Reference Auto

Tata Motors has rolled out a new Indica Vista dubbed the D90 with a powerful diesel engine and the pricing is prudent compared to other high-end diesel hatchbacks.

The D90 Vista comes with the 90 PS 1.3-litre Multijet engine, which is fitted in the Manza and Fiat Punto 90Sport.

Prices of the Indica Vista D90 are reasonable, starting from Rs 5.99 lakh.

There are two variants, the VX and GX+.

The Vista prices are Rs 15,000 more than the previous models.

The price hike of the D90 compared to the previous models may seem justified while considering the additional features offered in the new car.

The D90 comes with a power of 88 bhp while engines of other Vista models deliver only 75 bhp. The torque output of the D90 will also be 200 Nm instead of 190 Nm, which was seen in the older models.

The fuel efficiency is pretty okay at 21 km to a litre and the D90 comes with a bigger 44 litre fuel tank compared to 37 litres in the previous models.

The new Tata Vista D90 also features Variable Geometry Turbocharger technology. This makes it one of the most powerful diesel hatchbacks available in the country today.

The car is pretty stable though and if a speed of 150 km/hour is breached, the stability is still maintained but the engine gets a tad noisy.

The exterior is almost similar to the previous Vista with the difference being that the new Vista D90 has a black contrast roof not present in the previous car.

There is also the D90 badging. Tata Motors is offering a slew of external accessories like side skirts and a rear spoiler.

However, the interior has undergone significant change and sports the new dashboard present in the Indigo Manza. The instrument cluster has moved to behind the steering wheel.

The new Indica Vista D90 has automatic air-con with three modes and a new touchscreen stereo system with Bluetooth connectivity along with GPS. The suspension of the D90 has also undergone an improvement.

Tata Motors’ Vista models come with a choice of three engines, two diesel and one petrol (65 PS), in Metros and cities, which are BS 4-compliant. 

At this price, the Vista D90 is an affordable and a powerful car compared to other models in its segment, including the Punto 90Sport (which is available for Rs 7.37 lakh) and Hyundai i20 CRDi (Rs 6.01 lakh).

The D90 could touch Rs 6.5 lakh-Rs 7 lakh on road and may become one of the cheapest high-end hatches, and could also be billed as one of the most powerful hatchbacks in the country.

Considering a slew of additional features, car buffs may flock for the Vista D90 and cheap pricing compared to other high-end hatchbacks could help spur the D90’s sales.

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.