India Cars

The Sumo Victa doesn’t look different from the old car — much of the detailing has changed, the boxy proportions are the same. The new Victa also include New Land Rover Discovery-style, simplistic clear lens headlamps – not too bad, but flanking a hideous toothy-smiley, cheese grater grille.

Changes at the rear are minimal, the only difference being a taller tail-light cluster. Top-of-the-line models get SUV-like side cladding and jazzy decals, but the car is let down badly by the fit and finish. The panel gaps are depressing, and the doors clang shut, which you don’t expect in a modern car.

The interior has changed completely, and does away with the commercial-vehicle feel that plagued the earlier car. There is a new, dominant centre console, garnished in aluminium-look trim, and the neat row of buttons at the bottom shows the Victa’s richness. Tata has taken heavily from its common parts bin for the cabin, which now features the steering wheel from the Indigo, the gearlever from the Safari and the power-window cluster from the Indica. The seat fabrics are more up-market whiles the front seats also have adjustable lumbar support. These seat backs are hollowed out to increase knee room at the rear. The middle row of seats is split 60:40 and provides access to the rear-most row. Knee and head room in the central and rear most rows is best in the MUV class and now normal sized human beings can contemplate undertaking long journeys in an MUV. The rear most seat can be removed completely to increase storage space to 2160 litres.

The dashboard and most importantly, the reach-rake ratio of the steering wheel have been reworked massively, and this means an MUV that’s a lot, lot more ergonomic to drive than its predecessor.

The Sumo is available with three engines: a 2.0-litre diesel, a turbocharged diesel and the 3.0-litre diesel from the 407 LCV, available only in the super-utilitarian Spacio version.

The standard 2.0-litre has 68bhp, which is hopelessly inadequate for a vehicle of this weight, and makes sluggish performance. However, the Victa has been given better NVH control, meaning it is more refined than before. The Turbo is the most impressive, with 90bhp and 19kgm of torque giving it respectable performance. It is fairly smooth at idle but the Safari-sourced gearbox makes horrible grating noises. There is considerable turbo lag, so driving in the city is not easy, and moving up a slope can be a big challenge.

Above 2000rpm, there is a big step in performance, so you have to keep downshifting to stay in the meat of the power band. The Victa cruises fairly well once you’re at highway speeds. Fuel economy is 9.3 and 12.3kpl respectively.

The 3.0-litre Spacio is clearly a rural transport vehicle, with good torque but terrible refinement, and poor top-end performance. The suspension is unchanged but improved to provide a better ride, which is now more comfortable and absorbent. The quick steering and short wheelbase make the Victa surprisingly nimble for its size, especially in the city.

The top-line GX Turbo version that came kitted to the gills, boasting a roof mounted air-con unit for rear seat passengers (no heater), power steering, power windows front and rear, keyless entry with factory-fitted immobiliser, rear wash/wipe/defogger, tinted glasses, front and rear fog lamps, high mounted stop lamp, day-night mirror, internally adjustable wing mirrors and provision for a four-speaker music system.

However, that same wheelbase and large overhangs make the car quite unstable at speed, especially with the high centre of gravity. The steering can be over-responsive, and the brakes, though having poor feel, are reliable and strong.

The Safari has been in need of a face-lift for some time now, especially with better and more modern looking SUVs now roving our roads. It has finally got one. The new Safari adorns revised head and tail lamps, which are of the clear lens, multi reflective type. In addition, there is a new chrome plated grille, revised front and rear bumpers that house fog laps besides new door handles.

The chassis remains unchanged; the body mounts on the cab have been strengthened to deal with the extra load of the bigger engine. The suspension is now made of stiffer material improving the Safari’s ride further. The two-piece driveshaft is shorter due to the longer engine, but other features like the brakes remain unaltered although the VX gets ABS. Build quality is still pretty patchy although the paint job is great.

The instrument panel now uses legible circular dials. While the refreshed central console has a string of buttons and the rotary controls for the air-con still remains but the gear knob is finished in smart looking aluminium.

