[Omkar]

Tata Tiago iCNG Review

Tata Tiago iCNG Pros

• An extremely well-implemented & well-tuned CNG kit
• A CNG car with factory-backing, factory warranty & OEM standards of safety / quality
• Available in the top variant, unlike most other CNG models
• Cheap running costs that are way lesser than petrol hatchbacks
• 24% lower CO2 emissions & greener image will appeal to the environmentally-conscious
• Sorted road manners, including on the highway
• Great styling; a very chic-looking hatchback at a fair price
• Solid build & construction, unlike most of its flimsy competitors
• High quality, well-designed interiors feel nice
• City friendly nature: light controls, agreeable ergonomics & good driveability (in CNG too)
• Amazing 8-speaker Harman entertainment system
• 4-star GNCAP safety rating is praiseworthy

Tata Tiago iCNG Cons

• No boot space at all due to the CNG tank. Get a carrier for those long journeys!
• Reduced power output is evident on the highway. CNG mode has lesser top-end performance
• Many Indian cities & towns don’t have CNG pumps. Queue for CNG can be long in metro cities
• Firmer suspension & higher tyre psi rating means you feel more of the bad roads / potholes
• 26.49 km/kg FE is noticeably lower than direct competitors like the WagonR & Celerio CNG
• Higher maintenance costs & upkeep (overall) in comparison with regular petrol variant
• AMT / AT unavailable with the CNG kit, although we expect it to be introduced in due time
• Removing & putting back the spare tyre is a tricky affair due to the CNG tank location
• Rear headroom is tight. Also, a rare Tata car that cannot seat 5 (best for 4 adults)
• Some deleted features = no alloy wheels and parking sensors
• All passengers need to get out of the vehicle while refilling CNG
• Tata's after-sales service quality is a hit or miss. Remains a gamble

This review has been jointly compiled with Aditya & GTO. Thanks to them for the expert observations!

Introduction

Rising fossil fuel prices have been pinching car users for quite some time now. As a result, over the years, we have seen people warming up to alternative fuels. Recently, Tata Motors introduced the Tigor EV, which is one of the most affordable “proper” electric cars on sale in the country. In the first half of FY2022 (April-September 2021), industry data reveals that a total of 101,412 CNG cars were sold in India, which constitutes a robust 97% year-on-year growth (April-September 2020: 51,448 units) (source). Maruti, with over 11 CNG models on sale, constituted to 81% of the total sales, while Hyundai (4 models) made up the rest. Tata Motors, which is among the top 3 carmakers in the country, understands that there is a demand for CNG cars and doesn’t want to be left out.

The company has now equipped the Tiago & Tigor with a sequential CNG kit that consists of a 60-litre tank (water capacity). The cars have a claimed fuel efficiency figure of 26.49 km/kg. Tata also claims that these two cars are the most powerful CNG cars in their respective segments. The Tiago iCNG is powered by the same the 1.2L, 3-cylinder petrol engine as the regular car. In the CNG mode, it produces 72 BHP & 95 Nm (vs 85 BHP & 113 Nm in petrol mode). Currently, it is being offered only with the 5-speed manual transmission. The AMT that’s available on the regular petrol variant is not available. It also gets a retuned suspension setup to account for the added weight due to the tank at the rear and overall, it comes with all the pros and cons that are associated with a sequential CNG kit, all of which we will be discussing later in the review.

Tata Tiago iCNG Price & Brochure

The Tiago iCNG is being offered in 4 variants – XE, XM, XT and XZ+. The prices for the variants are: XE – Rs. 6.10 lakh, XM – Rs. 6.40 lakh, XT – Rs. 6.70 lakh, XZ+ (ST) - Rs. 7.53 lakh and XZ+ (DT) – Rs. 7.65 lakh. If you do a variant to variant price comparison with the regular petrol version, the CNG variants are approximately Rs. 90,000 more expensive. That is on the higher side considering aftermarket sequential kits would roughly cost Rs. 50,000-60,000. However, what you do get is peace of mind from a company fitted CNG kit that won’t void your warranty.

