Tata Indigo [2005-2009] User Reviews

Well after driven all the tata models including certain lcv's, indigo would be a very good deal in terms of money and economy as well as the space one gets inside the car( except the the bucket seats in the front, not impressive as that of a Santro or Wagon R). TATA has always lagged behind in terms of refinement, many small issues come up after having purchased the vehicle. I would certainly rate other diesel cars such as the FIAT Palio, UNO or FORD (in the same cost range) far more better in terms of performance of the engine. Indigo looks like "A STRETCHED INDICA FROM THE BACK", so nothing much to comment on the external styling. Well, its good for the TAXI operators, they should go for it, but as far as the private purchase is concerned, one should think twice cos there are other options avaliable in the market (OF THE SAME SEGMENT AND OF THE SAME PRICE RANGE). Another problem which i was surprised to find was that even 2 years back and in todays manufactured TATA cars, one would definately find the "VIBRATION" from somewhere or the other (on the steering, the floor or on the seats). In my consideration, a ACCENT DIESEL would be much more refined car than INDIGO.good value for money and internal spacevery contemporary exterior looks

I had been going through all user reviews posted in this site about Indigo. I am also a proud owner of Indigo LX TDI (new version) - cosmic blue. Crossed 4000KM mark recently in this car. I should admit that there is no other vehicle available in indian market which could at least be compared to when you look at the offering viz a viz the owning cost. I dont think any other company than TATA Motors can provide you with a Turbo charged engine powered sedan with all these luxuries and space at 5.5 Lakhs. Now let me come into the feature/component wise review.

Engine: The TDi engine inside is a wonder - i should say - with a great WOW factor in it when you corss the 1800-2000 rpm mark. Its just an amazing feeling once you rev past 2000rpm. But the engine sound while first start of the day and igniting after prolonged parking (more than 24 hours) makes the neighbours to jolt for a moment with its grumble. Moreover the Turbo's precondition to idle for 1 min before first move is another nuisance factor to the owner. But anyway to gain something you need to lose something - In this case the gain is owning this piece of marvelous car

Steering: Eventhough the steering is Rack & Pinion with power assistance, the unavailability of auto cut off may be a bit (a very low probability) risky at very high speeds. I had experienced an instance of steering getting locked while trying for a sudden manuvoure at a speed of 110kmph. Eventhough the vehicle recovered quickly and no exigencies occured, i am not sure the consequence if it was an relatively inexperienced driver. So be a bit extra cautious at higher speeds. Also if TATA motors could have made adjustable steering coulumns it would have been a great boon during long drives.

Interiors: The vehicle is fitted with beige interiors which i think gives a luxurious look as well as maintains cabin temperature to an extend. But the quality and finish could have been a bit more better. The legroom and headroom is obviously - as in any other TATA vehicle - is great and rear seat travellers will experience an elegance and comfort of a saloon. Also the ettra features of spot reading lamps for all 4 seats makes you feel as if travelling in a really luxurious saloon. The upholstery quality is OK (fitting for the money you pay for this vehicle). I had bought part leather seat covers which when put on gives a royal & luxurious look and comfort.

Seats: The back support for front seats are good but the underthigh support in rear seats could have been a little more better. Also at least this variant (LX) should be fitted with adjustable head rest for rear seats which would have added to the comfort proposition of the vehicle.

Looks: TATA vehicles were known for not being paid necessary attention to enhancement of looks. But i think the company has started realising the need of thier attention into the look aspects of the vehicles and hence this facelift version of Indigo. The new LX has a great looks also with the whole body coloured with 98% body colour and the touch of black can be seen only on the base of the ORVMs and the area surounding the fog lamps and number plates. The looks has been enhanced by the chrome strips in the ORVMs ahich at first glance gives the look of side indicators. The rubrails in this model is also body coloured with chrome strip running through it which adds to the looks. But keeping the looks factor apart, the company coould have provided with bumper corner rub rails after taking into consideration the poor corner visibility of the vehicle by the driver. The steep descent of the front design makes the job of the first time drivers a bit hard while taking turns and negotiating city traffic thus making this vehicle prone to scratches on its corners. This would have saved the owners' money in terms of replacing/reapiring/repainting bumpers often.

