Tata Motors has further expanded the appeal of its hatchback, the Tiago, with the launch of a new ‘crossover’ version called the Tata Tiago NRG. The company calls it the Urban Toughroader and mentions that it’s targeted at the new millennial audience.
To give some substance to the catchy name there, Tata has bestowed the Tiago NRG with a higher ground clearance (180 mm now) and a retuned suspension. Other exterior inclusions are a contrasting paint job for the roof, roof rails, body cladding, a skidplate, dual-tone alloy wheels, and a new plastic cladding on the tailgate. The interior is finished in black, has Canyon Orange highlights, the seats are equipped with side bolsters, and there’s also a cooled glovebox. A 5-inch touchscreen system with eight speakers also makes its appearance in the Tiago NRG. The Harman unit comes equipped with 3D maps and is responsive to voice commands.
Tata offers the Tiago NRG with a choice of two engines: a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.05-litre diesel. Both come with a 5-speed manual gearbox, while the AMT unit is available only on the regular Tiago. What the Tiago NRG includes is a decent safety features list: dual airbags up front, ABS and EBD, Corner Stability Control, etc. Colour choices for the Tiago NRG include Malabar Silver, Canyon Orange, and Fuji White.
Priced at Rs 5,49,995 for the Tata Tiago NRG Petrol and Rs 6,31,995 for the diesel-powered version, it’s a direct rival to the Maruti Celerio X and the Ford Freestyle. But it must be noted that Maruti no longer produces the Celerio with a diesel engine. The Ford Freestyle is priced at Rs 5.09 lakh onwards, comes with a 1.2-litre petrol or a 1.5-litre diesel engine, and has certain unique features like Active Rollover Protection.
CEO and MD for Tata Motors, Guenter Butschek said, “In line with our brand promise ‘Connecting Aspirations’, we want to be in sync with the growing trend of bringing to market more SUV like vehicles. To meet this aspiration, we have launched today, the Tiago NRG as our ‘Urban Toughroader’. With this launch we are extending the Tiago brand and increasing our presence by entering into newer segments and tapping new set of buyers. This launch is a step towards our Turnaround 2.0 journey, as we focus on ‘winning sustainability’ in the PV business. We are confident that our customers will appreciate the Tiago NRG just like the Tiago hatchback.”