The rear jump seats are unfit for human use and flipping the rear seats forward releases a huge amount of space. The DICOR’s twin blowers work admirably cooling the cabin in a relatively short period. In-car entertainment has scaled new levels with the introduction of a DVD-player with video screens in the headrest being a unique option. The Safari is loaded with other thoughtful details like puddle lamps and an extra electrical socket for the rear. It is quite a heavy vehicle – it tilts the scales at 2,115 kg (kerb); add about 110 kg extra for the 4WD variant.

The suspension on offer is independent up front, with a double wishbone and torsion bar, while it’s a five-link setup at the rear with coil springs. Though it’s not what you would call taut, over time, Tata has been working on the Safari and have reduced the body roll substantially compared to the early Safaris. It feels much more planted and confident – something you will appreciate in a tall SUV.

The Safari’s new three-litre Direct Injection Common Rail (DICOR) engine has been derived from a simple direct injection motor that has done duty in Tata’s successful 407 light truck and Sumo-based Spacio. In contrast to the motor’s basic architecture, Delphi-TVS’s second-generation common rail system which Tata has fitted onto this engine is state-of-the-art.

The Safari DICOR is a 2115kg vehicle, with a power output of 115PS. Now the commendable bit, the DICOR returned a fuel efficiency of 16.5kmpl during our highway run with the air-con switched off, which dropped to 15.05kmpl with the air conditioning running full blast.

The steering is not direct and is non-linear as well. However the Safari feels composed in spite of suffering from massive body roll. The brakes however need serious improvement as they cause some anxious moments with the car snapping sideways. The 4×4 system worked well and the electronic shift-on-the-fly system is now relocated on the dash. Unfortunately, a poor turning circle and reduced visibility at the rear make the Safari difficult to manoeuvre.

This variant that will be built on the same line as the Indica and Indigo, the Marina looks familiar from head-on as there is virtually nothing to distinguish it from its booted cousin. The roof-rails are new, but apart from that it’s the same nose. The additional cost of a new chin would have been a touch too steep.

The front suspension, with its improved lower arm, is carried forward from the Indigo, as is the three-link rear, but softer springs and stiffer dampers have been used to deal with the load better. Like the sedan, the Marina also gets improved brakes, with a larger servo for better braking performance.

Luggage space at the rear, even with the parcel tray in place, is impressive. But the 410-litre capacity can be taken up to 670 litres when luggage is loaded to the maximum, and if you want or need even more space you can flip the rear seat forward. The Marina’s rear has hooks and a net on the floor to help secure luggage, a couple of pockets in the side as well as a storage box on the roof. Loading the latter with heavy objects could prove to be extremely hazardous in a crash though, when these objects would instantly be converted to flying projectiles.

Interior detailing is a mix-and-match of that seen on the Indigo and the new Indica V2. The very European-looking ringed dials and air-con controls have been plucked from the new V2, whereas details like the nice leather-covered steering wheel, gear knob and stalks come from the Indigo.

The Marina shares the Indigo’s thoroughly revised and reworked TD motor, and the 62bhp diesel was strengthened in many ways to help it deal with the additional stresses of turbo-charging. Riding on suspension that has been visibly raised to deal with our roads and generous 175/65 tyres on 14-inch rims, the Marina possesses decent ride quality. This is especially true over broken surfaces at speed, where it feels composed and transmits only a few of the bumps through to the cabin. Low-speed ride is stiffer, the Marina getting jiggly over broken patches of road, despite softer springs at the rear.

The petrol returned 8.8km in the city, with the diesel giving a more acceptable 11.9kpl in urban traffic. The diesel also managed to travel 15.6 kilometres on a litre of diesel on the highway.

The Marina is the third model on the Indica platform. Built on the flexible Indica platform, the Marina is slightly shorter than the Indigo, but has the same stretched wheelbase, and a very balanced-looking shape.

