Tata Indica Xeta - Incremental Progress

Now, it seems that they have finally managed to adapt it for petrolheads in the form of the new Indica XETA. The Xeta pleads its cause for fuel efficiency by tossing 5PS of power overboard while pumping up the torque to 122Nm. More power may be on top of the wish list of many hot-prods; but the best part of one billion folk would much rather nurse each rupee further down the road. Keeping the numbers firmly in focus, the torquier new XETA is here to drive the kmpl stakes higher still.

Bearing in mind all this, I headed out of the dealership to see whether the XETA is really all that she is meant to be. Seven years on, and the Indica is pretty much 'staid-of-the-art'. It might be pretty and curvy; but it just doesn't get my juices flowing any more. The XETA we drove was the GLS mid range package with air-conditioning and power steering. The rest of the creature comforts give this version a miss. But the package was more than adequate to get under the skin.

On the move, the 5PS that's trotted off from under the hood is hardly missed, whether on the highway or city. While the dash from 30-70 is a reasonable 8.8s, the roll-on figures from the higher gears seemed slow; the gearing now aimed at extracting better mileage figures. The XETA took a full 28seconds to go from 50-100 in fifth. The engine which had stunned me with its whisper quiet operation at idle also opened up its larynx slightly by the time I was done with a stint on the highway.

In the city, there is no lack of poke. The XETA trundles through the traffic in third at 1500 rpm without a fuss. Downshifts are no longer a bother as the gearshift quality has been upped with each version of the Indica, and the XETA is no different. The gearshift feels smooth, though some of the sogginess remains. Sudden overtaking manoeuvres can also be attempted and executed with gusto. However, the handling remains wishy-washy; the rear slides out at the hint of a slalom style manoeuvre and the steering does little to inspire confidence in pushing the car hard. The steering is well damped at low speeds, but lacks feedback and remains a little sluggish at high speeds.

Tata Motors' attempted part remedy for the weak-kneed handling are lower profile 165/60 R13 Goodyear GPS2's. The low-profile tyres limit the car's rolling tendency by a certain degree. Conversely, they also tend to transmit each and every cats-eye the car treads over as a thadunk with complete bass effects that seem to find a sympathetic rhythm in the car's floor pan. The Indica's cavernous interiors have been well explored by now and get even more alluring in the XETA with soft tan interiors gracing the seats. However, the package still doesn't particularly turn me on. But let's talk some numbers. 20kmpl on the highway and 12kmpl in the city rounds off to an astounding 14kmpl overall. (That surprisingly, is also the company's claim.) Not exactly a segment benchmark, but neither can it be dismissed lightly.

About the other variable of the equation, Budget 2006-07 has chalked out some new measures to give small cars an excise cut, based on 4000mm overall length and 1200cc engine displacement ceiling limit. While other smaller cars have lopped off their price tags, the Indica XETA remains unaffected. So it really is a wonder that Tata have managed to pull out a price tag of Rs 3.60 lakh (on-road, Pune!), that too for the top of the line GLX version. And the base version is a lakh cheaper still! Piffle! This jaw-dropping price definitely makes the marginally lower fuel efficiency figures seem trivial. You could contemplate owning a fleet of these things!! You'll have more than a lakh of rupees saving for a comparable offering from any other manufacturer.

This must be the second time in history Tata Motors have, unintentionally of course, got me scratching my chin while I numbly stare at nothing. This time, things look very different for the Indica's petrol clunker. Rewriting history? Looks likely but check up with me this time next year.