You can download the Tata Tiago iCNG brochure here - Tiago CNG Brochure.pdf

Running Costs

This is a deciding factor for most car buyers these days. While an EV’s Re. 1 / km running cost is tempting, the high initial cost is what puts off most buyers. That’s where CNG comes in, acting as the perfect midpoint before you take the EV leap.

So, let’s talk about the running costs of the Tiago iCNG. The CNG tank's capacity is 60 litres (water capacity), which is approximately 10 kg of CNG (at 200 bar max pressure and very low temperatures). In Mumbai, the price of CNG is Rs. 66 / kg (as of 20/01/2022). So, for a full tank, you would be paying ~Rs. 660. The claimed fuel efficiency figure is 26.49 km/kg. This means you get a range of approximately 260 km on a full tank of CNG. Hence, the cost per km of running the Tiago iCNG is about Rs. 2.3 / km. Tata Motors has a nice cost calculator on its website where you can see the money you would be saving with the Tiago iCNG as opposed to any petrol or diesel-powered vehicle.

Now, this is very theoretical and practically, things are a little different. The CNG tank’s capacity to hold gas depends heavily on the tank pressure. This drops down with usage and drops rapidly if you run the tank on low for too long. Also, most CNG pumps have a long queue, which doesn’t really keep the gas cool, further reducing the amount of gas that gets put into the tank. So, don’t be surprised if your tank gets full at 8-8.5 kg. That’s pretty normal.

[Omkar]

Exterior

Design & Styling

The Tiago had a cute and likeable design when it was launched in 2016. The facelift that was introduced in 2020 gave the car a more mature look. With the new radiator grille and bumper design along with a sleeker rear end, the Tiago definitely looks more handsome. Are there any changes that are specific to the CNG version? Not really. Apart from the ‘i-CNG’ badge on the tailgate, not much is different from the regular Tiago. With the launch of the CNG version, Tata has also introduced a new paint shade called ‘Midnight Plum’ that you see on our test car. The colour is not exclusive to the CNG version and can be had with the regular Tiago as well. Other colour options include Flame Red, Opal White, Daytona Grey and Arizona Blue.

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

The Tiago’s build is solid and the car doesn't feel flimsy. With a kerb weight of 1,040 - 1,087 kg depending upon the variant, the Tiago iCNG is about 100 kilos heavier than the petrol version. The fit and finish is acceptable for the segment, though we feel it could’ve been better at places. Tata has been doing some really good paint jobs on its recent cars. The paint on the Tiago iCNG has a nice glossy finish that looks great and appears to be of good quality too.

Wheels & Tyres

On the XZ+ (top-end) variant of the regular Tiago, you get 15-inch dual tone alloy wheels. However, on the CNG variant, you get 14-inch steel wheels that are shod with 175/65 section tyres. Our test car had ‘Goodyear Assurance Triplemax 2’ tyres. The wheels are offered with wheel covers that make them look like alloy wheels. The spare wheel is a 13-inch steel wheel with a 155/80 section tyre.

While we would’ve liked to see 15-inch alloy wheels on the CNG top-end variant as well, the decision to go with steel wheels probably has something to do with cost-cutting and the additional weight of the car compared to the petrol. Tata has retuned the suspension for the CNG version and most likely has deemed the 14-inch size to be better for the added weight. That being said, we feel that exclusive 14-inch alloys would’ve lent a nice touch. With the additional 100 kg weight, the recommended tyre pressures are 33 psi at the front and 36 psi at the rear. In comparison, the Tiago petrol's recommended front and rear tyre pressures are 33 psi and 30 psi respectively.

Ground Clearance

In order to bear the additional weight of the CNG tank, Tata has reworked the suspension of the car to keep the ground clearance as close as possible to the regular Tiago. The Tiago iCNG’s ground clearance is rated at 168 mm (Tiago petrol's ground clearance is rated at 170 mm).

Standard & Extended Warranty

The Tiago and the Tigor CNG cars come with a standard warranty of 2 years or 75,000 km, whichever is earlier. There is no information about an extended warranty as yet.

