Tata Manza (2015)

Expert Review by Maxabout

Exterior

Interior

Main

Colors

Dashboard

Tata Manza originally launched as Indigo Manza recently received an up gradation from Tata. Now this car is promoted as Manza Club Class. This entry level sedan from Tata has direct competition with Maruti Swift Dzire which rules this segment and with new entries like Toyota Etios, Renault Scala, Nissan Sunny and Skoda Rapid; things have become more difficult for this car. It’s a very less selling car from Tata which is yet to mark its presence. The overall idea behind this up gradation is to make this car look more premium in terms of features and appearance so that people don’t compare it with much cheaper regular Indigo. Tata has taken out the word Indigo from its name which also represents a compact sedan which is quite popular for its commercial usage. Let’s know about the new changes in detail.

Fast Facts

• Available in both petrol and diesel
• New names of variants are LS, LX, VX, EX and EXL for diesel and GLS, GLX, GVX, GEX and GEXL for petrol
• Both petrol and diesel engines are same
• Available in six shades and ten variants
• The base variant of Manza Club Class petrol is priced at INR 5.91 lakhs
• Base variant of diesel is available for INR 5.99 lakhs
• Warranty of 2 Years/75000 kms

What’s New

• New seat upholstery and chrome finishing
• Automatic climate control system (EX and EXL)
• Touchscreen navigation (in VX, EX and EXL)
• Contrast roof (EX and EXL)
• Italian leather upholstery (EXL)
• New eight spoke alloy wheels (EX and EXL)
• Power windows gets the delay function, will work for 30 seconds after turning off the ignition
• Follow me headlamps
• Diesel engine is now known as Q-Jet (Quadrajet) and petrol one is now S-Jet (Safire)

Exterior

The design and styling of the car remains intact. There are only few changes which one can notice in the new Manza Club Class. The face of the car is familiar. It has those regular multi chamber headlights which can also be seen in new Vista. It has that big front grille heavily brushed with chrome and a big chrome bar just above it. The round shaped fog lights now have chrome surrounds with chrome linings in its body color rub rails on the front bumper. Move to the side of this car and new 8 spoke 15 inch split alloy wheels easily grab your attention. The stance of the car improves due to these big alloys. There is new chrome insertion in door handles and side rub rails. The top model has body colored door handles and outside rear view mirrors. Apart from these, there is nothing new in its side profile.

The most appealing and new features is an infinity contrast roof which means the color of the roof will be different than the whole body as earlier we have seen in Vista’s special edition. This new feature makes this car look extremely cool when seen from certain angles. The rear of the car is the worst thing that you can expect in a sedan. The rear overhang has never looked appealing and the car looks very bulky when seen from the back. The regular Indigo has much better boot design than Manza. Its tail lights are very small and simple for its size. The rear bumper also disappoints you as there is no edgy or sporty lines on it .It is just placed somehow to complete the list of body parts. Chrome usage can be seen at the back also as there is a big chrome plate just above the number plate and rear bumper also has chrome linings similar to its front bumper.

Interior and Passenger Space

As soon as you get into the car, you can notice the changes. The car gets new interiors with new dual tone black and plum colors. The top variant of Manza now features all Italian leather upholstery which improves the aura inside and the car feels much more luxurious than before. The gear knob and inside door handles also gets chrome insertion on them. The plastic quality is still not up to the mark but feels better than before. No car feels as spacious as Manza in its segment. The space inside is one of the biggest USPs of this car. The rear comfort is unmatchable. It offers incredible legroom and headroom at the back. The front passengers also get generous knee room and shoulder room which is very helpful in long journeys.

Comfort and Convenience

If you are looking for a car with maximum comfort at the back then Manza is your destination. The new Manza also features a centre armrest. The width of this car makes it a very comfortable car for three passengers at the back. With new leather seats, the car is incredibly comfortable offering nice and adequate back and under thigh support. Front seats are also very comfortable and they are equipped with lumber support. Driver seat is height adjustable which along with adjustable power steering allows the driver to get a perfect view of road while driving this car. The new Manza has many features like all four power windows with one touch up and down (driver side), power outside mirrors and electric HVAC controls. New features are added in this car which includes Automatic climate control and new touch screen Multimedia navigation system. Other features in this car include AC with heater, rear demister and remote controlled keyless entry.

