Tata Tigor First Drive

All of us who were there at the recent Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland would vouch for the fact that there is another word besides Namo that is getting popular by the day and that is TaMo from Tata Motors. The company pleasantly surprised visitors with a brilliantly designed car that goes by the name of Racemo, besides of course showcasing the Geneva edition of the Tigor and the Nexon.

Moving on to the new Tata Tigor, it is basically the sedan version of the popular Tiago from the Tata Motors stable. In fact it comes with the same engine options as the Tiago i.e. a Revotron 1199cc  three cylinder petrol engine which produces 84hp @6000rpm and a peak torque of 114 Nm @ 3500 rpm  and a  3 cylinder Revotorq 1047cc, 3 cylinder, diesel mill which produces 69bhp@4000rpm and a peak torque of 140Nm @1800-3000rpm. Both the engines are mated to a five speed manual transmission. But what it does not get from the Tiago is an automatic transmission. That will have to wait for some time, says the company.

The Tigor notchback will go up against the likes of the Maruti DZire, Hyundai Xcent, Ford Figo Aspire, Honda Amaze and Volkswagen Ameo. The Tigor has been derived from the Tiago hatchback which was launched in April 2016.

Exterior

The Tigor is quite similar to the Tiago right upto the C pillar which then slopes into a well formed boot, giving the Tigor a stylish notchback look. Maybe that’s the reason why Tata Motors calls this car the Tigor StyleBack. The car has a dual-coloured bumper with the Tata Signature Grille, which is accentuated with a chrome humanity line at the front, with the looks further enhanced by the crystal-like, smoked projector headlamps. What’s new here is that the honeycomb grille has undergone a subtle change for the better and the headlamps are also newly designed ones. Unfortunately, there are no DRLs (Daytime Running Lights) which are in vogue these days.

The side profile is enhanced with 15 inch alloys. While the petrol variant gets the 15 inches alloys, the diesel variant has to make do with only 14 inches alloys. One wonders why?  Tata Motors engineers and stylists have worked pretty hard to get the right design flow beyond the C pillar. The belt line seamlessly extends into the boot section of the sedan. The rear features split tail lamps with a chrome strip between them and a long LED stop lamp fitted high above the descending roof line.

Interior

If you are bowled over by the stylish exterior, you would be pleasantly surprised by the interiors too.

In order to make the cabin both chic and practical, Tata Motors has given a darker shade to the dual tone dashboard with the centre console area having a piano black finish. The quality of plastic used is quite upmarket, giving it a rich look and feel. Good quality stretch fabric has been used on the smartly patterned seats of the Tigor and they have been designed with enough bolsters to give the occupants enough under thigh support as well as decent back support. Legroom for the passengers, especially in the rear is more than adequate, thanks to a large wheel base, the best in the segment.

The rear seat now comes with an arm rest in the middle and once folded back, it can accommodate another individual who also gets a small little head rest. Not to miss is a premium knitted roof Liner.

As for storage spaces for cups, bottles, mobiles, etc there are 24 utility spaces within the cabin. There is also a huge boot space of around 419 litres which can be fully utilised because the company has smartly done away with the traditional goose neck hinges that would never allow the cargo area to be fully utilised. Instead there are these two pneumatic cylinders that open the boot lid.

There is no button or switch to lock the doors from the driver’s side, rather it is the traditional push down / pull up lock mechanism which is there on the inner door frame. Come on Tata, you can do a lot better than that! As for the boot lid release button on the front console, this becomes active only when the ignition key is turned on fully, engaging the battery. One can also open the boot lid with the key from the outside. 

The Tigor now has two 12V power outlets, one in the front console area and the other one on the floor console area, the latter addressing the charging needs for those in the rear seat.  Automatic climate controls come as a new feature in the Tigor. Not to miss on the dash area is a new infotainment experience for the occupants. The Tigor continues to have 8 speakers from Harman. What’s new here is that the infotainment system comes with a 5” touchscreen enabled with video playback, voice command recognition, SMS readout and display for the rear parking assist camera. Steering mounted controls are there for adjusting volume and activating voice control.

While the system is equipped with a comprehensive app suite with dedicated apps for Navigation

– NaviMaps sharing music on-the-go, Juke Car App as well as a Bluetooth based remote –

Tata Smart Remote, and a Tata Emergency Assist app, these are compatible to only android smartphones.

Performance

Even though the engines powering the Tigor are the same ones that power the Tiago, delivering similar amounts of power and torque, it does not seem underpowered at all, despite the fact the Tigor is now 50 kgs heavier in its notchback avatar. Both engines are available with multi-drive modes – Eco and

City. The Eco mode is for the more sedate driver, while the City mode, which is also the default mode, optimises engine output for a peppy driving experience and efficiency. The small chunky steering wheel is pure Italian in its genetic buildup and feels quite sporty. The steering wheel is tilt adjustable but is not telescopic.  The Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) is designed for a light steering feel and for easy maneuvering. Despite its added length, the car is planted to the road at high speeds and with its dual path suspension in front and rear, allows good ride and handling. NVH levels in both petrol and diesel are well under control.

When it comes to safety, the Tigor has dual front airbags, an energy absorbing body structure, an advance Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Corner Stability Control (CSC) for improved braking efficiency.

All in all, the Tigor is a brilliant product from Tata Motors. It’s obvious that the company has turned a new leaf when it comes to smart design, stylish looks, upmarket performance and reliability.