[Omkar]

The Tata Tiago NRG has been launched in India at a price of between Rs. 6.57 - 7.09 lakhs (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Introduction

The Tiago has been a good staple product for Tata ever since its launch in 2016. The little hatchback has clocked good numbers and continues to do so even after 5 years. After launching the facelift in January last year, Tata has been introducing variants at regular intervals (Related News - 1, 2, 3, 4), which is a classic strategy that manufacturers use to keep their product fresh in the market. So, the launch of the NRG variant was nothing but inevitable. In essence, the Tiago NRG (pronounced Energy) is a slightly raised hatchback with cosmetic additions to give it an SUV-like look.

Powering the NRG is the same 1.2L, 3-cylinder petrol engine from the Tiago that puts out 84 BHP and 113 Nm of torque. It is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission and you get the option of an AMT automatic as well. The NRG is available at Rs 6.57 lakh for the manual transmission variant and Rs. 7.09 lakh for the AMT variant (ex-showroom, Delhi prices). At these prices, the NRG variant is ~Rs 5,000-7,000 more expensive than the top-end variant of the regular Tiago. Sadly though the NRG variant misses out on a couple of features from the top-end Tiago like alloy wheels and automatic temperature control. You can download the 2021 Tata Tiago NRG brochure here - Tata Tiago NRG Brochure.pdf

Apart from this, the NRG is equipped with dual airbags, ABS with EBD, corner stability control, reversing camera with parking sensors, follow me headlamps, push start button with keyless entry, 7-inch touchscreen infotainment with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity with a 4-speaker & 4 tweeters sound system and a puncture repair kit (related news). The body colour options include Fire Red (display vehicle), Cloudy Grey, Snow White and Foresta Green. Tata Motors offers a standard warranty of just 2 years / 75,000 km with the Tiago NRG, so definitely opt for extending the warranty up to 5 years. The price for 3 years / 1,25,000 km extended warranty of the Tiago top-end variant is about Rs 11,000-11,500 so expect the NRG to be in the same range.

Exterior

With the facelift, Tiago’s face has evolved quite a bit. And apart from the skid plate and extra cladding up front, not much is different in the NRG from the regular Tiago:


The rear is where the NRG differentiates itself quite well from the regular Tiago. The tailgate cladding adds a sense of ruggedness to the design:


In terms of dimensions, the NRG measures 3,802 mm in length (37 mm more), 1,677 mm in width and 1,537 mm in height (2 mm more):


The wheelbase remains constant at 2,400 mm but the ground clearance has been increased by 11 mm to 181 mm. The added ground clearance and cladding do make the NRG look a bit taller than the regular Tiago:


Build quality is good when you compare it to some of the competitors. The NRG has a kerb weight of 1,006 kg (MT) - 1,015 kg (AMT) which is 24 kilos more than the regular Tiago. Also, don’t forget that the Tiago scored an excellent score of 4 stars at the Global NCAP crash tests (related thread (Tata Tiago and Tigor score 4 stars in GNCAP)):


While the complicated arrow design grille looks good, the thick chrome strip at the bottom doesn’t:


A bold faux skid plate at the bottom is accompanied by a wide air dam:


Sleek halogen headlamps mesh with the grille quite well:


Round fog lamps sit at the bottom:


Would’ve liked to see a bit more underbody protection:


The NRG gets steel wheels with wheel covers that make them look like alloy wheels. These are 15-inch wheels shod with 175/60 R15 Bridgestone B250 tyres:


Side plastic cladding to give the car a rugged off-road like feel and make it look tall:


Notice the arrows on the running board? These are markers for jacking points. Neat!


The NRG is offered in 4 paint shades as mentioned earlier. The car on display was of the Fire Red paint shade which IMO looked very orange in the hotel light setup. The paint quality on the car was good and you can see the pearlescent finish which adds to the glossy look:


ORVMs are finished in black and come with integrated turn indicators:


Door handles also get a gloss black strip which adds to the premium look:


The C-pillar gets this black strip for a floating roof effect:


You get drum brakes at the rear. The plastic cladding gives the wheels a good sense of proportion:


Taillamp design is very similar to the pre-facelift car:


These spoiler extensions are finished in black on the regular Tiago:


Black plastic cladding on the tailgate has the Tiago badging on the left…


… and NRG badging on the right:


