I strongly believe Tata was on the cusp of its ‘Thar’ moment with the Sierra. You know, nostalgia mixed with youthful appeal packed into a liberally configured car that didn’t have to play by the rules. Sure, in doing so, Tata might have threatened to cannibalise some of its other SUVs (so did the Thar, to other Mahindras) — and it does anyway — but the Sierra and its EV counterpart would have emerged with a stronger sense of individuality as a result. For now, the Sierra is a bit conformist; great at lots of things and yet somewhat emotionally distant.

If you can look past that, the Sierra.ev is perhaps the most compelling SUV of its kind, certainly Tata’s finest yet. What is it, exactly? Positioned to slot in neatly between the Currv.ev and the Harrier.ev, the Sierra.ev is meant to be a family-friendly SUV. To that effect, it features a robust spec sheet, a spacious cabin, and tough underpinnings. In EV form, it’s subtly different (if not necessarily better or worse) to the ICE Sierra, with changes being made to bits of trim and, of course, a cleaner front-end that makes do without a grille as such, among other finer details.

POWER OF THREE

Tata has equipped the Sierra.ev with three powertrains, consisting of 63 kWh and 75 kWh single-motor variants and the flagship, (also 75 kWh) which features a dual-motor setup and a segment-first all-wheel drive unit. The 63 kWh version is the most powerful of the single-motor range, producing 234.7 bhp (the 75 kWh version produces 206.1 bhp), while the dual-motor version (our test unit) produces a combined power output of 344.2 bhp, with 138 bhp being supplied by the front-mounted induction motor.

There’s a lot Tata offers on the tech front, too. A comprehensive ADAS suite (which remains turned off through reboots once you’ve deactivated it), a 12-speaker JBL audio package with Dolby Atmos, an air-purifier and also a clever Google Maps integration that plans routes based on SOC and even takes into consideration charging time to indicate an ETA are some of its genuinely insightful features.

SPACE IMPACT

Before we get to the drive experience, it’s important that you spare the cabin a moment, because it’s terrific on many fronts. The use of light materials, modern surfaces, huge glass areas and a panoramic sunroof delivers a heightened sense of space — and it is inherently spacious anyway. The front seats are very comfortable and offer six-way adjustment, a manual underthigh extension and ventilation, the flat-bottom steering wheel feels premium to hold and most of the surfaces feel perfectly contemporary. Oh, and I love the dash-mounted panel (to the right of the steering wheel) which features buttons for the drive modes and a chunky knob for the 6 terrain modes it offers. The rear seat is especially nice, too, replete with an ergonomic armrest, manual sun shades and, most importantly, a flat, low-set floor that ensures you don’t end up sitting knees-up.

For some reason, though, Tata has reverted to piano black in places and it instantly takes away from the Sierra.ev’s elevated sense of sophistication. Space management is a bit odd, too. For a car with this kind of in-cabin real estate, the Sierra.ev could have offered a lot more stowage and also a generally smarter layout and interface. At present, it’s quite prominently wasteful, especially around the centre console area. Of course, Tata would rather you transfixed your gaze on its elaborate, three-screen setup. It’s neatly finished and the user interface is quite good although I found it a bit excessive, to put it politely.

In other news, the boot is generous but comes only with a puncture-repair kit and, worse still, opens to a low aperture which means anyone over 5’8” is certain to inherit at least one hard knock on their head. I know because I did and it really hurt. I wish Tata had offered a split tailgate instead, something that would only have benefited the Sierra’s ‘lifestyle’ potential.

GENTLE GIANT

To drive, the Sierra.ev feels sublime. It’s a powerful car, sure, but I think gentle, surefooted momentum is more its forte than outwardly aggressive driving. Given the frame of mind its plush cabin put me in, I rarely felt the urge to drive it menacingly. For the first 40 km, I stayed in Eco mode and found it to be perfectly suited to the urban crawl, and with regenerative braking set to L3 (strongest), it offered a relaxing single-pedal drive. City mode emerged as my favourite as we transitioned from the city onto the highway, for its balanced power delivery paired with intuitive throttle calibration without eating much into efficiency.

I ventured into Sport sparingly — Boost even less — as I found it to be too responsive in a way that didn’t suit the otherwise calming experience the Sierra.ev relays. I don’t, for a moment, doubt it can match Tata’s 0-100 kph claim of 5.8 seconds, though. On the other hand, Tata’s other claim of an MIDC range of 535-665 km (63 kWh and 75 kWh variants, respectively) isn’t entirely off the mark either. I’d say it’ll do 500 km on a full charge and under a mixed driving style confidently.

What’s equally noteworthy is the ride quality, stability and overall dynamics package of the Sierra.ev. Aiming for the crudest of potholes, the SUV not only absorbed it all but also insulated the cabin from crass thuds and creaks in a respectable manner. Around bends, it sure makes you aware of its heft with a noticeable degree of body roll which, frankly, doesn’t feel out of place for a car of its proportions. Braking felt spot-on, too, and along with great bite and progression, the Sierra.ev also inspires confidence through its composure.

I did, in fact, experience the Sierra.ev on a curated off-road course — those are famously favourable, being bespoke layouts — but even through the most ambitious of sections, the Sierra.ev really did surprise with its capabilities. That it benefits from a good approach/departure angle (courtesy the short overhangs) was easy to see but some of its tech bits (the terrain modes, for instance) ensure it can pretty much drive itself out of trouble through pretty heady situations. Sure, it doesn’t apply to the Sierra.ev’s use-case but that it didn’t stop Tata from making an effort is commendable.

Where Tata didn’t make as much of an effort — and that’s no bad thing — is in pricing the Sierra.ev aggressively. Its price range of ₹18.79 lakh to ₹25.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) feels fair for everything it offers, from comfort to visual appeal and, of course, its elaborate feature set and strong EV takeaways. What’s missing, however, is a Sierra (EV or otherwise) that should have been configured with less restraint. On balance, maybe this is only the beginning of the Sierra story. I, for one, can’t wait to see what shape it takes next.

@TheMotorGram

Published on July 17, 2026