zzdcar
Home
/
Automotive news
/
BS6 Tata Tiago XZ Plus First Drive Review
BS6 Tata Tiago XZ Plus First Drive Review-November 2024
2023-12-14 EST 02:30:10

Tata Tiago Right Front Three Quarter

Tata Tiago Right Front Three Quarter

Tata Tiago Right Front Three Quarter

Tata Tiago Right Side View

Tata Tiago Right Rear Three Quarter

Tata Tiago Right Rear Three Quarter

Tata Tiago Rear View

Tata Tiago Left Rear Three Quarter

Why would I buy one?

Improved petrol engine in BS6 avatarCompact dimension is perfect for city usageFour Star NCAP safety rating

Why would I avoid it?

Vibey on idleNotchy gearboxQuality of materials could have been better

Verdict

Left Front Three Quarter

With the BS6 update, the Tata Tiago has capitalised on what it did best and improved on its shortcomings. So it remains a cheery little city-runabout that is even handsome to look at now with the Altroz-inspired face. Even the cabin has received a much-needed redo with bits borrowed from bigger, more expensive Tata models. Add to it the four-star NCAP rating and the Tiago comes as one of the most affordable yet safe car to live with.

Front View

Engine and Performance

Engine Shot

Updated early last year, the BS6 Tiago is powered by the same three-cylinder 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine which puts out 85bhp at 6000rpm. It is paired to a five-speed manual as standard, but can also be had with an AMT automatic. We are driving the former three-pedal setup in this review. Crank it up and the three-pot motor settles into a silent idle but there are noticeable vibrations felt on the inside. Be it gear lever, foot pedals or even steering wheel, you can sense mild throbbing pulses all over the place – which aren’t a deal breaker in our opinion. Because, the vibration disappears the moment you get on the clutch, slot-in the gear, and get going.

Left Front Three Quarter

On the move, the Tiago remains silent and an easy car to drive around. You need little throttle inputs to gain moment as the motor is hovering around 1500-1750rpm mark at city speeds. It doesn’t feel as peppy as the 1.2-litre in the new Wagon R, but it has a good supply of power right from the word go. Also since it is a relatively lighter car – tipping the scale at around 980 kilograms (kerb) – it never feels running out of breath be it your bumper-to-bumper traffic or some quick excursion in and around highways.

Right Rear Three Quarter

You can potter around in the city with a gear or two higher than expected and it won’t urge you to downshift. And for urgent pushes to get through tiny space in the traffic all it needs is a slight dab on the throttle to access the 113Nm of max torque which peaks at 3,300rpm. When you hit the highways, there’s enough grunt in the motor to keep up with triple-digit speeds. You would get to hear the motor slightly more at this point. But it won’t leave you wanting for more if you drop a gear and accelerate quickly to overtake those slow-moving stream of highway traffic.

Left Side View

We found the clutch to be light and easy to operate albeit with a slight kickback action. Moreover, the gear lever isn’t the slickest shifting unit around. It takes time getting used to the notchy nature of the five-speed unit. Otherwise, the controls on the Tiago are very amiable and easy for everyday driving. As for the fuel efficiency, Tata claims an ARAI-rated figure of 19.8kmp for this petrol manual guise.

Read More

Ride and Handling

Right Front Three Quarter

At slow speeds, the steering of the Tiago is extremely light and easy to manoeuvre. It is not exactly quick to respond, going almost three-turns lock-to-lock. But it is good for city driving as it won’t strain your arms trying to parallel-park. Moreover, there’s noticeable weight added to it as speed increases. But what works in the Tiago’s favour are its compact dimensions making it optimal to drive around congested cities like Mumbai.

Right Side View

Meanwhile, Tata hasn’t tweaked the hardware of the Tiago much with this update. So it continues to ride pretty well. All the bumps and irregularities are taken care of with great composure and only the sharpest of the potholes make themselves felt inside the cabin. There’s enough ground clearance to take on the really bad patches of roads without scrapping the underbelly. What’s more, the ride gets even better at highway speeds; and the high-speed stability is much better than we expected. Even the body rolls are well restrained although we didn’t get to take it on some twisties to check it demeanour over there.

Read More

Interior Space and Quality

Dashboard

Let us take a look at all the changes on the inside, shall we? Firstly, there’s an all-digital instrument cluster which is shared with the Nexon. This new system replaces the dual analogue dials and – although monochromatic – looks better in real than it does in the pictures. It also has a good aesthetic appeal to go with its white illumination on the black unit. Then there’s the steering which is slightly tweaked and can be adjusted for height. Moving on to the centre console, a welcome addition here is the seven-inch touchscreen integrated with Tata’s ConnectNext interface. Again this is the same unit which is available in more expensive Tatas and has similar quality and usability too. Lower down the centre console is a gloss-finished insert with redesigned air-con controls. Also new is the gear lever – now matching the family design. Moreover, the upholstery has been given a change flaunting Tata’s tri-pointed design.

