By : RAHUL KAPOOR
NOIDA :
With fuel prices at an all-time high, and running costs of cars are rising exponentially. Enter Tata Tigor iCNG. The alternative to EVs with a go green impact where Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powers cars.
At first glance, you wouldn’t have the foggiest about the car being a petrol/CNG hybrid. The only hint is the small badge on the boot. Being offered only in the higher XZ and XZ+ variants of the Tigor range, you can expect the same level of equipment as its petrol-powered model. Features such as LED DRLs and projector headlamps, 7-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, rear parking camera, and the option of a dual-tone roof are all offered with the Tigor iCNG.
Boot space is at a premium in the Tigor iCNG. With a 60-litre CNG tank, the 419-litre boot of the Tigor drops to 205 litres. But the elevated mounting of the tank means that it leaves some room underneath, and grants easy access to the spare wheel. The added weight of the tank marginally decreases the ground clearance by 5 mm. Furthermore, a fire extinguisher is placed under the front passenger seat. Even though the seat sits on rails, it is bolted down and restricted in movement.
The 1.2-litre 3-cylinder, motor running on petrol produces 84 hp and 113 Nm of torque. Switch it to CNG with the conveniently placed button on the dash and performance is still a respectable 72 hp and 95 Nm of torque.
Although our drive was brief and predominantly through easygoing Noida highways, we’re happy to report that it wasn’t a problem with the Tigor iCNG. In CNG mode, power delivery is smooth and progressive. The difference in performance on paper is far from reality. 85% of our highway drive was in CNG mode and we never needed to switch to petrol looking for more punch from the engine as the engine pulled well.
Switching to petrol power, the difference in performance wasn’t evident. The engine is a little peppier, but the contrast is not much. Everything feels refined. Driving in city conditions, however, the disparity is a little more noticeable, especially in the low end. Thankfully, the 5-speed manual transmission is easy to use with the light clutch. Maintaining momentum with the Tigor iCNG is the key to a comfortable and economical drive.
The heavy tank in the boot meant the rear suspension needed to be firmed up for the Tigor iCNG. Despite the change, the car continues to ride well and doesn’t bounce around.
The Tigor iCNG does have a few tricks up its sleeve. Unlike other CNG-powered cars, the Tigor iCNG does not need a petrol start-up before switching. The engine is tuned to ignite directly on CNG. Additionally, the gas inlet nozzle is positioned conveniently inside the fuel filler cap to make refuelling quicker and easier. It also has an auto-switch function that changes to petrol power when it detects the car is running low on CNG, or if there is any CNG leakage.
The Tigor iCNG continues to have a full-sized 35-litre petrol tank. With the iCNG setup, the Tigor gets a boost in driving range. In our short outing, it seemed that the Tigor would drain its CNG tank entirely in about 120 km which is not too bad for everyday city driving use. Sure it helps keep the costs low while adding extra range to the Tigor. But if you need to drive the Tigor iCNG at length in bigger cities solely on CNG, it will require frequent refuelling.
Between INR 7.7 lakh and INR 8.3 lakh, the Tigor iCNG requires you to shell out an extra INR 90,000, however, the Tigor iCNG, is well worth the premium for regular city commute on CNG power. By our calculations, that money can be recovered in about two years if you drive it enough.
If you’re looking for a family car with luggage space, you may need to pack wisely, unless you’re happy using the rear passenger compartment for storage. But if you are looking at going green on a budget, the Tigor iCNG, hits the sweet spot and is a great choice.
