Tata Sierra AWD Confirmed for Early 2027 Launch

The Tata Sierra's big-bang launch included a special surprise: the automaker revealed that all-wheel drive is in development for both ICE and EV variants, according to Autocar India. Tata Motors's chief commercial officer, Vivek Srivatsa, confirmed a launch for the ICE version in early 2027. The firm also said that ARGOS (All-terrain Ready, Omni-Energy and Geometry Scalable Architecture) is a future-ready platform that can support different body styles and vehicle lengths, as well as multiple powertrains (namely petrol, diesel, CNG and hybrid).

Though this platform is primarily front-wheel drive, it "can take ICE all-wheel drive", said the company's chief product officer, Mohan Savarkar.

While the Sierra EV goes on sale next year in rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive formats right from its launch, the ICE-powered AWD Sierra will be Tata's first ICE 4x4 offering since the Hexa bowed out in 2020.

Tata Motors did bring back AWD earlier this year with the launch of the Harrier EV, but an ICE 4x4 is not part of the line-up.

Discussing the case for a Sierra AWD, Srivatsa was quotd as saying, "One of the reasons we went for the ARGOS was to make the Sierra AWD-capable. We've seen over the past few years the need for an AWD as a personality increasing among Indian consumers."

Interestingly, the AWD version makes up 35 per cent of Harrier EV sales, a figure that exceeds Tata's initial projections.

Srivatsa also added that an AWD ties in with the brand's legacy. "If you look back, we were an SUV maker to start with, and there was a lot of pushback when we moved away from 4WD, and we thought this was the right car to bring it back."

The Sierra has launched in front-wheel-drive form with three engine options: a 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, a 1.5-litre direct-injection turbo-petrol and a 1.5-litre turbo-diesel.

Which engine and gearbox combos will get AWD is not known at the moment.