Tata's Upcoming Car; Does It Stand A Chance With The Alto & Kwid?

By Rajkamal

Updated: Wednesday, November 23, 2016, 11:48 [IST]

The entry level hatchback segment below the Rs. 4 lakh bracket is a big battle. The reigning champion at the moment is the Maruti Suzuki Alto. Trying to snatch this position away from the Maruti Alto is the Renault Kwid. Now, however, there is yet another contender in this segment from Tata Motors, called the Tiago, formerly known as the Zica.

Read Now: Tata Tiago (Zica) Expert Review

So, in terms of comparison, where does the Tata Tiago stand compared to the Kwid and Alto? Let's find out.

Tata's Upcoming Car; Does It Stand A Chance With The Alto & Kwid?

Specifications:

Tata Tiago

Fuel Type - Petrol/ Diesel
Engine -1199cc/ 1047cc
Power -84bhp/ 69bhp
Transmission -5-speed manual

Renault Kwid

Fuel Type - Petrol
Engine - 799cc
Power - 53bhp
Transmission - 5-speed manual

Maruti Suzuki Alto 800

Fuel Type - Petrol
Engine -796cc
Power - 47bhp
Transmission -5-speed manual

Pricing

Maruti Suzuki Alto: Rs. 2.66 lakh onwards
Renault Kwid: Rs. 2.81 lakh onwards
Tata Tiago: Rs. 3.20 lakh onwards

* All Prices Are Ex-Showroom (Delhi)

Design

The Tata Tiago is like no other Tata model that is currently on sale. The car features a very well designed front grille and a snub-nosed design that makes the car look very nice at the first glance. The front grille neatly blends with the headlight design and even towards the rear, the tail lamps are well proportioned.

The Renault features a very bold, SUV-ish stance, which gives the car a very good road presence. The Kwid has a bold headlight and front grille design, coupled with high ground clearance, which makes the car standout.

The Maruti Suzuki Alto has been around for some time now, and the design is quite familiar. The car features petal shaped headlamps and Maruti Suzuki's wave front design. The windows have a sloping line and the roof follows a swaying design.

Features

On the features front, the Tata Tiago has tonnes of storage space to keep away all the bottles and cups. Apart from offering storage spaces, the Tiago has a power outlet to charge phones, power windows, and navigation, similar to the Bolt.

The Renault Kwid gets a 2-DIN touchscreen infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity and navigation, which is very interesting for an entry level car. All these features are only available on the top variant of the Renault Kwid.

The Maruti Suzuki Alto comes with an audio system with USB and AUX connectivity, fabric seats, power steering, and air conditioning on the top-of-the-line variant. The car is quite bland on the features front.

Engine & Gearbox

Regarding engine specifications, all three cars are powered by three-cylinder engines. The Tata Tiago offers a choice of either a petrol or diesel engine, both being three-cylinder units again. The petrol enginemodel is a 1.2-litre unit that makes 84bhp, while the 1047cc diesel motor generates 69bhp. The Tata Tiago not only offers a choice of engines but also offers the most powerful choice of the lot.

The Renault Kwid is powered by a 799cc petrol engine that develops 53bhp and is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

The Alto is powered by a 796cc petrol engine that produces 47bhp and is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox.

Mileage

In India, mileage of the car is the main factor. The Maruti Alto returns 21km/l while the Renault returns 25km/l. The Tata Tiago is estimated to return around 20km/l from the petrol engine and around 25km/l with the diesel engine. If so, the Tiago will face bigger competition from the Kwid, as it offers better mileage for the price.

Safety

Safety features of the car also play a big role in the modern world, as accidents are on the rise. The Alto and the Kwid come with optional airbags, which is not standard even in the top variants. The Tiago could have standard airbags on the top variant, which we will give you more details soon.

Verdict

Coming to the all-important decider, the Kwid is a better option than the alto, which kind of makes the Tata Tiago compete only with the Renault Kwid.

The Kwid is a great buy if you are looking for a good value for money entry level hatchback. But, if you are looking for more than just a car for the city, DriveSpark would strongly recommend the Tata Tiago, since it has more power, features, and a diesel option.