[Mi10]

For years we as enthusiasts, have waited with bated breath for our prominent automakers to come up with a complete enthusiast's car; only to be disappointed with something or the other, but more often with a long list of compromises. Yet we have shown our love and appreciation towards those handful of really special cars! Make no mistake, these are not your regular cars with fancy stickers or limited edition floor mats!
Special cars are born Special! Not because they have high power or great handling, or a build akin to a Tank, in fact they might be far from being called perfect, Yet they are special, as they have this innate ability to make their owners emote! Whether it is grinning from ear to ear, or screaming out of hyperactivity or smiling peacefully, or clutching on to steering gleefully.

Special cars...Connect!


Review Summary:

What i like:

• Power that punches well above its weight and class
• Stiff suspension, Tight chassis and brilliant brakes make this an out and out Fun to Drive car
• Great Looking car inside out that turn heads! Some very tasteful enhancements like the Functional Vents, Subtle Body Kit, 15" machined Alloys and up-sized rubber
• Dual Exhaust pipes that look awesome and sound sonorous when given the stick
• Complete with Dual Airbags, ABS and Corner Stability Control
• Competent Sound system for its class

What i don't like

• Overall NVH is poor; Competitors are way ahead
• Jerky behavior at low speeds in City mode
• The Steering feel could have been better, considering the superior handling package
• Not for the Kitna Deti Hai Crowd!
• Limited availability of the car and service centers is a concern

Index

1. Prologue
2. Requirements and Shortlist
   • Contenders
   • Decision
   • Booking and Delivery Experience
3. Impressions
   • Driving Experience
   • Exterior
   • Interior
4. Expressions
   • Little Details
   • Top 10 Questions
   • Reactions
5. Epilogue
   

Note: This Review is incidentally my 1000th Post

[Mi10]

Over the last 3 years, many things changed. My Grandparents passed away; Most of my relative's kids have grown up and some even settled in life. Our Frequent trips to our native place started to reduce drastically. About 6 months back, we sold our property in our native which totally cut out any reason to drive down. I too caught up a new hobby of ‘Running’ somewhere in mid 2016, which till date continues to keep me engaged. So much that, these days prefer to boast my distance covered per year by foot over Kms driven per year! So the Sunday long drives were being replaced with Sunday Long runs! Just to give you a scale, covered close to 5000 kms by foot over a period of 3 years!

Coming to my last car, the Scarecrow® – a remapped 1.6 S-cross. Some of you might recollect this thread here:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/test-...date-sold.html (Crossbreed® | Mi10's Maruti S-Cross 1.6 DDiS 320 - Remapped! Update: Sold!)
The car was a real animal that deserved a better hunting ground. In highways this was a different breed altogether. The Power, Balance, Efficiency, Space, Sleeper looks – just had everything going for it. Entire 2016 and early 2017 i had a really good time with quite a few long trips. The car would just keep on munching miles at will, that at serious speeds too!

However, I have to admit that in the city, especially in Bumper to Bumper (B2B) traffic the car is a pain to drive. With or without remap, the car needs constant downshifts to remain agile. The Clutch is on the heavier side as well, and beyond a point, one would realize that the car’s potential is plainly being wasted in city. As time passed, the car found use only in my daily office commute which has 40% B2B Traffic, 30% Good Traffic, 15% Moderate Traffic and remaining 5% in speed restricted zone! In fact engage 5th and 6th gear once a month just to make sure, they work! So much that my Entire mileage for 2018 was just 14k kms!
2019 dawned on me with new set of changes and challenges. My new job profile mandates frequent travels which means I’ll have even less miles on road than ever! Wanted my wife to take up some % of driver duty and S-cross really didn't cut for her. And the there is my habit of changing cars every 3-4 years which all summed up in cohesion to go in for an upgrade..err..Trade-in. Took little time to make up my mind, as better half was already convinced and pulled the trigger.

Surely memories of the Scarecrow would be etched in my mind forever! Has to be one of those cars which i will blindly got to if i want a fast, comfortable and safe travel for my family! Incidentally this in my opinion, is hands down the best car launched by Maruti Suzuki over the last decade Sad that they had to pull the curtains so soon for this gentle wonder!

I might have named her Scarecrow, But this one was a real beast and genuinely scary!

[Mi10]

With lower mileage, B2B traffic in mind, an Automatic hatch was an easy choice to make. But then being I, (like most of us here), car buying decisions are purely mandated by how many strands the car manages to pull in my heart. Except for an i10 which I had brought due to intense pressure from my wife, all my other cars were brought purely because of the connection they were able to make. That being said, there still has to be certain minimum requirements that need to be fulfilled to warrant a purchase.

High Level Requirements

Petrol Car | Around 800 kms per month, most likely less than that, I don’t feel the need to burn more cash in going for Diesel. Also driving back to back diesel cars (quite powerful in their own right) for last 6 years made me lust for Petrol cars and their ease for revving.

