Tata plans a Creta rival – EXCLUSIVE

Tata Motors has been working on a compact SUV Nexon and there will be one more vehicle that will be a capable AWD (all-wheel drive) and will be pitted against the Duster and the Creta.

Tata Motors is working on two SUVs, one is competition to the XUV500, however this will be more of an off-roader and a proper 4×4. This could mostly be the new-generation Safari as well. The Creta competition will be getting a 1.5-litre diesel engine. Now, there is no clarity if the engine will be outsourced from Fiat or will it Tata developed. Fiat has been working on a 1.5-litre multijet for India and this makes it easier for Tata to get it manufactured in Ranjangaon and utilise the Fiat diesel engine.

This vehicle will be developed with inputs from the Land Rover team and it is being developed along with the new XUV500 competition. Q501 and Q502 are their code names. Tata Motors will be looking at getting these SUVs in 2017 or by 2018. At the moment, the focus is on Hexa and the Kite twins. The other vehicle that will be launched in 2016 will be the Nexon.

This will be the company’s new compact SUV against the Ford Ecosport and will be powered by a 1.3-litre diesel engine and mostly the 1.2-litre Revtron engine.