Tata Tigor: In the ever-shifting landscape of Indian automotive preferences, the compact sedan segment has been gradually losing ground to SUVs and crossovers.
Yet the Tata Tigor has not only survived but received a meaningful update for 2025, suggesting Tata Motors sees continued value in this increasingly niche segment.
This persistence raises an interesting question: is Tata simply reluctant to abandon a platform, or does the Tigor genuinely offer something valuable that more fashionable body styles don’t?
The Tigor has always been something of an outlier in the Indian automotive market. When it launched in 2017, it entered the highly competitive sub-4-meter sedan segment with distinctive “coupe-inspired” styling that set it apart from more conventional competitors like the Maruti Suzuki Dzire and Honda Amaze.
While never achieving the sales volumes of those segment leaders, the Tigor carved out a modest but loyal customer base who appreciated its distinctive design and value proposition.
The 2025 update represents the most comprehensive refresh the model has received since its second generation debuted in 2020. Let’s examine whether these changes successfully address the model’s previous shortcomings while maintaining its established strengths.
Design Evolution: Subtlety Over Revolution
The exterior design of the updated Tigor represents an evolution rather than revolution of the existing aesthetic. Here’s where things get interesting.
Rather than pursuing the increasingly aggressive styling language seen in Tata’s SUV lineup (like the Nexon and Curvv), the Tigor maintains a more restrained approach that feels almost refreshingly mature in comparison.
The front fascia has been redesigned with a slimmer grille featuring the distinctive “humanity line” chrome strip that connects the sharper LED headlights.
The bumper has been resculpted with more angular fog lamp housings and a wider lower intake that gives the car a more planted appearance. These changes align the Tigor more closely with Tata’s current design language without sacrificing its identity.
The side profile remains largely unchanged, maintaining the sloping roofline that Tata markets as “coupe-inspired” – a somewhat generous description,
but one that does distinguish the Tigor from the more traditional three-box designs of most competitors. New alloy wheel designs (15-inch on higher variants) add a touch of freshness without being revolutionary.
The rear sees more subtle updates, with revised LED taillights connected by a chrome strip that visually widens the car. The bumper has also been tweaked with a more pronounced diffuser-like element that adds a sporting touch, even if it’s purely aesthetic.
The attention to detail is particularly evident in the new color options. The standout is a rich “Orbital Blue” that shifts subtly under different lighting conditions,
giving the car a more premium appearance than its price point might suggest. This kind of thoughtful detail demonstrates that Tata isn’t simply going through the motions with this update.
Interior Improvements: Addressing Past Criticisms
Step inside the refreshed Tigor, and the improvements become more apparent. This is where Tata has made the most meaningful changes, addressing what has consistently been one of the model’s weaker areas compared to rivals.
The dashboard layout maintains its basic architecture but now features a larger 10.2-inch touchscreen (up from 7 inches) that significantly modernizes the cabin’s appearance.
The system runs Tata’s updated infotainment software with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility – features that weren’t available in the previous iteration and that meaningfully improve the day-to-day ownership experience.
Material quality shows noticeable improvement, particularly in high-touch areas. The new soft-touch materials on the dashboard and door panels, coupled with more convincing faux wood trim on higher variants,
create a more upscale atmosphere. The steering wheel, borrowed from more expensive Tata models, feels substantially better in hand than the previous unit.
The revised instrument cluster now features a 7-inch digital display flanked by analog gauges, offering more information and customization options than before.
It’s not the fully digital setup found in some competitors, but it strikes a reasonable balance between modernity and cost-effectiveness.
There’s another sticking point though. While front-seat comfort is good, with better bolstering and material quality than before, rear accommodations remain somewhat compromised by that stylish sloping roofline. Passengers over six feet tall will find headroom tight, a trade-off for the car’s distinctive profile.
This highlights the fundamental compromise inherent in the Tigor’s design – it prioritizes style over maximum practicality in a segment where the latter is often the primary consideration.
The trunk capacity remains unchanged at 419 liters, which is actually impressive for the segment and one area where the Tigor’s coupe-like design doesn’t come with a functional penalty.
The wide opening and low lift-over height make this space genuinely usable, giving the Tigor a practical advantage that helps justify its sedan body style in an increasingly SUV-dominated market.
Performance and Driving Dynamics: Familiar Foundations
Under the hood, the Tigor continues with its established powertrain options, though with some refinements. Let’s go through a few of the points that define the driving experience.
The base engine remains the 1.2-liter three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol unit producing 86 horsepower and 113 Nm of torque. While these numbers won’t excite enthusiasts, they’re adequate for urban driving.
Tata claims to have improved NVH levels, and indeed the engine does seem more refined than before, with less of the characteristic three-cylinder vibration at idle.
Transmission options include a 5-speed manual and an automated manual transmission (AMT). The manual offers clean if somewhat long throws, while the AMT, despite programming improvements,
still exhibits the characteristic head-nodding between shifts that defines this cost-effective but compromised transmission technology. In a segment where some rivals now offer smoother CVT or torque converter automatics, the AMT feels increasingly outdated.
