Tata Tiago 1.2 XM Review: Car of the People
- 11 hours ago
- 3 min read
By: Dylan Naidoo
Tata has a long-standing presence in South Africa, starting in the 90s making commercial vehicles and began making passenger cars during the mid-2000s with the Tata Indica. The Indica predominantly sat amongst the cheapest cars in South Africa, but this was not enough to resolve the dwindling sales and poor brand perception of Tata in South Africa. As such, the brand left the South African market in 2019. However, recent market shifts in South Africa have reinvigorated interest from Tata, especially the budget car and crossover market segment.
For many manufacturers, small, zippy budget cars have begun to slip out of focus, with rising prices and manufacturers shifting focus to inexpensive crossovers. This leaves budget car buyers with very limited options in South Africa. Whilst options are limited, they are not completely gone. Suzuki has committed to their Celerio and S-Presso, Renault with their Kwid, and now Tata has re-entered the South African market with their new 2026 Tata Tiago, a budget hatchback for the people.
Engineering and Technical Specifications
Our model for review was the base 1.2 XM model. The Tata Tiago features a 1.2L engine ‘Revotron Engine’ that offers quick and efficient acceleration. In our testing, acceleration was decent, with the car handling better than expected and maintaining high speeds even with air-conditioning active. The 5-speed manual gearbox shifts smoothly with minimal effort, making for a good, all-round driving experience. Fuel consumption is estimated to be 5.0L/100km. Ride quality was decent for the price, with good ground clearance offering a comfortable drive over rough road. Overall, the car excels with its good ride quality and powerful engine.
In terms of technology, the car is equipped with many comfort features. Whilst the air-conditioning controls look quite familiar to those with budget cars from the mid-2010s, I actually appreciate the controls this way. Budget car buyers hold onto their cars for a long time, so the people buying this type of car do not want to feel overloaded with new styled controls. Saying this, the car features a digital speed-o-meter and gauges, and a new touchscreen infotainment screen, a welcoming change for current budget cars. The infotainment screen features physical volume controls in the form of buttons and controls on the steering wheel, so navigating the infotainment screen is rather simple. All of these elements make the driving experience enjoyable, adding many comfort features whilst also retaining simplistic driving controls.
Interior and Space
For a car of this size, one of the main topics of discussion is space. I am happy to report that spacing in the Tiago is phenomenal. The roofing sits quite high, so the car can comfortably seat tall occupants. Frontal leg room is acceptable considering the car’s size and back seating is especially spacious, offering a good amount of leg room. What really surprised me was the boot space. Tata advertises a 242L boot, quite large for a small hatchback. The boot is very practical, and I appreciate that not much real estate is taken from the rest of the car to accommodate this boot.
The interior looks and feels fantastic, being made up mostly of durable plastic. The car contains dual cupholders on the sides, electric windows and a multi-usb setup. For the price, the interior and space of the car is great.
Design
The design brings me back to those ‘before and after’ videos I used to watch on YouTube back in the day. Seriously, when I heard that the Tiago was the replacement for the Indica, I was in sheer disbelief. Going from the design of the old Indica to the Tiago is one of the biggest automotive glow ups I’ve seen in my life. It is a handsome looking hatchback, with a subdued design that makes the car look sleek. Grills are not too big but rather flow accordingly with the rest of the car’s design. Overall, I personally consider the Tiago to be the best-looking hatchback in its segment, a real competitor to other well-established brands.
Pricing and Overall Thoughts
Pricing for the Tata Tiago starts at R189 900 for the manual base trim, and R224 900 for the automatic version. With regards to our version for testing, I think the Tiago offers a well-equipped experience with an overall decent size and fantastic design. It is a true competitor to other established South African car brands and stands out with its vibrant design and fantastic value for money.
Comments