Maintenance

The regular Tiago has a service interval of 6 months / 7,500 km and it applies to the CNG variant as well. Additionally, the CNG related services need to be carried out every 12 months / 15,000 km. It is very important that you follow the CNG service schedule as the kit needs regular maintenance and monitoring for ensuring a long life. Also, as per government norms, you need to get the CNG tank recertified every 3 years.

Safety

The Tiago facelift has a 4-star Global NCAP rating. It comes with dual airbags, ABS + EBD + corner stability control, reverse parking camera and a puncture repair kit. Apart from these, there are a few CNG specific safety features that you can see on some of the good aftermarket sequential CNG kits available. For starters, the CNG kit uses high quality stainless steel tube and fittings to prevent any leaks. They’re also rust and corrosion resistant and have been tested across temperatures and pressures. In the case of an accident, the CNG fuel is automatically cut off and the remaining gas from the tubes is released directly into the atmosphere. The car also switches to petrol automatically if a leak is detected in the system.

The car is fitted with a micro switch inside the fuel lid. This is an additional safety feature that turns off the engine as soon as the fuel lid is opened. The switch will also not allow the engine to be cranked until the lid is closed. There’s also a fire extinguisher placed under the passenger seat.

[Omkar]

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

The interiors are based on the facelifted car and apart from a button for switching between petrol & CNG modes, a new digital instrument cluster and a fire extinguisher, not much is different from the regular Tiago.

Unique & Noteworthy Features

The key difference between the Tiago and its competitors is that Tata is offering the CNG kit on the top-end variant as well. Maruti offers its ‘S-CNG’ only on the base LXI variant of the WagonR with the 1.0L K-series engine and Hyundai offers CNG only on the mid variants – Magna and Sportz. Even Maruti’s recent response to the Tiago iCNG - the new Celerio CNG, is offered only in the mid VXI variant and not the top ZXI/ZXI+ variants.

So, when you look at the list of features of the Tiago, you will find most of the things that you would expect in a car from this segment. This includes a digital instrument cluster, a 7-inch touchscreen head-unit with 4 speakers & 4 tweeters and Android Auto & Apple CarPlay connectivity. Additionally, the Tiago iCNG gets projector headlamps with follow me home function, LED DRLs, puncture repair kit and rear parking camera among other features.

Boot Space

If boot space is a deciding factor for you, you shouldn’t buy the Tiago iCNG. While the regular Tiago has 242 litres of boot space, the iCNG has none. With the CNG tank in place, there’s no space to keep even a single luggage bag in the boot.

The spare wheel is placed below the CNG tank and has to be accessed by folding down the backrest of the rear seat. This is very similar to the Grand i10 Nios CNG, which also doesn’t have any boot space. The WagonR CNG is better in this area. It has some space even with the CNG tank and the spare wheel in place.

[Omkar]

Driving the Tata Tiago 1.2L CNG

The 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder engine puts out 72 BHP @ 6,000 rpm & 95 Nm @ 3,500 rpm in CNG mode. That's 13 BHP & 18 Nm lower than in petrol mode. Summary = its driveable and friendly in the city, but just okay on the highway:


Before we get to the driving part, here’s a glance at what happens in a sequential CNG kit. CNG is stored at high pressure in the storage tank (around 200 bar). When the gas is to be introduced into the engine, it doesn’t have to be at such high pressure. Hence, it is sent through high-pressure lines towards a pressure regulator/reducer. This reducer brings down the pressure to usable levels and then directs the gas towards the engine through a low-pressure filter that removes the impurities and moisture.

If you’ve driven a CNG car before, you might be aware of the fact that it’s always recommended (especially on cold start) to start the car in petrol mode and switch to CNG mode after some time. That gives the engine some time to get proper lubrication and reach the proper temperature. However, in the Tata Tiago iCNG, things are a little different. The car starts in CNG mode if you have switched it off in CNG mode! Tata says that drivers don’t have to worry about switching to CNG. IMHO, this is an unnecessary feature, and an automatic switch to CNG after running on petrol for some time would’ve been preferred. That’s the system the WagonR CNG employs, where it switches to CNG mode after about 20 seconds of running on petrol.

