Tata.Cars has launched the new Aeris, which is priced at Rs 5.29 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom, India) for the base-spec variant with a manual transmission. The CNG variants start at Rs 6.29 lakh (introductory, ex-showroom, India). The Aeris is nothing but a heavily revised version of the Tigor, but with a new name.
The Aeris is quite similar to the Tiago, which is quite obvious since both share the same platform. However, there are subtle differences between the two. While both grilles are the same blacked-out units, the bumpers on both are different. The alloy wheels, only available on the top-spec variant, are quite different too, compared to the Tiago.
A major change in the Aeris is the use of hydraulic struts for the boot, which doesn’t interfere with the actual boot space of the car.
Inside, the dash is quite similar to the Tiago, which isn’t a bad thing since it looks and feels quite premium compared to its rivals. You get a freestanding 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen along with a 5-inch freestanding digital instrument cluster. Tata.Cars has also replaced the lever for the AMT transmission with a rotary dial in a bid to remove the clutter from the centre console. It also comes with ventilated front seats, a first in the segment, and will be much appreciated by buyers in cities with hotter climates.
Under the hood, the Aeris still continues with the same 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine as well as a CNG powertrain. Both options come with either a 5-speed manual or a 5-speed AMT. In the petrol version, the engine produces 85 bhp and 113 Nm, while in the CNG version it develops 74 bhp and 96.5 Nm.
While there are no safety ratings yet for the new Aeris, being a Tata, expect it to score well in the NCAP tests. Safety equipment includes six airbags, a 360-degree camera, in-built dashcam, ESP, ISOFIX and more.
The Aeris goes up against rivals like the Maruti Suzuki Dzire, Honda Amaze and Hyundai Aura.