Hatch / Compact Sedan | 2 Adults plus 2 kids and half the time we have School van ferrying the kids, I don’t see the need for larger car. While space was important, it wasn’t on my priority list! I wanted sometime, compact, quick to turn, easy to park, and can move along with the crowd.

Power | After driving some powerful cars in their classes, and some more driving remapped avatars of seriously powerful cars, It is hard to go back to some random low output engine. This one criteria made me avoid a lot of Naturally Aspirated Engines!

Agility | Always a sucker for Handling even though it might just be that one gentle curve that everyone takes in so effortlessly. For me Handling and dynamics mean much more than taking a corner aggressively. Good Handling cars inspire confidence! Dynamically Agile cars give me a sense of supreme control ! Understand it is just a state of mind, but I believe that matters a lot!

Good Looks | After being looked down like a poor, tasteless, soulless scourge of automotive world for driving the Bland Scross, my heart screams and wails for attraction. There is no Tik tok or no Insta that can help this depressed automotive heart ! It just needs a smoking haute piece of automobile that turns heads, opens jaws, and set the tongues wagging

Budget | Not Prepared to spend too much at this stage of my life; Maybe 10 L tops.

[Mi10]

After my secondary research, shortlisted on the below cars. There are already comprehensive objective comparisons available here, so i am restricting myself to the subjective aspects for each car. Some of my own opinion listed below after seeing and Test driving these cars.
Note that the 2019 Baleno RS was not available for TD, However i have driven the older variant and my assumption is that, there wont be much of difference to the way it drives.

To be brutally honest, all the above cars are no slouch in Performance or Appeal

Fiat Punto Abarth | Although I really appreciate Fiat for giving us this authentic hot hatch, my appreciation will only remain as a compliment and never convert to a sale! 2018 models were given at discounted prices which made a strong case for itself! Unfortunately for me, the ergonomics of this car never suited me one bit. Even short drives make me very uncomfortable, as the reach of the steering vs the angle of my upper body is always in conflict. My left leg keeps hitting the side panels every now and then! Other than this major irritant, another minor one was the news that Fiat shutting down shop here in India. Frankly, Fiat was / is / will never known to be great when it comes to After Sales and Service. There ends the debacle.

2019 Suzuki Baleno RS | With the launch of the 2019 face-lifted Baleno, i was impressed with its Feature list. Suzuki Petrols are always superb, so was actually betting on the 2019 RS variant to sport some unique changes. Especially around the handling department, since i felt that was one of the concerns lot of us had with the older RS. However, I was in for a total disappointment; except for the subtle differentiation in grills and the RS badging there was nothing more, even the alloys were same! Also was told that the RS would be available only in March, and would cost a whopping 1.5 L premium over the top end Naturally Aspirated Alpha variant!. From what i see, the way they treated the 1.6 S-Cross, i am guessing the same could happen to Baleno RS, unless it manages to sell more units in 2019

VW Polo GT | A bit of history! Supposed to get this as a replacement for the Fiesta 1.6S way back in 2015. However, that plan never materialized. The Good thing is it was back in contention again now! But then the Sad part about this entire story is that, it is 2019. While VW was working overtime to add few features (mainly interiors) here and there, changing alloy patters and adding more colors, the essence is that mechanically they have been the same ever since the car was launched here. Sure the car drives like a dream, DSG shifts like magic and actually has superb potential when it comes to aftermarket mods. Somehow, VW strategy for India remains confusing. Between VW and Skoda, the latter seems to be a better bet to me! The Pricing was close to 11L, but somehow did really feel spending so much for this upmarket but dated hatch

Ford Freestyle 1.2 | The only NA Petrol in my contention and only because of what they managed to do with the 2018 Figo S TDCI! The new Dragon series engine was garnering rave reviews here and elsewhere and i was quite tempted to see for myself. Indeed, the 1.2 3 Cyl engine on the Freestyle was quite a breeze to drive. The Exhaust note was very sporty too !. I had my issues especially with the handling (which was neutral but way off from Ford Standards) and the exterior build quality which again felt more Hyundai than Ford! But what got me ticking was the Safety pack of 6 airbags, Traction Control System, and the usual ABS+EBD. More specifically, the way the priced the Titanium+ Edition was a Killer. The Interiors and features too were quite good for a Hatch and Overall, as a package I think it ticked most of my requirements.
Somewhere In the same Showroom was the new 2019 Aspire, which garnered my Dad’s attention. He was really impressed with its classy understated looks. With practical boot, he was pressing on to book the Aspire. However, I felt the Freestyle had more character and likely to turn more heads over an Aspire! So went ahead and booked the same in Ruby Red.

