Introduction
Tata has updated the Tiago for 2026, and it’s a big leap for the automaker’s little entry-level hatchback. It has got a new exterior design, updated interiors, upgraded feature list and even segment-first paddle shifters for the CNG range! So yes, a lot is going on for the Tata Tiago all of a sudden. In this review, we are going to look at the car in detail, tell you everything new, whether the upgrades are actually any good and whether Tata has raised the stakes for the entry-level hatchback game.
Exterior
The biggest change to the Tiago range is a completely new face for the hatchback. It has become sharper and with modern styling elements, yet managed to retain the essence of the Tiago range. Move over to the side, and you can see style wheels for the CNG model and new premium 15-inch alloy wheels for the petrol variant. At the rear, you can see the connected light bar and a new design for the tail lamps with individual lighting elements, giving the rear of the cars a different look.
In addition, you also get a completely new colour palette that’s a mix of standard shades and new pastel shades, a first for Tata. What we have for you is the Creative CNG in a shade Tata calls Pangong Pulse, while the petrol is a shade called Varanasi Vibrance. In the overall scheme of things, Tata has kept the essence of the Tiago by retaining its silhouette but by adding all the new design elements has brought the car into the purview of the modern buyer.
Interiors and Features
The biggest change inside is a new dashboard with a free-standing screen, new materials and new colour schemes. What’s more, Tata has also upgraded the upholstery and it ditches the black and grey combo of the outgoing model for a full grey fabric material that adds a new perspective to cabin design. The other big changes are an upgraded UI for the infotainment system and a brand new free-standing digital instrument cluster.
But that’s not all. Tata has also upgraded the feature list, and this Creative CNG AMT variant that we have driven gets things like 360-degree camera, blind spot monitor, full LED headlamps, rear AC vents, power mirrors, cooled glovebox and magazine pockets for the front row seatbacks.
Now, all of this sounds very exciting but how do these features actually stack up? Well, the interiors are great to look at and add a large dose of airiness, but this is a light colour, and in a dusty country like India, that’s going to be a challenge to maintain.
The infotainment system is one of the largest in the segment, and the interface, while fitted with some tweaks, is the same as the outgoing model. Easy to use with quick movements between sections, crisp quality graphics and a load of options if you don’t want to switch to phone mirroring. On the other hand, the instrument cluster struggles in direct sunlight, especially around the edges and could do with a much stronger backlight or a cowl.
The second row package is functional to say the least, with enough space for two occupants to sit comfortably, with the third one being quite a challenge. Feature-wise, there are AC vents (Pure+ A) onwards and seatback magazine pockets. There are no USB-C charging ports or even a phone pocket for the rear occupants but you do get magazine pockets, two of them on each seat back.
Boot space, especially in the CNG variant, is one to take a hard hit. Tata has fitted its twin-cylinder tech to the Tiago but even then it’s a tight fit. The standard car has a boot space of 242 litres, and while they have not officially revealed the numbers for this, you can tell it is not a whole lot to work with. But this is still better than before Tata introduced twin-cylinder CNG, where there was no boot space at all!
Much like the Altroz, the CNG line stops one below the top at the Creative trim and if you want a fully-loaded Tiago, then petrol is your only option. The Creative+ variant, which is Rs. 30,000 over the equivalent Creative variant, gets you dual wireless chargers, an IRA connected car app, LED fog lamps, a 65W USB-C fast charger and a dual-tone black roof. It’s only 30K more, but with no CNG option.
Engine and Powertrain
The standard engine found in this Tata Tiago, in fact the same engine since its launch in 2016 is Tata’s 1.2-litre three-pot petrol engine producing 85bhp and 113Nm of torque in petrol guise and 76bhp and 96Nm in CNG guise. It can be had with either a five-speed MT or a five-speed AMT for both powertrain options.
The petrol engine’s five-speed gearbox offers slick shifts and is a big step up from the manual gearboxes on older Tiago models. Tata has taken this opportunity to change the design of the gear lever in almost a decade and it has gone from the rectangular design to a more rounded one. A majority of the torque is present in between third and fourth gear an important move for city-speed driving. This means less rowing through the gears and in the long run lesser wear and tear on the clutch. The slick gearbox has been paired with a light clutch making even then most tedious of city driving an easy task.
