What if I tell you that there is a way that you can still drive long distances, and take road trips without burning a hole in your pocket? With the sky-rocketing prices of petrol and diesel, electrics are the new future. However, with the lack of charging infrastructure in India, range anxiety and the high cost of initial ownership, several buyers shy away from EVs. In between the ICE-powered vehicles and EVs comes CNG. And what I have been driving for the fast couple of days is the Tata Tigor CNG. It is the range-topping variant, XZ+ Dual-Tone. Here is a short and crisp Pros and Cons review of this CNG-powered sedan that will give you a clear idea of whether you should own this car or not!
Mileage
The claimed mileage sticks to 26.49 km/kg. What I got is 25.33 km/kg in the city with the AC ON the whole time. I refilled the CNG Cylinder when it was completely empty and I got 7.5 kgs of gas. Post that, I drove the car for 190 km in pure CNG mode and needless to say, I was quite surprised with the way the mileage came out to be.
Also Read: Isuzu D-Max V-Cross AT - My Observations After 100+ km And What Can Be Improved
Drive impressions
Tata Tigor CNG comes with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol motor. In CNG mode, it churns out a peak power and torque of 72 bhp and 95 Nm. If you plan to drive with a light right foot then this is the car for you. Overtaking on highways will require some planning with all 4 adults on board still the car clocks triple-digit speeds in CNG in a confident manner and the switch from CNG to petrol and vice-versa is seamless.
Ride and Handling
The ride quality is the best you can ask for in this budget. The stiffer suspension allows you to glide over bad roads without putting your foot on the brake pedal. The ride is planted on the highways and I believe it is also because of the added weight of the CNG cylinder. As far as handling is concerned then don't expect too much. There's not much heft observed at higher speeds and it feels just bland sometimes (like french fries feel without salt).
Comfort and Convenience
The seats of the Tigor are quite nice and they provide an ample amount of cushioning to keep the passengers at ease. It also gets a height-adjustable function for the driver's seat so people with short height can drive it easily.
Features on the Tigor CNG includes gets all-four power windows, a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power folding ORVMs, larger glovebox, LED cabin light, Harman sound system and more. Even with the CNG cylinder acquiring some space in the boot, there's still some space left for cargo. Other features include LED projector headlights, LED taillights, push start/stop button, digital instrument cluster, automatic climate control and more.
Cons
The steering wheel is not that responsive
If you are looking for a driver's car then Tigor is definitely not the one for you. It is light which is good for city purposes but at highway speeds, the response is not that confident to the driver.
Missing Features
Some of the missing features in the Tigor CNG are alloy wheels, front armrest, rear AC vents etc. The petrol-powered Tigor gets alloy wheels but this one only gets hyperstyle wheels.
Laggy touchscreen system
The touchscreen offers connectivity features like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto but the touch response is not something that is the best in the segment. Its rivals offer a better experience than this.
Fit and finish are not up to the mark
On the inside, you can observe several panel gaps which is not good considering this model costs Rs 9 lakh, on-road, Delhi.
Also Read: 2022 Maruti Grand Vitara To Be Launched Later This September - Details
No CNG offered in lower trims like the Tiago
Unlike the Tiago CNG that is offered with CNG trim right from the base variant, Tigor CNG is offered from the XM variant.
Verdict - Should You Buy This?
Absolutely! This car provides good safety, features and packs in everything you want from a budget compact sedan! Yes, the engine is not smooth as rivals (3-pot vs 4), yet, the pickup is good. For city runs and occasional highway ones, it is a worthy choice if youre looking for a CNG sedan.
So this was our crisp observation on the Tata Tigor CNG. Will you pick this CNG sedan over the Maruti Dzire CNG and Hyundai Aura CNG? Do tell us your thoughts by joining our 91Wheels Telegram group.
