Tata Tigor iCNG AMT - Top Pros & Cons After 2,000 KM Drive Experience

Tata Motors launched the Tiago CNG AMT & Tigor CNG AMT as the world's first CNG automatic vehicles a few months back. After the launch, we drove the Tigor iCNG AMT for a short duration to test how the CNG powertrain works with an AMT gearbox. Now, after months I've been using the Tata Tigor iCNG AMT for the last 3 weeks and have driven it over 2,000 km under different road conditions. In this article, we'll have a look at the top pros and cons of the Tata Tigor iCNG AMT based on my driving experience of the last 2,000 km. Also, make sure to become a member of our 91Wheels WhatsApp Group to get the latest automotive updates.

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Before moving ahead, you can watch the first drive review of the Tata Tigor iCNG AMT below.

Pros

Convenience of AMT With CNG Powertrain

Tata Motors has raised the bar in the CNG segment with the launch of an automatic transmission with a CNG powertrain. The 5-speed AMT transmission offered with the Tigos iCNG AMT offers convenience in city driving. This 1.2-litre engine is a high-revving one and with AMT it creeps with ease in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The tuning of the AMT is done well to offer you enough low-end grunts for the traffic and city drive conditions. The convenience of not using a clutch in heavy traffic offers a lot of conveniences. It also comes with a manual mode which offers you full control over the gear shifts.

Factory-fitted Dual-Cylinder Technology Boasts Multiple Advantages

The Tigor CNG comes with factory-fitted dual-cylinder technology. It comes with two 35-litres CNG cylinders making it the equivalent of 70-litres. The dual-cylinder allows more space for luggage in the boot. Also, the Tigor CNG comes with an automatic switchover system that switches from CNG to petrol automatically and vice versa. The brand has also given a dedicated switchover switch in the center console area. Moreover, the CNG filler port is in the fuel filler compartment near the petrol filler port. The added convenience of extra boot space will greatly benefit customers by allowing them to take long trips and store luggage in the boot.

Offers An Airy & Comfortable Cabin Ambience

The variant I am driving is the top-spec Tigor iCNG XZA+. The top-spec variant comes with almost white-colored leather seats and a grey treatment on the dashboard. The large glass area adds more to the cabin's airiness. Moreover, the brand has added some touches of the exterior colour to the cabin as well, the color we have with us is Meteor Bronze colour and it offers the same colour treatment on the steering wheel and AC vents. This little touch adds to the overall aura of the cabin. The rear row comes with fixed headrests which might be annoying for some passengers. However, both the front seats offer generous back pocket space for the rear passengers.

A Fuel-Efficient Engine With Fewer Emissions

Less emissions is a major USP of CNG engines and this comes with the added advantage of better fuel efficiency. It comes with a 1.2-litre Revotron petrol engine which produces 85 bhp in petrol mode, 72 bhp of power, and 95 Nm of torque in CNG mode. Now, if we talk about the performance of this engine, it offers a good performance in the city. The engine is tuned well to offer low-end performance and the pedals are also tuned well. If you are driving in the city you won't feel any lag in the power delivery or torque delivery. Once you take it on highways you might need that extra high-range performance. In terms of efficiency, in my ownership tenure, an empty tank typically required over 6.5 kg of CNG per refill. In the city with the AC on, it ran approximately 180-200 km per refill. On highways, it covered around 220 km on a single refill during a trip from Delhi to Ambala.

Comes Loaded With Decent Number Of Features

The Tigor iCNG AMT is available in top-spec and second-to-top variants. Both these variants come with a decent array of features. If we talk about the top-spec variant in particular, it comes with 7-inch Harman-sourced touchscreen infotainment, 4 speakers and 4 tweeters, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, automatic climate control, digital instrument cluster, rain-sensing wipers, projector headlamps, push-button start-stop among other features. Safety features of the Tigor iCNG include dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking camera and sensors, ISOFIX, corner stability control, TPMS, and more.

A Chiller AC - Beats The Heat Well

The CNG AMT version of the Tigor comes with automatic climate control. The air-conditioning works pretty well, in the peak summer time as well. For my daily commute to the office and back, in a temperature of 40-45 degrees in Delhi/NCR, the AC works fantastically. The large vents provide excellent airflow. For my daily commutes, I set the AC to over 20 degrees with the fan speed on 1 or 2. Even with this setting, the car cools quickly for a single occupant. When the car is fully loaded, rear passengers won't miss having rear AC vents, as the front ones work effectively to cool the entire cabin

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Cons

The Three Cylinder Engine Is Not Refined

Tata used 3-cylinder technology for their petrol and CNG engines. The engine is not as smooth as the 4-cylinder engines offered by the competitors. The engine screams when you press the pedal and inside the cabin, you can feel the engine noise.

Jerky Initial Gears

The AMT unit on the Tigor CNG is well-tuned but not perfect. It experiences some lag when shifting between the first and second gears, causing a noticeable jerk. Flooring the pedal results in delayed upshifts and a loud engine, which negatively impacts fuel economy. Additionally, the gearbox occasionally gets confused and stays in the same gear, requiring manual intervention.

The Steering Is A Bit Heavy

The steering feels a bit heavy while maneuvering at high speeds, however, in city conditions, it is decently light but not the lightest in the segment. While taking u-turns it shows delays in aligning back to the centre which could have been improved. The steering does offer good grip but the heaviness takes away some good points from the handling point of view.

The Touchscreen Is Not The Best In Segment

The Harman-sourced touchscreen available in the Tigor is not a smooth operating unit. It shows some lags while toggling between menus, and it needs to be touched hard to play or pause the music via the screen. Also, the unit I was driving was showing some issues with Apple CarPlay connectivity. Additionally, the screen is angled too straight, making it difficult to see in bright sunlight. Increasing the brightness of the infotainment unit would improve visibility.

The Rear Bench Is Best Suited For Two Adults Only

The rear bench of the Tigor is best suited for two adults only, and fitting a third one can be uncomfortable for all the rear-seat passengers. The seats are contoured to offer good comfort to the side passengers but the centre gets a bulge and the center armrest will make the center seat suitable for a kid only.

Available In Limited Variants Only

The AMT gearbox in Tigor CNG is available in two variants only which are XZA and XZA+. The price starts at Rs 8.85 lakh for the CNG AMT option which is a steep price for a CNG car. The brand should have offered CNG AMT in more affordable variants such as the XM variant.

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