Tata Sierra With Tailgate-Mounted Spare Wheel Is Imitating Defender

Tata Sierra has been one of the most prominent names in the Indian SUV market, known for its styling. However, since its return to the market with modern styling, it has been widely compared to the Land Rover Defender for its appearance and boxy silhouette. So much so that the owners started adding accessories to the SUV that bring its design closer to the luxurious, off-road capable SUV. Here we have an example of the SUV that has been slightly modified, likely as an imitation of the Defender.

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A video shared on social media shows a Tata Sierra with the spare wheel mounted on the tailgate. While it doesn't look like a big change, it brings the design of the SUV much closer to the Land Rover Defender. Among the multiple unique identifiers of the Defender is a spare wheel mounted on the tailgate. It also contributes to giving the SUV a rather rugged look, like a few off-road capable SUVs. It is worth mentioning that in the stock unit, the spare wheel is placed under the body of a Sierra.

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Taking a closer look, the spare wheel is mounted in the center of the tailgate and partially covers the windscreen, Sierra badge, and the connected light bar. It is also worth noting that the owner has used the stock alloy wheel instead of replacing the unit with an aftermarket wheel, which is generally the case with such modifications.

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This unique modification may offer visual appeal, but it likely introduces structural drawbacks for the SUV. For instance, the weight of the spare wheel on the higher variants could interfere with the electrically operated opening and closing function. Furthermore, the hydraulic struts used on the gate might fail after repeated use with the extra weight. Additionally, the extra weight might also deform the tailgate panel, which is not designed to support the added load.

The Tata Sierra in the Indian market is currently sold at a starting price of Rs 11.49 lakh (ex-showroom). It is available with the options of 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol, 1.5-litre turbo-petrol, and 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine options. Transmission options include MT, 6-speed automatic transmission, and DCA.