All this while, i was waiting for the Test Drive (TD) car of Tiago JTP and got bored of waiting! Finally when the TD car came, i was a bit too late, still for the heck of it, i visited the Showroom

JTSV JTP Twins | The last time I visited Tata motors was way back in 2011 when they launched an Ad for Safari ! I went there to see if they can help me reclaim my life! But then I went with my wife, so they must have guessed it was too late then!
Jokes apart, and no offence to anyone, never have I taken them seriously when it comes to making cars for Enthusiasts! From Truck makers to utility vehicle makers, to Cab makers to Commercial UV makers my image of Tata motors has always been commuter grade, cheap, unreliable auto makers making slow but steady strides towards excellence.
As life would have it, the day I hit the dealership to see the JTP was the first weekend after Harrier launch. So there was quite a buzz there in the showroom and it took a bit of time to have the JTP salesperson to engage. The Dealership only had a white Tigor JTP for Test Drive. Took it for a short spin. The Salesperson told me to stop after a particular distance. Checked for traffic movement and told me to give it a stick after engaging the sports mode. After the lackluster city mode, the Car felt reasonably brisk, I was shifting around 3-4k and felt the power was quite good. But then, it wasn't just making the cut for me to go ahead and book! It was not until I took a fast left hander in second gear, pressed on till 5k’ish rpm and shifted to third, Bang in the power band, the car lept forward with rabid intensity usually found in certain remapped diesels and to a subtler extent when the Vtec kicks in OHC! The Exhaust note added more masala to the already spicy proceedings with final garnishing done by the BOV sound! God! I wasn't sure what the heck is happening around. Yet I was smiling trying hard to not emote it out as a grin!
The Tigor was priced at 8.7L OTR and the Tiago 7.6L OTR. The Tigor JTP also sported Auto AC, Rear Camera and over Tiago JTP. At that point, I haven't even seen the Tiago JTP in flesh, so i made up my mind to come back after a week! Meanwhile, my Dad was still not out of the Aspire effect and continued vouch for it.

[Mi10]

With 6 weeks of wait for either of the JTP cars, I was thinking hard if I need to cancel the the Freestyle which had a reasonable 12 day waiting period. Truly both the cars are Value For Money (VFM) in their own right. While the Freestyle was Pragmatic for my use while offering VFM, the JTP twins were sensory overload with a VFM tag! But what was surprising is that never in my wildest dreams have thought about such a situation of choosing between two extremely competent hatches with one of them being a Tata!!

Strange Battle of VFMs' lol

Product factor: While the Freestyle, climbs the ladder to achieve its VFM crown with its Class leading Saftey features like 6 airbags, ARP (TCS) and surprisingly sprightly Petrol mill, the Tiago / Tigor JTP takes an elevator to the VFM crown with its outright performance, handling credentials and feature set that is hard to ignore. Although, the Freestyle a tad bigger car, when you compare the Tiago, it is only the rear space that might be a tad little tight.

Service Factor: I do share a history with Ford and to see from where they have come, I have to admit that they have put sincere and honest efforts in uplifting their After Sales Image in India. To add to that, the nearest Ford Service station is about 500 mts from my home! However, with respect to Tata I do not have any prior ownership experience. Their nearest service station is like some 10 kms!

Other Factors: Brand Image, Snob value, Peer pressure all ensure the Ford Freestyle comes well ahead of the Tiago JTP. Although Tata motors have upped their game in the last few years, the overall image of Tata being a Truck maker is still prevalent for a common man! It is bound to change sooner than we expect, though!

All my cars except couple of them were decisions taken by my heart. For me the car that connects with me, is hard to shake off. More than that, it is harder for me to live with cars that do I cannot connect with. Few real life instances;

• I brought the Fiesta 1.6 S knowing it would be discontinued in couple of months
• I took a risk with Skoda Rapid, when most people would think twice before going with the Brand, knowing its history
• The SCross 1.6 made it to my house despite knowing it was overpriced for what it offered.

The i10 and Verito were those two cars which served my family very well. They were Pragmatic, Functional and Cheaper to run, but then for me a car is more than a machine that takes from A to B. With newer models of cheaper rentals and agile taxis, owning a car and driving has become all the more personal.

That 1 week felt like a 100 years! Lot of my office colleagues were asking me to go with the freestyle or to check out cars like new Baleno. Some of my like minded friends asked me to get the Abarth or the GT TSI as they are established performance units unlike the JTP. But then, they cost me easily a couple of Lacs more (for Abarth after discounts) and about 3 Lacs more (for GT) .

After countless battles between within my mind and within my family, I finally decided to go with the car that pulled my heart! Deep inside my heart, JTP had already made its mark. Maybe the fact that I never expected Tata to come out with such a focused product, made me go WoW over this. End of day, I could envision driving a JTP down the road sporting a big grin on my face

Few photos brighten up our day like this one! What say ?

