Tata Yodha Pickup

October 12, 2021: India’s local and regional transportation needs are fulfilled by pickups, over the last few years, these versatile vehicles have become a go-to product for entrepreneurs, fleet operations and small businesses. In this competitive segment, Tata Motors is offering the Yodha, which comes with a powerful engine, bigger cargo deck, rugged built quality and promises a high return on your investment. Yodha offers you an edge in terms of carrying more payload, thus helping earn better revenue, along with you getting different variants that suit your precise application requirements. Yodha fits the bill as both a personal and commercial vehicle as it also comes in a more premium dual cabin configuration for some special applications. Yodha is now priced in the range of ₹ 8.51 - ₹ 9.23 lakh ex-showroom, making it an affordable last-mile truck. 

Check out the Yodha features, its detailed looks in pics and also our comparison with rivals here. 

Tata Yodha Pickup Rivals: The pickup segment is highly competitive, and Tata Yodha takes on the market leader Mahindra Bolero Pickup range such as Mahindra Bolero Pikup ExtraLong, Mahindra Bolero Pikup ExtraStrong, Mahindra Bolero City Pikup, Ashok Leyland Dost Strong and Isuzu D-MAX.

Tata Yodha Pickup USPs: Tata Yodha is a suitable last-mile cargo truck in the small commercial vehicle segment for today's dynamics logistics business needs. It is a powerful, durable and reliable pickup that promises more payload, a bigger engine and plenty of performance features. 

Tata Yodha Pickup Engine: Yodha is powered by Tata's all-new 2.2-litre DI, 4-cylinder, BS6 diesel engine that produces a power output of 100 hp and peak torque of 250 Nm. 

Tata Yodha Pickup Payloads: To target various customers, Yodha comes with three payload options: 1200/1500/1700 kg. 

Tata Yodha Pickup Features: This Pickup gets features like gear shift advisor, wider and bigger load body, comfortable upholstery, improved fuel economy, etc. Yodha now comes with a superior, ergonomically designed cabin with high on comfort and safety. 

Tata Yodha Pickup Variants: Yodha is available in single cab & crew cab variants, also with 4x2, 4x4 drive options. Yodha is a versatile pickup capable of taking on all the daily rigorous cargo-carrying needs.

Overview

Tata Motors is the pioneer of the last-mile sub 1T payload four-wheeler segment in India. The introduction of the Ace mini-truck in 2005 truly revolutionized the cargo delivery market in India, as vehicles can efficiently reach customers' doorsteps carrying higher cargo. This propelled the overall compact truck market in India with multiple products that now cater to customer needs. Apart from the sub 1T cargo segment, there is another important segment in the cargo delivery market- the 2-3.5T GVW pickups. This segment has emerged as one of the fast-growing in the overall light truck market as more and more customers are looking to graduate from smaller trucks to a bigger ones to expand their logistics business. Thus, the competition in this segment has intensified among top brands.

While Tata Motors is a leader in the sub 1T cargo truck market thanks to the Ace mini-trucks, the pickup segment is dominated by Mahindra by the virtue of its highly popular Bolero range of pickups. However, Tata Motors is trying to challenge the leader in this segment with an equally promising and compelling pickup, and that is the new Tata Yodha pickup. Yodha has undergone several updates and key changes to appeal to the customers. The new Yodha gets more power, better design, a rugged look and a higher cargo deck to enable bigger cargo shipment. So can the Yodha have what it takes to attract customers from the mighty Bolero pickup brand? Well, read our detailed review to arrive at that conclusion.

Exterior 

The moment you look at the Yodha it makes an impression with its muscular and appealing exterior appearance. The cabin front looks attractive, with the bigger built-up cabin, the attractive front bonnet with the Tata logo and a sizable cargo deck. Yodha exterior appears quite unique and distinct among its peers with the overall attractive design angles along with superior design. Yodha comes with single and crew cabin options, the larger windshield and radial tyre make Yodha a perfect pickup in its segment.

To appeal to wider logistics applications the cargo body is available in multiple lengths and wheelbases. The Yodha is 1810 mm high, 5350 mm long and 1860 mm wide. Similarly, you can choose between 15 and 16-inch radial tyres. Yodha’s 4 mm thick-rolled chassis frame is quite strong and can take on all loads on the most challenging terrains. Now, Tata Motors offers Yodha as a full-built vehicle with cabin and cargo body options, but you can opt for a special application too as per the need of your business.

Interior

To make Yodha comfortable to drive and make the driver feel at ease, Tata Motors has equipped the cabin with myriad features. Like you get tiltable & collapsible power steering, comfortable bucket seats with headrests that allow you to relax even when driving on rough terrain in rural areas or congested city roads. The rear sliding windows make sure there is adequate ventilation inside the cabin all the time. While the cabin is highly spacious and offers a superior in-cabin experience, the AC comes as an option and is not standard. 

Furthermore, a stylish dashboard and the cabin has plenty of utility spaces, and convenience like inbuilt fast mobile charger, bottle holder, newspaper pocket, a lockable glovebox, wide ORVM for enhanced visibility, and a Reverse Parking Assistance System (RSPS) to assist customers while reversing the vehicle at right spots. 

Performance

To ensure you get the best from this pickup for all of your business needs, Yodha is equipped with a modern powertrain and aggregates that ensure durability, efficiency and the highest level of productivity. The Yodha gets a segment-best 2.2 L DI engine that promises both mileage and power, it produces 100hp of power at a peak torque of 250 Nm which is quite sufficient for the cargo duties this pickup undertakes. The engine is tuned to Tata Motors 5-speed gearbox that is smooth to use and also helps in better mileage. 

To allow you to carry heavy or big size cargo easily, the Yodha is fitted with the high-quality suspension at the front that is semi-elliptical leaf springs with strong 6 leaves and at the rear is an innovative two-stage semi-elliptical spring with as many as 9 leaves. For an effortless driving experience, power-steering is also standard across all variants. The front brakes are hydraulic type in twin pot disc and at the rear comes drum brakes. 

What also helps you in better performance is the bigger 16-inch tyres that cruise on tough terrain rather easily, and Yodha delivers you gradeability of up to 40%. Similarly, a clutch diameter of 260 mm makes it smooth gear-shifting and enhanced clutch life. Moreover, the highly optimized gear ratios and rear differential axle gear ratio aid in greater pulling power and mileage. Additionally, the ground clearance of 210 mm allows you to take any load on the toughest road conditions. 

Safety 

Tata Motors also makes sure the Yodha is among the safe pickups that brings confidence to the driver and ensures his safety. Yodha gets a big size bonnet with a crumple zone and a collapsible steering wheel that ensures maximum safety in case of a frontal collision. Likewise, anti-roll bars fitted in the front and a wider rear axle track adds to the stability on-road and off-road conditions. Also, the twin-pot disc brakes in the front ensure better braking with any load, on any road condition.

Verdict 

The new facelift Yodha with the BS6 engine, new design and upmarket cabin is certainly the best bargain in the segment. Tata Motors has put a lot of effort into this promising pickup to make it most suitable for a wide range of its customers in the vital pickup segment. Yodha has what it takes to enhance your last-mile logistics business with its promise of durability, higher payload carrying capacities, more power and a comfortable cabin.

If you’re exploring buying a vehicle in the 2-3.5T gross weight category, and also open for a pickup that has the potential to lift your business, then Tata Yodha is one strong choice among several key products in the segment. The Yodha costs you between ₹ 8.17 - ₹ 8.87 lakh, ex-showroom, and it is certainly a strong product out there in its segment that you should consider.