The suspension has been modified and stiffened slightly to take the extra loads, including the addition of gas-filled dampers, but it remains the sophisticated all-independent set-up. Like the Indigo, the Marina gets improved brakes, with a larger servo for better performance. It is actually slightly shorter than its saloon sibling but is a bit heavier.

The interior is borrowing from both the Indica and Indigo’s parts bins; quality seems to have improved slightly in this iteration, especially the sound-insulation, but is not yet perfect. Legroom in front has been curtailed slightly by restricting the travel of the front seats, but this helps rear legroom. The rear seat is very good, supportive and wide, with good space for three abreast. Comfort is aided by an excellent air-con system.

The boot, the Marina’s focal point, is quite useful, topped with a folding parcel shelf, but it suffers from intrusive suspension towers and a high loading lip, which makes it difficult to lift heavy luggage into the boot. The boot has useful touches, like a net on the floor, pockets on the side and hooks, as well as a storage box on the roof. The latter, unfortunately, is not well designed, and heavy objects could fly out of it under heavy braking.

The Marina comes with a choice of 1.4-litre petrol or diesel engines, with 85 and 62bhp. The petrol has reasonable performance, hitting 100kph in a useful 13.34 seconds, but it’s noisy, especially at the top of the power band.

The diesel is the more impressive of the two, with the turbo hitting in impressively at 2000rpm. There is significant turbo lag though, which can make town driving hard work. Still, it manages 0-100kph in 17.66sec.

Fuel economy is on a par with the Indigo, which means the petrol is about average, at 8.8kpl in the city, while the more frugal diesel gives a decent 11.9kpl in the city and 15.6kpl on the highway. The brakes are fairly impressive, although ABS is not an option on any variant.

The Marina is a useful little estate, more practical than most small hatches, and acceptable in most areas. It is comfy, good looking, can carry fair-sized loads, is fairly frugal, and importantly, comes at a superb price.

THE TATA INDIGO has been a best-seller since its launch. Now Tata Motors is launched the luxury- laden SX series. The Indigo SX comes with all- beige interior. In fact Tata has taken the beige theme so seriously that even the boot’s interior carpeting is in beige. Carrying the beige theme forward are the leather seats in the same colour. The rear seats have always had ample legroom and now get even more comfortable with the addition of a central armrest. Also standard is a leather-wrapped gear knob and steering wheel.

The car comes equipped with luxury features like a Kenwood MP3/VCD player and individual LCD screens for the rear passengers. Reason enough to ensure that there will never be a dull moment for the passengers. The car also comes with digital trip and odometers.

Tata Motors has also taken care that you always reach a destination on time by plunking an analog clock in the centre of the fascia. For the first time ever, the Indigo comes with electronically adjustable side rearview mirrors. Also for the first time, height adjustment is available for the driver’s seat.

Changes to the exterior are minimal and the Indigo SX comes with fog lamps, new side skirts and 14-inch alloy wheels. The big disappointment though is that the petrol Indigo engine has remained untouched. Being a luxury offering, Tata has ensured that the quality of materials used are an overall improvement but they still fall short of a car sold in this price bracket. The next lower version that comes equipped with power steering, power windows and air-conditioning.

With the success of the Indica hatchback, Tata Engineering is launched its new Indigo sedan. Available with a choice of either 85bhp petrol or 63bhp turbo-diesel power, the new Indigo comes with a choice of trim options and with a pricing to grind the competition to despair. Early design sketches for the indigo almost entirely focused on getting the C-pillar treatment right along with the tail lamps and the boot detailing. From the final three short listed, the one on the extreme right was picked for production.

