Changed everything for us :)

Exterior

the exterior s pleasing and the car looks very european.the petal headlamps look good when lit up and the vista distincty resembles an innova when viewed head-on...the undertyred look stays and the petrol gets only 13" wheels....

 

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort)

the interior is in one word -  cavernous.quality of materials has improved, though there re still some bits that need attention.....the dashboard s almost a replica of the innova - except for the centre mounted console.the feature list is exhaustive - ac,ps, pwr windows,fog lamps,height adjustable steering and driver`s seat....lumbar adjustment on driver`s seat,defogger,"laptop" glovebox,underseat drawer,dual chargers-mobile and laptop,60:40 split and fold rear seat,engine immobiliser......it just goes on and on....got alloys seat covers and parking sensors fixed extra.....5 people sit comfortably....at 1 point we even crammed 7.the ac s about average considering the volume of air its gotta cool.....the stereo sounds ok and gets better at higher volumes.it also supports usb :)

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox

with only 65 bhp the engine s no racer....but torque delivery s surprisingly good.its quite easy to trundle around the city in 3rd gear at <30kph with ac on.the vastly improved gearbox s delightful to use-but some throws are slightly long-eg from 2nd to 3rd...our car s completed 1360km amd the mileage so far has been around 13kpl (60-70%ac)

Ride Quality & Handling

ride quality is awesome....the suspension handles any bump with ease and hasnt bottomed out even once.the extra weight ensures excellent stability in a straight line but around turns there is a noticeable amount of body roll.

Final Words

the value for money factor s undeniable...tata s brought out a winner in that dept.....

Areas of improvement  

a more powerful engine tops my wishlist for this car.....and if they can do that without increasing the price...excellent

 

Update on Mar 25,2010

hi all....

just crossed 1800 km today....now @ 1802km.

      the engine keeps getting smoother,the mileage s gone upto 14+ (at one point 14.8 kpl).the  fantastic torque delivery makes you forget the enigne s got only 65 horses and 96 nm...

      played around with the seat and got into a more comfortable position....now its really a breeze to manouver given the commanding position from the drivers seat thanks to height adjustable seat and tilt steering.

some minor niggles ve crept in:-

1.the indicators refuse to turn off automatically once the turn is complete.

2.the spare tyre keeps losing air...

i ve contacted tata motors customer care and they ve promised me prompt action

overall my smile just got a few teeth wider since the last review......

update after 3rd service

the engine has gotten a lot smoother....revs easily to 4000rpm(havent pushed beyond that)...the car seems to have acquired a spring in its step...torque as always-average amount delivered very cleverly....fallen in love with hydraulic ps and the road feedback...pulling and accelaration have improved....planning to go on a long drive....mileage update then i guess

ride quality, interior space, feature list, value for money factoronly 65 bhp on such a heavy car