[Mi10]

Booking:

Now the key decision was to decide between the JTP Twins. While 90% of the car is same, the difference boiled down to the below over the Tiago JTP:

• Weighs 31 kgs
• Extended Length of 246 mm
• Extra Boot Space of 177 Lts
• Extra rear leg room
• Rear View Camera
• Climate Control
• Revised Front Fog Lamp housing
• Electronic Tail gate opener
• Clear lens LED Tail Lamps
• Full length LED High Mount Stop Light

With the Freestyle out, Dad had warmed up for the Tigor JTP (More so because that was the only car we ever saw in flesh), but I somehow felt the Tiago looked much more balanced and smart over the Tigor. The Tigor especially when viewed side on, seems to suffer from the 'chopped boot' feel most compact sedans' suffer from. Most importantly, my wife (for once) was aligning with me, in her perspective, the Tigor has an unusually high boot kinda restricting the rear view.

So went ahead to book the Tiago JTP in White. However, the Sales person confirmed me that white would take even more time, as the production hasn’t begun for white variant of Tiago at that time. I had no other option but to choose the Red one. Still no regrets, as both colors suit Tiago JTP quite well. This is my third red car after the i10 (blushing red) and the Fiesta S (Paprika Red).

Meanwhile I went ahead and cancelled the Freestyle booking, only to go back again in 3 weeks to book that same car again for my Dad! More on that later, in a different thread.

Delivery experience:
The delivery encountered a brief hiccup due to JTSV entity being registered as an automaker with local RTO. Another small hiccup when the car went for registration but returned back due to server error from RTO end. I was getting restless as each and every moment passed. On the delivery day, as luck would have it, I had one of the biggest escalations of 2019. In a way it was good, since it took my attention for the first half of the day. Had already informed commitment and promptly pushed off at 3 pm. The Sales Person who was handling me was Mr. Manick. Quite courteous and professional man. He was very prompt to inform me of any changes from the very beginning. We planned to take the delivery between 4:45 – 5:15. I arrived around 4:00 and we finished the documentation formalities around 4:30 PM. However the car was being cleaned and garlanded before handover. Finally took the grabbed the keys from him around 5:00 PM and started the car with a handful of Concorde employees clapping and wishing good luck.

As I slowly trudged off, I realized this was the first time I am actually driving the Tiago JTP (TD car was Tigor JTP). The Car was in city mode and the traffic was slowly beginning to build, so I let it remain in city mode with smooth and slow throttle inputs. About 1 km down the line, the car abruptly stopped. I tried starting for 4-5 times, but no response from the engine. Traffic was beginning to build up behind me, and I was frantically searching for the phone! Spoke to Manick and he immediately said, he is coming here with the Mech. Couple of gentlemen help me push the car off road and parked in the sideway. After 10 min, Manick and the dealership mech arrived. As suspected, the fuel was empty (looks like they missed to put in the fuel). He had got 1.5L of Petrol which was emptied into the Tank. Thankfully, the nearest petrol bunk was 600 mts away and Manick insisted he followed me on his bike just to be on the safer side. Very nice and thoughtful of sales rep to go beyond their way to help customers. Thank you Concorde motors

With People cheering, clapping along with Garland, felt as though i just got married to the car

[Mi10]

Just to see how the Tiago JTP fits into my history of Petrol cars. The Tiago JTP is my 5th Petrol car over the last 16 Years ! For Ease of Comparison just lined up my last 4 Petrol cars and how they stack up with the current buy. To be noted that, i am buying a Hatch after 10 years, so its better be worth the wait!

Please note that the inflation is not taken into the mix while calculating Bhp / Lac.
In the current scenario, i cannot think of any other car than can beat the JTP twins on this factor!

A quick Traceability report:

Petrol Car | Oh Yes! Runs on superior and cleaner fuel

Hatch / Compact Sedan | With 2 kids, a Tigor probably made better sense, but then, Never mind!

Power |

Agility |

Good Looks | Ran out of Smiley count; yeah! you can copy paste the above smiley

Price | 7.6 L OTR, this is the cheapest of all the cars considered; the Freestyle Titanium+ came at 8.4 L OTR! which was the second cheapest.

In a nut shell, the Tiago JTP is just unbeatable Value for an enthusiast on budget.

It is right there up your face, and it is really hard to Ignore!

[Mi10]

Alright, lets get down to the heart of the matter. The Tiago JTP as most of you know is a 3 Cyl, Turbo Charged, Inter-cooled, Petrol car. The engine though is identical to the Nexon Turbo Petrol unit, it is not 100% same. I was told the car comes with a different Turbo along and minor mech changes with
different mapping to bring in the sportiness. The Result is that the car produces about 112.4 BHP of power @ 5000 rpm and 150 Nm of Torque @ 2k-4k RPM. When you compare this with Nexon, which puts out 108.5 BHP 2 5k RPM along with 170 Nm of Torque @ 1750 - 4000 RPM. The Nexon sports a 6 speed gearbox whereas the Tiago JTP has the 5 Speed gearbox. So although the Engine might resemble the Nexon unit, it is vastly different when you are actually driving it. The Tiago JTP comes with two modes for driving – City and Sport mode. The Trend of having more than one map and the ability to switch maps at will are indeed great aspect to any car lover.

