Tata Motors, the country's largest automobile manufacturer, introduced its Sumo Grande Sports Utility Vehicle in 2009 on Indian turf, in a desperate bid to revamp its ageing fleet and boost sales in the country. The previous Tata Sumo models were a runaway success with their no-fancy but sturdy exterior build, best-in-class seating space, spacious setting and neat pricing. However, the demand slowed down owing to their dated and bland looks, along with an intense competition from the Mahindra SUVs. The latest Sumo Grande model witnessed a lukewarm response from domestic audience and recorded small sales in the country.
Coming to under the bonnet specifications of Tata Sumo Grande, the SUV is powered with a robust and highly dependable 2,179 cc, 2.2 litre DICOR (Direct Injection Common Rail) diesel powertrain. The 2.2 litre DICOR engine produces a peak power output of 118 bhp at 4000 rpm, along with a maximum torque delivery close to 250 Nm at 1500 to 3000 rpm. The power and torque ratings were good but the poor fuel efficiency dented the sales of Sumo Grande in the country.
Despite of premium looks and features, the Tata Sumo Grande failed to entice domestic car enthusiasts and managed miserable sales in the Indian auto market. The steep pricing has also been a great reason behind the failure of Sumo Grande among domestic car enthusiasts. At present, Tata Motors offers its Sumo Grande SUV in a price range starting from Rs. 7 lakhs, which goes on till Rs. 9 lakhs in the country. Further, top industry critics chided the company for installing below standard and impractical interior setting in the Sumo Grande, which is being cited as one of the main reasons leading to the model not doing well.
