Tata Tigor Honest Customer Review (Long term review)

Why this review and why me? Well, like you, I too was searching for honest and first-hand customer reviews of the latest ‘styleback’ from Tata Motors’ stable – the Tata Tigor. And, unlike you, I found none. So without further ado, here it is.

My Tigor is Platinum Silver-coloured, XZ (O) Petrol and yes, is the top model, the fully-loaded one if you may say. The car has been through its 2^nd service and has clocked around 4500 kms till now.

Before purchasing this car I owned a Maruti Zen Estilo and a Maruti Ritz; both of which are hatchbacks. So please treat this as a reference point when I refer to a hatchback during my review of the Tigor.

I know that by now you must have gone through all of its features and expert reviews. Hence, I am skipping this part of telling you these features all over again. Let’s get to the actual stuff. That is, how are these features relevant and what is my experience in driving this beauty.

Tata Tigor is surely a head-turner and you will fall in love with its design. In fact, when I went back to the dealership after purchasing this car, a couple, who had finalized Tata Zest, saw my Tigor and immediately told the dealer that they will now be going for the Tigor. It’s that beautiful.

The sloping roofline softly merges into the boot, giving the Tigor a coupe-esque look and add to its racing stance. High-mounted Stop Lamp and 15” Diamond-Cut Alloy Wheels only up the style quotient further.

And so does the Double-Barrel Smoked Projector Headlamps, which, while adding to the menacing look, do a wonderful job and even on low-beam the visibility is perfect. It can light up any track. During my drive, I have been through roads which were pitch-dark, but, with this car, there was no need to even go on a high-beam (save for a few kms here and there).

Coming to the inside. The Driver’s Seat is adjustable for height as well, apart from the usual forward/back and backrest adjustment, which helps in providing a better and a comfortable driving position. The Steering Wheel is adjustable too and has a premium piano black (black glossy) finish. The Gear Knob too has a premium finish along with chrome inserts. However, the gear cover, which is attached to the bottom of the console, used to keep coming off and hence was fixed during the 1^st service. The AC vents on either side have piano black finish with chrome inserts (only red and copper colour have body-coloured vents) and there are thoughtful chrome inlays at various other points within the car as well. Tata Motors has given ample storage spaces inside the car (I’ll come to the boot later) and even the Door Pockets are able to fit-in 1 litre bottles, and, for bigger bottles, you can utilize the bigger holder provided between the driver and co-passenger seat.

The seats are comfortable and there is good amount of legroom for passengers seating at the back. The backseat can adjust 2+1 adults and there is also a retractable centre armrest with cup-holders. Some people however, may find the seating position a bit on the lower side.

And oh, did I forget to tell you about its ride quality? Well, Tata cars have been known for their ability to ride through even no-existent ‘roads’ with ease and Tata Tigor is no exception. It can make mockery of any rough patch on the road and when there is no road, it simply gobbles them up for lunch. The car comes fitted with Bridgestone tyres and, coupled with its extraordinary suspension setup, weight of the car and the light steering wheel, the car displays exceptional road manners. ABS with EBD and Corner Stability Control also helps in delivering a superb ride quality and a smooth drive. A Dead Pedal (essentially a footrest) is also provided, which helps in reducing driver’s fatigue and making the experience a comfortable one. Which reminds me, that I used to take a journey break while driving to Jaipur (200+ kms) in my Maruti Ritz, and the drive itself was tiring to say the least; but, with Tata Tigor, the drive was a breeze and even my family (as passenger) didn’t feel the need to stop mid-way, and I also had ample amount of energy left after reaching there.

Talking about the drive to Jaipur. We, i.e. my parents, my wife and 2 kids, went to Jaipur for a wedding some time back. But why am I telling you this? Well, for starters, you can imagine the amount of luggage we were having. 2 full-size suitcases, 1 medium size one, one airbag, a separate bag for shoes, and few smaller items. And before we could start the journey, we had to load this luggage in. I was a bit apprehensive owing to my previous experiences with hatchbacks as well as (cabs) Dzires, Innovas and Ertiga. All my worries were put to rest once I started loading the boot, which is a whopping 419 litres. It obviously took a few permutations combinations but, eventually, I was able to load all the mentioned luggage right inside the boot, literally to the brim. And now came the ultimate test – closing the boot. The innovative 4 bar mechanism and struts (a clever take from hatches) do not intrude into the boot at all and I was able to close it quite easily. Wow! It is important because this helps in freeing up crucial space in the boot which otherwise, in a ‘normal’ sub-compact sedan, is eaten up by the goose-neck hinges.

Driving, in general, was a mixed bag during the initial few kms i.e. before the 1^st service. During that period the car obviously took time to even do 60-80 kmph and, to be true, I also didn’t want to push it because of advices by various ‘experts’. I didn’t bother to check the average/mileage till then either. But boy oh boy, after the 1^st service (and a few kms after that) I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed the car was doing a good 110 kmph and I wasn’t pushing it at all. The instant average/mileage (as displayed on the MID) was between 18-21 kmpl. However, using tank-full to tank-full method I got around 17 kmpl average/mileage. The car’s first gear is too short and you are bound to immediately switch to the second. Inside the hood, the plastic hinge that holds the iron rod (which is for keeping the hood in its place) is flimsy. The one on my car broke and was changed during the 2^nd service. The opening of the windshield washer tank is such that it does not allow air to fully dispense and hence you require patience while filling that up. Apart from that, the layout is pretty simple and they’ve even given a box for spare fuses.

Talking about comfort, the Steering Mounted Controls, with Voice Recognition System for the ConnectNext Infotainment System by Harman^TM and Auto Climate Control, gives you a commanding position and helps you be in total control of the car. The system responds well to voice commands. However, it may take some time in getting used to it. Though the top-model comes with a 5” touchscreen, I mostly use either voice commands or knobs or steering mounted controls simply because it is easier to use them while driving. If you are not driving, you may even use the Tata ConnectNext App which has a simple interface and is quite easy to use. It’s an 8-speaker system on Tata Tigor XZ (O), and trust me on this, it completely bowls you over. I can guarantee that there will be a broad smile on your face when you’ll listen to your favourite music on this system. Frankly, I haven’t felt the need to turn up the volume more than 8, but even then you can hear every note, every instrument clearly. Pure magic.

EDIT: The 5" touchscreen also works as a display when you are going in the reverse. This helps in parking the car to a great extent. The screen is also utilized for the Navigation System (when connected to the system via USB). However, maps from only NaviMaps (part of the Tata App) are displayed on the screen. Now I've figured out a hack which I utilize quite often. Since I generally prefer voice commands while driving, and also Google Maps, I start my navigation via Google Maps on my phone. Next, on the system, I switch to Bluetooth device in the media. So essentially what it does it that whenever there is a voice command in Google Maps (in phone) I am able to hear it in the speakers in the car (which otherwise you cannot). This has helped me a lot while driving.

In conclusion, I would highly recommend this car as it comes with a whole lot of features at unbelievable price point.

I think this sums up my review. Thank you for reading. Do share your comments and reviews.