Evolution of Tata Sumo

Tata Sumo has the honor of being one of the first passenger vehicles ever, to be designed and developed in India. The car is a formula which has been tried and tested over the years and has always stood its ground. The car is more than just a MUV, when you are behind the wheel of a Tata Sumo, you feel like the King of the road. This is why even after all these years, the sales of this car are going strong. So, here is a look into the history of Tata Sumo.

Generation 1- Tata Sumo (1994- 1996)

Tata Sumo was introduced in 1994 and is said to be named after Mr. Sumant Moolgaokar(Su-Mo), who is revered as the architect of Tata motors. the car was one of the first passenger vehicles designed in India and within three years of its launch Tata Motors sold 100,000 Sumo vehicles. A version of the first generation Tata Sumo was launched as the Tata Sumo Deluxe with updated looks in 1996 and another model named, Tata Sumo+ was launched in 2002 and showcased refined features.

Generation 2- Tata Sumo Victa Turbo DI (2007- 2011)

Tata Sumo Victa TDI was launched in 2007 and was available in 7 seater and 9 seater variants. This version received the Turbocharged engine of the 4SP family and offered increased power of 70 PS (at 3000 rpm) and 223 Nm Torque (at 2200 rpm). The body styling and interiors were carried from Sumo Victa and the positioning of the spare wheel was changed from the rear tailgate to the underbody of the vehicle.

Generation 3- Tata Sumo Grande (2008- 2009)

The Sumo Grande was launched alongside the Tata sumo Victa on January 10, 2008, as a comparatively premium MUV alternative and was based on a completely new platform. This car flaunted Tata’s leap from the design of previous Sumos, which had been incorporated for a decade. The car was powered by a new generation 2200 cc 120 bhp (89 kW; 122 PS) DICOR (Direct Injection Common Rail) engine. The car featured a completely different body work, which was designed by the British design firm Concept Group International LTD. Though the production of the previous Sumo model continued alongside the new Sumo Grande. The Mark ll Sumo Grande was launched in 2009 and featured updated graphics.

Generation 3*- Tata Sumo Gold (2011 - Present)

In 2011, the next generation of Sumo was launched as the Sumo Gold, a generation update for second generation Sumo Victa TDI. The car featured a more refined version of the 3.0 L TDI unit. Except for the width, which was reduced by 26mm, the external dimensions of the car remained the same as the previous generation and featured an updated look.

Generation 4- Tata Sumo Grande/Movus(2014- Present)

In 2014, Tata launched the Movus, which was a rebranded model of the Sumo Grande MK ll. The car came with an updated engine, which was Tata’s 2.2-L VARICOR unit. Aesthetically the dimensions of the car remained the same but the car featured customized graphics and toned down exteriors, thanks to the black/grey bumpers.