City mode | The Mapping in this mode is all about restricting Torque so that people find it easy to drive in bumper to bumper traffic. The intent is good and to an extent, the mode serves the purpose. Just that the car becomes too Jerky even to moderate throttle inputs and needs constant babying of the pedals to keep it away from being Jerky. Abrupt movement while both upshifting from 2nd and while downshifting from 3rd make it hard for new drivers. To its credit, the City mode largely smoothens out if you are shifting around 3k-3.5k mark. I found this to be the best range to drive inside city both in terms of refinement and efficiency. The City mode should not be mistaken for Eco mode, since the intent of this mode is clearly on making driveability in low speed conditions easier by restricting the Torque; If you expecting this low Torque City mode will convert to great Efficiency figures, then you are likely to be surprised! Nevertheless, the City mode still is better to drive than the Regular NA Tiago !

While I may seem too pessimistic about the City mode, there are definitive use cases for this city mode. Some of them listed below;

• Inching centimeter by centimeter in Traffic Signals / Heavy Traffic areas
• Speed Restricted areas like Apartment / Shopping / Office Complexes
• The Exhaust note mellows down a bit in City mode, so if are wanting to avoid unwanted attraction, this is a good mode to be in !
• When I am lost in thoughts and not in mood for focused driving
• When your friend / colleague pesters for a Drive in your new car (so that he never asks me again)

Notice the Subtle Front Lip in Glossy Black; Classy!

Sports mode | Now for some Drama! The Sports made is essentially what it stands for! However the Initial Revs do not really showcase the true intent of this mode. It just behaves a tad better than the City mode in those RPMs, albeit the Jerky behavior. Thanks to the little more torque that is available here, you could simply ride on this torque wave at pottering speeds and avoid shifting to next gear!. Till 2.5k RPM it remains clam while still being peppy enough than City mode. In fact, more than the city mode, the Sports mode makes a compelling case in moderate / Light traffic jams.

It is only post 3k RPM the JTP truly opens up. There is a short but intense wave pushing you at the back, that lands you in 5k RPM in quick time. In 2nd and 3rd Gears within this Power band, the car propels forward at frightening intensity and can catch most people off guard! Although the progress from 5k onwards (Red line 5900 RPM) is bit slow, the momentum you pick carries on for a bit. It may not be quick revving like few other units in market, but this one packs quite a Punch. The Exhaust note too changes character from 3k onwards and keeps rising the tempo all the way till 5.9k mark. In the right hands the Tiago JTP can run rings around much Hyped-Priced-Spec’ed brands. The Car is simply a rocket due to its very strong mid range coupled with Small footprint.

The side vents with JTP Logo packs a Swag unseen in its class

The Handling of the car is superb and i dare say, it even towers the Fiesta S in certain situations, thanks to its compact dimensions and slightly lower Ground Clearance of 166 mm. The Car is a corner carver and inspires confidence even to mediocre drivers to push it ! In regular roads, it is very hard to really know the limits of the JTP, you will either need a visit to the Track or some remote Ghat sections which is a one way!
The stiffness in the Suspension is very evident, while that being said, it is no back breaker like those low GC, Dynamically Agile cars we have been accustomed to. The car is surprisingly very easy to live with even in patched, broken or pothole ridden Tarmac!
The Brakes are probably the Best for i have come across for a while ! The Bite, Progression, Feel is superbly setup and this makes the car lose speed extremely well! The Stock tires are from Apollo (Alnac) and they do a decent job in ensuring Traction. While it does take some effort to make it squeal, a upgrade to Softer, Gripper rubber would greatly enhance its Agility!

185/60 on 15" Machined Alloys look swell! IMO, the Tyre size is perfect for the power levels; upsize not recommended

In fact the only irritant in this entire package seems to be the Steering feel! I would rate it better than the Suzuki’s and probably close to the VW / Skoda types, but nowhere near the Fiats and yesteryear Ford units. The Steering does tighten up beyond 3 digit speeds, however for the speeds under that, it is a bit vague and needs constant correction. Because of this, you end up oversteering now and then. Not really a big issue considering none of us go to office through a Race Track

The Gearbox is a 5 speed one, similar to the normal Tiago. Shifts are usually good and engage as committed. I found few irritants with the way it shifts from from 4th to 5th. Overall, cannot complain too much as it is above par with cars in its Price range.