Press the light clutch and turn the key to crank the engine. Start driving and you realise that the city driveability is decent. GTO & Aditya drove a CNG car after a while and were pleasantly surprised. If efficiency is what you are after, you can go up the gears smoothly with easy throttle inputs and you won’t find the Tiago complaining with a judder. The engine isn’t dead at low rpms. There’s enough pep on tap for city driving and you can easily keep up with the traffic and close gaps to the cars in front. The good driveability, light controls and all round visibility along with the compact size, make the Tiago very easy to drive and park in the city. Sure, there is a power deficit vs petrol, yet the Tiago's CNG mode is extremely useable & driveable in the city.

You can switch between petrol and CNG modes by pressing the sweetly integrated ‘CNG’ button below the touchscreen. Also, the car will automatically switch to petrol mode in case of low CNG levels. What you will notice is the throttle response is a little dull in CNG mode, yet still at an acceptable level. An unforeseen advantage of this dulled throttle response is that it makes the drive smoother, more so when you compare it with driving the pure petrol version of the Tiago, where you have to modulate the clutch and accelerator more consciously for a smooth drive. Another thing you will notice while driving in CNG mode is the air-con still manages to cool the cabin effectively. This is a gripe in some other CNG cars where there is a considerable drop in the AC performance in CNG mode.

Out on the highway, performance is mediocre and the Tiago iCNG behaves as you would expect a budget hatchback should. As mentioned earlier, the engine isn’t dead at low revs. It starts coming into its stride at 2,000 rpm and when you cross 3,000 rpm, the engine starts pulling well. The 72 BHP in CNG mode is adequate for commuting in the middle lane. At the upper end of the rev band though, you will notice a performance deficit to the petrol. It's not got much of a top-end. The overall performance is still alright for sedate economy-oriented drivers. You can cruise at 100 km/h in 5th gear while the engine revs at 2,800 rpm. The climb from 100 km/h to 120 km/h is a bit of a struggle though. At 120 km/h, the engine revs at ~3,600 rpm, but we recommend sticking to 100 km/h on the highways. That’s where the engine is in its comfort zone. When you need to overtake, a downshift is a must to get the engine into its powerband. The unit won't get high-revving enthusiasts interested. While it revs till ~ 6,000 rpm, progress is very slow beyond 5,000 rpm.

Tata claims that the Tiago iCNG has better gradeability than most other CNG cars, so you don’t have to switch to petrol mode while going up an incline. We found this to be true to an extent as the Tiago didn’t struggle on some everyday uphill sections we tried.

When it comes to shifting between CNG and petrol on the move, the action is seamless. While shifting from petrol to CNG, the system makes a "clunk" sound, but it is muted and not as loud as some rivals.

The Tiago iCNG uses the same TA65 gearbox (also seen in the Indica eV2) as the regular Tiago, Tigor, Altroz and Punch. The 5-speed manual gearbox's throws aren't long and the shifter's operation is light and pleasant to use, although it isn’t Hyundai or VW-like in slickness. There is some notchiness to it. Its gates are well-defined though and we had no trouble slotting into the gear we wanted to engage. What you will appreciate is the clutch, which is very light and has a short travel range. It is a boon in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

This is a 3-cylinder engine and that’s pretty evident when you start the car. There’s cabin shake and you can feel the vibrations seeping into the cabin. Even on the move, you will always be aware that it’s a 3-cylinder engine.

While engine NVH is still tolerable in the city and you’ll get used to it, on the highway, it starts getting loud + coarse at high revs, especially above 4,500 rpm.

Wind noise starts creeping in at 100 km/h and road and tyre noise are on the higher side. Even at 80-90 km/h, road and tyre noise are audible.

Mileage & Fuel Economy

The Tiago iCNG’s fuel economy is rated at 26.49 km/kg. Now, while the Tiago iCNG is the most powerful CNG car on offer in its segment, it is not as economical as its competitors. The claimed fuel efficiency of the WagonR is 32.52 km/kg and that of the new Celerio is 35.60 km/kg. That's like a 25 - 40% difference.

The important thing to remember is that CNG fuel economy heavily depends on your driving style. Some owners have achieved the claimed economy figures (or very close numbers) of their CNG cars with sedate driving.

