Tata Aeris sedan survives 20-ton gravel drop in extreme body strength test

Indian company Tata has demonstrated the body strength of its new Aeris sedan in an unusual way: 20 tons of gravel and stones were dumped onto the car's roof, completely burying it under the debris. After clearing the rubble, it turned out that the car's roof suffered only minor deformation, while the windows were shattered. At the same time, the passenger cabin structure remained fully intact, the doors opened freely, and the sedan started successfully and drove off the site under its own power.

The Tata Aeris is positioned as the most affordable three-box car on the Indian market. Its base price starts at 5.29 lakh (approximately 5,500 US dollars or 464 thousand rubles at the Central Bank exchange rate as of September 27, 2026), with customer deliveries scheduled to begin on October 11. The model is the result of a deep modernization of the Tigor sedan, which has been in production since 2017. The car inherited the familiar silhouette and subcompact dimensions: its length measures 3995 mm with a wheelbase of 2450 mm.

The exterior styling follows the updated Tiago hatchback: the front features more aggressive headlights, a fully closed gloss-black grille, and redesigned bumpers. The rear stands out with slimmer taillights joined by a full-width LED strip. The interior received a redesigned dashboard, new air vents, and eco-friendly trim made from recycled materials. Modifications with an automatic transmission are equipped with a rotary selector dial and paddle shifters. Higher-spec versions offer a 10.25-inch multimedia touchscreen, a digital instrument cluster, a dual wireless charging pad, 360-degree cameras, rear parking sensors, a factory-fitted dashcam, ventilated front seats, and second-row air vents. Six airbags are included as standard equipment, and trunk capacity is 419 liters.

Under the hood, the Aeris features 1.2-liter naturally aspirated engines: an 85 hp gasoline unit and a bi-fuel CNG version producing 75 hp. Both engines are paired exclusively with front-wheel drive and mated to either a five-speed manual transmission or a five-speed automatic.