Tata Tiago

As an automotive blogger and reviewer, I have had the opportunity to Test drive the Tata Tiago, yet another compact hatchback that has swayed the Indian market since its inception. The Tiago is Tata's response to the changing times offering trendy and well equipped cars with much more value than the price. With such time spent with this particular car, it is time to discuss its real world functionality and where it features in the cut throat hatchback competition.

Design and Aesthetics

The very first implication towards the design of the car turns out to be its modern sporty style. The modern day Tata tiago sports a large honey comb grill at the collage with sharp head treats inclusive making this part of the vehicle to look very aggressive. These include the sculpted hood and character lines along the sides of the car. I have said that the rear is well sculpted and more importantly, the tail lamps are different from the ordinary types.

The next thing that I do not fail to notice is the space that has been well utilized for the purposes of creating a very appealing interior. The double tone dash with piano black embellishments feels out of the ordinary in this class. The flat bottomed steering column appears sporty and is also nice to hold. Amenities provided also include excellent Tactile Advantage whereby there are soft touch winter regions.

The clever use of space is something that needs a definite mention. Even though the external dimensions of the Tiago are small, there is offers headroom and leg space that is quite adequate even for tall individuals. Boot space of 242 liters is sufficient for short trips or to buy groceries.

Performance and Powertrain

Two engine options are available to the Tiago: a 1.2-litres Revotron petrol engine, and a 1.05-litre Revotorq diesel engine. I did sample the petrol variant that generates 84.48 bhp and 113 Nm of torque. The engine is quite sprightly during city traffic driving as it has a good low end torque which makes it easy to weave through the traffic. On the downside, however, I did feel some strain when overtaking on the highways at high speeds, fully loaded at manifold speeds, which was a bit disappointing, to say the least.

Economy is achieved thanks to a 5 speed manual that offers a pretty smooth shifter even though I found the clutch to be somewhat heavier than I would appreciate to be in a stop-and-go traffic situation. In addition, Tata has a hassle-free AMT (Automated Manual Transmission) variant which is a blessing for people living in busy cities.

Tiago rides delightfully and isn’t stressed in giving its best. The suspension setup is always a compromise between comfort and handling. It doesn’t make the car jittery, and the car is comfortable even on road bumps. It proves quite light at low speeds, which eases the task of parking and going round tight corners. It weighs nicely during high speed cruises on the highway and makes one feel comfortable on board.

Features and Technology

Features of the Tata Tiago must be seen to be believed as many of them have not been offered before in this segment. The 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system works well, as it responds promptly and is Android and Apple compatible. 8-speaker Harman audio system is surely one of the high points of this car as sound quality delivered is something that can be found in cars at least a segment higher.

Other features worth mentioning are automatic AC, electrically foldable ORVMs and a cooled glovebox. The speedometer and other displays are more on the digital side and are even easier to read than the regular ones.

As for the orientation to safety, the Tiago spares no expense. It features two airbags, ABS with EBD, cornering control and rear-parking sensors for every variant. The car has also received a decent 4-star Global NCAP rating, which is quite good for this segment.

Variants

For the customers desirous of buying a Tiago, several options have been made available.

XE: The basic variant with no frills.

XT: This variant has some additional features including wheel covers and central locks.

XZ: Variant containing a touchscreen infotainment system and fog lamps.

XZ+: Premium variant with all features and accessories including automatic climate control.

And there is an NRG which is more crossover-type in styling.

As for me, IX variant seems to have the optimal combination of features inclusions and their cost. It has many of the things one would wish for without the added costs.

Market Position and Pricing

The Tata Tiago has been positioned well against its peers with a starting ex-showroom price of ?5.65 lakh for the base variant and ? 8.90 lakh of the highest variant (Delhi prices). This strategy makes it easy for many buyers in the compact hatchback segment considering heighted feel and advanced features within reasonable price range.

Comparing the vehicle with competitors in the form of Maruti Suzuki’s Swift and Grand i10 Nios from Hyundai, Tiago safely holds its ground. Perhaps it cannot hold a candle to the elite e mark brand value of its competitors Or the space offered by the Grand i10 Nios but makes it up by the solid structure, safety ratings and the high number of features offered.

Target Audience

The Tiago is a car that caters to various types of buyers but I think, it will be more appealing to young executives and small families getting their first car. The car has got looks, features and is competitively priced enabling even the average car buyer looking for a new all ‘round’ car to get one within their budget.

Plus, this is also a good option for people with safety in mind because of its good rating at the Global NCAP. In the city, the AMT variant is available for those who wish to drive through dense traffic without the hassle of changing gears manually.

Value for Money

As for the value for money, the Tiago is a very deadly car. The quality of materials used is appreciable, the safety measures are good and the level of refinement in comparison to the price is quite high. Harman audio system and infotainment unit are also good and do not feel cheap for this category.

I especially do not think anyone will be able to say that the car has enough power, quite the opposite because it is certainly going to be lacking in cylinder heads – for people who are constantly cruising the freeway or who are loaded to full capacity, it's going to be a problem. However, for the most part, city driving standards do not take away much from the Tiago's capabilities and it does pay back the investment made.

Mileage and Fuel Efficiency

Through practical test drives of the petrol variant of the Tiago, I established the following: 15-16 km/l of fuel consumption on city driving generally went up to 19-20 km/l in highway driving. In this competitive segment these numbers are not class dominating. The diesel version which is not available in the BS6 avatar was very fuel efficient.

Competitors and Comparison

Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 Nios and Ford Figo have been the key competitors to the Tiago. Here's how it stacks up:

Design: The design of the Tiago is quite up-to-date and bested with newer models but its Swift and Grand i10 Nios have their captivating edges.

Performance: In terms of engine refinement and performance on the highway, the advantage lies with the Swift and the Figo.

Features: The features of the Tiago are at par or higher than those of its competitors especially in the higher variants.

Safety: The Tiago has the highest safety performance among all competitors with a 4-Star Global NCAP rating.

Pricing: Price wise, the Tiago is positively priced significantly lower than its competitors Many times lower while providing equal or better options.

Conclusion

About conclusion, it is fair to say that Tata has come a long way in terms of product development and design after using the Tata Tiago for a fair bit. The Tiago is a delightful package which comes with style, features and safety for a very good price. Though not the most powerful car in its category, the car’s soft driving dynamics, solid build and rich features guide this vehicle rightly for city dwellers and small families.

This is aimed at furthering the cause of the Tata brand’s forager appeal in rolling out a line of cars with great features for Indian being ever increasing. It has been instrumental in brushing off the negatives which the people have regarding Tata cars and has also raised the bar on the compact hatchback segment.

It certainly goes without debate that styling, sound engineering and features loaded compact hatch loves the attention grabbing sagacity of Tata, UV aware consumers adds tiago to a wardrobe of every Indian. Tata Tiago does 100% justify its breaks being the Indian and afloat in an increasing pool of automotive savants.