Tigor And Tiago With Nexon Engines - Match Made In Heaven?

Can Tata turn the Tiago into a hot hatch and fix the Tigor’s weakest link?

The Tata Nexon has left us impressed with its performance and dynamics. Amongst the sea of highlights are its powerful turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. The 1.5-litre diesel unit is completely new, and the 1.2-litre petrol motor is a more powerful version of the one that powers the Tiago-Tigor siblings.

We think that if Tata puts the Nexon’s petrol engine under the Tiago’s hood and the diesel under Tigor’s, they’ll be able to make both the cars more appealing to the Indian audience.

The 1.2-litre Revotron 110 Engine

Under the hood of the petrol-powered Tata Nexon lies a 1.2-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine that produces 110PS of maximum power and 170Nm of peak torque. Compared to the Tiago petrol which houses the same engine minus a turbocharger, that’s a bump in power/torque by 25PS/56Nm. For the record, the Nexon’s 110PS petrol engine is a direct fit on the Tiago as the mounting points are the same. However, to ensure that all the power can be effectively put to use, Tata will have to add a new transmission and improve braking power and tyres.

The Tiago’s top-spec petrol variant- XZA - costs Rs 5.26 lakh in Delhi. Assuming that Tata manages the mechanical upgrades at an additional cost of Rs 50,000 to the end user, a 100PS top-spec Tiago petrol would cost around Rs 5.75 lakh. Tata can continue to sell the non-turbocharged Tiago alongside to keep the sales ticking.

Did we just talk about the Tiago Sport?! Fingers crossed!

The 1.5-litre Revotorq 110 Engine

In our review of the diesel-powered Tigor, we found that its weakest link is the tiny 1.05-litre diesel engine. Yes, it is fuel efficient, but the lack of grunt runs it out of breath too quickly, not just on the highway but at times, in the city too. But, that can be rectified if Tata Motors puts the Nexon’s 1.5-litre diesel engine in the Tigor.

The Revotorq 110 is aimed to replace the 1.3-litre diesel engine in Tata’s portfolio. But if the Tigor can get the bigger engine in a lower state of tune first, it will become more competitive in the sub-compact sedan segment. The Tigor diesel range starts from Rs 5.41 lakh and goes up to Rs 6.87 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Even if the incremental cost of the bigger engine is in the range of Rs 50,000, the diesel Tigor should still have a price advantage over most of its rivals. 

The biggest advantage of the Tiago siblings is their price. Even in their top-end avatars, they undercut their respective rivals by considerable amounts. So, the tuning-up gamble won’t take the prices into a different planet. Sure, the fuel efficiency will tumble down a bit, but it won’t be too drastic to put off a keen driver. And get this - even if Tata Motors listens to our plea, the engines in question are well within the sub-4 metre car mandates (petrol engine displacing less than 1,200cc and diesel motor displacing less than 1,500cc), so there will be no change in the tax bracket they fall into!

Would you consider paying more for a better and more driveable engine? Let us know in the comments!

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