Tata Tiago gets safer with safety features now standard across all variants

The Tata Tiago hatchback is among the better built budget cars in India. The car is heavier than its competitors, and feels solidly put together. It’s now gotten safer than before thanks to the upcoming Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Program (BNVSAP) norms, which prescribe a minimum level of safety equipment on all cars sold in India. Tata Motors has now equipped the Tiago with ABS, reverse parking sensors, seat belt reminder and twin airbags across all variants. These standard safety features will do their bit to make the Tiago safer. However, it must be remembered that the biggest factor of safety in any car is the person behind the wheel. Drive with common sense, and make sure you stick to the prescribed speed limit.

Coming to the other aspects of the Tiago, the car has been largely responsible for putting brand Tata back into the desirable set of brands in India. The Tiago is a best seller for Tata Motors, and has retained this status for years. Now though, sales seem to be slipping as the Tata Tiago is also hit by the general slowdown in the car industry. To fight this, Tata Motors has lined up a facleifted version of the Tiago and its butch-looking sibling, the NRG. Both the Tiago and the NRG variant will get the facelift shortly, and this makeover will include revised styling at the front and rear, new features on the inside, and possibly a mild refresh to the interiors as well.

Tata Motors is planning to move away from turbo diesel engines on its small cars as the upcoming Bharat Stage 6 (BS6) norms would make emission compliance very expensive for diesel cars in budget segments. This means that the 1.1 liter-3 cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, which is offered on the Tiago, NRG and Tigor, could be done away with. Tata is likely to go with petrol engines with these cars. The 1.2 liter REVOTRON petrol engine, which is available in naturally aspirated and turbocharged trims, is likely to be offered on the car. This motor makes 84 Bhp-115 Nm in naturally aspirated trim, and 112 Bhp-150 Nm in turbocharged trim. It gets 5 speed manual and AMT options.

Currently, only the high performance versions of the cars – the Tiago and Tigor JTP – are offered with the 1.2 liter turbo petrol engine. With the advent of the BS6 norms, the turbo petrol engine could be offered in a different state of tune in lower variants as well considering the fact that emission norms compliance with a turbo petrol engine is a lot more easier than a naturally aspirated motor. Also, we expect Tata to offer a CNG trim for the 1.2 liter petrol, making the Tiago, NRG and Tigor more attractive to those seeking a cost effective alternative to diesel.