Long Term Review - Wrap up

Tata’s diesel Tiago joined our long term fleet three months ago and after completing more than 4600km, it has done its time here and finally needs to go back. While there’s no denying that the experience has been better than expected, I’d like to share the overall feel.

Tata Motors got it right with the Tiago, and it is really nice to see this hatch sport some contemporary and interesting design cues. It comes equipped with a host of features that are unseen in the segment (like the Harman eight speaker system), is spacious and depicts a build quality that puts the segment competition to shame. On the contrary, it is good lesson for the established players to learn what a good package really feels like.

The bigger picture

This Tiago has been a witness to my seeing good roads turn to worse, thanks to the rains. But it humbly took the challenge of negotiating these roads with the kind of poise that one usually comes across only in cars from a segment or two above. This is one of the key aspects that make this compact hatch stand out from the rest. I’ve had the opportunity to take feedback from a variety of passengers, and they only had nice things to say about the ambience and the air-con. However, the extremely soft seats are unable to offer comfort over long distances.

We ran into some irritants though, like the boot lid that needs to be flung with force to get it shut. Our Tiago also came with a unique rattle from the front end which even a workshop visit couldn’t rectify. But barring these and a weird wiper mechanical noise, there isn’t anything much to complain about. Especially, when one can squeeze through traffic with excellent visibility and the confidence inspired by those rear parking sensors.

Powering the diesel Tiago is a 1.0-litre Revotorq motor that has enough performance on tap for regular commutes and peaceful long drives. With peak performance hovering between 2000rpm and 3000rpm, it is imperative that you slot here in the ‘City’ mode when eyeing any sporty manoeuvre. Engine noise can filter into the cabin only when it is revved to the limit, and this is due to some very good insulation. Our Tiago is quite frugal too, as it consistently gave us 15.48kpl and 18.27kpl in the city and highway. As much as the steering provides good feedback overall, it could have been a little more responsive around the dead centre position.

Light moments

I was paranoid about getting the Tiago initially, but as things stand today, none of the inconveniences recorded here are real deal breakers. I’d easily recommend this diesel hatchback to buyers as it proposes a well-balanced package of features, space and driveability, looks, and build quality. All this at a price that’s hard to find fault with.

We’ve spent some quality time with the Tiago and can easily say that it has what it takes be a winner.

Pictures: Kapil Angane and Santosh Nair

Long Term Review - First Report

Long Term Review - Second Report

Long Term Review - Third Report

Tata Tiago Road Test