Tata Engineering also took the unheard of but crucial (and highly expensive) step of setting up a core test team in the UK and booking time at the famous MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) in the UK to hammer away for the better part of seven months in the areas of vehicle dynamics and low NVH levels. Clear lens headlamps stand out and lend a touch of distinctions to the now familiar smiling face front

The philosophy behind the Indigo was also to offer a pleasing look which fitted in well with the aspirations of the buyers in the lower C-segment of the car market. The look is pleasing in its simplicity but it could have done with some more flair. Compared to the Indica, the Indigo has a better, more planted presence when it is at standstill. Clever use of black on the B-pillars enhances the glasshouse effect while the neat rubbing strips on the sides add their own classy effect to go along with the rubbing strips on both bumpers.

The engineers have increased the wheelbase by 50mm to 2450mm so as to liberate even more usable room at the rear end, an area in which the Indica hatchback already was the class leader by far. Dimensionally, with an overall length of 4150mm and 1620mm width, the package is a compact one though the car sits tall at 1540mm. At the rear the tail lamps are distinctive and again there is a chromed strip on the boot lid above the recess for the number plate. So the overall style and treatment is a simple, safe yet effective one which should go well with the aspirations of buyers in the lower end of the C-segment.

The Indigo has the same McPherson strut front end as the Indica but of course the spring and damper ratings have been revised as have certain detail changes effected to the engine mounts. The choice of the 14-inch rubber is a welcome one for many reasons chief of which is to enhance the dynamic appeal wrought into the package by the suspension set-up and the steering gear. Tata Engineering offers 175/65-R14 radials as OE and the cars at roll-out featured tyres supplied by Bridgestone as well as MRF.

The petrol engine version’s cubic capacity remains constant at 1405cc; it has been re-chipped and recalibrated to now move up a notch to deliver increased power and torque. Much work went into efficient gas flow in the cylinder head and certain new coatings were tried out in this vein. A larger aluminium cored radiator cum oil cooler is employed. There is also a new resonator and a larger volume air box which helps in freer breathing and this has helped up the power to 83.8bhp (85PS) at 6000rpm. Torque is also hiked up to 110Nm (at 3000rpm). Compare these figures to the earlier 74bhp (75PS) version powering the Indica and you will see that the Indigo not only makes more power but also at a slightly higher rpm (6000rpm as against 5500rpm) which is always a good thing with petrol engines. Crucially, the torque output and the speed at which peak torque is developed remains the same on both versions.

The new turbo diesel can further this line of thought onto newer realms. The Tata 475 IDI 1405cc engine now benefits from the adoption of a turbocharger. Where the turbo diesel impresses is not in its slightly upped power output (62.75bhp at 5000rpm) but mainly in the way she has boosted torque from the naturally aspirated engine’s 85Nm at 2500rpm to a phenomenal 125Nm at the same engine speed. This is amazing because first off the engine displacement at 1405cc is small but the volumetric size notwithstanding the turbocharger really works up a strong delivery which makes the diesel-engine Indigo a very lively performer. Speaking of emission standards, the turbo diesel already meets the Bharat Stage III norms as does the petrol engine Indigo.

Both engines come mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. Tata Engineering has revised the ratios in both to match the torque characteristics of their respective engines. Interestingly, both cars run the same 4.64 final drive ratio and the company has chosen fit to change the internal ratios for the different engines. Apart from getting the transmission right in terms of matched ratios to get the optimum in terms of performance, the company has also revised the gearshift quality.

It delivered 100 KMPH in 15.84sec. In the turbo diesel she takes just 6.99sec to sprint from rest to 60kmph as against the petrol engine version which does the same in 6.44sec. But from then on, the turbo diesel while not matching the zest of the petrol, does do very well to keep up manfully. Zero to 100kmph is achieved in 19.36sec while the quarter mile is achieved in 21.02sec. Thanks to its overall gearing, the Indigo TDI version works its way to a 153.7kmph top whack which is a very respectable performance on any count.

The Indigo has a 42-litre fuel tank and both engine versions are fairly capable of endowing it with an operating range that is mighty respectful. The petrol engine Indigo with its flexible torque spread was a delight, returning 10.8kmpl in actual city driving conditions while with a leaden foot during our performance testing this dipped down to the 8.8kmpl mark. On the regulation highway run the MPFI engine Indica returned 18.7kmpl which was largely on the dot for a car of its class.

