Tata Motors has officially re-entered the South African market with a four-model-strong portfolio. The line-up comprises the Tiago, Punch, Curvv and Harrier, all of which were unveiled at an event in Johannesburg today. Tata Motors has partnered with Motus Holdings for local distribution and after-sales support of its vehicles. Currently, Tata has set up a nationwide network of 40 dealerships and plans to expand it to 60 by 2026.

1. Tata Motors re-enters South Africa after a six-year hiatus
2. Will export the Tiago, Punch, Curvv and Harrier
3. Tata’s arch-rival Mahindra also exports vehicles to South Africa

Tata Motors’ history in South Africa

Tata Motors has had a presence in South Africa since 2004, when it first started exporting the Indica and Indigo, later adding the Vista, Safari and Aria. However, weak demand for its passenger vehicles led to the winding down of the business in 2019, although it did continue to sell its commercial range of vehicles. Tata Motors has, therefore, returned to South Africa after a six-year hiatus, banking on a much more mature line-up of products. This is also going to be one of the biggest markets for Tata after its home ground in India; currently, the carmaker exports vehicles to a few other neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Mauritius.  

Tata Motors’ line-up in South Africa

The carmaker has begun operations with four models of varying sizes, with the Tiago positioned as the entry-level offering and the Harrier as the flagship SUV. The line-up is predominantly petrol – the Tiago gets the 84hp, 1.2-litre petrol engine with MT and AMT gearboxes; the Punch gets the 88hp, 1.2-litre petrol engine with MT and AMT gearboxes; while the Curvv gets the 120hp, 1.2-litre turbo-petrol engine with MT or DCT gearboxes. The direct-injection turbo-petrol and diesel engines have been left out of the Curvv.

Meanwhile, the Harrier is the only diesel-powered model with its 170hp, 2.0-litre diesel mill. Interestingly, Tata Motors has completely left out its EV portfolio at launch, which is one of its biggest strengths here in its home market. However, the carmaker says ‘alternate energy powertrains’ will be introduced at a later stage, which could also hint at CNG.

Home rivalry on foreign turf   

Tata Motors is, of course, not the only Indian carmaker in South Africa – Mahindra is there, too. In fact, Mahindra is one of the fastest-growing carmakers in South Africa. Both carmakers are already fierce competitors here in India, and it would be interesting to see how it pans out in a foreign land.

Beyond just sales, Tata Motors says it will also invest in skills development, job creation and training programs for technicians, sales professionals, and aftersales teams.