Reference Auto

Tata Motors is quick to learn its lesson, and in the latest move, it has launched a litany of cheaper variants of its hatchback, the Indica Vista, to tackle the sagging Indica sales in the wake of a slowdown in the country’s auto market.

With this roll out, the auto major will also take on the likes of Maruti Swift and Chevrolet’s top selling car, the Beat.

Tata Motors high-end hatchback has been prudently priced, beginning from Rs 3.88 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) for the Safire petrol variants and from Rs 4.79 lakh for the Quadrajet diesel range (also ex-showroom, Delhi).

Tata Vista will come in four model types, namely, LS/GLS (which is the base version), LX/GLX, VX/GVX and ZX/GZX (the top-end version).

The new Vista will be offered in a slew of six colours - Summer Sparkle, Porcelain White, Arctic Silver, Spice Red, Brilliant Blue and Cavern Grey.

The new Tata Vista, which will be available in about a week, comes with more powerful and fuel-efficient engines and offers a sedan-like feel with adequate interior space.

The new Vista will be propelled by a 1.3-litre common rail direct injection (CRDi) Quadrajet diesel engine and 1.4-litre MPFi Safire petrol engine along with variable valve-timing technology.

This has paved the way for higher fuel efficiency, with the diesel variant having a mileage of 22.3 km/litre and the petrol one 16.7 km/litre.

The Vista comes with new alloy wheels and a mirror-polished garnishing below the rear windshield. The car has a new front chrome grille along with a new triple-barrelled head lamp, which allows enhanced visibility in low light.

The four-spoke steering wheel offers audio controls, which controls a fully-integrated 2-DIN music system. It has connectivity through USB, auxiliary input and Bluetooth (with Blue 5 technology) that aids in connecting to five mobile phones in one go.

The outer rear-view mirrors can be adjusted electronically using the joystick on the driver’s door pad while the HVAC controls are also electronic.

There is also the unique Clutch-to-Start feature which makes sure that the engine cannot be cranked unless the clutch is fully pressed. So, there is no risk of re-crank in case the engine is on.

So far as comfort goes, the 60:40 flip-fold rear seat allows adequate room for luggage. Moreover, the dashboard is similar to the Tata Motors sedan, the Indigo Manza.

Features like engine immobiliser and remote keyless entry offer a sedan-like experience.

The new Vista is also high on safety compared with other hatchbacks with features such as ABS with EBD, dual airbags, crumple zones and side intrusion beams.

Sales of the Indica range of cars have been abysmal and registered a 32 per cent decline in the four months since April compared with the same period in the previous year.

Even the sedan variant, the Indigo, has not been doing well with sales in the same period falling to 19,309 cars, which is a 26 per cent slide compared with the first four months of the previous year.

But with a litany of Indica Vista variants, especially the competitively-priced petrol versions, Tata Motors could perhaps arrest the growth decline in the short to medium term.