Few months back I tested the car with the longest name. It is an indigenous entry with Italian heart. The full name of the actor of this plot is: “Tata Indigo Manga Quadrajet/Saphire 90 Aura Plus". Before even looking at the vehicle I was sure that Tata product will give me ample space at competitive pricing. And after looking at the vehicle I was tempted to ask --- Whether Tata is making any money out of it?
From its front looks one might be tempted to call it Indica Vista with a boot, but it would be huge disservice to Tata’s who have came a long way after launching Indica way back in 1998. Manza has (50mm) longer wheelbase as compared to Indica Vista and the boot is grafted in a very subtle manner. The rear look will give a feel of Retro Look which might get little hatred. Front looks are quite similar to Indca Vista, then longer wheelbase promises more space than Vista and well crafted boot acts like a bonus. But when compared to its competitors, Manza will get just average rating in Looks department.
Interior quality is far better when compared to Tata Standards, but is still very behind the standards set by Ford and Maruti in this Segment. I gave Thumbs up to Soft Touch IP, Driving Information, Rear Arm rest, Broad Seats and huge leg room. But glaring gaps on door trims, heavy looking steering wheel and awkward pedal position will make you realize that this is not the best product in the market. Tata tried to give its best to Manza by hiring Bluetooth technology from Fiat and by introducing Airbag and ABS in its car. But somehow I was never impressed after using all the features. Small controls on steering were difficult to operate, Audio settings were not user friendly, Opening and closing of door was not pleasant and to top it all heavy feeling while tuning the key inside key cylinder were irritating factors.
On the test track, I felt the power of 90 hp. 1.3 litre multijet engine with variable geometry turbocharger is available only in Fiat Linea and Manza. But somehow Linea tuning is far better than Manza. I hit the top speed of 163 kmph in Manza but trust me it wasn’t the safest drive test. Steering effort will reduce considerably at high speeds, which is quite risky as it will not give appropriate amount of feedback from the road. Even lane changing at 80kmph was the most difficult stunt one could perform on this car. So in terms of Ride and handling I will rate it below average.
Then I tested the feel of chauffer driven vehicle. Even the rear seat wasn’t very comfortable on potholed roads. But nonetheless I will be looking towards next Tata product. They are improving at a much faster rate.
Why Buy: Space, Cost and Engine
Why Deny: Compromise on driving pleasure, Jerks on rear seat, Handling at higher speeds, Interior quality.
Can you compare it with Dzire. I am quite curious to compete my car with Manza
ReplyDeleteIts not safe on 163 kmph. Thats why they have given the airbags and ABS.
ReplyDeletehow do you feel about chevloret beat?
ReplyDelete@ashish: Well I would prefer Dzire to Manza for all reasons.
ReplyDeleteDzire has better product quality, Better design, Better Brand, Better resale, Better Customer support and less cost of ownership.
Dzire is very stable at high speeds and gives more comfort when compared to Manza.
Dzire Engine is without Variable geometry turbocharger, So turbolag is quite evident. Still for this prcie bracket Dzire is the best option.
The only drawback with Dzire is its three month waiting period. I ll come up Dzire review shortly
@ enagar: Beat is quite a good product and pricing of Beat makes it even more desirable. But Beat is essentially a small car. So I would like it to compare with Wagon R, A-Star and i10. Out of the four i10 is the best pick if you are looking for driving pleasure.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of features Beat will override i10 (comparing similar price bracket)
I hope you are not comparing Beat to swift or Ritz.
Will write a detailed explanation on Beat shortly