Tata launches Vista D90 at Rs. 5.99 lakh, top-end at Rs. 6.83 lakh

Tata has offiicially launched the Tata Vista D90 in two variants – priced at Rs. 5.99 lakh for the VX and Rs. 6.83 lakh for the Tata Vista D90 ZX+ variant. The big talking point with this car is the 90PS, 1.3 litre multi-jet diesel engine, making this Vista variant a powerful and feature loaded car, and at the price it has been launched at, it is good value for money. The vehicle was soft-launched in limited numbers a month ago, but it’s now being sold throughout the country.

The Tata Vista D90 is mechanically almost identical to the Fiat Punto 90HP, as it uses the same engine and powertrain, but Tata has gone ahead and loaded the car with other goodies, which it hopes will appeal to enthusiasts as well as those looking for a spacious, powerful, value-for-money premium hatchback. And a small but significant point is that Tata has completely dropped the “Indica” badging from the Vista altogether.  Also see: Tata Vista 90 launched

What’s new with the Tata Vista D90?

Sporty exterior styling

On the exteriors there are some subtle styling changes that differentiate the Vista D90 from its 75PS siblings. The Vista D90 comes with a contrast roof – the roof panel is painted black in contrast to the body colour of the car. The top-end ZX+ variant also comes with a body kit, which includes sporty bumpers with airdam, new fog lamp housing, rear spoiler and alloy wheels, in addition to the D90 Quadrajet badging on the boot. Also read: Tata-Fiat breakup – what this means for you?

More power and performance

Under the hood, the Vista D90 gets a 1248 cc cc multijet 4-cylinder diesel engine sourced from Fiat, which puts out 89bhp of power at 4000 rpm and 200 Nm of torque at 1750-3000 rpm, mated to a five-speed manual transmission. Tata has tweaked the transmission and improved NVH levels to quite an extend in the Vista D90, that it is almost one of the quietest cars in its segment. The company claims an overall ARAI certified fuel efficiency of 21.12 kmpl, which is a pretty competitive mileage figure.

The performance figures that Tata claims are also impressive, with a 0-60 kmph time of 6.3 seconds and 0-100 kmph time of 15.5 seconds, which is about a second faster than the Maruti Swift, and half a second faster than the Hyundai i20.  Also see: Tata Indica Vista Quadrajet video review

 

New interior styling

Tata has also differentiated the Vista D90’s interiors by borrowing from the Tata Manza parts bin. The dashboard has been taken from the Manza and the instruments are now in front of the driver instead of being centre mounted like the regular 75PS Vista. It also has two-tone beige and black interior upholstery with a silver finish centre console.

The car was always one of the most spacious in its segment, and those virtues remain. The driver’s seat features height adjustment and lumbar support adjustment. Boot space at 232 litres is adequate, while rear seat comfort is among the best in premium hatchbacks.

Loaded with convenience features

Tata has also tried to put one up on the competition by loading the Tata Vista 90 ZX+ with convenience features. The list of features include intelligent rear-wash wipe (rear wiper operates automatically if it’s raining and front wiper is on), automatic climate control with a sun-sensor (to increase cooling when in direct sunlight), follow-me home headlamps, multi-information display that shows fuel consumption and temperature among others, steering mounted audio controls, one-touch power windows and electric mirrors.

The infotainment system is a touchscreen-system that plays DVD, USB, Aux-in and includes GPS navigation – a feature only found on the Hyundai i20 (as an optional extra). It features Bluetooth that can pair up to five phones at a time, with steering call answer and hang-up buttons. It also includes a 12-volt charging point for rear seat passengers as well. All Vista D90 variants come with ABS as standard, while the ZX+ also gets two airbags and alloy-wheels. Also read: Top 3 feature loaded hatchbacks under Rs.8 lakh in India

The Vista D90 is available in five colours – ultra violet, spice red, porcelain white, cavern grey and jet silver. It comes with a two-year, 75,000 km standard warranty.

What we think

The Vista D90 is one of the best value-for-money cars in the premium hatchback segment. It undercuts the Maruti Swift and Hyundai i20 on pricing and beats them on most features (the i20 still has more to offer, but at a higher price). However, Tata still needs to work on the styling of the car. If there’s one drawback, it is in the imagery associated with the Tata Vista – it does not exude that exclusivity or outright attraction that buyers of premium hatchbacks seek. To its credit, it has tried to differentiate the car as best as it could using body kit and styling changes – but compared to its estranged cousin, the Fiat Punto, the Vista still has a tough task ahead of it.

For more on how this car performs read our First Drive impression of the Tata Vista D90 at the Buddh International Circuit