The CNG AMT combination has been around for a bit but Tata has decided to up its game by adding paddle shifters to the whole package. The traditional Plus and Minus that one would find in the AMT box has now been relegated to the paddles and Tata has replaced the drive mechanism with a rotary dial. The CNG powertrain is lively to say the least and not all disappointing in terms of performance. The engine picks up speed quickly and manages to keep itself there without running out of steam and you can comfortably do highway speeds while also getting good mileage.
The gearbox is pretty smart in the fact that it will keep you in the meat of the torque band, and what’s more, Tata has managed to control the head-nod movement normally associated with automated manual gearboxes. The new shiny toys behind the steering wheel, the paddle shifters, are pretty responsive and create an involved driving experience if you feel like controlling these shifts yourself.
There are a few things you should know about this powertrain, though. One is the fact that when you can switch to CNG on the fly, there is no DTE for it on the cluster. The paddles won’t let you shift if you are in a gear too high for a speed too low or vice versa. Finally, if you use the paddles and want to switch back to full automatic mode, then you have to give the selector dial a small twirl between D and N to bring it back to automatic mode. Tata has not revealed One of the big figures that Tata has not revealed is claimed mileage, not for this petrol MT/AMT or even the CNG MT/AMT combination. We believe that the numbers will actually be pretty decent and should be able to give you these figures once the Tiago enters the CarTrade long-term garage later this year.
Ride and Handling
One of the standout elements of the Tiago is its ability to ride nicely. It effortlessly sails over large and small bumps, potholes, and imperfections without sending too much back to the cabin. It settles quickly if you go too hard into something but you need to be cautious about is the fact that this does not offer an SUV-like 180mm ground clearance and with a full tank of petrol, a full tank of CNG and five occupants, the car has a high chance of scraping if you aren't cautious.
Between the two, the CNG rides better due to the additional weight of the CNG tanks on the rear section of the vehicle. In terms of driving experience, the steering is light and easy to use at low speeds but does tend to weigh up as you go faster. It is also surprisingly accurate and for the most part is on point when it comes to the point-and-shoot directive. The way the torque, especially with this manual gearbox, is delivered means you can push the car just that little bit more through the corner and it will continue to hold its line as you cross the apex. We do have to point out also that the massive C-pillar, which adds to the overall look of the car, creates a huge blind-spot and this can be cumbersome, especially in heavy traffic.
The NVH insulation and quality of some of the interiors has not been up to the mark that we would expect at this pricing. Across both powertrains, the engine is loud and sends back a lot of vibrations which you can feel on the gear lever, steering, dashboard, and even the doors. What's more, you can hear a lot of the road noise and wind noise, especially if you are out driving on the highway. Tata has come a long way in terms of build quality but still has quite a bit to climb when compared to its segment rivals The instrument cluster has poor visibility in direct sunlight, the undersections of the door armrests came loose, and the power window switch for the front left passenger stopped working by the end of the drive. It is not the question of one big issue but rather smaller ones that add up to lowering the score on the overall package.
Verdict and VFM Variant
Tata has evolved significantly since the Tiago was launched. In fact, the Tiago was the first of their modern lot and thev have come a long way in terms of design, features, refinement, and even build quality. The exterior and interior design highlights have done well to bring the car into the modern age whilst the new feature list is a large step up for the car and the segment as a whole. However, NVH insulation and build quality are not in sync with the rest of the car and this is something that Tata really needs to work on.The Tata Tiago Range is priced from Rs. 5.28 lakh to Rs. 9.73 lakh (on-road Delhi) with this Creative CNG AMT that we have featured priced at Rs. 9.73 lakh while the other Creative+ petrol is priced at Rs. 8.92 lakh. Now in terms of value for money variant, we think the Creative variant is very good deal as you get a majority of luxury features offered with the Tiago, all four powertrain options and all the colour options available with the new Tiago range.
Tata Tiago EV Creative Plus First Drive Review
Photography: Kaustubh Gandhi
