Tata Motors re-enters South Africa's passenger vehicle market after six years
has re-entered South Africa's passenger vehicle market after a six-year hiatus, unveiling a new line-up of SUVs and a compact hatchback to challenge growing competition from Chinese automakers,
Reuters
reports.
At the launch event on Tuesday, Tata introduced the
Punch compact SUV
, the Curvv coupe-styled SUV, the Tiago hatchback, and its flagship premium SUV Harrier — all combustion engine models that will go on sale from September.
'Our aspiration, as part of our mid-term plan, is to be one of the top five passenger vehicle brands in South Africa, with a 6 to 8 per cent market share,' said Thato Magasa, the newly-appointed country head for Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV).
The company exited the South African passenger vehicle segment in 2019 after struggling to gain traction with models like the Indica hatchback, though it retained its commercial vehicle operations. With its comeback, Tata faces stiff competition from Chinese players such as Chery, BYD, Beijing Automotive, and Great Wall Motors, which have rapidly expanded in the market with affordable, diverse offerings.
'We have listened, we have learned, and we have tailored our offering to meet South Africa's needs,' said Shailesh Chandra, managing director of TMPV and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility.
In the next phase of expansion, Tata plans to introduce the
Nexon and Sierra SUVs
and grow its dealership network from 40 outlets to 60 by 2026. The automaker has appointed Motus Holdings, South Africa's largest automotive distributor, as its exclusive partner for sales and distribution.
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