Tata Tiago XZA review (post driving it for 32000 kms)

Tata Tiago XZA review (post driving it for 32000 kms)

I own an XZA variant of Tata Tiago which I got in August 2017. The car is mostly used for city driving in NCR and for occasional trips to places like Shimla, Lucknow, Rishikesh, and Saharanpur. Now that I have driven my Tiago for 32000 kms and have driven it in different conditions, I am attempting to write a brief review of the car. I would like to highlight the positives first. To start with, the best thing I like about the car is the infotainment system although I would have preferred a touch screen. The sound quality is so good that it is incomparable to that of the cars even of a segment above. Even the navigation system with its limitations is helpful. Secondly, the mileage of the car is very good. It is giving me a mileage of 18 km/ltr without AC and 16 km/ltr with AC. The car really starts coming into its own on the highway where it gives a mileage of 20 km/ltr without AC. Thirdly, the drive quality is good for the daily city ride where u don't need sudden acceleration to get past vehicles. The AMT is useful in traffic and the creep function adds to the convenience. Fourthly, the AMC package being offered at the time of purchase by Tata is very useful as it reduces the burden on the owner for 3 years. I have had 5 services for my car so far and have not spent more than a few hundred on weights and lubricants. Everything else including service charge, engine oil change, wheel alignment/ balancing charge, labor charge, etc. are covered under the gold AMC plan that I had opted for additional Rs. 15,000 at the time of purchase of the car. It's time to pen down a few negative points which I felt on various occasions during these 1.4 years. Firstly and most importantly, the AMT is not very responsive which makes the entire driving experience dull and boring. The process of picking up the car from a stationary position is not at all smooth and the inertia of the car is felt through the AMT gearbox. The lag is such that one tends to press the accelerator too much which makes the car pick up suddenly and might be dangerous if something/ someone is nearby. The ordeal of initiating a reverse in a crowded area is even worse. It took me a few months to get used to it. Even when you are trying to overtake on the highway, the car is slow to respond to the acceleration and there is a good chance that you lose the opportunity to overtake by the time the engine responds. Secondly, the handling of the car I feel is too smooth and at times u feel that there should be some stability in the handling. It's so light that at times u feel the need for some firmness while driving. Thirdly, it is very difficult to start or reverse on a slope or climb due to its less response. I faced this difficulty in Shimla where it refused to pick up on a slope. I had to restart the ignition to move. To conclude, I would say that the Tata Tiago XZA is a decent car for someone who is on a budget and whose needs are limited to slow city driving with fewer hassles and good mileage. Personally, I would have clearly expected a little more from Tata in terms of driving experience. Even though it is a budget car, the driver does not need to feel like a poor man deprived of all the power, response and feel. It's a total NO if u are a driving enthusiast.