For years there have been no-brainer purchases on the South African market for those looking for a one-tonne workhorse. Almost exclusively the domain of the Hyundai H100 and Kia K2700, the arrival of the Daihatsu Gran Max a few years ago gave the segment a slight shake up. And now there’s a new player from the East on the scene looking to take market share from these established brands – Tata’s Super Ace.
The Super Ace arrives riding on the success of its predecessor (the Ace) in its native Indian market. The recipe for success in this segment is a simple one as it turns out. You need a reliable, robust pickup that appeals to the pocket of the small business owner. At the recent local launch of the Super Ace, Tata South Africa stated that its new one-tonner has exactly what it takes.
It does look the part
The Super Ace features the same engine-under-cabin layout as its rivals, and like the Hyundai and Kia, positions the front wheels under the front seats. The front windshield is quite large, allowing good visibility out of the cab and the low position of the headlamps gives the Super Ace the appearance of a much larger, heavy-duty truck. Three-way dropsides on the load bay are a must to compete in this LCV category and the Tata’s examples feel solid and are easily operate.
Tata claims the Super Ace boasts a class-leading 2 630 mm load bed, fantastic for its LCV application. It must be said though that what it has in length it lacks in width – the vehicle overall is a tad narrow.
While the exterior is fairly straightforward, the appreciably quite car-like cabin is another kettle of fish. The steering wheel, facia and centre console all mimic those of a passenger vehicle, although fit and finish are slightly below par – even by workhorse standards. Most of the plastics feel flimsy and are rough to the touch. The driver and passenger seats (separated seats mind you) are positioned quite high in the cabin, which resulted in my head being located just four fingers away from the ceiling. Considering that I’m of slightly below average height, I suspect that the majority of South African small business owners might find the Super Ace’s cabin slightly uncomfortable in this regard – with more or a down-in-front instead of up-ahead view.
Adequate for the short distance haul
Powered by a 1,4-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, the Super Ace makes 52 kW and 135 N.m of torque at 4 500 r/min and 2 500 r/min respectively. And, while these figures don’t sound particularly promising, when you take into account the Super Ace is geared very short (the five-speed box allows for a top speed of just 125 km/h), it really isn’t too bad. Our launch route around the Zwartkops vicinity in Gauteng was peppered with traffic lights, trucks and other slow moving objects demonstrating the Super Ace’s about-town pep before heading for a stint on the N14 for some freeway driving.
Off the line there are no real problems with the small powerplant spinning up quickly ahead of its first gearshift. I quickly found that lots of stirring was needed through gear 1-4 for optimum momentum, acceptable especially because I can imagine the Super Ace with a few heavy loads at the back in the new future. On the freeway, it really is best to keep under 100 km/h. Overtaking “opportunities” are just that, and are missed from time to time. Shifting down a cog or two doesn’t really inspire any confidence above 80 km/h, because the engine is past its peak plateau and when you eventually get the Super Ace close to the national limit it feels rather strained. Clearly the little Indian is more comfortable within urban bounds.
Now for the best bit…
Befitting its workhorse nature, the Super Ace isn’t big on creature comforts, but does come with power steering, a 12V power socket and lockable glove box – capable of holding gloves and a wallet at best. Tata also claims that the Super Ace uses just 7,2-litres of fuel per 100 km, which should average around 440 km per 38-litre tank range. The Super Ace also comes with a 3 years/100 000 km warranty and 3 years/60 000 km maintenance plan for added peace of mind.
Summary
The Super Ace is by no means a perfectly-polished package but at R109 995 it does make a strong case for itself in this segment. Consider its low average consumption, potentially low running costs, and standard maintenance plan and the Super Ace is definitely a worthy contender.
Specifications
Model: Tata Super Ace DLS
Engine: 1,4-litre, four-stroke, turbodiesel
Power: 52 kW at 4 500 r/min
Torque: 135 N.m at 2 500 r/min
0-100 km/h: n/a
Fuel consumption: 7,2 l/100 km
Fuel tank capacity: 38 litres
CO2: n/a
Top speed: 125 km/h