A good leap by Tata Motors

I do not own this car but I test drove the Aura Quadrajet version and have listed my impressions.

Pros:

Space: This is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of an Indica. There is space everywhere you see. Enough Legroom, Shoulder room and Head room for even 5 people.

Visibilty: Driver's visibilty is excellent. The good driving position, large rear shields and windows render unmatched visibilty for its size.

Features: The Aura version offers lots of features like Audio warnings, Integrated stereo, Power windows, Adjustable steering, Height adjustable driver seat and the list goes on..

Engine:  The fiat's engine which is doing duty on 4 cars now is brilliant. It is refined, accelerates well and produces enough torque to keep you rolling.

Styling: This is a subjective one but to me the Vista looks better than the swift or palio. The rear makes it looks like a Van and the front with upswept head lamps give it a modern and aggressive look.

Ride Quality: Cannot be described in words. You have to feel it. It takes everything the roads can throw in it. Just great.

Cons:

Cornering: Large Gap between wheels and Fender and smaller wheels for a tall car means lots of body roll in corners. Tata should work on making better handling vehicles.

Interior/Switch Gear Quality:  The dual tone beige interiors certainly look good but lack a quality feel.  The plastics, the seats still leave a lot to be desired in terms of quality. I'm not sure if this was in the test car but the power window switches and door knobs looked very cheap. The plastic seemed unfinished and lacked a tactile feel. Tata should certainly improve this.

Gear Shift: This could be a specific problem. The gear throws were long and the gears never really slotted into place. I had a tough time hunting for the 2nd gear. When I asked the sales person, he said the test car has done about 5000 kms and this could have caused it. But I don't see any justification in a gear box creating problems in just 5000 kms.

Build Quality: Yes, much better than the previous indica but still not upto the class benchmark. Panel gaps do exist and you hear rattling when the car goes over potholes.

Center Console: Tata highlights this as a plus but I disagree. How many passengers are interested in the speed or the amount you rev your engine ? This is not a good idea and it ironically proves it of not being a "Driver Focussed Car".

Conclusion:  This is a huge leap by Tata Motors in terms of Technical and Design accomplishment. Also, the pricing is good. But the lack of quality take steal a huge margin from the VFM factor. If Tata can work on this, the Vista will be a sure winner.

PS:  Those who call Tata as a truck maker or the Indica as taxis, think again. How many Indicas/Indigos/Safaris you see on the road that are not white in colour (Colour of cabs) ? I tried once to count them but couldn't. You are seeing many many (and will continue to see) Tata cars on the road.

Lots of Space, Visibility, Features (Aura), Engine (QJD), Styling, Ride QualityHandling in corners,Interior Quality, Switch Gear Quality, Gear Shift, Center Console, Build Quality