Exclusive: Fit-and-finish, quality improvements are continuous journey, says Tata Motors Mohan Savarkar

Mumbai: Tata Motors has admitted that fit-and-finish consistency remains a work in progress across its passenger vehicles, even as the company continues to roll out newer models with visible improvements. Addressing concerns during an interaction with Lakshya Rana of Zee News, Mohan Savarkar, Chief Product Officer & Vice President, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, said the quality upgrades are happening step by step, and cars are getting better and better.

Responding to questions on uneven panel gaps and interior quality complaints across Tata Motors’ passenger vehicle lineup, Savarkar said every new Tata vehicle shows progress over the previous one. He pointed to recent updates in models like the Punch, adding that customers should expect steady improvements rather than overnight changes.

He said, “In the recent past, every product has been an improvement over the last. The punch facelift has also improved. And the journey will continue. So this is something that will take us some more time, but definitely consumers can expect better and better cars to come.”

On the upcoming turbo-petrol engine for the Punch, Savarkar said that it uses the same tuning and output as the Nexon. The engine produces 170Nm of torque. However, he said the Punch may feel more responsive due to its lighter weight and smaller size.

When asked about advanced driver assistance systems in smaller cars, Savarkar said Tata Motors is gradually bringing ADAS to lower price points. He noted that the company began introducing such features in higher segments and has since moved them into models like the Curvv and Sierra. Cost control, he said, remains the key challenge in making ADAS more widely accessible.

He said, “We have been able to bring ADAS to cars like Curve and Sierra. We hope to continue this journey as we are able to control costs better and better.” 

He also addressed complaints related to infotainment glitches and software lag. He said Tata Motors aims to eliminate post-sale software issues and claimed that system stability has improved with every new launch. According to him, upcoming models will show another level of improvement on this front.

Savarkar said, “Our cars have been improving launch on launch and launch in this area. And, with a punch facelift, you’ll have one more level of improvement, compared to what has happened in the past.”

On software-defined vehicles, Savarkar said Tata Motors is not fully there yet. He described SDVs as a gradual shift, with areas like infotainment and ADAS adopting software-led control faster than core vehicle systems.

He said, “What to call SDV itself should be considered. I mean, in the true sense, if you feel that software comes 1st for the entire car, it will take some time. But there are elements of the car that have moved onto this. For example, entertainment systems and ADAS are something that we would be able to do much faster. And then start integrating more and more ECUs and software into this phenomenon.”

He added that while software issues cannot be corrected on the production line, fit-and-finish improvements depend on manufacturing learning curves involving body panels, plastics and assembly processes.

Savarkar said, the fit-and-finish improvement, “is a matter of learning curves, plastic parts, sheet metal, and how the BIW is built and how all of it gets fit together. You will see that our cars are getting better and better.”

Sharing production numbers, Savarkar said Tata Motors produced around 580,000 vehicles in 2025. He also confirmed that the new “ARGOS” (All-Terrain Ready, Omni-Energy and Geometry Scalable) platform will support multiple body styles, including SUVs, MPVs and crossovers.