Dashboard and Storage

The dashboard looks much improved thanks to its all black theme. The instrument cluster is unchanged featuring a regular Multi information display informing about distance to empty and mileage. The tachometer now also gets a critical rev indicator. The touch quality of this dashboard is satisfactory but some of the bits like air con vents and few buttons on its central console are a let-down. Central console comes with silver finishing on it. There is an airy lockable glove box in this dashboard with lamp, card and pen holder. It has a bottle holder in its floor console with cup holder in its rear armrest. There are storage pockets on its front and rear doors with back pockets on front seats. Apart from these, the car has a storage tray under its front passenger seat and comes with a massive boot capacity of 460litres.

Music System

The central console of Manza houses a 2-Din music system with multimedia touch screen. It’s a radio, CD and MP3 player with four speakers and two tweeters. There are also built in USB port and Aux-Input in this system with audio equalizer. The car also features Bluetooth connectivity which allows paring of five phones and audio streaming. The audio and Bluetooth controls are mounted on its steering wheel.

Engine and Gearbox

There are no changes in this department as this car is still powered by Fiat sourced petrol and diesel engines. The petrol engine is a 1.4L MPFi engine churning out a power output of 89 bhp at 6000 rpm. The maximum torque production of this engine is 116 Nm available at 4750 rpm. Manza shares its diesel motor with other premium sedans like Fiat Linea and Maruti Suzuki SX4. This 1.3L Quadrajet engine is capable of generating a power output of 89 bhp at 4000 rpm while the maximum torque output of this engine is 200 Nm which ranges from 1750-3000 rpm. Both of these engines are mated with five speed manual transmission.

Acceleration and Performance

The petrol variant of Manza is not a performer if you compare it with other cars in its segment. Due to its heavy weight, the power to weight ratio is not impressive and that can easily be noticed in its performance. The car takes time to response. However you won’t complain much about the refinement of this engine but the slow behaviour makes it hard to believe if it’s a petrol engine. The car takes around 16 seconds to reach 0-100km/hr with a top speed of 150km/hr. After 4000rpm, this motor turns a bit noisy and there is not much left in this car if you are searching for power. The top end of this car is not as smooth as the K series engine of Maruti. Even Etios feels much responsive than this car.

The car suffers a turbo lag with a full seating of five. The gear ratios are also not well proportioned according to its weight and the car suffocates for power. Things are different with its diesel motor. The car is blessed with Fiat’s powerful 1.3L engine which avoids turbo lag and despite its heavy weight, Manza feels quite nimble. The refinement level of this engine is even better than motor used in Toyota Etios. Manza Club Class is powerful than most of the competitors in its segment and its quite clear once you take this car on road. The silent motor responses really well when rev hard and after 2000rpm there is nothing on road which will stop you.

Gear ratios are well matched with this engine and within 15 seconds, the car reaches 0-100km/hr. With this engine you can drive Manza at a speed of 160km/hr and above with full confident. The mid-range is very effective and with its minimal turbo lag, Manza is very suitable for daily usage. The car can easily beat Swift Dzire and Etios with its power and performance. The only problem which you can feel is its clutch which is not as light as you expect and get in other cars. On highways, there are no signs of vibrations at high speeds. Ford Fiesta Classic is also a big rival of Manza which is famous for its diesel engine. That car stands nowhere near to this car as Manza feels much refined and enthusiastic than Fiesta.

Mileage

Tata Manza Club Class diesel is certified by the ARAI to give a mileage of 21.02 kms to a litre, while the Manza Petrol is certified for a mileage of 13.7 kms to a litre. But it is expected that petrol variant of Tata Manza is going to deliver around 8-9 kmpl mileage in city driving conditions and on highway Petrol Tata Manza is expected to deliver 11-12 kmpl. As far as diesel variants of Tata Manza Club Class are concerned it is expected that it is going to deliver around 12-13 kmpl mileage in city driving conditions and on highway Diesel Tata Manza Club Class is expected to deliver 16-17 kmpl.

