Tiago is the model that set the ball rolling again for Tata Motors in the Indian market. Peppy exteriors and feature-rich interiors made the car an instant hit.
If any product that can be counted as crucial after Nano for Tata, undisputedly it would be, The Tiago— even more than Zest and Bolt. With the Tiago, Tata has managed to shed away the ‘Indica’ design theme. Even though the design of Tiago is motivated by existing products in the market, the huge transition in the mini hatchback space has caused the much-awaited evolution from Indica in terms of design and styling.
This model is a rationally balanced design effort by Tata — the measurements are well thought, and it sits confidently in profile. The front of the car has a very simple and straightforward look with a grille shaped as honeycomb finished in glossy black.
The Tiago is available in the market in eight variants: XT, XE, XZ, XZA, XZ+ DT, XZ+, XZA+, and XZA+ DT.
Exterior
The Tiago is a five-seater hatchback and has dimensions with a length of 3765mm, a width of 1677mm and a wheelbase of 2400mm.
On the aspect of visual appeal, the Tiago is a reasonably balanced design effort by Tata — the proportions are well thought out and it sits confidently in profile. The front has a rather simple and straightforward look with honeycomb grille finished in glossy black and there’s thankfully no overdose of chrome, only a subtle outline across the grille and the fog-lamp casings. While the shape of the hatch being inspired by the Hyundai Grand i10 is no bad thing, the tail lamps might be Tiago’s weakest point in exterior design — it looks a bit oddly shaped and incoherent with the otherwise well-executed rear section. Unlike Tata’s Nano, the Tiago isn’t an instantly attention-grabbing car — especially in relatively prosaic colours.
Interior
The cabin layout is a massive step forward for the brand and the quality shows a drastic jump. The materials used are of upgraded quality and space is enough for four average-sized adults. The front seats are very comfortable for most body shapes.
The car is packed with ease and suitability enhancing items. It has a Harman infotainment module with 8 sound speakers which is compatible with systems including USB, Aux-In, and Bluetooth streaming. It can be operated with the controls mounted on the steering wheel. The navigation system is capable to provide turn-by-turn guidance on the screen when it is connected through a phone-based App. There’s also an additional feature called Juke Car app which can be easily synced to around ten phones where one phone acts as a master phone and can share its internet with others and be the host for playing music.
The Tiago has up to 15-inch alloy wheels, front fog lamps, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay, rear defogger with wiper, and Android Auto, an 8-speaker sound system developed by Harman, all-four power windows, automatic climate control and a cooled glove box. The AMT variants have some additional features like a creep function and ‘Sport’ mode.
Safety Feature
Apart from its trim classification, the Tiago comes with a high level of safety features which include airbags for the driver and front co-passenger, corner stability control and an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD). It also has a rear parking sensor with information displayed on the infotainment screen along with a corner stability control.
Engine Options
The Tiago is available with an option of either a 1.2-litre petrol engine or a 1.05-litre diesel. The 3-cylinder petrol engine with a capacity of 1.2-litre develops peak power of 84 bhp at 6,000 RPM and a maximum turning force of 114 Nm at 3,500 RPM.
The diesel engine has a rating of 69 bhp at 4,000 RPM and 140 Nm at 1,800-3,000 RPM.
Both engines have a dual overhead cam design and run via 4 valves per cylinder.
Pricing
It is priced between Rs 4.69 lakh and Rs 6.73 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).
