The Tigor

The Tiago comes with the choice of a 1.2litre petrol engine and 1.05litre diesel. The 85bhp, 114Nm, 3 cylinder petrol engine feels a lot smoother than in the Tiago with the addition of a balancer shaft. It is adequate for city use with decent drivability, light clutch and reasonably good fuel efficiency. It revs fairly high, but there is very little performance on offer: so it is best to drive it sedately. The 70bhp diesel with 140Nm torque is a three cylinder too. Performance is mediocre at best. There is no steady shove in the back like you get from most diesel engines these days and you might have to downshift a bit more than you’d expect. Both the diesel and petrol engines offer an Eco mode for added efficiency.But, on the diesel, it robbed the engine of too much power and responsiveness.

Ride and handling are well sorted in the Tigor. It glides over big potholes without too much fuss. The suspension also feels quite settled in the corners and the steering feels adequately balanced. Brakes work well too.

With its nice looks, good interiors, equipment levels and ride quality, the Tigor has a lot going for it. It is great to see the massive leaps Tata cars have made in the recent times. A lot of effort has gone into the design, engineering and manufacture of these new-age Tatas. However, the Tigor is not without its glitches. Both the engines are not stellar in terms of performance and it is too early to predict the resale value and long-term reliability of these. The Tiago was a good start with decent numbers being sold every month now, but the brand Tata Motors still needs to work on its image. However, with the pricing they have in mind for the Tigor, maybe this is the car to do it with.

VIVEK VENUGOPAL

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