2017 Tata Tigor XZ petrol long term review: Introduction

The temporary absence of the Hexa from our fleet has been filled by the Tata Tigor. The compact sedan from Tata Motors had left a positive impact during my first drive experience. And I expected that feeling to grow further with our long-termer car. Agreeably, the Tigor does come across as a distinct looking compact sedan for its fastback-like rear profile. In fact, that is the highlight of the design paired with the 15-inch machine-cut alloys available on our petrol tester. However, I feel that the uniqueness of the design might not last long and one will get over it soon. Something that we need to check along as the days go by.

Except for the trim badge, there is no additional labelling that distinguishes the petrol from the diesel model. An engine badge like that of the Indigo would have helped. Moving inside, it is a familiar territory as seen in the Tiago. However, there are some issues that have started surfacing already. The gear lever housing has become loose and tends to get dislocated. Similarly, the cooling vent cover inside the glove box also tends to fall out from its place. Additionally, the touchscreen infotainment system has a glitch in display wherein the ConnectNext screen tends to hold on longer than usual. The other thing is the gap between the AC controls which looks a tad too much. Ideally, the aircon settings should have been positioned on this area to make the infotainment screen offer a cleaner display.

Notice the unaligned gear lever housing

While the boot hasn't been put to use yet, it looks quite spacious

While driving it around the city, I did notice the comparatively better response of the petrol than the diesel motor. This might also be because of the fact that I am used to driving the diesel Hexa for some time now. The free-revving nature of the motor made me push it hard on certain occasions, and the subsequent exhaust note is also rewarding. The lag, however, is felt on the highway where the engine runs out of steam quickly. The gear shift quality, however, is decent. I believe the niggles that I reported are likely to get sorted when the Tigor visits the workshop next. Will it win our hearts eventually is something we need to wait and watch.

Date acquired: July 2017

Inducted at: 1,235km

Total mileage: 3,347km