7 Things That Make The Tata Tiago The Perfect First Car

The 2023 Tiago is a feature-loaded hatchback with great driveability and a wealth of choice for buyers

In a segment crowded with boring hatchbacks and impractically compact vehicles, the Tata Tiago stands out with its value-friendly yet exciting, fun-to-drive package. Over the years, there have been some memorable iterations of the Tiago – from the off-road-friendly NRG to numerous funky limited editions. 

Today, the Tiago is a cutesy, stylish and determined hatchback that offers a wide range of options ranging from the Tiago iCNG that’s easy on your pocket to the Tiago NRG, which isn’t afraid to stray off the pavement and get its wheels dirty. 

Here are seven reasons why the Tata Tiago might fit your lifestyle: 

Unparalleled Safety: Four-star NCAP rating 

The Tiago bagged a four-star rating in Global NCAP crash tests – the highest among all its rivals that have been tested. This rating applies no matter which variant of the Tiago you pick; the standard safety kit consists of dual airbags, ABS, corner stability control, rear parking sensors and a first-in-segment puncture repair kit. 

If you move up the trim level ladder, the Tiago rewards not just with better features, but also safety systems such as a tyre-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), rear parking camera and a rear defogger. 

Cool-looking hatchback 

The Tiago still looks well-proportioned with its clean front-end styling and moustache-like lower grille. It sports a cool set of projector headlights with LED DRLs alongside dual-tone roof options that push the cool quotient further upwards. In addition, the Tiago gets a generous helping of chrome below the front grille and on the door handles and tailgate. Over on the sides, the Tiago’s hatchback silhouette is as familiar as ever, with snazzy five split-spoke alloy wheels that give the hatchback a great stance. 

It’s even offered in a rugged, SUV-inspired NRG variant that gets 15-inch “Hyperstyle” dual-tone alloy wheels, squircle wheel arches and ample cladding on the sides. With a prominent silver faux skid plate and additional bumper trim elements, the Tiago NRG looks tough and ready to take on the rough stuff. 

Big power: RDE-ready petrol options 

The Tiago offers a simplified choice of powertrains with a single 1.2-litre, BS6 phase II compliant petrol engine on offer. It’s no slouch with its 86PS output, and it has been tweaked and updated for better smoothness and fuel efficiency than before, returning up to 20.09kmpl. 

It’s offered with a five-speed manual gearbox as standard, alongside the choice of an AMT automatic that makes more sense for people living in crowded cities. It provides a convenient yet equally fuel-efficient option. Moreover, the Tiago and its off-road-ready NRG version both get CNG options. The Tiago iCNG hatchback’s fuel efficiency is rated at 26.49km per kg of CNG!  

CNG economy without lagging performance  

Even in CNG mode, the Tiago iCNG still makes a healthy 73.4PS power, enough to blur the difference between petrol and CNG performance in everyday driving conditions. Moreover, the Tiago’s OEM-engineered CNG system is so well integrated that it uses a single ECU, making it the only hatchback you can start directly in CNG mode. It’s also unique since it has a CNG option available with the fully-loaded, top-spec trim level with all the features. 

The Tiago’s CNG hardware offers less delay in switching engine maps and the system gets fail-safes such as leak-proof stainless steel tubing and a micro switch that automatically switches off the engine whenever the fuel lid is opened. 

Tata Tiago NRG ready for the rough 

A rare survivor in the cross-hatchback segment, Tiago NRG adds an off-road-friendly look and better rough-road handling capabilities than the standard Tiago. It has a higher ground clearance of 181mm and has functional additions such as roof rails, side cladding, faux skid plates and squircle wheel arches. It gets a heavily reworked, armoured front end with bullbar-like trim elements and a chunky silver faux skid plate.  

It gets the same petrol-manual, petrol-AMT and CNG powertrain options as the standard hatchback. However, it also keeps its value proposition intact with all the bells and whistles of the standard Tiago, such as halogen projector headlights, a seven-inch touchscreen, Harman eight-speaker audio system, digitised instrument cluster, PEPS push-button start stop and keyless entry, auto-folding mirrors and steering-mounted audio controls. It’s also the only cross-hatchback to offer a CNG option. 

Feature-loaded hatchback 

Tata cars don’t skimp on features, and the Tiago is no different, getting projector headlights, DRLs and sporty 15-inch alloys on the outside. Inside, the hatchback is loaded with a seven-inch Harman infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, paired with a splendid eight-speaker Harman sound system (rivals offer four or six speakers). Other equipment highlights are the automatic climate control that can be accessed from the touchscreen (only offered in the Tiago, not the NRG variant), steering mounted audio controls, a height adjustable driver’s seat, a cooled glovebox, a digitised driver’s display, rear wiper with washer and the aforementioned PEPS system. 

Best warranty in segment 

All Tiago hatchbacks come with a standard warranty of three years, assuring years of hassle-free ownership. Moreover, the warranty covers a mileage of up to 1 lakh kilometres, which lets you drive around as much as you like without worrying about warranty issues. This warranty is the best you can get in the Tiago’s segment. 

In conclusion, there’s a Tata Tiago for almost everyone out there. The carmaker has constantly and continuously honed the Tiago’s various aspects – the engine, aesthetics, equipment list and safety kit. In 2023, it’s better than ever and makes for a great first car for new driver’s, too. The price is just the icing on the top, since the Tiago is offered in a wide variety of closely priced variants that give you more freedom to pick and choose the features, accessories and drivetrain you want. At the entry-level, the Tiago costs Rs 5.54 lakh, going up to Rs 8.05 lakh for the most efficient top-spec CNG variant.

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