The placement of the reversing camera and the request sensor isn’t very ergonomic IMO. Firstly the request sensor is usually placed in proximity to where you would reach out to open the door. In this case, you will have to press the button and then pull the tailgate up from the slot at the bottom. Secondly, most manufacturers will want to place the reversing camera under some sort of protection, like underneath some cladding to avoid it from accumulating dirt and obstruct visibility. In this case, the camera is exposed and you will most likely be cleaning the camera lens often. Not to forget, it would probably get damaged easily in case you get rear-ended:


The lower rear bumper also houses a faux skid plate like the front. The satin silver finish adds a nice contrast to the black cladding:


The black roof is offered as standard on the NRG:


Roof rails for the SUV-like look:


1.2-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine makes 84 BHP @ 6,000 rpm and 113 Nm @ 3,300 rpm:

[Omkar]

Interior

Nothing has changed on the inside in terms of layout. For the NRG variant, you have an all-black cabin instead of a dual-tone theme on the regular Tiago:


The flat-bottom steering wheel feels good to hold. You have steering mounted controls for the infotainment system:


The new digital instrument cluster displays all the basic information and has a simple layout. You have the tachometer on the left and on the right, you get the fuel gauge and engine temperature gauge. The screen in the middle displays the speed and all the other relevant information like the odometer, trip, distance to empty, and warning lights:


The fabric upholstery on the NRG seats has a simpler design as compared to the tri-arrow pattern on the regular Tiago. The driver seat gets height adjustment and both front seats get adjustable headrests:


The 7-inch touchscreen is pretty basic but packs all the things that you would need from a touchscreen. You have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity which is of great convenience. The home screen gets a split display and the touchscreen overall is pretty convenient to use with very little lag:


The car gets 4 speakers and 4 tweeters which have the usual audio adjustments. The sound quality is very good for the segment. The reversing camera gets static guidelines and while the display is good, the open placement will attract a lot of dirt. You do get a few options for the parking sensor alarm:


One sore miss on the NRG – Automatic Climate Control! This manual climate control just looks and feels very basic:


Rear seats are contoured and not flat like some of the competitors. The seat compound is on a softer side and they provide good support. The legroom is just about enough and not excessive:


Adjustable rear headrests would’ve been highly appreciated:


The boot space is the same as the regular Tiago at 242 litres. The loading lip is high, so you will have to take extra effort to lift up your luggage. Note that the pocket behind the rear seat bench from the first Tiago has been omitted (reference image). So, the warning triangle just sits on the boot floor:


This bag hook housing on the right was already coming off on the display car. Quality control should've caught this:


Tools can be neatly placed in a compartment on the left:


13-inch steel spare wheel is placed below the boot floor. It’s shod with 155/80 R13 JK Tyre. Exposed wiring is a bit disappointing:

[Rehaan]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[Rahul235]

I have a previous gen Tiago NRG and the most significant difference is that it has a higher ground clearance (10mm extra) than a normal Tiago,which makes navigating rural roads a much easier task.

[SoupRaw]

I don't understand what Tata are trying to achieve here.

It's priced higher than the Tiago while losing out some features. Really? In a market where sunroof is the USP, the "SUV like" look may work, who knows. 'Kitna Deti hai' and 'SUV ki tarah dikhta hai' are the keywords here.

And why doesn't Tata plonk the diesel mill in Tiago? It seems to be a very well rounded product, albeit the 3 cylinder petrol being the Achilles heel. This way they can upgrade the Altroz with the Nexon's diesel motor and have a win-win scenario.

[PraNeel]

Except for the higher ground clearance and some nice colours (green), why should I buy this over a regular Tiago with less features?

Isn't it time for Tata to come out with a 4 cylinder petrol mill which was what was required by Tigor as a compact sedan?

The plastic cladding on the boot door looks un-necessary and odd to me.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by SoupRaw

I don't understand what Tata are trying to achieve here

Originally Posted by PraNeel

Except for the higher ground clearance and some nice colours (green), why should I buy this over a regular Tiago with less features?

Variants & variations help sell cars, and one man's poison can be another man's meat. Looks wise, I totally get why a few buyers might be attracted to the Tiago NRG. 90% of sub-4 meter hatchbacks are largely similar in terms of size, price, space, features, boot size, engine specs & suspension behaviour. The NRG is part of the 10% that offers something a little bit different. Even the 6 - 7 lakh customer wouldn't mind a spoon of uniqueness.

[turbowhistle]

Needs fatter/better tyres, that’s the only thing kept on coming to my mind as I read the reports. Current tyres feel too puny and don’t go with the car.

Overall it’s a good addition to the lineup and for sure people will pick it up if regular Tiago is having waiting period, same way many people bought i20 active when i20 had long waiting.

