Under The Spotlight (2014 MIAS) From India With Love, Tata Arrives In The Philippines

More brands are entering the Philippine market these days. Last year, brand entries in the Philippines were dominated by European makes, Volkswagen, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce. Now, a newcomer from the Indian subcontinent has arrived. Tata Motors is ready to make a splash in the Philippine market, bringing affordable yet durable cars for the Filipinos, under the distributorship of Pilipinas Taj Autogroup. They will initially be selling three cars, the Vista, Manzda, and Xenon.

Tata Vista

The Tata Vista is their compact hatchback. Noticeable up front is what Tata calls, the “smiling grille” and “petal-shaped headlamps”. Power comes courtesy of a 1.4 liter 4-cylinder petrol engine that produces 75 hp and 113 Nm of torque. It is only mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. Standard equipment includes tilt adjustable steering, central locking, anti-theft system, and lumbar support. The Tata vista is priced at P565,000.

Tata Manza

The Tata Manza is the brand’s compact sedan. The front fascia is slightly different over the Tata Vista, now possessing what Tata calls a “three-barrel headlamp” design. Its is powered by a slightly more powerful 1.4 liter 4-cylinder petrol engine, producing 89 hp and 116 Nm of twist, and is mated only to a 5-speed manual transmission. The Manza has slightly more sophisticated kit. It has the same features of the Vista, but with the addition of keyless entry, USB with AUX-in, and side impact beams. The Tata Manza is priced at P600,000

Tata Xenon

The Tata Xenon is their pick up truck, equipped with many modern amenities, such as ABS, immobilizer, auto levelling headlamps, central locking, electric windows, and a limited slip differential to keep you out of trouble. Power comes courtesy of a 2.2 liter CRDi diesel engine, producing 138 hp and 320 Nm of twist. It is only mated to a 5-speed manual transmission, and can be opted either with RWD or AWD. The Tata Xenon is priced at P805,000 for the 4×2, and P1,125,000 for the 4×4.

Two additional models were previewed by Tata at the 2014 MIAS, and these two are called the Ace (shown above) and Super Ace. Both are cabs, and can be configured either for deliveries, or for passenger use. The Ace will be powered by a 2-cylinder petrol engine, producing 38 hp and 51 Nm, while the bigger Super Ace will be powered by a 1.4 liter 4-cylinder turbocharged and intercooled diesel engine, producing 70 hp and 135 Nm of torque.