The Tiago iCNG is equipped with an NGV1 receptacle nozzle that allows for faster and safer refuelling. Notice the switch at the top? That’s the micro switch which switches off the ignition as soon as the fuel lid is opened. The switch will also not allow the engine to start until the lid is closed. Both these features aren’t exclusive to the Tiago, the competitors also have them. The back of the fuel lid has the CNG certification plate. The ‘Tata’ badging on the plate indicates that the CNG kit has been factory fitted:


Here’s something you might see these days at CNG pumps in Mumbai - long queues for filling CNG. Things are getting better and a lot of existing petrol pumps have started providing CNG as well. While CNG cars are rising in popularity, the price of CNG is also rising rapidly. In Mumbai, it has gone up from Rs. 54.57 to Rs. 66 in a period of 3 months (02/10/2021 to 09/01/2022) (source):


While filling, all occupants will have to get out of the vehicle - a safety precaution that is followed by all CNG pumps and is unavoidable. It’s fine if someone is driving alone, but a major inconvenience if you are travelling with elders. The reason why everyone has to get out is that CNG is stored at a very high pressure (~200 bar) and the smallest crack in the system can cause a major mishap, starting from inside the vehicle. To put 200 bar in perspective, 30 psi tyre pressure is equivalent to ~2 bar (so multiply that by 100):

[Omkar]

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Tiago iCNG gets a MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a twist-beam dual-path strut suspension at the rear. It rides on 14-inch rims shod with 175/65 section tyres. The recommended tyre pressure rating is 33 psi at the front and 36 psi at the rear. This makes sense as the CNG tank has been placed in the boot, adding weight at the back. One of the advantages of getting a factory-fitted CNG kit is you don’t have to worry about suspension tuning or adding coil spring spacers at the back. The manufacturer’s R&D team takes care of everything. The Tiago’s suspension has been stiffened up to take the added kerb weight of ~100 kg.

While driving with the recommended tyre pressure rating, you will notice that the suspension has been made firmer. Yet ride quality is still compliant enough on regular roads. On the other hand, you will feel broken roads more and sharp bumps do come in stronger. If you usually drive alone or with the occasional one / two passengers, dropping the tyre pressures to 33 psi all round will improve the ride.

Handling & Dynamics

The Tiago's straight-line stability is very good for the segment and the dynamics are overall safe & conservative...just the kind of neutral behaviour you'd expect of a family hatchback. Nothing to write home about, nothing to complain about either. You’ll be cruising at 100 – 120 km/h without feeling nervous or unsettled.

Tata's claim that that no other hatchback from the segment has a similar suspension setup as the Tiago's semi-independent rear suspension with a twist beam + dual path struts is true. All the other cars get simple setups where the damper is near the wheel and the spring is on the rear axle. In the Tiago however, you have a rear shock absorber assembly, which means that the damper and the spring are one single unit. This allows more independent movement of the rear wheels, but you still have the rigid axle, ergo – 'semi-independent'. So, what exactly is the difference in the real world? For starters, more body control. Body roll is controlled as compared to other cars in the segment and it aids the handling characteristics of the car too.

Get on some twisty roads and you’ll appreciate the suspension setup even more. The car feels agile and you can carry good speed into corners. The Tiago holds on to its line and doesn't understeer easily. The car's solid build further boosts your confidence. Changing direction on back-to-back corners is no problem either. The compact dimensions of the car and the suspension tuning don't really make you feel like you are carrying extra weight at the rear.

On the flip side, the suspension is more expensive compared to the units found on the Tiago's rivals. While changing the rear damper and spring in a Maruti WagonR would cost you ~ Rs. 4,000 (both LHS and RHS combined), replacing the rear shock absorber assembly in the Tiago would cost ~ Rs. 6,000 (only one side - LHS / RHS). These are just approximate figures.

The 175/65 Goodyear Assurance Triplemax 2 section tyres are meant for maximizing range. While they are fine for regular driving, they struggle when the car is pushed hard in corners.