[Herschey]

Here are my observations:
1. The front looks neat while the rear looks polarising, especially that plastic/ rubber cladding on the tailgate which might not appeal to everyone.
2. The placement of boot release switch and the rear camera looks awkward and could have been better integrated. It should not be as visible in darker shades of paint though.
3. The normal Tiago already had sufficient ground clearance complementing a compact wheelbase so it never really used to scrape its belly. The added cladding doesn't look bad though.
4. Tata could have plonked an all LED bulbs' setup to lend it a premium look and feel.
5. The aircon controls while not looking out rightly downmarket, do manage to look obsolete already. An automatic climate control unit was a must on this trim.
6. That LED instrument cluster looks like the ones found on eRickshaws these days, downright cheap. The conventional dials with white backlight and red needles would have looked much much better.
7. The black spoiler looked better than the body coloured one and would have gelled better with the black roof.
9. Quality issues are quite evident as rightly pointed out and interior panel gaps are pretty evident too (highlighted in the pic below).



With JLR in their kitty, dishing out appealing designs won't be all that difficult but Tata needs to focus aggressively on its quality rather than wasting their NRG on taking pot-shots at other OEMs. They also need to straighten up their dealerships who happen to have some of the most lacklustre staff working at their sales and service centres.

Fun Fact: The white elephant that is Tata 8. it.

[Asoon]

Unable to understand target segment for this car
Anyone looking per performance will not opt for 84hp/ 113 NM motor
All it seems like a special edition with new styling and different engine (this doest not justify performance badge)

TATA is doing well in terms of product selection, design, safety, features. All the bandwidth remaining should only be used to fix reliability issues. I think that is the most important issue TATA as auto brand has.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by Asoon

Unable to understand target segment for this car

BHPian Reinhard and I were discussing this exact thing and he said, "There was the NRG earlier so when the Tiago got a facelift, the NRG also had to get a facelift". As simple as that. This variant is to Tiago what i20 Active is to i20 or Polo Cross to Polo. When our market leader runs a dozen SKUs just on the basis of stickers, products such as the NRG are at least a bit of an effort to offer a different version of one of their best selling cars.

As for the performance bit, we all know that conversation is best kept on paper in India.

to Tata.

[Herschey]

A lot of comparison is being made out between this and the i20 Active.

The Elite i20 had a low ground clearance which was a big reason why a lot of people were deciding against it even in the urban centres. Hence, it was a wise move on Hyundai's part to come up with the Active variant which had all the visual chutzpah of the Elite i20 with the added benefit of a raised ground clearance. Hyundai identified a problem area and clearly addressed it. Was it a hit or a popular product? The answer is 'NO'. But at least it gave a good enough reason to the prospective buyers to visit showrooms and check the offering, thereby increasing showroom footfalls and the final conversions.

Now, did Tiago suffer from such a problem? The answer is 'NO'. What is a major problem with this car and has Tata done anything to address it? Well, it continues to have that lazy daisy heart which isn't remotely as smooth as the competition's; and 'NO', Tata hasn't done one bit to solve the problem. Does this variant live up to it's name (& the promotional campaign) by packing more NRG? The answer is a resounding 'NO'. In fact, the one thing it seriously lacks in every possible way is NRG. So, is this version a visual magnet and looks significantly better than the usual variant(s)? The answer is 'NO'. In fact, that tailgate would put off a lot more people than it would attract. Can this product then appeal to a certain market segment? The answer is 'YES'; the fleet owners and I feel this is what Tata has aimed this product for.

For a personal user, it's a wasteful and confused attempt at throwing a ball at the crowd hoping someone or the other would certainly catch it. The question is how many would like to really play that game and I 'DON'T' think many would.

[Clayton Crasto]

I think that the NRG is a great addition to the Tiago variants. The Tiago itself is a more decent car to drive when compared to its competitors. I mean, look at the upcoming Celerio. It looks hideous and seems to be going back in time with those old-school door handles.
The Santro on the other hand is expensive for what it offers, along with that tin-can build.
Overall Tata Motors has come a long way from what they were with the Indica, Nano and the likes.

[Mustang Sammy]

Originally Posted by Herschey

Does this variant live up to it's name (& the promotional campaign) by packing more NRG? The answer is a resounding 'NO'. In fact, the one thing it seriously lacks in every possible way is NRG.

Exactly! In fact when I first saw the name I thought this was the EV version of the Tiago.
Talk about misleading nomenclature.

[Torque_Curve]

Is Tata Motors unsure about the trim colour for the AC vents?

The official images have red coloured AC vents



While the review unit has black AC vents