Front Row Seats

That’s where the update ends. So in terms of cabin space and ergonomics, the Tiago remains as practical and usable as the older car. Getting in is easy and the visibility on offer is good too. There are no soft-touch materials used here except for the door armrest. But the quality of materials used over here could have been improved with this update. We still think the cup holders on the centre console should have been larger to accommodate 500ml bottles at the least. On the upside, there’s more than ample headroom for my dimensions (I am 5.5’) and enough shoulder room as well. The seats are supportive too with a good amount of bolster and under-thigh support.

Second Row Seats

The same can be said about the rear seats as there’s a good amount of knee space but taller passengers might find their head touching the roof. And we wouldn’t recommend sitting three abreast here for longer jaunts. It also misses out on centre armrest, rear air vents or backseat pockets – which is a slight bummer. On the upside, there are non-adjustable headrest and one large bottle holder for the rear occupants. Lastly, the boot space of 242 litres isn’t something to write home about. And the rear seats don’t have split or flat fold either which further reduces its practicality.

Center Console/Centre Console Storage

Read More

Features and Equipment

Instrument Cluster

What we have here with us is the top-spec XZ Plus variant which offers a decently decked-up feature list. This includes 15-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, auto AC, fabric seats, piano-black inserts on the dashboard, body-coloured inserts around air-vents, ConnectNext system with AppleCarPlay and Android Auto, eight-speakers Harman music system, voice command, keyless entry, electric ORVMs with an auto-fold, cooled glovebox and all-four power windows with one-touch-down for the driver.

AC Controls

In terms of safety, the Tiago comes standard with dual-front airbags, ABS with EBD, corner stability control, speed alert, seatbelt reminder and speed-dependent door locks, follow-me-home lights, a rearview camera with parking sensor, rear wiper with a wash feature, and rear defogger, to name a few.

Infotainment System

Read More

Conclusion:

Left Rear Three Quarter

With the update, the Tiago has grown into a handsome looking lad, one which much more interesting to look at than its rivals namely the Maruti Suzuki Wagon R and Hyundai Santro. It also drives well with a refinement added to its otherwise amicable powertrain. Updates on the inside make it an even better place to be. Sure, the interior space isn’t the shining point of the Tiago and the quality of materials won’t stand out either. But what makes the Tiago outstanding is its four-star GNCAP rating, and that’s a reason enough to buy it over anything else.

Rear View

Photos by Kaustubh Gandhi

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Automotive news
New Maruti Suzuki Alto K10: Variants explained
New Maruti Suzuki Alto K10: Variants explained
The new-gen Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 has been launched in the country, with prices ranging from Rs 3.99 lakh to Rs 5.83 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Bookings for the model are currently underway, with deliveries likely to take place in the coming days.The Maruti Alto K10 derives its power from...
Nov 24, 2024
Bugatti teases ‘last of its kind’ for the Quail
Bugatti teases ‘last of its kind’ for the Quail
-        V-shaped tail lamps look futuristic-         Could preview Chiron successorBugatti is arriving at the Quail Motorsport gathering this year with something they call ‘last of its kind’. The teaser doesn’t say much, and we have no official word from the carmaker either, but the...
Nov 24, 2024
Hyundai Venue N Line likely to be launched in India on 6 September
Hyundai Venue N Line likely to be launched in India on 6 September
- Likely to be offered in two variants- Will be powered by a 1.0-litre turbo-petrol engine with a dual-clutch transmissionHyundai India is all set to expand its N Line portfolio in the country with the addition of a second model. This time, the carmaker is likely to introduce a sportier...
Nov 24, 2024
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 launched: All you need to know
Maruti Suzuki Alto K10 launched: All you need to know
The popular entry-level model, the Alto, is back with a fresh set of cosmetic and feature upgrades to regenerate interest in its segment. The newly launched Alto K10 is based on the Heartect platform and is available in four variant options such as Standard, LXi, VXi, and VXi+. The hatchback...
Nov 24, 2024
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX spotted testing in India
Volkswagen ID.4 GTX spotted testing in India
-First electric crossover from the German automaker -Offered with both RWD and AWD IntroductionVolkswagen’s electric crossover, the ID.4, has been spied testing in India and that too in the high-performance GTX guise. This is the German automaker’s first high-riding vehicle in its new range of ID electric cars and is available with...
Nov 24, 2024
Kia India inaugurates a 240kWh EV charger in Kochi
Kia India inaugurates a 240kWh EV charger in Kochi
- The new EV charger in Kochi is said to be the fastest of its kind in India- The said charger is located at Incheon Kia, KochiKia India inaugurated the country's fastest charger for EV passenger vehicles. This DC fast charger, with an output of 240kWh, was installed at Incheon...
Nov 24, 2024
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved