- Transmission
- Manual
- Drive
- RWD
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Seats
- 3
TataLorry / Truck4072002–present
The unkillable budget lorry — everything about it is dated except the arithmetic.
- 🇮🇳 India
- 🇱🇰 Sri Lanka
- 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
- 🇳🇵 Nepal
- 🌍 Africa
- Transmission
- Manual
- Drive
- RWD
- Fuel
- Diesel
- Seats
- 3
Overview
What this generation is, and who it suits.
The Tata 407 is one of the most familiar light trucks in Sri Lanka — the square-cabbed lorry hauling sand, timber and produce, and the base of countless school and staff buses. Remarkably, the entire range shown is one continuous platform: the 407 has soldiered on for decades with incremental engine and brake updates but no generational replacement, which is precisely why every mechanic in the country can work on one blindfolded.
Its case is brutal economics. Purchase and parts prices undercut Japanese rivals decisively, the naturally robust driveline tolerates overloading and bad fuel with rural patience, and DIMO's long-established Tata network plus a vast independent trade keep spares on shelves island-wide. Refinement is minimal, the cab is noisy and the drive is heavy, but for a two-to-three-tonne-class working lorry judged on cost per tonne moved, the 407 has stayed relevant for a reason.
Pros & cons
What's good
- Decades-proven platform every mechanic understands
- Purchase and parts costs undercut Japanese rivals
- Tolerates overloading and rough fuel with rural patience
- Island-wide spares through DIMO and independents
- Chassis accepts lorry, tipper and bus bodies alike
What to watch
- Noisy, heavy and dated to drive
- Cab comfort and safety equipment are minimal
- Resale trails Japanese equivalents of similar age
- Long production span means brakes and engines differ by era
Owner reviews
Written by people who have lived with this model.
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Trims & specs
One card per trim, with the spec spread across every year it was sold.
Year-by-year catalogue (25 entries)
2026
2025
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
Frequently asked questions
What payload does a 407 handle?
The class rating sits in the two-to-three-tonne region depending on variant and body, covering general haulage, agricultural transport and light construction duty. As with all working lorries here, staying near the rating is what keeps springs and brakes healthy.
How is fuel economy compared with an Elf?
Broadly similar in loaded duty — high single digits km/l is typical — with the 407 clawing back its advantage on purchase price and parts costs rather than at the pump. Driving style and load discipline move the figure more than the badge does.
Why do bus bodies get built on 407 chassis?
The chassis is cheap, strong and locally understood, making it a favourite base for school and staff transport bodies built by Sri Lankan fabricators. When buying such a bus used, inspect the body mounting points and floor structure as carefully as the driveline.
What goes wrong most often?
Clutches, springs, bushes and brake wear from hard loaded duty — consumable-grade problems rather than deep failures. The engines are tolerant, but smoke and hard starting on a test drive still mean walking away or negotiating hard.
