The overwhelming response for the new Tiago hatchback in the Indian market has turned the tables for Tata Motors in India. The company, which has been struggling to push the sales in the passenger car-segment finally seems to have broken the barrier with the hatchback Tiago.
The hatchback, which made its market entry in March, has been clocking sizeable numbers and the company has been recording steady growth since its launch in the market.
Tata sold 5114 units of the Tiago in July and the hatchback contributed to more than 35 percent to the total sales of the company. It recorded 31 percent growth in the passenger vehicles segment in July 2016 at 13, 547 units as against 10,335 sold in July 2015. With Tiago, Tata had managed to post 100 percent jump in hatchback sales in June. It has also become the first model in Tata's stable to exceed the monthly sales of 4,000 units in the past two years.
The Tiago is viewed as a game-changer for Tata in the industry. Although Tata had initially struggled to keep up with the unprecedented demand, it looks like the delivery of the new offering is now back on the track.
The Tiago currently commands a waiting period of up to three months in the country. The car has raked in more than 23,000 bookings in the country and the demand is said to be high for the petrol models. Tata's Sanand plant, where the Tiago is being manufactured currently runs in two-shifts and the company will also soon be launching the AMT avatar of the hatchback. Apart from this, Sanand plant will also make the Kite 5 compact sedan and the Tiago Aktiv crossover, which are expected to see the light of the day soon.
The Tiago, Tata's first offering to be based on its Impact design language, is offered in both petrol and diesel engine options. It comes powered by 1.2-litre three-cylinder Revotron petrol and 1.0-litre three-cylinder Revotorq diesel mills. While the petrol mill churns out 83.8bhp of power at 6,000rpm and 114Nm of torque at 3,500rpm, the 1.05- diesel engine produces 69bhp of power 4,000rpm and 140Nm of torque at 1,800-3,000rpm.
Priced at Rs. 3.2 lakh for petrol models and Rs. 3.94 lakh for diesel models (ex-showroom Delhi), the Tiago is pitched against Hyundai i10, Maruti Celerio and Chevrolet Beat.
