Complete Guide To Buying a Tata Tiago iCNG

While we already had automotive giants like Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai capitalising on the rising popularity of CNG vehicles, Tata became the next to step into the market. Keeping in mind the popularity of the Tiago, Tata Motors decided to add a CNG variant for its most successful hatchback. Priced at a starting price of Rs. 6.55 Lakh, Tata launched the Tiago iCNG—the 4-star safety-rated CNG hatchback in India.

If you plan to bring home the Tata Tiago iCNG, here’s a complete guide on buying the hatchback, along with some input on what you can look forward to, some flaws and which variant offers the best value for money.

Tata Tiago iCNG Specifications

Why You Should Consider the Tata Tiago iCNG

Selling over 4 million units of the Tata Tiago, bringing out CNG variants was bound to happen sooner or later. What distinguishes Tata Motors from its competitors is its approach to CNG options. Unlike other manufacturers that often restrict CNG availability to low or mid-spec variants, Tata Motors takes an entirely different approach. Tata Motors offers the Tiago iCNG across a comprehensive spectrum of variants, including even the top-end models.

Here’s a list of compelling reasons why you should consider purchasing the Tata Tiago iCNG.

The Only 4-star Rated Budget CNG Hatch in India

Whenever you head out to purchase a car, safety is paramount. Nobody understands this better than Tata Motors. Like all the other cars in the Tata line-up, the Tiago iCNG comes loaded with safety features like dual airbags, ABS, EBD, corner stability control, and much more. To top it off, the Tiago iCNG is the only CNG hatchback with a 4-star Global NCAP rating, making it the safest CNG vehicle in this segment.

In addition to the usual safety features, the Tata Tiago also comes with CNG-specific safety features like unique gas leakage detection technology that automatically shifts the car from CNG to petrol upon detecting a CNG leak. What’s more, the Tiago iCNG also has a micro switch inside the fuel lid that’ll immediately shut down the engine whenever you open the fuel lid. Moreover, the CNG kit in the Tiago uses high-quality stainless steel tubes and fittings that offer rust and corrosion resistance. 

Lastly, in the event of an accident, the CNG fuel is automatically cut off, and the remaining gas is released directly into the atmosphere to make sure the cylinder doesn’t explode. You also have a fire extinguisher placed under the passenger seat for emergencies.

Company-fitted, Well-tuned CNG Powertrain

Everybody and anybody who’s driven CNG vehicles can tell you that nothing beats a well-tuned company-fitted CNG kit. Tata has definitely outdone itself on this end. In addition to ensuring that there’s a negligible difference between both modes, Tata claims that the Tiago iCNG offers better grade-ability than most of its competitors, which basically means you won’t have to switch to petrol mode whenever you are driving up an incline. 

Moreover, the Tiago iCNG comes with an NGV1 receptacle nozzle that allows for a faster and safer refuelling experience. Lastly, there’s the segment-first feature which lets the car start in CNG mode instead of petrol.

Smooth Driving Experience

Despite the additional weight of the CNG tanks, you’ll find that the Tiago iCNG handles pretty well compared to its rivals. Even at high speeds, it will remain stable, and the ground clearance of 168 mm also remains unaffected. And all of that has been made possible because of Tata’s unique suspension setup; it’s unlike anything available in the market. While the other CNG cars get minor tweaks and some dampers near the wheel and the springs, the Tiago iCNG comes with a semi-independent rear suspension system with a twist beam and dual path struts.

All thanks to its unique suspension system, the Tiago iCNG holds its line, doesn’t understeer easily, and can change directions on back-to-back corners without any problems. The peppy hatchback offers a smooth ride quality compared to rivals; you’ll not even feel like it is carrying extra weight at the rear due to the CNG tank.

Availability of Feature Loaded Top-end CNG Hatchback

Maruti Suzuki offers its S-CNG cars only in the base or mid-spec variants, and the same holds true for Hyundai too. Unlike its competitors, the Tata gives car buyers the option to go for a feature-loaded top-end CNG hatchback with the Tiago iCNG. When you opt for the top-end Tiago iCNG, you will find all kinds of premium features in there like a digital instrument cluster, fully automatic temperature control, auto fold OVRMs, a 7-inch touchscreen head-unit with 8 Harman speakers, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, steering mounted controls, projector headlamps, LED DRLs, and so much more.

Big Boot Space

All thanks to Tata’s segment-first dual-cylinder technology, the Tiago iCNG offers over 200 litres of boot space which can easily accommodate luggage for your occasional road trips. Moreover, if you draw comparisons to the negligible boot space of the other CNG hatchbacks in the market, the boot space offered by the Tiago iCNG is definitely a big plus.

Also, if you still need more space, you can always get a carrier for long trips. On the other hand, if you wish to temporarily increase the boot space, you can also drop the rear seat in the Tiago iCNG.

Why You Should Not Consider the Tata Tiago iCNG

While the Tiago iCNG offers outstanding value for money across various variants, there are some instances where the popular CNG hatch falls short. Before making up your mind, you should definitely take a look at the shortcomings of the Tata Tiago iCNG and why it may not be a good fit for you.

