This would be my first review of any product of any kind. However, I write this review thinking there would be many people looking for some information on Tata Sumo Grande - just the way I have been trying to find any information related to this car for the past 4 months now.
So here I go. I have been driving for the past 2 years and as of now I have a Wagon R, Lxi model which is a decent vehicle to drive. So when I sat in the driver’s seat of Sumo Grande(i requested a test drive and the vehicle was brought to my home yesterday), my first reaction was "God, this is huge. I cant drive this." Then I slowly started dragging the vehicle putting it in first gear and smoothly it started to move. I was awed by the space inside the car and the view I got from the driver’s seat. I started to love it. My first reaction when I pressed the clutch was that its too hard(compared to my wagon R). While driving at times I felt some problem with the steering wheel but I cant point my finger to it. It felt like I am turning the steering wheel but cant feel or know if the tires below are moving. something like that(apologies for my technical ignorance and lack of technical jargons).
Then I took the vehicle in traffic, which was pretty thick, and I never felt any problems in driving the Grande. It moved smoothly and I never felt it lacked power at any point while I drove. Driving was smooth. Another problem that I was really faced with was with the horns. Every time I had to honk I felt lost and had to search for the horn button on both sides of the steering. That maybe because of my being used to Wagon R horns and maybe I would take time to get used to Grande horn(if and when I buy one).
Overall I felt quite satisfied with my driving experience and found no issues with the vehicle as such. Only doubts that I had after I stopped the vehicle when back home was whether I would be able to drive this vehicle on a daily basis in the city - a doubt on my own driving capabilities, not on the vehicle.
Finally, I had been reading all sort of things about this vehicle - the pathetic plastic quality, the lack of ABS, steering more on the left side, driver’s armrest of hardly any use, bumpy rides, poor gear knob and gear shifts etc etc. For me, I looked for the plastic quality and I found it hardly any different from my Wagon R. At least I couldnt see anything that was glaringly bad or noticiable. In fact, I couldnt find anything that seemd to be "tachy" - the word which is usually used for the plastics of this vehicle. ABS - I dont know how good it is(apologies for that) but I found the brakes of this car good enough. Steering positioned a little more on the left side didnt bother me at all. I came to think of it only when I sat down to write. Drivers armrest, I dont think any one of us wud be using that while driving, and even if one would - I found it okay(though I didnt use it much or tried to find more about it much). Bumpy ride - well I had given my wife specific instructions to look for her discomforts when I hit the bumps or potholes. Her comment was nothing out of the world. Hearing her response that it was just like any other car was quite reassuring. None of us had the third row experience while the vehicle was moving so I cant comment on that. However, I did try sitting in the last row after coming back home. My first reaction when I sat in the last row was - claustrophobic. I felt tied up. But then that was not because I found the space there lacking. I am 5’11" and I found enough leg space in the third row. My feeling of being closed was maybe because of some other reason of which I m not aware. Coz I had the same feeling when I sat in the last row of Tavera a year back. But sitting
in Tavera in the last row was a nightmare. I strongly feel that would not be the case with the new Sumo. Gear knob was okay, I didnt find holding it a painful experience. Gear shifts - what do I complain about gear shifts when I know I have to do all kinds of tricks to put my wagon R in a reverse gear. In short, gears only need to be get used to. nothing bad about the gears.
What I think of Grande? If you ask for an honest opinion, given a chance I would get this vehicle today, right now. Not because I am writing for tata’s or some dealer - but because overall I liked this vehicle a lot and have lost sleep over this vehicle. Doing a test drive has only increased my crave to buy this vehicle asap. Add to that my wife’s positive feedback and liking for this car after sitting in it while I test drove.
So what am I waiting for? Two things - Rs. 9.21 lacs in bangalore(on road) which might be an issue with my pocket as of now. Second, I am not sure if I should actually bid goodbye to my wagon R - coz this is my first car and I have lots and lots of memories attached with it. Another important concern of course is that - during the past two years my wagon R has not given me a single problem and the service center people have been really nice and knowledgeable. I am not sure if the same would be
with Sumo Grande - being a new entrant in the market. The only concern I have is what if I sell my existing car and Grande turns out to give lots and lots of problems later. If I decide not to buy a Grande just yet then the only reason would be concerns about after sale service of tata’s and. Other than that, I know that sooner or later I am going to buy the Grande - probably once it has strongly placed itself in the market with its performance - which I am sure it definitely will.