Tata Tiago JTP Review
Car Tested: Tata Tiago JTP, Tigor JTP; Road Test No. 1012; Test Location: Coimbatore
Price Ex-Showroom: Rs. 6.39 lakhs (Tiago JTP), Rs. 7.49 lakhs (Tigor JTP)
The Tata Tiago JTP and Tigor JTP look stunning and deliver good performance too
Diwali is coming and Tata Motors has launched the Tiago JTP and Tigor JTP in India. These are performance oriented versions and have been engineered in partnership with Jayem Auto which is based out of Coimbatore. Normally whenever people talk about Tata cars, they are usually associated with MUVs, SUVs and commercial vehicles but a home grown automaker coming out with sporty cars made for enthusiasts is definitely a step in the right direction. We drove both the cars and here’s what we think about them.
The JTP cars look dope with all these exterior enhancements
Exteriors – On the outside, both the Tiago and Tigor come with a lot of sporty enhancements such as new front and rear bumpers, a hood scoop, blacked out roof, new projector headlamps which are also smoked out, revised tail lamps and so on. The cars also come with 15-inch diamond cut alloys with fatter Apollo Alnac rubber. Both these cars look stunning no doubt and the oomph quotient is quite high too. For now, only 2 colours will be offered – White with Red accents and Red with Black accents.
The all-black cabin theme works well, red accents add a sporty touch
Interiors – The interiors come with a few tweaks which lend a sporty look to the cabin. The roof lining gets black fabric and so does the upholstery on the door pads. The dashboard gets some piano black panels along with red accents. Along with this, the seats also get new fabric with JTP badging and red double stitching. The steering is wrapped in leather and feels great to hold, the gear lever gaiter also gets a leather cover and overall the interior feels like a good place to be in. In terms of features, these cars are more or less similar to the regular variants but both the cars now come with a 5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with 8 speakers. The speakers produce good sound quality but it misses out on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Tiago comes with a regular AC while the Tigor gets climate control too. I found the cooling in the Tigor to be much better than the Tiago. The Tiago gets only reverse parking sensors whereas its sedan sibling gets a rear view camera too.
The 1.2-litre Revotron engine makes more punch in the JTP cars than the Nexon
Performance – Enough of exteriors and interiors, we’re here for performance so let’s get to the heart of the matter. Under the hood of the JTP siblings is the same 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder, Revotron turbo petrol engine that also powers the petrol variant of the Nexon. However, it produces more power here and comes mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox unlike the 6-speed unit found on the Nexon. Delivering 114 PS at 5500 RPM and 150 Nm at 4500 RPM, this engine offers good performance. Low-end is just about decent but it is the mid-range where this engine shines and it delivers power seamlessly right up to the redline. The clutch is on the lighter side while the gearshifts are slightly notchy though far from rough.
Both the cars get similar power figures, yet the Tiago feels punchier
There is a considerable amount of difference in performance between the City and Sport modes
0-100 km/hr comes up in 9.95 seconds and 10.38 seconds in the Tiago and Tigor respectively. The engine is refined for most part but gets vocal at higher RPMs. 100 km/hr in 5th gear comes up at a notch above 2600 RPM. After driving both the cars back to back, I could feel a bit more pronounced lag under 2000 RPM in my Tigor test car compared to the Tiago. There are 2 driving modes on offer – City and Sport. Sport mode makes the engine feel more responsive while in City mode, performance is reduced in the interest of fuel efficiency. Talking about fuel efficiency, don’t expect anything more than 10-12 km/l. The Tiago being lighter than the Tigor by 35 kgs feels a bit more peppier to drive.
The JTP siblings get well-balanced driving dynamics
Driving Dynamics – The steering of both the cars is pretty much direct and offers decent feedback too. The Tiago and Tigor have always been known for their good ride quality, the suspension on the JTP versions has been retuned and made stiffer but it is far from uncomfortable and still offers a pliant ride on most road surfaces. Ground clearance has been reduced to 166 mm and this coupled with the stiff suspension helps improve the composure of these cars while cornering as well as on the straights at speeds above the ton. Braking performance has also improved compared to the regular variants and so has the grip from the tyres because these cars come with 185 section Apollo Alnac rubber.
The Tiago JTP and Tigor JTP will appeal to those who found the other variants a bit underpowered
Verdict – More performance oriented cars in the mass-market segment is always a good news for enthusiasts. The Tata Tiago JTP and Tigor JTP look the part while also offering good driving feel and performance. These cars aren’t short on power anymore and make a good case for themselves in their respective segments. If you’re out in the market looking for budget performance cars, do consider these cars and test drive both of them to see which one suits you best.
The JTP cars will get 2 colours for now – Red with Black and White with Red
What’s Cool
* The sporty exteriors and interiors differentiates the cars very well
* The acceleration is strong and addictive with sporty exhaust note
* Handling and braking performance has improved
What’s Not So Cool
* No Apple CarPlay Android Auto connectivity
* Tiago misses out on climate control and reverse camera
Alternatives: Maruti Baleno RS, Ford Figo S
Tata has come a long way from utility vehicles to performance cars
Further Reading –
Tata Tiago JTP, Tigor JTP Video Review
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