Significantly Lower Mileage Than Competitors

With a mileage of around 26.49 km/kg, the Tata Tiago iCNG doesn’t fare well against its competitors. This is definitely something that Tata Motors need to look into, as there’s a significant difference in the mileage figures of the Tiago iCNG and other CNG hatchbacks like the WagonR and the Celerio. The WagonR CNG offers 32.52 km/kg, and the new Celerio CNG offers 35.60 km/kg — a 25-40% difference!

In our automotive market, where mileage reigns supreme, this can be a major setback for car buyers who wish to purchase a Tiago iCNG. 

Reduced Power Output

Although the Tiago iCNG does a fantastic job in CNG mode, there’s definitely a slight drop in the power and torque compared to its petrol counterpart. The Tiago iCNG runs on the same 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder Revotron engine that powers the regular Tiago. But, as soon as you switch to the CNG mode, the performance figures drop by around 15 per cent, resulting in 74 PS power and 95 Nm of torque. 

The good news here is that switching back to petrol gives you access to all the lost power and torque. Hence, you are always just one push away from your engine’s full potential and can tap into it as and when required.

Tata Tiago iCNG Variants and Price

The Tata Tiago iCNG starts at Rs. 6.55 Lakh for the base XE variant and goes up to Rs. 8.09 Lakh for the top XZ Plus variant. Available in a total of four main variants—XE, XM, XT, and XZ Plus, the Tiago iCNG offers a multitude of choices for CNG vehicle buyers. Compared to its petrol counterparts, the Tiago iCNG costs roughly Rs. 90,000 higher.

You can recover the entire premium in the long run due to the low running costs of the CNG-powered hatchback. Tata Motors has created a calculator on their website to make it easier for car buyers to calculate the savings they can make in the long run with the Tiago iCNG. According to this calculator, if you drive your car for around 2,000 km, you’ll save approximately Rs. 90,000 in the first year (as per Delhi NCR petrol and CNG prices).

The Base Variant XE costs Rs. 6.55 lakh, which is pretty economical, but you’ll miss out on plenty of key features like a music system, power mirrors, power window, and remote central locking.

Then there’s the XM and the XT variants, which are basically mid and upper-mid spec variants, priced at an incremental difference of around Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 45,000. While the XM covers the basics of modern features like a music system, power sensors, and day/ night inside mirrors, it still misses out on other premium features like remote central locking, power ORVMs, and steering-operated controls. And you can get all these must-have features with the XT variant, which is priced competitively, taking into consideration all the features it offers.

Lastly, we have the top-spec XZ Plus variant that costs Rs. 8.09 lakh, that’s a premium of around Rs. 75,000 over the upper-mid spec XT CNG variant. And the Tata Tiago XZ Plus iCNG offers features that you won’t find in any other CNG hatchback in this segment. 

In addition to all the must-have features of the XT, the XZ Plus variant comes with premium features that boost your entire experience. The XZ Plus comes with additional features like projector headlamps, LED DRLs, rear defogger, fog lamps, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), Autofold ORVMs, Rear Camera with Dynamic Guidelines, Automatic AC, rear washing wipers, height-adjustable driver seats, eight-speaker Harman music system and so much more.

Best Tata Tiago iCNG Variant to Buy

Among the four variants available in the Tata Tiago iCNG, the XT and the XZ Plus variants offer the best value for money. Considering the price point of the lower three variants, it makes much more sense to avoid the base variant as it misses out on several must-have features. Hence, if you can stretch your budget slightly, you should definitely go for the XT variant, which offers terrific value for money compared to all the other variants.

Also, since the XZ Plus does a fantastic job justifying the hefty price premium over the other cars, you should definitely check it out if budget isn’t a major constraint. With the XZ Plus, you have the best combination of premium features and low-running costs in the long term. 

Tata Tiago iCNG Warranty & Service Cost

The Tata Tiago iCNG comes with a standard warranty of 2 years or 75,000 km, whichever comes first. In addition to the services at six months or 7,500 km intervals like the regular Tiago, you must also carry out CNG-related services every 12 months or 15,000 km. Moreover, keep in mind that Government regulations mandate recertifying the CNG tank every three years to ensure safety and compliance.

Lastly, Tata Motors also offers options to extend the warranty of your Tiago iCNG within 180 days from the date of sale. For around Rs. 8,580 to Rs. 10,648, you can purchase the additional warranty for one year or up to 1,00,000 km, whichever is earlier. And the additional warranty of 2 years or up to 1,25,000 km costs around Rs. 11,550 to Rs. 14,278, depending on the variant and the days from the date of sale.

Summary

In a market dominated by the likes of Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai, Tata Motors has taken a refreshing approach by offering a full range of variants for their budget CNG hatch—the Fantastico Tiago. The Tiago iCNG opens a whole new world of possibilities for car buyers who wish to opt for CNG. With the Tiago iCNG, you get an outstanding combination of premium features, performance, safety and the cost-saving benefits of a CNG hatch. 

Priced competitively, the Tiago iCNG positions itself as an attractive choice among all of its competitors as the safest CNG hatchback available in the top-spec too.