Tata Xenon 2015 Review

Gaining a foothold in Australia's competitive LCV ute market is no mean feat, and Tata Motors Australia has been pedalling like mad since its October 2013 launch to do just that. While the big-ticket regulars hog the limelight, they've been joined recently by a new wave of budget offerings from Tata, Mahindra, Ssangyong, Great Wall and Foton.

The CEO of Tata Motors Australia, Darren Bowler, is at pains to point out that its Xenon family – presently the firm's only platform here – is targeting a different buyer to those eyeing the dearer, lifestyle-oriented offerings.

"We break the light commercial ute market into vehicles above and below $30,000," he says. "Our plan is to offer the best-value LCV in that sub-$30,000 segment. We focus on the Xenon as a workhorse, but one with all the creature comforts a tradie could want."

The Xenon range is available in three body styles (cab/chassis, single-cab pick-up and dual-cab pick-up) in 4x2 and 4x4 formats. The entire range is powered by Tata's 2.2-litre DICOR (Direct Injection COmmon Rail) four-cylinder turbo-diesel, said to produce 110kW/320Nm. The power is fed via a five-speed manual transmission; TMA says an auto is a year away.

When the Xenon arrived here it only managed a two-star ANCAP safety rating, but the addition of stability control now sees MY15 dual-cabs rated at four stars, the ESC joining twin airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control and more. The only four-star ute in the sub-$30,000 bracket, stability control is now standard across all MY15 Xenon variants.

Adding further value is Tata's 'Tough Cover' program, which sees a four-year, 100,000-kilometre warranty coupled with four years of roadside assistance and capped-price servicing.

When trucksales.com.au was recently offered a week in a Tata Xenon 4x2 dual-cab pick-up, we didn't know what to expect. Vehicles produced in developing nations face an uphill battle in many respects, but it's one companies like Hyundai and Kia – and the major Japanese brands before them – have won.

The Xenon's styling is typical of the segment, while our test vehicle features accessory sidesteps ($799), polished sports bar ($899) and tub liner ($499). Those prices exclude fitting costs.

The body panel tolerances are fairly generous but the fit is uniform and the paint is reasonable – the general finish is entirely acceptable given the model's pricing ($25,990 drive-away) and positioning.

The doors feel quite light upon opening, lacking the weight and substance of dearer rivals, but again – it's all relative.

There are no A-frame grab handles to aid entry but none are required; the seating is quite low. At 188cm tall I found the view from the bridge a little foreign – our line of sight was level with the bottom of the upper windscreen tinting and there's no seating height adjustment, only fore/aft. This will annoy taller drivers, although in general the 360-degree vision is good.

The seating is firm and it's cramped in the back but it's fine for a workhorse. The middle rear seat only gets a lap belt.

Cabin storage is limited. The lockable glove box (with USB charger) is tiny, as are the door side pockets, while the twin cup holders will really only accept small takeaway coffee cups. There's a small tray beneath the hand brake but little else.

The interior trim is funky, in a Seventies' flares-and-platform-shoes kind of a way, and the faux carbon-fibre fascia on the centre stack and centre console grates. That said, it won't be a concern for farm workers and tradies, who will appreciate the hard plastics for their durability.

They will also appreciate the Xenon's 2500kg (braked) towing capacity ($630 for the factory towbar kit, plus fitting) and payload – 1080 kilograms for the model reviewed here. The tub measures 1400mm long by 1330mm wide (1010mm between its wheel arches) by 400mm deep. It has four tie-down anchor points but, bizarrely, they're all mounted on the tub's upper lip, rather than in its floor.

The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel takes a bit to spool up and in general the Xenon requires a good handful of revs to get going. There's not much poke below 2000rpm but tailor your approach accordingly and it responds, with acceptable performance between 2000-4000rpm.

It's a noisy unit and under power it's a struggle to maintain a normal conversation, although on a steady throttle the racket subsides to an acceptable level.

The five-speed manual transmission does a decent job, offering a spread of sensible ratios and acceptably smooth shifting.

While the power and torque is modest, its economy is good. In the 700km we completed – unladen but covering 100-odd kilometres of fire trails and plenty of city running – the Xenon achieved 8.5L/100km. That's a safe range of around 800 kilometres from the 70-litre tank.

The suspension is built to handle a load and as a result the Xenon's ride is harsh when unladen. The ride was already smoothing out with a family of four on board and this 4x2 Xenon made a good fist of things over a local state forest's dirt corrugations and potholes – it's fine for mild off-road exploration.

We measured approximately 210mm of ground clearance and noted that the radiator is positioned quite low, its only protection being a plastic grille.

It's firmer at the back – no surprises there – but the front feels like it could do with more damping, displaying a mild tendency to 'pogo' after speed humps. It also displays a degree of body roll through the bends.

The steering box is actually pretty short and the 12-metre turning circle isn't too bad, but the steering is a touch 'floaty' at highway speeds and we noted that sudden input at the wheel at low speed provoked a notchy sensation as the steering passed through the centre position. Possibly the steering pump wasn't up to the sharp input but, in any case, the issue didn't rear its head unless we went looking for it.

We certainly can't complain about the Xenon's standard inclusions. With the exception of cruise control and a trip computer, there's everything a commercial buyer could want, including hill-hold assist, switchable traction control, load-adaptive headlights, foglights, a full-size spare wheel, folding front seat armrests, power windows and mirrors, a reversing camera, air-conditioning, and a comprehensive infotainment system.

The Eclipse unit from Fujitsu features a 7.0-inch colour touch-screen with Bluetooth and USB connectivity. It will also accept a CD, DVD or memory card and syncing a mobile phone is simple. The screen is pretty busy, however, and the sound quality isn't brilliant. Like the reversing camera, the system is fitted here in Australia.

The air-con struggles on warmer days but it's certainly better than nothing, and there's a single 12-volt power socket.

Darren Bowler says the bulk of feedback he's had on the Xenon can be summed up by the sentiment, "It's better than I thought", and we wholeheartedly concur. It has its faults and foibles but it also packs numerous features into vehicle with a modest price tag and a four-star ANCAP rating.

It remains to be seen how the Xenon will age but it has been produced to contend with dilapidated Indian roads and our version benefits from significant local input. Tata's Tough Cover backing should go some way to allaying tentative buyers' fears.

It's no Amarok or Ranger but then it was never intended to be. For price-conscious commercial buyers, Tata's Xenon is doing everything right to gain a toehold in its chosen niche.

2015 Tata Xenon 4x2 dual-cab pick-up pricing and specifications:
Price: $25,990 (drive-away)
Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 110kW/320Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: 7.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 196g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Four-star ANCAP