Tiago is a car that is tuned more towards acceleration, thanks to the Turbo. While this cannot be compared with a Remapped Diesels which usually pull like locomotive, the Tiago JTP holds its own right when you compare any other Naturally Aspirated Petrol cars not just in its segment, but well above its class. However, if you are expecting a refined, powerful unit like say the GT TSI, or the Baleno RS then be prepared to be disappointed. Neither is this car an outright performance Hatch like the Abarth Punto. If you are expecting the JTP twins to rule the GQs or Drag strips, you will be even more disappointed.
The Tiago JTP is Raw! it is Vocal and can even get a bit crude when it comes to NVH. This car is neither refined nor makes any effort to mask the NVH levels!. But what the Tiago JTP does well is, it makes you feel connected! You will experience everything first hand, right from the mild vibes that trickle in gear stick now and then, to the Wave of torque and hits you from behind, the flex when you take a hard corner, the gearshift clicks, Blow off Valve sound, 3 cylinder thrum, Exhaust note chatter that is bordering on Rallyish-sound...the list just goes on.
The JTP's strength is in its In-gear acceleration, Gear ratios and Track tuned suspension setup! When it comes to driving a track focused car, there is no alternative to the JTP twins in their price bracket.

Some use cases for Sports mode listed below;

• When you are in front line of a Signal; The way you lose traffic in your rear view mirror! WoW! What a feel
• Whether it is roaring down the Twisty Ghats section or Slicing though City Traffic, you will be surprised what this little car can do
• Cruise in 3rd gear, Open windows a little, Bury Accelerator till 5.5k and lift off! Woooshh
• The Car can very easily trigger people! Thanks to its eye catchy design and Exhaust note ! Please do exercise caution, as it can cause heavy ego issues to people who mistake this to be a regular Tiago

Sunny times ahead for Enthusiasts on budget

Efficiency | Like every other Car, the fuel efficiency depends on the way you drive. The JTP is no exception.
My First Tankful yielded a mileage of 8.6 kmpl. And i was like
Because i was on City mode for 80% of the time, 20% I was on sports mode but still not really pushing it at all. In fact redlined 3-4 times now and then just to break-in the engine.
My Second Tankful yielded a mileage of 9.6 kmpl. And to my surprise was on 50:50 City and Sports mode. It was then i realized that city mode made me shift too many times over the sports mode. Also the craze of driving a Petrol car after many years made me shift much higher than what is required, when i subdued that a bit, the efficiency started improving.
My Last drive which had about 50% Highways, 30% Poor roads and 20% City, the car managed to give respectable 13.6 Kmpl.
With each passing day, i am able to understand this machine better. But trying to get fuel efficiency from the JTP sounds like planning a Pilgrimage while courting Sunny Leone!

1000 kms up in 17 Days !

[Mi10]

The Normal Tiago is a good looking car. Clean Design without going overboard, no fancy stokes or unwanted baby bump! The FL Tiago XZ+ Sported an aggressive look with Dual Barrel Projectors from Tigor, Black Roof, and Stylish Alloys.

Big Chrome Tata Logo Adorning the Main Grill

The Tiago JTP just elevates the experience to a different level thanks to some of the thoughtful aesthetic elements used. From getting the Gangsta Looks with Blacked out Projector Headlights, Lovely dual tone paint job, to getting that Sporty tag with those clean 10 spoke Machined Alloys, meaty end pipes this car had me drop jaws the very first time I saw it! The Subtle yet functional add-ons like Vents, Scoops and Skirts along with the JTP badging make this a visual treat to any enthusiast. Apart from the aggressive Grills and revised front bumper, the Tiago JTP also sports a integrated Spoiler + Wing Spoiler both finished in black (akin to Normal Tiago)

Superb Looking Dual barrel Unit, Throw is quite decent too for City; not so for the Highways



Black Color on ORVM is nice touch and matches with the Roof and Spoiler

Cute, Proportionate Tail lights; Notice the Hexagonal detailing inside




Classy integrating of parking sensors; The 15L S-cross got the one which was protruding outside

Truly, this car has been crafted by someone who is deeply and madly in love with cars. I cannot fathom the detail of this Artist, as even small things like the design inside the vent, The Kari Track on the Engine cover, the design of the Rear (fake) Diffuser, the size and meat of the exhaust pipes – They were just PERFECT!

Fascinating integration of the Vent; Notice the lovely Detailing inside the vent




Mean looking unit, Not too big for sarcastic smiles; not too small to go unnoticed



In a segment known for quirky designs, the Tiago stands out with its clean appeal

Coming from an underwhelming pre-facelift S-Cross this car feels like marrying miss universe and taking her to my native village! And make no mistake, not just enthusiasts, common people can differentiate the JTP from regular Tiago. While they may not be over analyzing things to death like us, they do notice and appreciate the subtle differences. And for those who still miss the bus, we announce (literally) via the BOV and Exhaust note!

Not many cars in this class look good at all angles

[Mi10]

The Regular Tiago is a class act when it comes to Interior and build quality. At that price range, it is hard for any other car to rival Tiago. The JTP takes all the good bits and adds a dash of sportiness by committing a entire black theme and with subtle touches of Red. This Red and Black theme on the interior is lovely and blends with the overall sporty language ushered. I wish they also gave White and Black themed interiors for the White JTPs. (Maybe i am asking too much! )

Notice the Different materials and subtle pattern variations - Looks and Feels superb

Tiago JTP has a simple yet effective Air con. The Rotary dials are easy to each and use. The Effectiveness of Air con is 5 / 5. However the fan noise is too much even at second level (Although I am not sure if my expectation is skewed because of my earlier cars)

Simple and Functional Knobs



The AC Surrounds are Bright Ferrari Red and Bring in a dash of sportiness

The Steering itself is chunky for car of this size and very nice to hold. The Perforated leather and the red stitching are just a treat to the sore eyes that was holding a bin shared Steering wheel earlier!

