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Tata Tiago NRG features & observations: We got a close look

11th August 2021, 16:32 by Chirag Moro

In essence, the Tiago NRG (pronounced Energy) is a slightly raised hatchback with cosmetic additions to give it an SUV-like look.

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

Introduction

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

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

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

Exterior

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sleek halogen headlamps mesh with the grille quite well:

Round fog lamps sit at the bottom:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

… and NRG badging on the right:

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