subject: Tata Indica Vista- The Indica Wears New Clothes In And Out And Gets Sexier [print this page] The Indica, thanks to its reputation with the cabbies, is now more of a brand in itself than a mere car! It has been selling in decent numbers but the quirky styling has remained unchanged since its launch in 2000. Recently, with all the manufacturers getting a hold of their position in the premium hatch segment(Polo 1.6, i20 etc), Tata launched its player in this segment The Indica Vista!
Aimed at the premium hatch category, the Tata Indica Vista car is a brilliant product and is sure to bring Tata a much needed breath of fresh air in terms of styling.
Looks and Features
The biggest difference that the Tata Indica Vista has over the normal Indicas is a much more sharp and aggressive styling. The Tata Indica Vista shares its styling with its elder brother, the Manza. The headlamps are sharp and a single crease on the bonnet adds to the character of the car. The rear has minor changes as well, but the side profile remains almost similar to the Indica family. Available in four trims, the Tata Indica Vista car has decent interiors with features like six speaker music system, steering mounted controls, tillable steering wheel etc.
Engine and Performance
The Vista has a variety of engines and trims on offer. The Tata Indica Vista Variants are as follows: Tdi, Quadra jet, Saffire65 and the Saffire90. The Saffire65 is a 1.2L engine that produces 64bhp and 96NM of torque and is available in four trims ( Terra, Aqua, Aura and Aura+) while the Saffire90 is a 1.4L engine that produces 89bhp and 116NM of torque and is available only in the Aura and Aura+ trims. The Tdi produces 71bhp and the 1.3L Quadra jet churns out 75bhp.
In the petrol category, the Saffire65 is a little underpowered but the Saffire90 is an absolute joy on the roads. It loves to be driven hard and is a pretty decent performer. And in the diesel category, the Quadra jet is a better bet amongst the two.
Ride and Handling
With an independent McPherson strut setup upfront and a semi-independent unit in the rear, the car has a soft suspension setup and is a boon to drive in the city. Although, under heavy braking, the car feels a tad wobbly and doesnt inspire confidence. The 1.4L variant is a good combination for the city and highway runs. With the petrol prices rising upwards, the choice for most buyers would be the 1.3L Quadra get that gives a fuel economy of 21kmpl.
