THE NEW VISTA D90-ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL HATCHBACKS OF INDIA

Exterior THE NEW VISTA D90 LOOKS SAME AS THE ONE I HAVE I.E. THE 75 BHP REFRESHED VERSION BUT FOR SOME EXTRA CASH TATA CAN PROVIDE YOUR D90 WITH A BODY KIT THAT COMPRISES OF SIDE SKIRTS,REAR SKIRT, FRONT SKIRT & A F1 TYPE SPOILER AT THE BACK WHICH SEEMS OVER THE TOP BUT OVERALL WITH THE "INFINITY CONTRAST ROOF" AS TATA CALLS THE ROOF WHICH IS DIFFERENT IN COLOUR I.E. ON LIGHT COLOURS THE ROOF IS BLACK IN COLOUR & ON DARK COLOURS THE ROOF IS WHITE IN COLOUR (SAME AS THE CLUB CLASS MANZA) IT LOOKS MORE SPORTY FROM THE OUTSIDE.

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) THE MAIN THING YOU WILL NOTICE ON STEPPING INSIDE THE CABIN IS THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER IS BACK IN ITS PLACE LIKE THE MANZA UNLIKE IN THE MIDDLE WHICH MY VISTA HAS.THOUGH I WELCOME THE CHANGE, I DO THINK THAT THIS PALCEMENT OF THE INSTRUMENT CONSOLE WILL RESTRICT FRONT VISIBILITY QUITE A BIT,WHICH WILL BE A PROBLEM FOR SHORT DRIVERS.YES,I KNOW THE D90 HAS HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE DRIVER'S SEAT BUT STILL FRONT VISIBILITY IS BETTER IN 75BHP VISTA I THINK SO.BUT THE FEATURE WHICH I LIKE THE MOST IS THE DRIVER INFORMATION SYSTEM(DIS) WHICH IS THERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASHBOARD WHERE THE INSRUMENT CONSOLE USED TO BE IN THE 75BHP VISTA.IT SHOWS DISTANCE TO EMPTY,AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY AND AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY THROUGHOUT THE TRIP,AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND A CLOCK. THRES ALSO A NEW TOUCHSCREEN INTERFACE WHICH HAS GPS,USB,AUX,BLUETOOTH & SD CARD CONNECTIVITY.THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT THOUGH IT CAN PLAY VIDEOS, IT ONLY DOES PLAY THEM WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY AND THE HANDBRAKE IS PULLED UP,THEREFORE YOU CAN NOT WATCH MOVIES WHILE GOING FOR A TRIP OR LONG DRIVE.COMING TO SPACE,THE PRIME FACTOR OF CHOICE FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, JUST SEE MR.SIRISH CHANDRAN'S REVIEW ON THE TATA MANZA WHEN IT WAS LAUNCHED.HE HAS SAID IN THAT REVIEW THAT THE VISTA IS THE MOST SPACIOUS HATCHBACK YOU CAN BUY IN INDIA. BOOT SPACE OF 232LTS IS OKAY FOR ME,BUT FOR MOST OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO LOVE TO GO FOR TRIPS WITH THEIR FAMILY,IT SEEMS A LITTLE LESS.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox THE D90 BOASTS OF A 90BHP QUADRAJET ENGINE PROVIDED BY FIAT WHICH DOES DUTY IN THE MANZA,ERTIGA,SX4,PUNTO 90HP & LINEA.I AM JUST 13 & HALF YEARS OLD SO I DON'T KNOW ABOUT HOW THIS CAR FEELS TO DRIVE,BUT FROM READING ABOUT IT IN SEVERAL MAGAZINES LIKE AUTOCAR,OVERDRIVE,etc I FEEL THAT THIS CAR IS A BIT HARD TO DRIVE IN TRAFFIC AS THERE IS NOTICEABLE TURBO LAG BELOW 1500RPM BUT AFTER THAT, THERE IS LOADS OF TORQUE CUTTING IN UPTO 4000RPM.COMING TO FUEL ECONOMY,MY 75BHP VISTA GIVES A GOOD FUEL ECONOMY OF ABOUT 19-20 KMPL IS MY ANSWER TO TYPICAL INDIANS LIKE US WHOSE FIRST QUESTION ON SEEING A NEW CAR IS "KITNA DETI HAI?" GOING BY WHICH THE D90 SHOULD GIVE A FUEL ECONOMY OF ABOUT 15-16KMPL IN THE REAL WORLD.THE ARAI CERTIFIED FUEL ECONOMY OF 22.3KMPL IS UNDER STANDARD TEST CONDITIONS,WHICH INCLUDES DRIVING ON A SPECIALIZED TRACK WITH NO POTHOLES,NO SPEEDBREAKERS,NO START STOP TRAFFIC & SO NO FREQUENT GEAR CHANGING,SO ALWAYS REMOVE MINIMUM 4 TO 5 KMPL FROM THE ARAI CERTIFIED MILEAGE & SO YOU CAN REMOVE THE MILEAGE IN REAL WORLD.GEARBOX IS EVEN IMPROVED,BUT STILL DOES NOT HAVE A SMOOTH FEEL LIKE THE SANTRO XING WHICH WE HAD BEFORE WHOSE GEARBOX HAS WON PRAISE FOR ITS SMOOTHNESS BY EVERYONE WHO DROVE IT.THE 1ST 4 GEARS SLOT EFFICIENTLY AS I HAVE SEEN WHEN I SEE ANYONE DRIVING MY CAR,BUT THE 5TH & REVERSE GEAR NEED SOME BICEPS TO SLOT THEM.THIS IS REDUCED IN THE D90 BUT IT IS STILL THERE.

Ride Quality & Handling RIDE QUALITY OF TATA CARS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CLASS BENCHMARKS & THE 75BHP VISTA WAS NO EXCEPTION.BUT THE D90 HAS STIFFENED DAMPERS AND SPRINGS WHICH MEANS HIGH SPEED RIDE & STABILITY IS BETTER BUT LOW SPEED RIDE IS NOT THAT GOOD AS THE 75BHP VERSION.BUT THE STIFFENED SUSPENSION MEANS HANDLING IS IMPROVED & THERE IS LESSER BODY ROLL.SURE THE FRONT TIRES WILL SQUEEL A BIT WHEN YOU ARE ROUGH ON HER IN CORNERS,BUT NOT AS MUCH AS THE 75BHP VERSION.

Final Words A GOOD ATTEMPT FROM TATA IN ORDER TO ATTRACT YOUNGER AUDIENCES WHO EITHER OPT FOR THE ONLY SPORTY BUT IMPRACTICAL MARUTI SUZUKI SWIFT OR THE GOOD BUT EXPENSIVE HYUNDAI I20 OR FIAT'S SPORTY BUT PRICEY,FEATURELESS & CRAMPED PUNTO.THE VISTA D90-A JACK OF ALL TRADES.

Areas of improvement BOOT SPACE MUST BE INCREASED A BIT & TATA SHOULD IMPROVE ITS AFTER SALES SERVICE WHICH IS JUST AVERAGE.

SPACE,COMFORT,VALUE FOR MONEY & FEATURESBOOT SPACE & TOUCHSCREEN INTERFACE ONLY DISPLAYS VIDEOS WHEN CAR IS STATIONARY