Quick, what comes to mind when you recall a Tata Indica?space, noisy engine, simplistic but functional design, India?s first indigenously-developed passenger car and, well, a taxi-cab. Launched in 1998, the Indica was India?s first ?more car per car??as Tata marketed it initially. But it was so much ?more car? that it gradually proved to be more beneficial to taxi-cab operators than to families looking for a ?small car?. Additionally, the availability of a frugal but noisy diesel engine meant it didn?t give the families the feel-good factor they got in, say, the Swift or later in the i20. It?s not that Tata didn?t try to break the mould?although Indica saw good sales as India?s favourite taxi, any car company would like to see a healthy sales mixture?and so first it launched Indica V2, then the Refreshingly New Indica V2 and, in 2008, Indica Vista, but the unhealthy sales mixture remained. Reason: the updates were mostly cosmetic and a bit mechanical, which didn?t help the Indica much. What Tata really wanted was a car that appeals more to families, has a refined engine, feel-good interiors and a refreshing image.
Welcome to Vista D90?Tata?s new endeavour to redefine the premium hatchback segment. Powered by the Fiat-sourced 1.3L Quadrajet diesel engine with Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) technology, Vista D90 is the most powerful Indica till date. (It is the same engine that powers the much bigger Tata Manza and Maruti-Suzuki SX4.)
First impression
That Tata has taken a radical approach as far as design is concerned is apparent from the first look. The D90 comes with new sporty front and rear bumpers, large grille lavished with chrome, a well-placed and functional spoiler, black contrast roof and dual-tone alloy wheels. All add up to give the D90 the attitude to take on the Swifts and i20s?a much-needed change since the Indica was never in competition with those hatchbacks, until now.
Inside
If the exterior is refreshing, the interior is more so, which now comes with some very welcome changes. Unlike the Indica Vista, in the D90 the speedometer cluster goes back to where it should ideally belong?right behind the steering wheel as against the centre-mounted it was in the Indica Vista. The meter is in white and is easy to read, despite small fonts. The somewhat semi-circular console rises from the right and then tapers towards the left over the middle section of the dashboard before ending right next to the passenger airbag. You get useful features too?kilometres-to-empty count, average fuel economy, a big clock, outside temperature data, etc. A class-leading feature is the touchscreen multimedia system with in-built GPS navigation, DVD player and Bluetooth connectivity. The response time of the touch panel, though, is a bit slow, and the new generation fed on dual-core processing speeds might feel disappointed with the time lag it throws up. The speakers are, at best, decent.
But the interior does leave a bit to be desired. First, the overall plastic quality, though improved, still doesn?t match up to its Japanese and Korean rivals. Then, the large steering wheel, though good to hold, is too much ?in your face?. On the positive side, the steering-mounted controls are well placed and you don?t have to stretch your thumbs to reach them.
The D90 also comes with automatic climate control. One intelligent touch is a solar sensor on the dashboard that gauges the location of the sun and adjusts cabin temperature accordingly. Additionally, the air-conditioner doesn?t sap engine power and there is no noticeable difference while driving with or without the AC on.
An area where the Indica always holds an edge over rivals is interior space. It can easily sit five and the seats come with ample support for those long journeys. Mention must be made here of the driver?s seat, which is not only height-adjustable but also comes with lumbar support. On the downside, the boot space isn?t as good as you might expect of a car this size.
Under the hood
If the exterior and the interior didn?t surprise you much, what?s under the hood surely will. The retuned 1248cc Quadrajet diesel engine with VGT churns out 90PS of power and 200NM of torque, which ensures faster throttle response. Although the D90 isn?t very quick during the 0-60 kmph dash, the in-gear acceleration throws up a surprise. In fact, you only have to wait till the engine crosses 2000rpm, and then the turbocharger kicks in and ensures you never run out of power till the engine red-lines. Though still slower than the Swift and i20 diesels?because the D90 is heavier?it goes from 0-100 in a decent 15.5 seconds and the claimed top speed is 158 kmph. The new technology also ensures the engine is frugal enough?ARAI-tested fuel economy is 21.12 kmpl.
On the road
While the D90 drives really well and the cabin is relatively quiet, one major complain I had was with the turning radius, which is not very good. In fact, on the usual single-lane Delhi roads, and even these are wide enough, I couldn?t make a U-turn without having to reverse once!
The car also comes with ample safety features, notable among these are the dual front airbags (on ZX+). Then you have crumple zones, side impact beams, engine immobiliser, and anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD) as standard fitments on both VX and ZX+.
Verdict
The D90 is no ordinary Vista, and this shows. It has a refined engine, feel-good interiors and a refreshing image, something almost all Tata vehicles had been missing till now. Additionally, it is among the sportiest hatchbacks in India that can prove to be a sensible family car too. Will the Vista D90 give Tata a healthy sales mixture that the company so badly needs? The next few months will tell.