2021 Tata Tiago NRG Vs Maruti Suzuki Ignis – Detailed Comparison

Check out our on-paper comparison of the newly-launched Tata Tiago NRG and one of its closest competitors in our market, Maruti Ignis

Tata Motors launched the Tiago NRG facelift in India recently, and the vehicle has created quite a buzz in our market. The closest rivals to this crossover-style hatchback in our country include the Ford Freestyle and Maruti Suzuki Ignis. The former is called a CUV (compact utility vehicle) and the latter a compact urban SUV by their respective manufacturers. 

Here, we compare the new Tata Tiago NRG and the Maruti Ignis to see how they stack up against each other in terms of styling, equipment, powertrains, etc. 

Exterior comparison

The facelifted Tiago NRG features the same design elements as the current Tiago. At the front, we see a pair of sharp headlamps, flanking a black tri-arrow front grille. The grille and headlamps have a chrome underling, which looks premium. There are a few differences compared to the standard Tiago, like black plastic cladding all around. 

There’s additional cladding on the tailgate, along with a blacked-out roof and faux roof rails. Also, Tata is offering 15-inch stylised steel wheels on the Tiago NRG, instead of alloy wheels, which is a unique design choice. The vehicle also gets silver-finished faux bash plates on the front and rear bumpers. 

Maruti Ignis has a boxier design, with quirky styling elements all around. The front fascia consists of rectangular headlamps, with rectangular slots on the front grille. The front and rear bumpers get faux bash plates, and at the sides, we see thin black cladding below the doors and on the flared wheel arches. 

The rear section of the Ignis has a hard-to-digest design, with weirdly shaped taillamps, a sporty roof-mounted spoiler, etc. The hatchback also gets a pair of prominent roof rails, which add a touch of ruggedness to the overall design. Personally speaking, Tata’s crossover hatchback has the upper hand in terms of exterior styling.

Interior comparison

The cabin design of the Tiago NRG is the same as the regular Tiago; the dark interior theme is complemented by body-coloured inserts around the side AC vents on the dashboard.

The vehicle gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the centre console, a fully-digital LCD instrument cluster, a multifunctional steering wheel, all power windows, keyless entry, push-button start/stop, cooled glovebox, power-adjustable ORVMs (auto-folding), manual AC, etc. 

As for the Ignis, it has a dual-tone interior theme (white/black), with body-coloured inserts around the centre console. The top-spec trim comes loaded with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, automatic climate control, all power windows, a multifunctional steering wheel, keyless entry, push-button start/stop, power-adjustable ORVMs (auto-folding), etc. 

Both vehicles come standard with some important safety features, including dual front airbags, ABS, EBD, seat belt reminder (front row), speeding alert, speed-sensitive door locks, and child safety locks. The top trims of the Ignis also offer a rear parking camera and central locking. The Tiago NRG additionally gets cornering stability control, rear parking camera, central locking, and follow-me-home headlamps. 

Engine and transmission

All variants of the Tata Tiago (including the NRG version) are powered by a 1.2-litre, naturally aspirated, inline-3 petrol engine, which develops a peak power of 86 PS and a maximum torque of 113 Nm. This motor is available with two transmission choices – a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT.

Maruti Ignis also has a naturally aspirated 1.2-litre petrol engine under the hood, but unlike the Tiago NRG, this is a 4-cylinder unit. This powerplant is capable of developing a maximum power and torque of 83 PS and 113 Nm, respectively. Gearbox options consist of a 5-speed manual and a 5-speed AMT.

Price

Tata Tiago NRG is only available in a single trim level with two variants – MT and AMT – currently priced at Rs. 6.57 lakh and Rs. 7.09 lakh, respectively. Maruti Ignis, on the other hand, is offered in multiple variants, and its current price ranges from Rs. 4.95 lakh to Rs. 7.36 lakh (all prices mentioned are ex-showroom).

The Ignis is the more versatile offering here, but interestingly, it loses out on a few features (like cooled glovebox) but offers a few others (like climate control) compared to the Tiago NRG. In terms of comfort and interior space, there is no clear winner between the two. Overall, we prefer the handsome Tata Tiago NRG over the quirky Maruti Ignis.