Good Size Steering with Buttons for Volume, SRC and BT calls



Fine quality of leather for this segment

The Dash and the micro designs that adorn them are lovely to look at. The Patterns are symmetric and relateable to the overall body language of the car. Overall Black and Deep grey with red touches make this extremely appealing for enthusiasts

Nice to see and good to touch as well

The pedal distances are a tad too narrow for comfort, but not a deal breaker ! Seats with JTP badging reiterate the feeling of 'Special' even when you are inside the car. The Front seats come with additional bolstering and offer good support even during fast cornering !

Nice Contours, notice the additional bolstering




Pedals looks Sporty, but hard to shrug off the 'after-marketness' image

The Rear space is just about ok. Yes still better than Polo, but not really there when you compare Tata standards There is decent leg room, however due to the sloping line the head room is bit tight. Also no independent rear headrests, which is a compromise on safety

Cramped Rear - Ok for Medium sized Adults though

ICE | The HK system sounds pretty good. Comes with 4 sets of components,one on each door. The Sound is extremely good for a stock system! Although the signature borders around being called 'Bright'. The player itself decent with good buttons to navigate along with the touch (However it is capacitive touch, so you're better of using the buttons). The Screen size is small, guess the newer Tiago units get better and bigger screens! Not an issue for me though! The Volume control knob though feels tacky and poorly made! The Main unit, does all your Radio / USB / SD / BT stuff. And Yes, the USB reads my 1 TB HDD and Plays uncompressed format with ease!
However, i am not too sure how many here would listen to ICE when there is other types of auditions given by the car.

Nice color Screen, but looks dated already



Lower Panel has the 'Sports' mode along with Front Fogs and Demister buttons




Front Tweeters on the A-Pillar , 90 Deg Off Axis positioning




Usual Mids - Guess should be 5.25" looking at the grill




Rear Tweeters - Notice the consistency in grill pattern




Only one USB and an Aux Port. Left side is Dummy, Right one is for car Chargers

The Boot space is quite good for a Hatch. At 242 Lts it is more than enough for your City and weekend getaways with family. The Boot is also neatly shaped, without unwanted intrusions and odd sizing.

Nice elevated boundary for Parcel Tray



Good clean Boot; Spare wheel is not Alloy, Size is 175/65 R14

[Mi10]

Some of the interesting bits with respect to the JTP twins shared below

• This car will truly appeal to an average Indian car enthusiast. Simply because if someone with taste decides to mod a Tiago inside out, it will probably resemble a Tiago JTP
  
• The Tiago JTP Emblem appears in 7 Different places in the car
  • Front Grill x 1
  • Side Vents x 2
  • Rear Boot Lid x 1
  • Cockpit x 2
  • Front Seats x 2
  • Front Floor Mats x 2
  • Engine Cover x 1
  
  
  
  
• The car's design elements are very focused ! The Flat Hexagonal Motif seen is carried over at many different places - both interior and exterior
  
  
  
  
• Many areas of the Regular Tiago which are in softer colors or chrome are replaced with Black or Deep Grey hue. So much that the only area where you can see some solid chrome is the Interior Grab Handles !
  
• The Car has many parts from Tata parts bin, right from regular Tiago to Tigor, to Nexon's Engine
  
• The Rear Fog lamp fiasco clearly highlighted by ksameer1234 in his Tiago JTP review. I am exploring the possibility of making it work!
  
• Although the Tiago JTP and Tigor JTP share exact internals, the rear Exhaust pipe of the Tigor is of slightly bigger length, this is to accomodate the additional length of the car
  
• The car hits 90 kmph @ 2500 RPM in 5th gear. This is a perfect cruising speed for the Tiago JTP, as your are just in the starting range of Power Band. Any overtaking maneuver will just need a little push of the A-Pedal
  
• On a Straight line, in 3 digit speeds, be prepared to be smoked by Diesels and large capacity Petrol engines. Clearly the JTP's Forte is not top speed.
  
• This maybe an aspect of Tiago as well, but the Driver foot well and the passenger footwell seems to be packed up in a shabby manner.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• ECU is from Bosch, as in same case like the NA Petrol Tiago
  
• The Engine sweep aspect of the dials happen every time the key is taken out. If you happen to switch of the engine and have the key in the hole, then try to start back, the Sweep does't happen
  
• The Tigor with a Proper Spoiler would have been a kick ass move. See this rendering from SRK designs
  
  
  
  
• The Side skirts on the JTP twins mean a strict NO to mud flaps of any kind. This is been the case with my Fiesta S as well
• Personal Preference after seeing the cars in person - I'll pick the Tigor JTP in Red and Tiago JTP in white.