The CNG variant continues as well, with power dropping to 73 horsepower but offering significantly better fuel economy – Tata claims 26.49 km/kg in CNG mode, making it one of the most economical options in its class. The CNG installation is well-integrated, though it does reduce trunk space considerably.
Funnily enough, Tata has chosen not to bring the Tigor EV’s powertrain improvements to the regular model range. The electric Tigor recently received a substantial update with increased range and performance,
but the conventional Tigor soldiers on with essentially the same mechanical package it’s had for years. This suggests Tata sees these as increasingly separate products rather than variants of the same model.
Ride quality has always been a Tigor strength, and the update maintains this characteristic. The suspension absorbs road imperfections with impressive composure for a car in this price range,
striking a good balance between comfort and control. The steering is light – perhaps too light for enthusiastic driving – but perfectly suited to urban conditions where the Tigor will spend most of its time.
Feature Set: Competitive But Not Class-Leading
The updated Tigor’s feature list represents a meaningful improvement over its predecessor but stops short of setting new benchmarks for the segment. Higher variants now include:
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10.2-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity
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7-inch partial digital instrument cluster
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Automatic climate control
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Push-button start
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Auto-folding mirrors
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Up to six airbags
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Electronic stability control
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Rear parking camera with dynamic guidelines
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Air purifier with AQI display
These features bring the Tigor up to contemporary standards without exceeding them. Notable omissions compared to some competitors include ventilated seats, wireless charging, and a sunroof – features that have increasingly become selling points in this segment.
Safety equipment has seen a welcome improvement, with all variants now offering at least dual airbags, ABS, and electronic stability control.
Higher trims add side and curtain airbags, bringing the total to six – an impressive count for the segment and demonstrating Tata’s continued emphasis on safety.
Pricing and Value Proposition: The Tigor’s Strongest Card
Tata has priced the updated Tigor competitively, with the range starting at approximately ₹6.30 lakh and extending to around ₹9.55 lakh (ex-showroom) for the top-spec automatic variant. This positioning undercuts most direct competitors by a noticeable margin while offering a comparable or better feature set.
This is where the Tigor makes its most compelling case. In a market increasingly dominated by compact SUVs that command premium prices, the Tigor offers a well-equipped,
reasonably spacious, and distinctively styled alternative at a significantly lower price point. For buyers whose priority is maximizing value rather than following trends, this proposition remains attractive.
The CNG variant deserves special mention in this context. With fuel prices continuing their upward trajectory, the Tigor CNG’s exceptional economy makes a strong financial case for itself,
particularly for high-mileage users like ride-share drivers. The initial premium over the standard petrol variant can potentially be recovered within two years of typical use.
Market Position: Swimming Against the Tide
The Tigor exists in a challenging market segment. The compact sedan category has seen continuously declining sales as buyers increasingly favor SUV body styles, even when those SUVs are built on the same platforms and offer no real functional advantages beyond a higher seating position.
As a result, it’s hard to predict how the market will receive this update. The improvements are meaningful and address many of the previous model’s shortcomings,
but they don’t fundamentally change the Tigor’s character or appeal. Buyers who were already considering a compact sedan will find more reasons to consider the Tigor, but it seems unlikely to reverse the broader market shift toward SUVs.
“It’s almost as if the two sides are talking past each other,” notes automotive analyst Shrawan Raja. “Manufacturers continue to improve their sedan offerings while consumers increasingly look elsewhere, regardless of the objective merits.”
For Tata Motors, maintaining the Tigor likely represents a relatively low-cost way to maintain presence in a shrinking but still significant market segment.
The shared platform and components with the Tiago hatchback create economies of scale that make continued production viable even at reduced volumes.
The Tigor EV, which serves fleet and increasingly private buyers, provides additional justification for keeping the model in production.
The Verdict: Value in an Unfashionable Package
The updated Tata Tigor represents a well-considered refresh that meaningfully improves the ownership experience without fundamentally altering the car’s character or market position.
It remains what it has always been: a stylish, comfortable, and value-oriented alternative in a segment increasingly abandoned by fashion-conscious buyers.
For consumers willing to look beyond the current SUV obsession, the Tigor offers tangible benefits – a lower price point, better fuel economy, and in many cases a more comfortable ride than similarly priced small SUVs.
Its distinctive styling provides some of the visual differentiation that draws buyers to crossovers, while its sedan configuration offers practical advantages in terms of efficiency and handling.
As a result, it’s impossible to predict exactly how successful this update will be in commercial terms. What’s clear is that Tata has produced a more competitive and appealing vehicle that deserves consideration from value-conscious buyers.
In a market increasingly driven by trends rather than rational analysis, the Tigor stands as a reminder that unfashionable doesn’t necessarily mean undesirable.
In that sense, the refreshed Tigor embodies a certain integrity – it knows what it is, makes no apologies for it, and offers genuine value to buyers who share its priorities.
In an automotive landscape increasingly dominated by vehicles that prioritize image over substance, there’s something quietly admirable about that position, even if it’s unlikely to generate headlines or record-breaking sales.