Steering

The electric power-assisted steering is a nice unit. It is light at parking speeds and weighs up adequately as you gain speed. Additionally, it isn't lifeless and does give you some feedback of what the front wheels are up to.

Braking

The Tiago iCNG gets disc brakes at the front and drum brakes at the rear. It is also equipped with ABS+EBD and cornering stability control (CSC). Tata says "CSC supports / stabilizes the vehicle during partial braking in curves by reducing pressure at the required inner wheel. This helps to reduce the probability of vehicle oversteer during cornering + braking". The braking performance, in general, is satisfactory. However, we feel that wider tyres would definitely improve the braking of the car. The brakes feel progressive and the car reacts in a very predictable manner while braking.

[Omkar]

Tata Tiago iCNG Exterior Images

The facelift adds a sense of maturity to the Tiago's design, especially at the front. There are no design specific changes to distinguish the CNG car from the regular Tiago:


Rear hasn’t changed much from the original Tiago. The 2020 facelift included a redesigned bumper and new tail-lamps:


The Tiago looks great in this new "Midnight Plum" paint shade. We wish Tata had given proper alloy wheels instead of "hyperstyle" steel wheels, at least on the XZ+ (top) variant:


The Tiago measures 3,765 mm in length, 1,677 mm in width and 1,535 mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,400 mm. Ground clearance is rated at 168 mm (petrol Tiago's GC is 170 mm):


With the CNG kit, the Tiago has put on ~100 kg. The additional weight had to be balanced by retuning the suspension:


The radiator grille gets the characteristic tri-arrow chrome detailing. The thick chrome strip below the grille adds a bold look to the front:


Projector headlamps were introduced on the facelift. They’re offered only on the top-end XZ+ variant:


LED DRLs are offered only on the top-end XZ+ variant. Fog lamps get a chrome outline:


Air dam had horizontal slats. It is tall and lets in a lot of air inside:


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


Body-coloured door handles get chrome inserts only on the top-end XZ+ variant:


14" hyperstyle steel wheels are shod with 175/65 Goodyear Assurance tyres. The recommended tyre pressures are 33 psi at the front and 36 psi at the rear:


Detailing inside the tail-lamps has been reworked:


Centrally aligned ‘TIAGO’ lettering on the hatch looks good. Reversing camera could have been better placed and integrated though. The probability of it getting damaged in a rear collision is high. Interestingly, the XZ+ variant only gets the camera and no reverse parking sensors. The lower variants get only the sensor and not the camera. If you want both, that's only offered on the Tiago NRG. That's outright stupid feature distribution:


‘I-CNG’ badge is placed on the right side of the tailgate. Green colour for the ‘I’ is a nice touch. CNG cars have 24% lower CO2 emissions compared to petrol cars:

[Omkar]

Tata Tiago iCNG Interior Images

The interiors are the same as what you would get in the regular Tiago facelift. What’s different are some of the CNG specific changes. Flat-bottom steering wheel is soft and good to hold:


Buttons for the audio system, telephony and voice commands are placed on the left spoke. A useful mute function has been provided (long press to mute). Notice the small horn symbol (next to steering buttons on both sides) - extended horn-pad! The plastic on the spokes doesn’t feel very premium. Should’ve gotten the piano black treatment like in the Tiago NRG (reference image):


Fully digital instrument cluster is shared with the regular Tiago, but with a few changes. You get a tachometer on the left, and petrol fuel gauge on the right. In the top right corner is the CNG tank gauge. This is a neat integration and looks cool too. However, in the regular Tiago, you get the engine temperature gauge here, which IMO, is extremely important, especially in a CNG car. MID shows a digital speedometer, odometer, 2 trip meters, distance to empty, average fuel consumption and outside temperature:


Instrument cluster has indicator lamps for CNG mode and DRLs. MID also notifies you when you activate or deactivate CNG mode. It also points out exactly which door (or boot) is open. If the fuel lid is not closed, it will warn you and the engine will not crank:


Wonder why the illumination on the keyring from the pre-facelift car was skipped (reference image):


Air-con vents are finished in piano black and get a chrome lining on the inside. Interestingly, these are body-coloured in cars with Flame Red and Arizona Blue paint shades:


Black fabric seats get contrast stitching and some tri-arrow detailing. Seat adjustment levers have been restyled and look upmarket:


People with a big shoe size might find the pedals placed too close to each other. Dead pedal to rest your left foot has been provided. Notice the exposed wiring above the pedals - looks ugly:


Center fascia has a clean design and features a 7-inch touchscreen head-unit, a few buttons below it and the automatic climate control switches further down:


7-inch Harman touchscreen head-unit is basic, yet packs all the features that you would need from a touchscreen. Home screen gets a split display and the touchscreen is pretty convenient to use, with very little lag. Music is played through 4 speakers and 4 tweeters. Sound quality is good by budget hatchback standards. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity has been provided as well. Touchscreen doubles up as a display for the reversing camera, which has adaptive guidelines:


CNG button gets a green light to indicate that the CNG mode has been activated. A feature of the Tiago iCNG is that the car can start in CNG mode:


Typical Tata leather gear shifter that we’ve seen in their recent cars. It gets a leather boot:


ABC type fire extinguisher is placed in the front passenger side footwell. For those who aren’t familiar with this type of fire extinguisher, it is suitable for the following types of fires: Class A - ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, cloth, etc.), Class B - flammable liquids (grease, oil, paint, solvents, etc.) and Class C - live electrical equipment (electric panel, motor, wiring, etc). Do remember that the extinguisher comes with a pressure gauge at the top. Make sure you recharge the extinguisher with MAP (Mono Ammonium Phosphate) powder when the pressure drops into the red region:


Basic CNG related safety instructions are pasted on the windshield:


A look at the rear bench seat with the reworked upholstery:


60L (water capacity) CNG tank is placed in the boot. As you can see, the tank occupies the entire boot and there is not space for any luggage:


Manual shut off valve that cuts off the CNG flow to the engine:


Spare wheel is a 13" steel unit with a 155/80 section tyre. You cannot remove the spare wheel from the tailgate. Instead…


… you have to fold down the rear seat backrest and remove the spare wheel from here:


The toolkit is tucked away on the side:

[Aditya]

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

[Shreyans_Jain]

Finally. Our very first CNG specific review, and a very well done one. I really like what Tata has achieved here. Tiago was always the most sorted budget hatchback in the market. By providing a factory fit CNG, they are providing the benefits of extremely low running costs with factory warranty to all. Essentially, this is a conversion people had been doing aftermarket for many years. Tata just made it official. Good to see the implementation has been the best of all factory fitted CNGs till now. Offering a wide variant range is a master stroke.

Whenever they launch it with the automatic, that will be a real game changer. I’ve always maintained that a factory fit CNG automatic is the ideal car of daily urban usage. Especially with relevant sub 10L electrics being a decade away. A Tiago CNG automatic at 9.5L with a assured resale makes a lot more sense than a Nexon EV at 18L.

[GTO]

Superb review, team! Thank you for sharing .

I was actually pleasantly surprised with the Tiago CNG and didn't expect it to be so competent. What impressed me first was the attention-to-detail that Tata has put into the CNG integration. From the classy button to switch to CNG seamlessly (no ugly after-market type switch here) to the neatly designed dual-fuel gauges and the car restarting in the same mode you switched it off in. Shows the thought that has gone into it. Factory-fit is factory-fit and this is totally worth the premium over after-market installations.

Within the city, it's a great commuter for those with high running & looking at fuel savings. Driveability is satisfactory. Motor has no top-end though and if you hit the highway, stick to the middle lane. It's slow above 80 - 90 kmph.

Guys, what's the safety risk if you're rear-ended by say a tempo and the tank takes the impact? A petrol tank is still placed lower, but the CNG tank would be straight in the line of impact.

[ram1kv]

Originally Posted by Omkar

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Tiago iCNG gets a MacPherson strut suspension at the front and a twist-beam dual-path strut suspension at the rear. It rides on 14-inch rims shod with 175/65 section tyres. The recommended tyre pressure rating is 33 psi at the front and 36 psi at the rear. This makes sense as the CNG tank has been placed in the boot, adding weight at the back. One of the advantages of getting a factory-fitted CNG kit is you don’t have to worry about suspension tuning or adding coil spring spacers at the back. The manufacturer’s R&D team takes care of everything. The Tiago’s suspension has been stiffened up to take the added kerb weight of ~100 kg.

