Tata Tiago

The City Driver’s Best Bet?

Over two decades ago, Tata Motors took its first step towards becoming a mainstream car maker in India with the launch of the Tata Indica, their first ever hatchback. And the Indica left a lasting impression. The Tata Tiago is a spiritual successor to the Indica, taking over from the Tata Bolt in 2016. It has almost nothing in common with the old icon, and has evolved drastically over the years. But against established rivals from Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, and in the advent of micro SUVs which offer better practicality, is the Tata Tiago a desirable choice? Let’s take a look.

Tata Tiago Pros and Cons 

Tata Tiago Exterior Design

Unlike some newer Tata Motors’ cars which adopt a rather radical design language, the Tiago has a more conventional hatchback look. The grille that sits between the headlamps is reminiscent of older Tata hatchbacks. The long yet steeply raked bonnet flows into the A-pillar, and the silhouette from the side could be used as a monogram for hatchbacks — it’s that mainstream! The rear also gets a familiar design with C-shaped tail lights and a cladded bumper. Overall, the Tiago doesn’t look overdesigned, and yet it is handsome.

Tata Tiago Interiors 

The Tiago borrows its interior design language from other Tata cars. The dashboard gets an island-like area at the centre which houses the centre air-con vents, infotainment screen, and a few other quick access buttons. The dual-tone finish looks premium, and while some surfaces are finished in hard plastic, they don't feel low quality. The overall design is very natural and premium.

The cabin is good on the practicality front too. There’s plenty of storage spaces all around, including a cooled glovebox. However, the bottle holders in the door pockets aren’t large enough to hold one-litre bottles. The boot space however — at 242 litres — is smaller than rivals, and space here is at a premium. Thanks to Tata’s dual-cylinder technology though, the iCNG variants offer usable boot space unlike its CNG powered rivals, where the cylinder completely takes up the boot.

Tata Tiago Comfort

The Tata Tiago is a compact B-segment hatchback, and that is very evident on the inside. The cabin is fairly narrow, and consecutively, front passengers are seated pretty close to each other. Front seats are wide and offer a good amount of comfort, but the cushioning isn’t very soft. While this may be slightly uncomfortable over shorter distances, settling in on firmer cushioning is much more comfortable on longer journeys. 

A similar story continues at the back too. The rear seats are pretty flat and cushioning is slightly firm. The cabin is also not wide enough to accommodate three passengers at the back comfortably, and passengers will have to squeeze in to make space. Knee and leg room isn’t very bad, but it's not generous either. Taller passengers will be left wanting for more headroom. The headrests are also fixed, and won’t offer any whiplash protection in the event of a crash. The suspension does a fair job of rounding off bumps and potholes, but it is not up to the level of some rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Celerio.

Tata Tiago Performance and handling

The Tata Tiago packs a fair bit of punch when it comes to performance. It is powered by a 3-cylinder engine that can be had in either petrol or petrol + CNG configurations. The engine is fairly spirited and tractable, and driving at low revs in city speeds is easy. Even when running on CNG, the engine doesn't feel out of breath, and can handle most duties seamlessly. The 3-cylinder engine, however, doesn’t enjoy being pushed hard, and the vibrations creep into the cabin at higher revs. In fact, the overall NVH insulation levels are quite low, and it leaves room for improvement. The Tiago handles city roads pretty well — as you’d expect from a commuter focused hatchback — and it stays stable on highway speeds too.

Tata Tiago Key specifications 

Tata Tiago Safety Features

As is the forte of Tata, the Tiago scores well on safety. The Tata Tiago scored a 4-star GNCAP crash test rating for adult occupant protection and a 3-star rating for child occupant protection, making it one of the safest B-segment hatchbacks in our country. It is equipped with all the safety features that you’d come to expect from a car in its segment, like dual airbags, ABS, EBD, corner stability control, brake assist, front seat belt pretensioners and load limiters, rear parking camera with sensors and dynamic guidelines, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Tata Tiago Technology and Infotainment

The Tata Tiago is fairly equipped with features for a car of its size. It gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the system is paired to an immersive 8-speaker Harman sound system that delivers segment-leading audio quality. The infotainment system can also be used to access a few other features, including an image and video playback mode, and reverse camera. Behind the steering wheel is a small digital instrument cluster, which displays most of the basic information, including the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) readouts, trip computers, speed readouts, and more. The Tiago is also equipped with a cooled glovebox, USB charging port, and push-button start.

Is the Tata Tiago for you?

The constantly evolving Indian automotive market is slowly starting to gravitate towards SUVs in almost every segment, and the same holds true for this price point. With the introduction of micro SUVs like the Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch, the case for B-segment hatchbacks gets weaker by the day, thanks to the added practicality of the higher riding cars. However, if it is a hatchback that you fancy more, then the Tiago makes a strong case for itself. Yes, a more refined engine and a more comfortable suspension setup would have rounded the package better, but the expanse of features on offer coupled with the tidy looking exteriors and interiors make the Tata Tiago a desirable purchase. The iCNG variants’ usable boot space is a plus for someone who is specifically in the market for a CNG car, and the Tiago is a hatchback that can handle most of your daily commute requirements without fuss.