Tata Motors estimates that 60 percent of the Sierra’s sales will come from the new 1.5-litre petrol engines – a naturally aspirated unit and a turbocharged one – that debuted with this model. The company launched the Sierra at an introductory starting price of Rs 11.49 lakh, ex-showroom. The diesel variants feature the same mill as the Nexon and Curvv.
- Diesel variants’ share in Sierra sales expected to be 40 percent
- 1.5-litre NA engine to drive petrol variants’ volumes
Tata Sierra petrol-diesel expected sales split
1.5-litre turbo-petrol could account for 20 percent of Sierra sales
In an interview with Autocar India, Tata Motors’s chief commercial officer, Vivek Srivatsa, outlined the expected sales mix for the brand’s first midsize SUV. Between the two new petrol engines, the volume driver is likely to be the 106hp NA petrol mill, which powers the entry and mid-level trims. Srivatsa noted that the 160hp turbo-petrol unit will be more niche, accounting for roughly 20 percent of sales. Together, these petrol variants are estimated to account for 60 percent of sales, with the 118hp diesel variants comprising the rest.
However, early market interest tells a slightly different story. Srivatsa revealed that diesel variants currently account for 50 percent of enquiries. “The Sierra diesel models will continue to surprise us,” he added.
Parallel expectations were set for the Creta facelift
Hyundai had forecast that Creta petrol variants’ share would rise to 60 percent
The Sierra’s direct rival, the Hyundai Creta, had seen a similar projection. When the Creta facelift was launched in early 2024, Hyundai had reported that 55 percent of its 25,000 initial bookings were for petrol variants and the rest for diesel. At the time, Hyundai India COO Tarun Garg estimated that Creta’s reintroduced turbo-petrol engine variants – the 1.4-litre unit was replaced with a 160hp 1.5-litre motor – would eventually cannibalise diesel volumes, taking the share of petrol variants to 60 percent.