Tata Tiago vs Rivals: Specs Comparison

Tata Tiago is the very latest from Tata Motors, and it certainly looks the part. Finally. Yes, it has been a long time coming that we were waiting for Tata to take a leap, since small steps and even jumps weren't going to be enough. On paper and in the flesh the Tata Tiago seems to be giving us what we've been waiting to see from the company. I say that because I haven't driven it as yet! One look at the Tata Tiago and it instantly looks and feels like a contemporary entry hatch - one that will stand tall and in some ways stand out in a crowded segment of very competitive products. And there remains a dilemma on whether Tata Motors will position the Zica closer to the entry hatchbacks like Grand i10/Swift or i10/Celerio. For now I'm going with the former rather than the latter; you'll see why. And also why I have a dilemma!

Also Read: Tata Tiago Revealed

Tata Zica is also loaded with infotainment and comfort related features - including parking sensors, navigation, smartphone integration, Bluetooth and a Harman sound system. And while I still don't know if it's standard or optional - will have dual airbags. The car also has a crashworthy body structure we have been told - one that takes future regulations into account. That is encouraging indeed - especially coming from Tata Motors.

Also Read: Tata Tiago - Price, Pictures, Specifications and Features

Tata Zica may not have the space of the Ford Figo or even a car like the Toyota Etios but my first impression is that it's not cramped. But it appears to be a comprehensive package at first glance. The Hyundai Grand i10 rules the roost here and while you have other giants like the Maruti Suzuki Swift too, the new Ford Figo has suddenly started to seem benchmark-like too. So how does the Tata Zica stack up against those strong rivals? The first big point to take note of is the fact that it uses 3 cylinder engines - both petrol and diesel. The petrol is the now familiar Revotron though it's a 3 pot unlike the Zest/Bolt's engine. It punches out 83 bhp and a decent 114 Nm of torque.

The oil burner engine is the first of what Tata is calling its new family of Revotorq Diesel engines. The idea has again been to downsize and gain efficiency. The 1 litre 3 cylinder unit has a generous 140Nm of torque kicking in at 1800rpm. I am curious to drive that and see how it performs. Output at 67bhp is definitely below the rivals but given the car's comic proportions it should be adequate. Again I will get into this in more detail once I drive the Tata Zica. For now let's compare the figures with the rivals. It has to be said though that the Grand i10 is also a 3 cylinder downsized engine, while the Swift uses the hugely successful Fiat multijet and Ford has the biggest and most powerful engine in the pack.

The move here seems to be an obvious one. Tata seems to want to play on the value card and so is looking to combine modern design with frugality. Expect excellent mileage figures and more importantly the most aggressive prices in this space - closer to the Wagon R/Celerio or i10's than the Maruti Suzuki Swift or Hyundai Grand i10's price tags.

Also Watch Video: Tata Zica First Look