Tata Tiago EV review

A generous ground clearance of 165mm and IP67-rated batteries means that it’s ready for anything the island city has to throw at it. Creature comforts don’t go unappreciated. Wireless charging, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto support, reversing camera with great resolution and an entertaining 8-speaker Harman-tuned audio system that requires no after-market augmentation. There are a couple of ergonomic quirks like the dimly lit drive mode dial and lack of a front armrest do cause some inconvenience, but nothing that is a deal breaker. The 7in Harman touchscreen infotainment unit is responsive enough to touch inputs but it lacks the resolution and contrast of more modern units and shows its age now. Auto climate control with proper dials works well though and the only real miss here is the lack of ventilated seats, even as an option.

Tata’s Z-Connect app is a comprehensive tool to make you challenge yourself in becoming a better EV driver. So besides the smattering of connected features, it also has a report card to analyse your skill in conserving battery charge. It’s a fun visual representation of what your right foot was doing but you need resolve to be consistently aiming at higher scores.

As far as compact hatchbacks go, the cabin of the Tiago EV is a great place to be. You’re greeted by supportive and nicely contoured seats, dual-tone interiors, flat bottomed steering wheel and a digital instrument cluster that is your window to the electrified powertrain under the Tiago. Available in two different capacities, 19.2kWh and 24kWh, our test drive was conducted on the higher capacity model that generates close to 74hp and 114Nm of torque. 

With a standard 15A wall AC outlet, it will take about 9 hours to charge 100%, giving you a fully charged Tiago EV every morning to play with. Adding another “device” to your daily charge cycle shouldn’t be too challenging, but the official range claims have to be tested under a longer test. Of course, there are other options available like the 7.2kW AC fast charging that brings down the top-up time down to 3.6hrs and a DC fast charger that manages to fully charge the Tiago EV in under an hour!

One of the cardinal rules of EV ownership is to always keep one eye on the range indicator and the other on the battery percentage. Sometimes the road ahead too. The claimed range of 315kms was obviously going to be treated with a pinch of salt, but in the course of 74kms that I drove the Tiago EV, the battery had dropped 40% with mixed driving styles. Worryingly that indicates a 180-200km range in the real world, in the higher capacity variant, so range anxiety is very much part of the sticker price.

Admittedly, to get a “feel” of the Tiago EV in the limited time I had with the car, Sport mode was used generously and different stages of Regen, which vary from level 0 to level 4. But even in level 4, the retardation isn’t aggressive enough to engage in single-pedal driving, like on many other EVs. Tata reps defend this with a valid argument though. The more aggressive the acceleration, the harder you tend to re-accelerate and sap power from the battery, negating any potential benefits of acute regenerative braking. Smart, especially for a small-capacity battery. 

Sport mode is definitely a step up over the normal Drive mode, but not in the same league as the Nexon EV. It falls short of the spine-tingling instant push-back you get with more powerful motors, but we shall not lose perspective of the segment here. The Tiago EV is great at making brisk progress without any drama, noise or harshness in the cabin and that’s worth appreciating at this price.

The Nexon was my first taste of an affordable EV and while the Tiago EV doesn’t have the same briskness off the mark, it does possess the same kind of genteel demeanour with a light foot. The steering isn’t overtly light and the suspension is well-damped to soak in undulations at highway speeds without stirring up the occupants like a giant Martini shaker. Although the 175/65 R14 tires look a tad bit underwhelming, they do their bit in making the ride as comfortable as possible given the wheelbase and class of car.

Aiming to democratise EV ownership, the Tiago EV certainly makes a very strong case for itself for anyone looking for a stylish, clean and compact city commuter. Its real-world range of under 200kms might put the brakes on out-of-town family drives unless you plan your route along charging stations (which the Z-Connect does very well, by the way). For every other purpose, the Tiago EV opens up a whole new way of motoring for a much larger cross section of society, without many compromises. It’s clean, green and comfortable…just what 2023 ordered.