Launched in April 2017, the Tata Tigor caught everyone's eye mainly thanks to appearance. In a market full of compact sedans that are more or less hatchbacks with a boot slapped on, the Tigor came across as a properly stylish offering. Our time spent with it during the first drive highlighted all the strengths of the car impressing us with its practical yet stylish nature. In order to get to know the Tigor better, I have been using it as my daily driver over the past three months and I had a pretty good run with it. I was genuinely sad to see it go. Read on to know what it is like to live with a Tata Tigor petrol.
In its top end XZ trim, which is the one I had, the Tigor boasts a long list of features including a Harman sourced ConnectNext infotainment setup accessed via a touchscreen interface. This was one of the highlights of the features list for me. Keeping me company in Delhi’s unrelenting traffic was the 8-speaker (4 speakers + 4 tweeters) audio setup. It, quite easily, provides one of the best aural experiences at this price point. The responsive touchscreen also doubles up as the display for the reverse parking camera making pulling into tight spots easy.
Over the course of three months, I clocked a little over 3,300 km in the Tata Tigor. The 1.2 L petrol paired with a 5-speed manual returned, on an average, around 15-16 km/l, which is rather impressive considering the car was rarely driven with a light foot. Out of the total kilometers clocked, I ran the car in Eco mode for 2,147 of those. Compared the default ‘City’ mode, the ‘Eco’ mode led to a 1.5-2 km/l uptick in fuel efficiency. Another reason for choosing the ‘Eco’ mode for the majority of the time was the smoother throttle response, especially when starting off from a standstill and at low speeds. If you’re driving the top-end XZ petrol trim shod with 175/60 R15s, bear in mind that Tata recommends a tyre pressure of 36 psi. You will have to remind the attendant at fuel stops as they tend to select 33 psi by default.
The ride quality of the Tigor left me and other occupants impressed. The suspension did a fabulous job of ironing out bumps, especially at low speeds. Sharp bumps only elicited a soft thud and even at high speeds, the car managed to maintain its composure. The 1.2 L engine might not be particularly exciting, but to be fair, it isn't meant to be. The average user will be quite happy with the 85 PS on tap and the linear power delivery.
My time with the Tata Tigor petrol was mostly trouble-free. However, there were a few issues I faced albeit minor ones. The infotainment system exhibits lag at times, especially the when operating the steering mounted audio controls, the boot requires a little extra effort to lift up, and the aircon vents made a wheezy sound when running at higher blower speeds. Also, the left side ORVM’s mirror seemed a bit shaky when driving over rough patches.
The Tata Tigor comes across as one of the most accomplished compact sedans in the market today. It looks great, scores high in terms of features and does not fall short on practicality. It also acts as a great showcase of how far Tata has come over the years in its quest to capture a greater chunk of the PV sales pie. Irrespective of what turns up in my garage next, I will miss the Tata Tigor.
Tata Tigor Petrol long-term review - Factfile
| Model Name | Tata Tigor XZ Petrol |
| Price (as of January 31, 2017) | INR 6,14,206 (ex-showroom) |
| Date Acquired | October 31, 2017 |
| Date Returned | January 31, 2017 |
| Engine & Specifications
|
1.2 L Revotron Petrol with 5-speed MT (85 PS & 114 Nm) |
| Total Distance Covered | 3319.3 km |
| Avg Fuel Efficiency | 15.63 km/l |
| Faults | None |
| Service Cost | -NA- |
What’s Good?
- Despite being in the market for a 10 months or so, and with a fair few of them on the road, the Tata Tigor still manages to turn heads thanks to the stylish exterior. Kudos to Tata’s Pratap Bose led design team
- A healthy list of features for a car at in its segment
- Frugal petrol engine paired with a smooth shifting 5-speed manual gearbox
- The 419 L boot can easily swallow large bags and then some
- Impressive ride quality
- At around INR 7 lakhs on-road Delhi, the Tigor is significantly cheaper than its rivals.
What’s not so Good?
- 1062 kg kerb weight on the heavier side. While it helps high-speed stability, it surely has a negative impact on fuel efficiency.
- The infotainment system lags occasionally.
- Although the 1.2 L Revotron mill is fuel efficient and does well in terms of performance, it still doesn’t feel as refined as its rivals.