The turbo diesel delivered 13.6 KMPL in-towns and on the highway the power of diesel came to the fore with a 24.3kmpl measure.

One of the most important attributes about the Indica was that it had class leading space in its cabin plus a seating position which was exceedingly comfortable.  There seems to be a better flow in the cabin in terms of trims, colour coding, upholstery and textures, all of which make for a great feel good ambience.

The Indigo simply adds a boot, a sophisticated multi-link rear suspension layout and a few centimeters to the wheelbase. It’s heavy and feels solid, but panel gaps are still evident; paint quality, however, is excellent. The wheelbase, at 2450 mm, is longer than the Indica’s by 50 mm, and the extra length has been used to give more space to rear seat occupants. Early design sketches for the indigo almost entirely focused on getting the C-pillar treatment right along with the tail lamps and the boot detailing. From the final three short listed, the one on the extreme right was picked for production.

At the front, the Indigo continues with the Indica’s McPherson strut set-up, but there’s an all-new independent multi-link set-up at the back. And finally, the engines - the Indigo has been launched in petrol and diesel versions. The Indica was already very well packaged, with a wide, airy cabin, and the longer wheelbase doesn’t hurt at all. The front seats don’t go too far back, but the flip side is great rear leg-room. Good seat height and back support at the rear also make it a great car to be chauffeured in. The instrument pod is too Indica-like, the front seats, though comfortable, are not the best for tall drivers and the plastics look shabby, especially after the fresh, new Indica. Some may find the high dashboard obstructs vision.

Still, there are highs, like the carbonfibre-look central console, high quality steering wheel, leather-covered gear-stick and the nice stalks. Tata has put in some effort to make the Indigo feel more up market than the hatch. The Indigo is very practical, and also has lots of useful storage bins, though boot space is not best in class. Plus, you get front and rear reading lamps on the top-of-the-line LX. Build quality isn’t exceptional, but it’s much better than before and has a more solid feel than cars like the Esteem.

First up was the petrol-engine GLX and inside, the first thing to catch my eye was the carbonfibre-effect plastic trim on the instrument console. Fake carbon is very 1990s, and to me, it looks rather tacky. The most popular Indigo is the 1.4-litre, 62bhp turbo-diesel, which has excellent performance and reasonable fuel economy. It returned 11.3kpl in the city and 16.6kpl on the highway.

The only sticking point seemed to be the five-speed gearbox, which was a bit rubbery and tended to balk while shifting quickly. The car, riding on its 14-inch wheels, could be thrown around with abandon without fear of losing the plot, but the 175/65 MRF ZVTS radials had more squeal than a bunch of teenage girls catching their first glimpse of Brad Pitt. 

The other engine is the 1.4-litre 85bhp petrol, which has adequate performance, but lacks refinement, and at 8.3kpl in the city and 13.6kpl on the highway, it isn’t terribly frugal, either. It’s quite a tractable engine though and performance is effortless, which makes the petrol much more user-friendly than the diesel.

That the Indigo has good handling, cornering and braking characteristics should perhaps not be such a surprise, given that a team of people from Tata Engineering spent many months honing these aspects of the car at MIRA (Motor Industry Research Association) testing/R&D facilities in England.

The good news is that ride height and suspension travel are generous and you can bang through potholes and ruts without hitting the bump stops, and ride quality improves at higher speeds. Steering feel is not too good though, and it doesn’t weight up in a linear way to give you any confidence at high speeds.

TATA’s diesel car – the Indica V2, has taken its range of diesel cars to the next level with the Indica V2 Turbo. A turbo charger can significantly boost an engine’s power, and increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine. A turbocharged engine produces more power overall than the same engine without the charging, significantly improving the power-to-weight ratio for the engine.

