Tata Motors recently launched the CNG Automatic version of the Tiago hatchback and its safe to say, it’s gonna sell really well and it’s all thanks to the incredible amount of features and safety tech Tata is offering with the CNG version to ensure nothing goes wrong. In January 2024, it was the 3rd best-selling model with 6,482 units sales. So, we had a chance to take this car for a drive and in this article, we’re going to help you understand whether you should consider buying this affordable feature-loaded hatchback or not. Let’s begin with this drive review!
Tiago front design has tri-arrow like design grille with projector headlamps which are halogen and not LEDs. Then there is a chrome line which goes from one headlamp to another. The front bumper has extended fins for the sharp look and the same extended fin for the rear bumper with the taillamps also Halogen and not LEDs. The rear and the side has nothing much going except for the simple design it carries.
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| Dimensions | Tata Tiago | Maruti Suzuki Swift | Hyundai Grand i10 Nios |
|---|---|---|---|
| Length | 3765 MM | 3845 MM | 3815 MM |
| Width | 1670 MM | 1735 MM | 1680 MM |
| Height | 1537 MM | 1530 MM | 1520 MM |
| Wheelbase | 2400 MM | 2450 MM | 2450 MM |
| Ground Clearance | 170 MM – Petrol 168 MM – CNG | 163 MM | 165 MM |
| Turning Radius | 5.05 M | 5.1 M | 5.1 M |
| Boot Space | 242 L | 268 L | 260 L |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 35 L (Petrol) 60 L (CNG) | 37 L (Petrol) 55 L (CNG) | 37 L (Petrol) 55 L (CNG) |
| Kerb Weight | 935 – 1113 KG | 875 – 985 KG | 805 KG |
Jumping to the inside; has a 7-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, placed below the AC vents and AC vents at the sides are positioned horizontally. It has the three-spoke multi-function steering wheel with digital instrument cluster, and two USB ports on the front. The rear seats has no AC vents on offer and the seats are split in 60:40 ratio,while the dashboard has the dual-tone theme option. The Tiago comes equipped with 8-speaker sound system as well.
The Tata Tiago iCNG measures 3.8 Meters in length and unbelievably, it offers great comfort both front and rear cushioned seats while also offering good headroom for average height passengers. However, Tata could have offered adjustable headrests for comfort of tall passengers at the rear seats. The driver seat gets manually height adjustable seat while the passenger seat can be just reclined.
The rear seats are split in 60:40 ratio with good space for 3 Passengers to seat comfortably. There are storage spaces all over the cabin like in the doors, centre console, glovebox, two cupholders, etc. The boot space with the CNG Cylinder is still big enough to take your family for long vacation.
| Petrol | Tata Tiago | Maruti Suzuki Swift | Hyundai Grand i10 Nios |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.2 L 3 Cylinder Petrol | 1.2 L 4 Cylinder Petrol | 1.2 L 4 Cylinder Petrol |
| Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | FWD |
| Power | 84.5 BHP | 88.50 BHP | 82 BHP |
| Torque | 113 NM | 113 NM | 114 NM |
| Transmission | 5 Speed MT / AMT | 5 Speed MT / AMT | 5 Speed MT / AMT |
| Fuel Efficiency | 19 – 20.09 KMPL | 22.38 – 22.56 KMPL | 16 – 18 KMPL |
| CNG | Tata Tiago | Maruti Suzuki Swift | Hyundai Grand i10 Nios |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1.2 L 3 Cylinder iCNG | 1.2 L 4 Cylinder CNG | 1.2 L 4 Cylinder CNG |
| Drivetrain | FWD | FWD | FWD |
| Power | 72 BHP | 76 BHP | 68 BHP |
| Torque | 95 NM | 98.5 NM | 95.2 NM |
| Transmission | 5 Speed MT / AMT | 5 Speed MT | 5 Speed MT |
| Fuel Efficiency | 26.49 KM/KG | 30.9 KM/KG | 27 KM/KG |
So we drove the new Tata Tiago iCNG which now comes with an AMT gearbox, making the first ever CNG Car to feature AMT Gearbox. It is Powered by the 1.2 L iCNG Engine delivering 72.41 BHP and 98.5 NM of Torque mated to an 5 Speed Manual (MT) and AMT Gearbox [AMT] with great Fuel Efficiency of 26.49 KM/KG on a 60 Litre CNG Cylinder.
The performance of the Tiago in CNG is so refined that sometimes you may end up forgetting whether you’re driving on CNG or Petrol. Most importantly, you can start your vehicle directly from CNG instead of first switching to Petrol, then pushing the start button. Moreover, the initial power output on the CNG AMT is good and that there is Mild difference between the CNG and Petrol’s AMT. We brake tested the hatchback and it came to a halt almost immediately, and it’s all because of the Disc Brake in front wheels and Drum Brakes in the rear.
The tuning of the drum Brakes is so well that it almost performs the same as Disc Brakes. The steering of the Tiago is very light making it easy to turn around the corners or make an U-turn. However at high speeds, the steering carries weight offering good confidence at those speeds.
Now, talking about the suspension setup, Tata Motors equipped the Tiago with Independent, Lower Wishbone, McPherson Strut with Coil Spring at the front while the rear is equipped with Semi – Independent, Closed Profile Twist Beam with Dual Path Strut. The suspension has been tweaked a little for the CNG version but still like the other Tata models, this can handle any rough tarmac with ease.
In the end, the main question arises is should you buy the Tiago CNG Automatic (AMT) or not? Well, the first thing is the hatchback is affordable; second thing is unlike its rivals, the Tiago CNG retains almost all the boot space and has features that its rivals doesn’t have; and lastly the third thing is you’ll hardly notice any performance difference between the Petrol and CNG version. This makes it reasonable enough to choose the Tiago CNG.
1.2 L Petrol MT – Rs. 6.21 L
1.2 L Petrol + CNG MT – Rs. 7.43 L
1.2 L Petrol MT – Rs. 6.59 L
1.2 L Petrol + CNG MT – Rs. 7.82 L
1.2 L Petrol MT – Rs. 6.99 L
1.2 L Petrol MT – Rs. 7.21 L
1.2 L Petrol AMT – Rs. 7.82 L
1.2 L Petrol + CNG MT – Rs. 8.26 L
1.2 L Petrol + CNG AMT – Rs. 8.87 L
1.2 L Petrol MT – Rs. 7.43 L
1.2 L Petrol + CNG MT – Rs. 8.48 L
1.2 L Petrol MT – Rs. 7.87 L
1.2 L Petrol AMT – Rs. 8.48 L
1.2 L Petrol MT – Rs. 8.21 L
1.2 L Petrol AMT – Rs. 8.81 L
1.2 L Petrol + CNG MT – Rs. 9.26 L
1.2 L Petrol + CNG AMT – Rs. 9.87 L
| MODELS | ON-ROAD PRICE COMPARISON | |
| PETROL | CNG | |
| Tata Tiago | Rs. 6.21 – Rs. 8.93 L | Rs. 7.43 L – Rs. 9.98 L |
| Maruti Suzuki Swift | Rs. 6.59 – Rs. 10.09 L | Rs. 8.87 – Rs. 9.61 L |
| Hyundai Grand i10 Nios | Rs. 6.65 – Rs. 9.13 L | Rs. 8.79 – Rs. 9.76 L |
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Check out on Video Review on Tata Tiago iCNG AMT.