Tata Tiago EV: Final Long Term Report

The Tiago EV leaves the CarDekho garage after a drama-free three months. 

4500km on the odometer later, the Tiago EV drives and rides like the day it arrived for test a little over three months ago. Here are our final thoughts, of what felt just right and what didn’t. 

Your First EV Car! 

It’s surprising how easy it is for anyone to get used to the Tiago EV. This remains one of the highlights of the Tiago EV experience. Simply anyone, including a driving newbie, can get used to it in a matter of minutes. The compact size, super light steering wheel and predictable power delivery all help in their own little way to give you confidence behind the wheel. 

In fact, if budget isn’t a bother, you’d do well to pick the electric version over the standard petrol. Common complaints of the petrol Tiago include vibrations, average performance and a slow automatic transmission — all of which get addressed with the EV. The long range version of the Tiago EV also gets a more powerful motor. 

Just What You Need

For its price, the Tiago EV packs all the essentials. There’s some flash value in the form of daytime running lamps and projector headlamps. A very, very odd miss are alloy wheels, which would’ve had the Tiago looking more upmarket. The feature list, too, is comprehensive, with bits like keyless start, climate control and cruise control. 

For the price, there’s very little you’d want more of. There are weird misses, however, such as front armrests. Our test car came with a reverse camera, but oddly no parking sensors. 

Also, the infotainment experience – the touchscreen resolution/response and the basic calculator-like instrument cluster – just seem out of place in 2024. 

Charge At Home, Charge Whenever You Can! 

We pointed this out in our initial report, and we simply have to once again. Having a charger at home is an absolute necessity for a vehicle like the Tiago EV. By the end of the test term, I was largely sure of it being able to deliver anywhere between 180-200km of range on a charge. However, having to depend on public charging infrastructure meant I had to plan around charges. 

I also found myself charging the Tiago EV at every opportunity I could. Getting it topped up wasn’t the objective. Simply gaining back the charge I had spent seemed enough. For instance, driving from Thane to Pune for work would have the battery down to 10-15%. The Tiago EV would almost immediately be plugged in as I went about my day. By the end of the work day, there was more than enough charge to make the run back home. 

Overall, it’s easy to live with a Tiago EV, provided you make a small shift in mindset. You also learn how to drive an EV more efficiently as you spend more time behind the wheel. 

With that out of the way, here’s a list of all that kinda went wrong or could be better: 

• The wrap on the rear right door handle shows signs of peeling. A hard plastic trim would’ve been better here. 

• White interiors are super prone to staining. You will need to spend time, effort and money keeping it pristine. 

• There’s no spare wheel on offer, though the puncture repair kit is a neat touch. 

• Battery pack placed under the floor means a raised seating position. The driver’s seat is adjustable for height. Sadly, the co-driver ends up sitting higher than usual with their knees up. Those taller than 6 feet will feel cramped here. 

• Placement of the regen switches could’ve been better. It’s not the most intuitive to use, especially on the go. 

• In-cabin storage is pretty much unusable. 

Fundamentally, the Tiago EV is a vehicle that scores well on ease of use, convenience and creature comforts. It is only beginning to show its age in terms of the infotainment experience. If the sticker price seems acceptable to you and charging at home and/or office is possible at all times, the Tiago EV can be a strong contender. If your usage is around 100-150km on a fixed route, the cost benefits of running an electric vehicle can truly be reaped. 

All that Tata needs to do now is focus on its quality control and after-sales experience. Reports from owners about breakdowns and glitches raise an eyebrow if not a doubt about the product’s reliability. 

If and when all works well, the Tiago EV is a great example of what a good city EV is supposed to be like.