The Indica retains the lines, curves and shape as before. Not much has changed structurally. Yet a simple coat of paint and larger wheels have added a whole new dimension to the Indica spectrum making it a far more vibrant offering. The vivacity of the colour red in all its hues - flaming, fiery and exotic - has been symbol of raw speed and powers for sports cars the world over. And it makes all the difference to the character of the Indica Turbo.

The interiors have received a tiny bit of refurbishment. The upholstery in black and grey hues contrasts well with the red exterior. But the tacky and plasticky bits negate an otherwise brilliant character. Build and quality of fitments still need improvement.

The new Indica Turbo employs the same engine used in the Indigo diesel, thus getting the Turbo Energy turbocharger and intercooler. This has not just boosted power and torque figures but also made the Indica a far more powerful yet efficient performer. With the turbo spinning at full steam the 1405cc engine makes 68PS@ 4500rpm, while 130Nm of max torque at 2500rpm is the highest generated in its class. The addition of a turbocharger has increased power output by a massive 28 per cent, which also gives it a fantastic power-to-weight ratio. The Indica Turbo now makes 64.7PS per ton with a specific output of 48PS per litre. Having employed the turbo, compression ratio at 21:1 is lower than on the Indica, the charge showing sufficient potency to breathe fire down the tube. Max engine speed has also dropped and instead of revving all the way to 5500rpm like in the older V2, the engine now redlines at 5000rpm.

Apart from the changes in the engine, the car also features 14” wheels among other class leading features. It is available in 3-colour options including the exclusive Cherry Red colour, which is available in the European market. The Indica V2 Turbo is available in DLG and DLX models, at an incremental cost to the consumers.

The Indica Turbo employs the same chassis suspension package as before and both give the Indica respectable ride and handling characteristics. However the larger wheels and tyres improve ride quality. It returned 0-60kmph in just 6.55 seconds and moving on further to the ton in 17.77 seconds is what ascertains her status as the hottest diesel hatchback around.

On the highway it easily runs to 21.5km before sipping on the next litre. With the air-con on, this figure drops to 19.8km. In the city runs where it returned around 15.1km to the litre with air-con on.

The Indica looked good and has managed to age gracefully in the past two years. The interior of our V2 (DLS version with power steering and body-coloured bumpers) remained the same - spacious, with great seats and negligible instrumentation. One improvement is the roof liner that fits properly - the earlier ones had a tendency to come loose. Turn the key and the 1400 CC diesel wakes up to the familiar clatter but what is now missing are aching noises made by the alternator pulley. A larger pulley with bigger grooves meant the belt sat more comfortably, thus eradicating noise. Tata claims the NVH (noise, vibration, harshness) characteristics of the engine has been improved. The gear linkage has been slightly redesigned to give a better shift-feel to the driver.

To perceive the improvements made in the power train, you have to go through the gears with the air-con switched on. First and second gears launch you to 35 and 72 kph and that too with the engine sounding harsh and unrefined. But all that stabilises as you go into third, and from here on there is less noise and vibration eating into the cabin. The third cog takes you to the century mark and top speed - 125 kph is achieved in the fifth gear.

The most important improvement that Tata R&D has done is to rework the suspension set-up - both front and back. While the suspension set-up was almost perfect as far as vehicle dynamics were concerned, Indica owners have been complaining of uneven tyre wear in their cars. Now, that is one problem that has been troubling all Tata passenger cars. Instead of waiting for another five years before they rectified the problem, Tata gave priority to the issue.

The result is a revised front wishbone set-up with a tie-rod which prevents the driven wheels from going out of alignment. At the rear end, a beefier lower arm bracket was added to the existing set-up of struts and coil springs, again with the intention to eliminate tyre wear. On top of that, fatter 165/65 radials were mounted on the 13 inch rim in place of 155/70s that the car was wearing.

The air-con system which blew hot and cold (literally) in the initial batch of cars has been rectified and a new heat shield over the exhaust routing prevents heat from being conducted into the passenger cabin.

