Reference Auto

A multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) with high safety features and almost within the reach of the common man: that’s what the Tata Venture is. The Venture, which can be used as a commercial vehicle as well as a family van, has been priced in between Rs 4.05 lakh and Rs 5.07 lakh and will come in five attractive colours.

The Venture was first unveiled at the Delhi Auto Expo in 2010 and Tata Motors had taken quite a while to actually launch it. The Venture comes with a two-year or a 75,000 km warranty.

The MPV, which can carry up to eight persons, has generated a good number of enquiries from prospective buyers. The Venture will come in five, seven and eight seaters in a three-row front facing manner.

The country’s MPV market appears to be very lucrative and potential customers include small businessmen in cities as well as those in the vast rural tracts. And, these markets are highly price sensitive and Tatas seem to have realised this very well.

So, the Tata Venture, which comes quite cheap with eclectic features along with a diesel engine, can expect to find many takers in the country, especially in small towns and villages.

The spacious interiors, 1.4 lt diesel engine that produces 70 bhp with a fuel efficiency of 15.42 km per litres, could turn out to be key features that will prompt customers to swarm for the vehicle as a sub-Rs 5 lakh MPV loaded with so many features is yet to hit the Indian market.

The top speed could be around 125 km per hour, which is good enough for an MPV. There is dual heating ventilation and air-conditioning with roof-mounted ducts, according to the car maker.

Tata Venture MPV is nearly four metres in length: this small size will help in maneuverability of the vehicle in the country’s crowded roads and aid in shoring up sales.

The Tata Venture is based on the mini truck platform Tata Ace, which has been successful in the country and the Venture is much more spacious. This could be another selling point for Tata Motors.

Remember the ubiquitous MPV, the Maruti Omni. It was cheap but the features it came with were hardly noticeable.

In contrast, the Tata Venture offers hi-end features such as power steering, power windows, reverse parking aid, keyless entry with engine immobiliser along with rear wipers.

Another offering, not usually found in a sub-Rs 5 lakh MPV, is the high safety features that come with the Venture. The collapsible steering along with side impact beams offer a great deal of safety. But there are no ABS or airbags in the top-end model, something which Tata Motors will have to ponder about.

Had these features been there, the Venture could have eaten into the market of utility vehicles such as the Mahindra Xylo along with the Toyota Innova.

For now, Tata Motors has launched the Venture in Jaipur only and the MPV could be available across the country in the next six months. Tata Motors has to act fast on this as competitors may make similar vehicles and grab a substantial market share by rolling them out pan-India.

At almost below Rs 5 lakh price tag, Tata Motors is packing a punch in the Venture in terms of safety, comfort and utility, which we feel, could easily make it India’s ‘best selling’ MPV for quite some time.