So it is close to around three months now and the time has come that we part ways with our long-term Tigor. In my previous report, I had mentioned that Tata Motors has been making some really good affordable and reliable cars for quite some time now.
I have been driving the Tigor diesel XZ variant in Mumbai for the past few months and the compact-sedan has clocked over 3500 kilometers. I’m definitely satisfied with how the car performed in total.
On the outside, the car offers a great styling and the build quality is also pretty commendable. Tata has put in a lot of effort on the quality bit and it really shows. The honeycomb grille has been carried over from the Tiago but what makes it look apart from its sibling are the smoked projector headlamps.
At the rear, the Tigor features a thick chrome strip running across the boot. The bumpers have been tweaked to add a curvy proportion to the car. The Tigor also houses four parking sensors and a reverse camera.
Of course, the major difference between the Tigor and Tiago is the 419-litre boot. The roofline integrates with the boot quite nicely and the 14-inch alloy wheels look pretty decent.
Step inside the car and you will be welcomed with an airy cabin. One more thing which I would like to point out is that getting in and out of the car is not very difficult as the car sits a bit low; a plus for elderly passengers and drivers. However, tall drivers need to watch their head.
The fit and finish, in general, is good but could have been a bit better. The plastic on the dashboard also seems fine. The AC is really effective and cools down the cabin really quick, even on a hot sunny day. The driver’s seat gets a manual height adjuster too.
Speaking about the infotainment system, the Tigor features an eight-speaker Harman sound system which is brilliant at this price point. No matter what kind of music you listen to, the speakers will blow your mind with its bass and clarity. The steering-mounted controls come really handy in both tight traffic and relaxed highway cruises. The car has a five-inch touchscreen which feels a bit outdated but does its duty well.
The Tigor has a lot of storage space available such as the ventilated dashboard glove box which will keep your drinks chilled, bottle holders on all the doors, a cubby hole just below the climate control, cup holders right behind the gear shifter and two cup holders in the rear center armrest. There is also a small storage compartment on the right side of the steering wheel.
Speaking about comfort, the seats offer good support and have got enough cushioning. But I did get a stiff back after a long Bombay-Pune drive. In fact, I’ve heard some others say the same thing about the Tata Tigor. However, I don’t think anyone would face such a problem during frequent short-distance drives. Given its size, the rear seats offer decent amounts of space for three adults.
Powering the car is a 1.05-litre three-cylinder Revotorq diesel engine that makes 69bhp and 140Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. The clutch on the Tigor feels light and does not stress you out in stop-and-go traffic. Although, the diesel variant takes time to build up speed, the sweet spot to cruise is between 2500 to 3000rpm.
Well, after driving the Tigor for quite some time, I noticed that the car was still returning an excellent mileage of 16km/l in the city and 21km/l on the highway. There are two driving modes present: City and Eco. In City mode, the throttle response feels good and active. The Eco mode is for fuel efficiency but on the contrary, you lose that crisp throttle response.
Promeet Ghosh Thinks!
As I mentioned earlier, I drove the car for 3,656 kilometers before handing it over to Tata. The Tigor gave me no issues at all and it really is a low-maintenance car. The cabin feels a bit noisy from the inside but that is common in almost all small diesel cars. The ride quality is good though the suspension feels a bit on the stiffer side. But, if someone out there is looking for a compact-sedan which will fulfill their city and highway needs, the Tata Tigor diesel will be a perfect option.
[“Source-drivespark”]