Safety Features

For your safety, Manza Club Class comes with Dual Front SRS airbags, collapsible steering, immobilizer and child lock on rear doors.

Suspension and Brakes

Similar to Vista, suspension system of Manza is a matter of concern. The car never manages to impress you with its suspension quality and can’t match the comfort offered by Toyota and Maruti cars. Due to its suspension, you can always sense the body-weight of this car which gets worse when you drive this car on potholes and bad roads. Even minor bumps can make their way inside. Braking system of Manza includes ventilated discs at its front and drum brakes at its back. The car always remain under control and for further precise and safe braking, the top variant features ABS with EBD.

Ride and Handling

If you talk about the ride quality, Manza may not impress you. Yes, the comfort inside is brilliant but due to its poor suspension and heavyweight, the ride quality is not the best. However its large wheelbase of 2520mm and R15 size of tyres confirms you a stable ride. The car remains grounded at high speeds and give you the confidence to cruise. Body roll is quite evident around sharp corners. Handling of Manza is quite satisfactory as you don’t feel the actual size of this car due to its light handling. With a minimum turning radius of 5.1m, it’s much easier to park this car in tight spaces then you expect. In fact it’s the best sedan from Tata in terms of handling and the car steers perfectly with adequate feel and response.

Warranty

Tata gives a warranty of 2years/75000 kilometeres on Manza.

Shades

Tata Manza Club Class is available in six attractive shades: Laser Red (Black roof), Tyrian White (Black roof), Castle Grey (Black roof), Infinity Black (New Shade with silver roof), Dew White (Black roof) and Jet Silver (Black roof).

Variants

Tata Manza Club Class is available in ten variants: five of petrol and five of diesel - Petrol GLS, Petrol GLX, Petrol GVX, Petrol GEX, Petrol GEXL, Diesel LS, Diesel LX, Diesel VX, Diesel EX and Diesel EXL. The base model is LS which comes with following features: Front Power Windows, Air Conditioner, Power Steering, Rear Seat Center Armrest, 2 DIN Music System with AM/FM/MP3/CD, Storage Tray Under Co-driver's Seat, Tachometer with Critical REV Indicator, 7 Speed Front Viper With SMART WIPE, 15" Wheels with Full Wheel Covers, Manual Central Locking.

And in addition to the LS variant the top-of-the-line EXL comes with following features: Rear Power Windows, Touchscreen navigation system, Contract shade for roof, Automatic climate control system, Italian leather upholstery, Steering Wheel Mounted Audio Controls, Bluetooth Connectivity + Aux Support + USB Playback in Music System, Rear Defogger/Demister, Front & Rear Fog Lamps, Electrically Adjustable Outside Rear View Mirrors, Remote Central Locking, ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System), EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), Dual SRS Airbags, Re-tractors, Load Limiters & Pretensioners on Front Seat Belts, Fuel Consumption, Distance to Empty & Ambient Temperature Indicator, Cup Holder on Rear Seat Center Armrest, Lumbar Support for Front Seats - 2 Way Adjustable, Chrome Inserts on Rub Rails & Door Handles, Magazine Pockets behind Front Seats, Illuminating Ring around Keyhole and 8-spoke Alloy Wheels.

Verdict

At this price, it’s the most expensive sedan from Tata and with this car they enter the territory of some premium sedans. New features and interiors are specially introduced in this car to take on these new rivals. Unfortunately, Tata couldn't manage to get the right petrol engine for this car as it feels underpowered and we are afraid if people will opt for this car over other fuel efficient and powerful engines. Yes, with its diesel motor, acceptable looks and incredible space, Manza Club Class is a complete value for money car.

You may find this car a bit overpriced but looking at the features and comfort inside this car; one can still go for it. Moreover the power packed performance and fuel efficiency this car justifies its high pricing. In fact, it’s the cheapest car available with Fiat’s 90BHP engine. The only thing which can go wrong for this car is Tata’s high maintenance and poor resale value.