Tata Aeris

The Tata Tigor has been reborn in a new avatar in the form of the Aeris compact sedan. It takes the basic formula that has defined the Tigor for a decade now, added a new design language, expanded the feature list and of course offers a diverse powertrain layout. But is that enough for the Aeris to take on established players like the Maruti Dzire, Honda Amaze and the Hyundai Aura? We take a deep dive into what the new Tata offers to answer those questions.

The Aeris has the same basic shape as the Tigor but a whole load of new elements to make it look different from its predecessor. The face is dominated by the black Tata grille, while the lower half is black in colour and adds some muscle to the overall look. Move over to the side, and you can see that the only major difference between a petrol Accomplished and a CNG-powered Accomplished variant is that the former gets 15-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, and this one gets 14-inch style wheels.

The rear is a lot more interesting, as it Tata’s given us quite a bit to look at in terms of elements, the biggest of which are the tail lamps. They have individual elements in them, giving the distinct look, while the boot lid has been redesigned and adds some extra flair to the overall look. The Aeris like its hatch sibling, retains the essence of the style but also has enough new elements to give it its own identity and may be in the larger scheme of things have its own narrative as Tata’s only sedan offering.

Unlike most of the competition, Tata actually offers almost its entire range as top-spec, fully-loaded models. This means if you want CNG but still want all the toppings, Tata will definitely have a flavour for you. Key features on this top-spec model include a dual digital screen, a 360-degree camera with multi-view and DVR, climate control with rear AC vents, rain-sensing wipers, ventilated front seats, leatherette upholstery in two colour schemes, and an LED light package.

In terms of space, the front occupants get a pretty good deal with enough headroom, leg room and shoulder room. The centre console (and has a large animal easter egg) is low, which means you get that little extra bit of space and can make a difference on longer journeys. Row two is a mixed bag with enough knee room but a tight fit when it comes to shoulder room and headroom, though in the case of the latter that’s also due to the shape of the roofline.

The Aeris, like everything else in Tata’s CNG range, uses the automaker’s twin-cylinder tech that splits the system into two 35-litre tanks and places it lower in the boot, allowing you to claw back some of the real estate in the back of the car. It’s also worth noting here that Tata has also redesigned the boot mechanism switching from the hinge-like system of the outgoing model to struts that sit on the edge, expanding the available boot space once again.

It uses the same 1.2-litre three-pot petrol engine from the Tiago and, in CNG guise, produces 74bhp and 96.5Nm. It can be had with either a five-speed MT or a five-speed AMT. If the CNG tank has sufficient amount of gas then the car will start in CNG mode by default and having to switch between petrol and CNG can be done on the fly using this button. CNG power is available across the complete variant matrix with CNG AMT starting from the Pure variant onwards. In CNG guise, there is no distance to empty on the fuel gauge, and the CNG and petrol filler point are located on the same side of the vehicle.

For lack of a better term, the engine is very motivated to keep you going but in the process, gets extremely noisy and produces a lot of vibrations, especially in CNG mode. You can feel them on the steering wheel, doors and even the gear lever/selector dial. Part of this is due to the three-cylinder nature of the engine but also due to average NVH insulation.

As a car to drive, the Aeris in this CNG AMT guise is not lacking motivation. The three-cylinder engine is responsive at city speeds and always ensures you are never wanting for more. The low-speed ride is very good, with the car riding flat, and with good ground clearance, it takes most bumps, potholes and undulations without any struggle. Out on the highway, the Aeris continues to deliver and, with some motivation, can hit three-digit speeds and stay there, but you have to really push the car for that. The steering weighs up nicely as you go faster and even at high speeds the car continues to feel stable, even over bumps and undulations.

Over the course of the day, we drove 138 km in a mixed bag of conditions: stop-and-go traffic, large city roads and multi-lane highways with elevations and flat stretches. Added to this we also had to shoot car, along the way further adding to the load on the engine. Our visit to the pump showed us that we had consumed 5.38kgs of CNG, and with the formula of 138kms/5.38kgs we got a real-world mileage of 25.6kms per kg.

Tata was the pioneer when it came to CNG AMT and the mileage figures that this car offers proves Tata’s provided a pretty efficient package that combines ease of use of a two-pedal package with the economy a CNG provides. What’s more, CNG does not mean compromise; if you are willing to spend, then Tata is offering you a fully-loaded Aeris with all the bells and whistles.

But the car is not without its issues: visibility from the instrument cluster is very poor in direct sunlight, the vibrations from the engine are significant in CNG mode and you can feel it in the steering wheel, gear selector dial and even on the doors. Finally, Tata also needs to work on its after-sales service as well as quality issues. Major rivals for the Aeris include the Hyundai Aura, Honda Amaze and the Maruti Dzire. The Aura offers space-saving tech in the boot, while the Dzire now has CNG AMT as an option for its range.

Photography: Kaustubh Gandhi and Tata Motors