Special mention: My JTP had a Mild tilt in the exhaust, initially the Service center said it is the same with every car, but when i escalated it to JTSV team, the response was swift and quick. In a matter of 48 Hours from the time i escalated the car was back in my hands with issue sorted out clean! The Communication was prompt as well! Kudos JTSV team, if you are reading it.

[Mi10]

Top 10 Questions, busted the Objective way

1. Low Speed Drivability

• Piece of Cake
• Manageable with some Practice
• Stalling is my second name

2. Exhaust note under acceleration

• Loud enough to attract Cops
• Loud enough to attract Dogs
• Loud enough to be happy

3. Gearshifts

• Slick
• Rubbery
• Notchy

4. NVH

• Bad
• Better
• Best

5. Car tuned for

• Acceleration
• Top Speed
• Somewhere in between

6. Taking a hard corner

• Ok, my Tail is out
• Sss, Sticking to my lane
• Err, Am waiting for the Hard part

7. In Gear Acceleration

• Spectacular
• Good Enough
• I better down shift

8. On Bad and Broken roads

• I don't care
• Need to be a tad careful
• I better slow down to save my spine

9. Driving a Tiago JTP

• Evokes Sympathy from fellow road users
• Evokes Jealousy from fellow road users
• Evokes a sense of competitiveness from fellow road users

10. Whats the best feature of JTP you'd like to flaunt ?

• Performance
• Value for Money
• Made in India
• All of the above

JTSV says "J=Joy T=Torque P=Power" - Cheesy, but i'll take it considering the Price point we are taking

[Mi10]

Coming from a Burly Scross 1.6, the Tiago caught me on the wrong foot multiple times. Perhaps it is more to do with the way we change post driving higher segment cars. Some of those instances and other reactions from my peers captured below;

• The never realized value of an auto-dimming IRVM in Scross till i drove the Tiago in night !
• With request sensors, i have even opened the car with my knee / Butt / Hip (with my hand full of bags) but now i realize that i need to go back to old school way of pressing the button (still not bad eh, i get you )
• Even with spirited driving the Diesels never needed to go beyond 3-3.5k RPM at max, However i had to really adjust the driving style, since the power band starts at 3k RPM
• Certain aspects like the steering wheel, Power Window buttons, Seats are genuinely well made in the Tiago when compared to the S-Cross
• Electric ORVM is another such feature where i miss the Scross
• I have modded all of my cars, they mostly revolve around; Alloys, Tyres, Exhaust, Headlights, Remaps, Brakes, ICE, upholstery. And to think of its, the Tiago JTP is just all of the above in one sweet package!
• From Penguin (Rapid) to Scarecrow (S-Cross), this will be my third car that is named after a Bird (Watch out TAMO)
• Rooster fit the bill perfectly for the Tiago JTP, and with its uncanny ability to provoke other cars, i have decided to add 'Combat' as a first name
• Edit: Ok, Scarecrow is not a real bird name though!

Few reactions, summarized

Friend: But, Why Tiago ?
Me: I like the Tiago
Friend: You should have atleast brought the Nexon
Me: I really like the Tiago

Peer: Why is this Tiago looking Sporty ?
Me: Special Car
Peer: Never knew Tata makes such sporty cars
Me: Just starting to build

This is 3 days after taking delivery of the car
Wife, Spots the Bonnet Vent!
Wife: What is this hole ? It was not there 2 days back
Me: It was there, honey
Wife: You started modifying and now started to lie as well
Me:

Peer: Why did you downgrade and that too a Tata ?
Me: Poverty
Peer: you must be kiddin
Me: Right!, Mid-life crisis

Friend: You should have got the Baleno RS, You ll know when you visit Tata Service
Me: Am Waiting !

Mi Combat Rooster

[Mi10]

We as enthusiast always tend to dream for improbable combination. Our dream car always has space for everything! We ask Power and Efficiency, Handling and Ride Quality, Build and Agility, Looks and Practicality !
Oh yes! we ask for Best in class Acceleration, best in class top speed and best in class in gear acceleration as well
and Yet...
...Need to be Value For Money!
Surely an average Indian Auto Enthusiast is too hard to please! And perhaps the reason why many of us go in for modifications. Some stick to wheel upgrades, others go about painting / wrapping and few others to remaps, engine builds, turbo add-ons,etc.. Many here pride in building a sleeper that smokes unsuspecting cars out of the blue! Few pride in making their cars look so good that people stop to see! End of the day, we all want something special for our cars! But what if one such a special car gets professionally built by an OEM!

To summarize, If someone decided to read all our comments and cribs here in Teambhp over the last 15 years, and planned to make a car, the nearest possible production car would be a Tiago JTP! It is Special car that Connects, an emotion only enthusiasts are privy to!

Special Cars...Connect!

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

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