Tata Motor has launched a turbo-charged variant and a much improved petrol version for the Indica. The Indica has a cab-forward stance, raked bonnet and windscreen and vertically stacked rear lights. The clear, winged headlamps and gorgeous tail-lights lend a distinct touch of class, while a slim air dam and smart fog lamps integrated into the lower half of the bumper look great.

Indica Xeta comes with four variants i.e. GLX, GLG, GLS, and GLE. GLX versions have much more to offer on the road. The power steering makes negotiating difficult bends easier, and not to mention convenience with four power windows. Central locking system with a single click. The H-VAC system, the body coloured bumpers, the wheel arch flairs, ORVMs and the door handles add a touch of elegance.

GLG Versions are accompanied with the H-VAC system, front power windows, central Locking System, the bodycoloured bumpers, the wheel arch flairs, sill valence and the internally adjustable ORVMs etc. GLS comes with power steering, the body coloured bumpers, the wheel arch flairs, sill valence and the internally adjustable ORVMs etc. GLE variants have grey wheel arch flairs, sill valence and the internally adjustable ORVM on the side of the driver.

The doors facilitate easy entry and exit into the incredibly roomy interior — the Indica’s trump card. The front seats offer superb lower back support but visibility isn’t great: short drivers will have a problem with the top of the dashboard sill that is a bit high. The 60:40 split rear seats, too, are quite spacious and offer more legroom than even the Palio. Boot space isn’t great, though, for the size.

The airy, revamped cabin has better plastics, nice white-faced instruments (in the petrol) with an electronic trip meter, revised air-con switchgear and new upholstery. The problems with build quality still haven’t been addressed, though: paint quality is good, but panel gaps are still evident, and the rubber and plastic bits are still poor. The rubber strips feel crude and certain switches lack a quality feel. Another gripe is the uneven dash lighting and the conspicuous, bright blue air-con compressor indicator light that can be very off-putting.

The Indica comes with petrol and diesel motors. The Indica Xeta’s petrol engine is a slightly smaller 1396cc motor tweaked for drivability and efficiency. It is a torquey engine, with good refinement and there are significant improvements, which make it very responsive and feel genuinely refined at low rpm.

The gearshift quality, although improved still has some way to go. In terms of fuel efficiency, the tweaking seems to have worked with the Xeta engine returning a good 10.9kpl in the city and 15.9kpl on the highway as against the non-Xeta’s 8.9kpl and 14.9kpl respectively.

The 1405cc diesel Indica engine makes 53.5bhp. Its fuel efficiency is much better and it turns in 13.7kpl in the city and 17.3kpl on the highway. Tata has sensibly been making constant improvements to this power plant, the latest of which is the addition of a turbo. Power is up to an acceptable 68bhp. There is some initial turbo lag, but the engine is far more responsive than the non-turbo version. It is also pretty rev-happy, and a completely new animal when compared to the naturally-aspirated version. The turbo has even helped improve fuel efficiency, with the car returning an remarkable 12.9kpl in the city and 17kpl on the highway. Refinement levels too have improved, although the engine becomes significantly noisy when past 4000rpm.

The Indica’s ride and handling are average. Under the wheel arches is a sophisticated all-independent suspension and a fairly heavy chassis. It has a big-car feel and its long wheelbase gives it good stability, especially at high speeds. The steering that feels vague around the straight-ahead position could do with some improvement. The front-end with its tall stance feels light in contrast to the independently- sprung rear which is well planted to the road as a result of which the Indica has a certain ‘looseness’ in front.

The brakes are very effective but tend to feel a bit grabby and are quick to lock up. Overall, the car is very manoeuvrable and nimble, thanks to its small turning circle. The ride on the turbo-charged car, however, with its bigger 14-inch wheels and lower profile tyres is a bit jiggly over less- than-perfect surfaces. The Indica offers affordable motoring for masses particularly with its diesel variant as well as plenty of space on the inside. However it is not as refined and overall quality needs a bump up. The dim-witted gear change also needs changing.