Tata Tiago NRG

Return of the Crossover Hatchback?

Over two decades ago, Tata Motors took its first step towards becoming a mainstream car maker in India with the launch of the Tata Indica, their first ever hatchback. And the Indica left a lasting impression. The Tata Tiago is a spiritual successor to the Indica, taking over from the Tata Bolt in 2016. It has almost nothing in common with the old icon, and has evolved drastically over the years. To make things interesting, Tata Motors have also added a more rugged variant to its line up, called the Tiago NRG. But is the Tiago NRG all show? Or does it have any rugged substance behind it too? 

Tata Tiago NRG Pros and Cons 

Tata Tiago NRG Exterior Design

The Tata Tiago NRG boasts a significantly more rugged design than any other car in its segment. But, unlike some older cars like the Volkswagen Cross Polo which only had visual differences, the Tiago NRG is actually more rugged than its standard sibling, since it boasts a whole 11 mm of extra ground clearance. This gives the NRG a slightly taller stance. While this adds practicality, it doesn't look as appealing as the Cross Polo or Hyundai i20 Active of the past.

Higher ground clearance aside, the Tiago NRG also gets body cladding on all sides. The front and rear bumpers are reworked to be ready for rougher roads, and there is cladding on the sides as well. While some of the cladding is useful to avoid chipping paint while going over rough roads, some are less useful — like the one on the boot lid. Just like the added height, the cladding doesn’t do much for the Tiago NRG's appearance. You also get roof rails, but they are aesthetic as well, with no load carrying capabilities.

Tata Tiago NRG Interiors 

The interior of the Tiago NRG is identical to the Tiago, which borrows its interior design language from other Tata Motors’ cars. The dashboard gets an island-like area in the centre which houses the centre air-con vents, infotainment screen, and a few other quick access buttons. The dual-tone finish looks premium, and while some surfaces are finished in hard plastic, they don't feel low quality. The overall design is very natural and premium, and feels like it’s from a segment above. Specific to the NRG are some colour-specific panels inside the car, which match the exterior colour of the car.

The cabin is good on the practicality front too. There’s plenty of storage spaces all around, including a cooled glovebox. However the bottle holders in the door pockets aren’t large enough to hold one-litre bottles. The boot space however — at 242 litres — is smaller than rivals, and space is at a premium. Thanks to Tata’s dual-cylinder technology though, the iCNG variants offer a usable boot space unlike its CNG powered rivals from other brands, where the cylinder completely takes up the boot.

Tata Tiago NRG Comfort

Despite looking rugged from the outside, there is no escaping the fact that the Tata Tiago NRG is a compact B-segment hatchback. The cabin is fairly narrow, and consecutively, front passengers are seated pretty close to each other. The front seats are wide and offer a good amount of comfort, but the cushioning isn’t very soft. While this may be slightly uncomfortable on shorter distances, firmer cushioning is much better for long journeys, and for those of you who are looking to take many road trips in your rugged hatch, this will come in handy. 

A similar story continues at the back. The rear seats are pretty flat and the cushioning is slightly firm. The cabin is also not wide enough to accommodate three passengers at the back comfortably, and passengers will have to squeeze in to make space. Knee and leg room isn’t very bad, but it's not generous either. Taller passengers will also be left wanting for more headroom. The headrests are also fixed, and won’t offer any whiplash protection in the event of a crash. The suspension does a fair job of rounding off bumps and potholes, but it is not up to the levels of rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Celerio.

Tata Tiago NRG Performance and Handling

The Tata Tiago NRG packs a fair bit of punch when it comes to performance. It is powered by a 3-cylinder engine that can be had in either petrol or petrol + CNG configurations. The engine is fairly spirited and tractable, and driving at low revs in the city is easy. Even when running on CNG, the engine doesn't feel out of breath, and can handle most duties seamlessly. The 3-cylinder engine, however, doesn’t enjoy being pushed hard, and vibrations creep into the cabin at higher revs. In fact, the overall NVH insulation levels are quite low, and it leaves room for improvement. The Tiago NRG handles city roads pretty well, and it stays stable at highway speeds as well. However, despite its rugged looks, it is not meant to take on any sort of off-road duties, but the suspension can handle a few rough and broken roads fairly well.

Tata Tiago NRG Key Specifications 

Tata Tiago NRG Safety Features

As is Tata’s forte, the Tiago NRG scores great on the safety front. The Tata Tiago scored a 4-star GNCAP crash test rating for adult occupant protection and 3-star rating for child occupant protection, making it one of the safest B-segment hatchbacks in our country. The Tiago NRG being the same car underneath all the cladding will likely receive the same score. It is equipped with all the safety features that you’d come to expect from a car in its segment, like dual airbags, ABS, EBD, corner stability control, brake assist, front seat belt pretensioners and load limiters, rear parking camera with sensors and dynamic guidelines, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Tata Tiago NRG Technology and Infotainment

The Tata Tiago NRG is decently equipped for a car of its size. It gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and the system is paired to an immersive 8-speaker Harman sound system that delivers segment-leading audio quality. The infotainment system can also be used to access a few other features, including an image and video playback mode, and reversing camera. Behind the steering wheel is a small digital instrument cluster, which displays helpful information, including the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) readouts, trip computers, speed readouts, and more. The Tiago is also equipped with a cooled glovebox, USB charging port, and push-button start.

Is the Tata Tiago NRG for You?

The constantly evolving Indian automotive market is gravitating towards SUVs in almost every segment. With the introduction of micro SUVs like the Hyundai Exter and Tata Punch, the case for B-segment hatchbacks gets weaker by the day, thanks to the added practicality of these small SUVs. The Tiago NRG sits somewhere in between micro SUVs and hatchbacks. With its appearance, the Tiago NRG looks like a tiny touring car, and the 11 mm higher ground clearance makes it at par with micro SUVs when it comes to handling rough and broken roads. Yes, a more refined engine and a more comfortable suspension setup would have rounded the package better, but the expanse of features on offer coupled with the tidy looking interiors make the Tata Tiago NRG a desirable purchase. The iCNG variants’ usable boot space is a plus for someone who is specifically in the market for a CNG car, and the Tiago NRG is a hatchback that can handle most of your daily commute requirements and short weekend road trips without fuss.