Feb 03, 2015 06:39 PM
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Tata Indigo Manza Review
My Tata Indigo Manza(Diesel) just turned five years old this week and it has over 45, 000 km on the odometer. It’s been a sizeable ownership period and I thought this would be the right time to review the car, with all its virtues and faults.
Design & Build
The first impression of the car is that it is a proper sedan – not a hatchback with a boot pasted on(like Xcent or Dzire). However, the design, though proportionate, is quite bulky and not in a muscular way. Exterior build quality is solid although you can’t compare it with European cars like the VW Vento. The boot space is extremely generous, allowing you to pack everything except the kitchen sink when you’re going on holiday!
Looking at the car now, it is obvious the car needs at least a facelift to stay relevant in today’s market. Wonder when Tata is bringing it in.
Interiors
Open the doors and a spacious interior greets you. The interior is definitely the car’s strongest suit. The rear seat is comfortable and is practically a sofa! Three abreast, even for long drives, is never going to be a problem
The interior space on offer can be compared with the the Maruti Ciaz, which is considerably longer. Tata’s engineers have done a good job liberating maximum space from a smaller car. The dashboard is of a decent design although it is nothing exceptional. I was just seeing the Xcent’s and the Zest’s interiors online and I must say that the game has moved forward several notches in the past few years! Fit & finish and quality of materials are average and frankly, leave a lot to be desired. The buttons, knobs, cubbyholes etc. have not aged well at all and some have even fallen off despite careful usage. A positive is that the music system with Bluetooth telephony is functioning well even today.
Ride, Handling & Mileage
The car’s ride quality is quite good and the passengers only feel the more sever bumps on the road. The level of insulation from outside noises is good. However, the NVH(noise, vibration & harshness) levels of the car itself are on the higher side, and some portion of the diesel motor’s sound definitely sneaks in. This car was never designed to be thrown around corners. Drive around in a relaxed way without pushing the car beyond its limits and the car is actually quite decent. A sore point about the handling is the turbo lag, which means that the power kicks in only at about 2, 000 rpm. You’ll be forced to downshift constantly in bumper to bumper traffic, which can be quite cumbersome. However, the engine has more than enough grunt and power once you’re in the rev band.
The car is consistently returning between 11.75 to 12.25 km /l in the city with the A/C switched on. Bear in mind that over 75% of my running is at peak hours on the jam packed roads of Mumbai. Keeping that in mind, the mileage is better than expected for a car of this size. I wonder what the SX4, Ciaz and Etios diesels deliver in the real world. Please do let me know if any of you own one.
Overall experience
The car charmed me 5 years ago with its no-nonsense approach, interior & boot space, capable engine, ride quality and value for money. Those strengths hold good even today. However, the design looks a little dated now and Tata’s brand image/ market share have taken a bashing in the last couple of years with no new product launches. It seems that the company is just waking up from a long slumber, with 2 new launches in the Bolt & Zest.
The car has been reliable for the most part, with the only issues being that the clutched failed twice. In a 5 year ownership period, I suppose that’s alright.
The game has moved ahead in a big way though in the past few years and if Tata wants a piece of the full size sedan segment, they need to offer a refreshed design with better driveability and enhanced focus on quality. Oh, and please, do something to enhance the brand image of the company! It is in the dumps right now!
