Tata Tigor - Is It Priced Right?

With the prices of the Tata Tigor now out, we take a look at the value it offers

Tata has launched its sub-4m compact sedan, the Tigor, in India and the prices are a bit unexpected. Keeping the Tiago’s cutthroat entry-level price as a yardstick, the Tigor is off by quite a margin. The Tigor’s petrol range starts from Rs 4.70 lakh and goes up to Rs 6.19 lakh, while the diesel range starts from Rs 5.60 lakh and ends at Rs 7.09 lakh for the XZ(O) variant.

Read - Launch report of the Tata Tigor

Here’s the detailed variant-wise price list of the Tata Tigor:

Tigor petrol vs. Tigor diesel

The Tigor is available with a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.05-litre diesel engine. The diesel engine is smaller and less powerful than its petrol counterpart by 15PS (read our detailed first drive review of the Tigor to know how it is to drive) and doesn’t justify the Rs 90,000 premium it attracts over the petrol Tigor. A price premium of Rs 60,000-70,000 over the petrol Tigor would have been apt considering the size and abilities of the diesel motor.

Interesting Read - Design decode: Tata Tiago

Tata Tigor vs. Tata Tiago

The Tigor has the obvious sedan-advantage over the Tiago. Compared to the Tiago, its cabin is more spacious, and its boot can swallow more luggage too. But does the Tigor justify the additional Rs 1 lakh (almost) over the Tiago?

Here’s a look at the variant-wise prices (ex-showroom Delhi) of the Tiago and the Tigor.

The jump from Tiago to Tigor is of Rs 90,000, which is in the same ballpark as in the Honda Brio-Amaze case. Like Honda in the latter, Tata has also increased the Tiago’s wheelbase, and it has resulted in more cabin space. While the Tigor’s cabin is roomy, its 419-lt boot is also the most spacious in its segment, and we like how innovatively Tata has designed the boot’s opening mechanism to ensure maximum loading space.

Read in detail - What the Tigor offers over the Tiago

Spec comparison - Tigor vs rivals

Tata is maintaining a premium position for the Tigor in comparison to the Tiago, which is why you see a more feature-loaded XZ(O) variant on the Tigor rather than the barebones XB variant which the Tiago gets. The Tigor skips the mid-level XM variant as well.

The difference in price and equipment is the most apparent in the XT variant, which gets the following useful additions over the Tiago XT:

• ABS with EBD and corner stability control
• Driver seat height adjustment
• Cooled glovebox
• Steering-mounted controls
• LED turn indicators on ORVMs
• Rear power outlet
• Front fog lamps
• Adjustable front headrests
• Foldable rear seat armrest with cupholders
• Boot lamp
• LED fuel and temp gauge

The Tigor XE is as equipped as the Tiago XE. The Tigor XZ gets projector headlamps, LED turn indicators on ORVMs, rear power outlet and rear armrest over the Tiago XZ. Because Tata offers an optional kit with the Tiago’s XE, XM and XT variants, which includes features like height adjustable driver’s seat, dual front airbags and seatbelt pre-tensioner with load limiter, the Tiago comes out as a better deal for people who pick safety over creature convenience.

Since the Tiago-Tigor combination undercuts the other hatchback-compact sedan combinations by quite a margin, a price differential of Rs 90,000 between the Tata siblings appears on the higher side at first glance.

Food for thought - Our features wishlist for the Tigor

Verdict

Tata set high hopes when it launched the Tiago in India at Rs 3.20 lakh. The Tigor, being based on the Tiago, was expected to carry an aggressive price tag. Compared to the Tiago, the Tigor justifies the Rs 90,000 premium. What you get for the price differential - a roomier cabin, a segment-leading boot and an attractive looking package.

The Tigor diesel looks overpriced in comparison to the Tigor petrol, which is more powerful. While the 1.05-litre diesel engine makes sense for the hatchback, it’s inadequate for the sedan.

To price the Tigor, Tata had a big window of over Rs 2 lakh within which it had to maintain the right distance from the Tiago to ensure that the hatchback continues to deliver the exceptional value that it does, and still remain so far from the compact sedan segment to make buyers think twice before opting for rivals. The company has just managed to do that with the petrol Tigor.

Read More on : Tigor 2017