EV and Nexon EV. The Sierra EV would make the original proud, because it gets all-wheel-drive, and in a market increasingly filled with SUVs that look and feel similar, this stands apart confidently on its own.