While driving with the recommended tyre pressure rating, you will notice that the suspension has been made firmer, yet ride quality is still compliant enough on regular roads. On the other hand, you will feel broken roads more and sharp bumps do come in stronger. If you usually drive alone or with the occasional one / two passengers, dropping the tyre pressures to 33 psi all round will improve the ride.

Excellent review! Nice to see Tata take a well executed step in to the CNG space. Been in the market for an Electric / CNG city car with good safety features for mostly 2 person use. The lack of boot space is hence not an issue.

On test rides:

1. Petrol Tiago, the suspension was tad stiff.
2. Maruti CNG products were pretty lame other than VFM quotient.
3. Nexon EV was impressive except the price tag .

So got a very specific question, how plush is the ride of the CNG variant with all the added weight and retuned Suspension, say compared to a Nexon EV? Thanking you in advance!

Kind regards
Ram

[ron178]

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys, what's the safety risk if you're rear-ended by say a tempo and the tank takes the impact? A petrol tank is still placed lower, but the CNG tank would be straight in the line of impact.

Not sure of real-life crashes but the ARAI does have a rear impact test with a mobile barrier (AIS-101) specifically for fuel system integrity (nothing to do with occupant protection) which I believe every car must pass as part of type approval. It's based on ECE R34 which is a similar UN standard.

(Source: ARAI)

[sunilch]

Amazing Review. Amazing offering by TATA for City as well as Highway dwellers who want good FE and don't drive aggressively. Good to see TATA trying out different combinations and giving choices to consumers. We need car makers to do this more - offer more choices/variety.

Originally Posted by Omkar

• No boot space at all due to the CNG tank. Get a carrier for those long journeys!
• Removing & putting back the spare tyre is a tricky affair due to the CNG tank location
• All passengers need to get out of the vehicle while refilling CNG

Originally Posted by Omkar

While filling, all passengers in the car will have to get out of the vehicle - a safety precaution that is followed by all CNG pumps and is unavoidable. It’s fine if someone is driving alone, but a major inconvenience if you are travelling with elders. The reason why everyone has to get out is that CNG is stored at very high pressure (~200 bar) and the smallest of a crack in the system can cause a major mishap, starting from inside of the vehicle. To put the 200 bar in perspective, 30 psi tyre pressure is equivalent to 2 bar (multiply that by 100):

Above factors are serious downers in case of CNG vehicles - more so for this particular offering. You need some boot space at-least.

I believe a Tigor CNG will be a lot more practical offering than this. Only important factor there will be the price. But if this is how it will be built (quality, detail, features), Tigor CNG will be a great offering in that case.

Originally Posted by GTO

Guys, what's the safety risk if you're rear-ended by say a tempo and the tank takes the impact? A petrol tank is still placed lower, but the CNG tank would be straight in the line of impact.

Would like to know more about this. Seems to be an important point Any damage at rear will impact the CNG tank and hence render the vehicle unsafe and not worthy of driving any further at all. Even a trip to the service center may not be safe in this case.

A Tigor CNG with the boot and the bumper may be slightly better here.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by sunilch

I believe a Tigor CNG will be a lot more practical offering than this. Only important factor there will be the price. But if this is how it will be built (quality, detail, features), Tigor CNG will be a great offering in that case.

Already launched, bud. Related thread (2022 Tata Tiago and Tigor CNG launched, prices start from Rs 6.09 lakh).

Relevant pictures:

[rahul_dg123]

Thanks for a great review!
Tata Tiago CNG was one of the most awaited car this year and it has not disappointed. The safety conscious Indian buyer will be happy to settle for a slightly reduced CNG FE (compared to its rivals) given the tank like build quality. I have one question- why don't Indian car makers use a Type 4 CNG cylinder which weighs much less (around 1/3rd) than the current generation and may positively help in increasing the CNG FE further.