Overall: The vehicle is a fitting reply to all international giants who dare think indian engineers/manufacturers can't deliver quality goods. The vehicle has a great deal of factors which can make any owner of the vehicle be proud about. The engineers of TATA motors have paid enough attention to the overall aspects of the car within the budgets, barring a few minute details such as the bonnet opening lever (which is very soft - mine has broken within 10 pulls), door beadings etc.

Personal experience: My personal experience with the vehicle has been fantastic barring the initial hickups i had. I think i should explain a few of them also, without which i think this review will not be complete. The door alignment was not proper - the left rear door was a bit protruding from the vehicle body level, side rub rails were loose, rear seat lock got damaged within 3 unlocks etc. These i consider as minor as most of them got rectified by the dealer free of cost eventhough some of them was due to improper handling. But i should say that the vehicle in itself is a wonder since the owner needs to pay only 5.5 laks to own it and we cannot expect everything to be perfect when you are paying just this sum to own a >4 meter sedan with all these features like 4 power windows, power steering, dual headlamps, rear defrogger, intermittent wipers with delay control etc etc.

Service: No let me come to the show dampner of TATA motors. All the excellent efforts put in by the engineers of this Co is ruined by the serivice quality of the dealers all around the country. They dont treat you like customers with dignity and most of the parts - if it is for free replacement - is said as unavailable by the dealers for weeks. Eventhough the Co has put in place some excellent efforts to enhance service quality like customer rating of the service executive etc, i strongly feel that the its high time for the company to tighten its grips on the dealers and service stations taking into conideration the repeated complaints by

Interior space, fuel economy, overall value for moneyEngine sound, overall finish

My ownership experience has been great with the car. I wouldnt call it a very refined drive, but it in fact you get what you pay for - VFM (value for money). I have clocked over 34000 kms, and have been always getting an average of 13-14 kmpl with non-stop AC even in the stop-go traffic of Delhi (taking into consideration that I dont switch off the AC even when I have to park the car for 30-40 mins alongside a shop and me wife and kid are in the car - I just let the engine idle and leave the AC on). Have been on the highways quite a few times, and have got 18 kmpl (again with AC always on). Just make sure you service it regularly - I dont even wait for it to complete 5000kms. I just take it 500-800 kms before that mark. The service centres no matter which automobile they cater to - WILL always fleece you - atleast being a TATA product the cost of spares would be comparatively low. My average service bill works out approx Rs 3000 everytime I take it for regular service (this also includes regular oil change). From the points above you can figure out that I drive around approx 1200 kms every month (i.e., 34000 kms in approx 2.5 years). I did my maths, and I end up saving approx Rs 20-25K an year - which IMHO is not too bad at all! Other than a few minor niggling issues I have not faced any major problems till date and my total ownership experience has been excellent considering the segment this car belongs to. I have not had to spend anything except what I normally do during regular services. The space is expansive, even for the rear seat passengers. The boot is pretty huge and meets my needs quite well. The seats are very comfortable and one doesnt feel tired during long drives. The rear seat feels like a sofa for the passengers at the back. I guess the only drawbacks this car has is the lack of quality interiors, i.e., slightly cheap plastic used for dash and doors. Though I like the colour of the seat fabric, the quality feels pretty basic. However the leather used for the gear knob and steering is quite plush and feels good when you hold it. Overall a great value for money car, couldnt find anything better for 5.20 Lacs at the time got it!Value for Money, Great Fuel EconomyBasic interiors, niggling problems inherent with Tata vehicles

i have recently bought Indigo LX Dicor...its only 750kms...but mileage is superb with AC ,14kmpl...in mumbai.@ Rs.35 per.ltr..isnt it great ? with power windows,power steering, defogger,fog lights,good boot space .......i feel it is the best buy, as it offers almost everything what competitors are offiering at economical rates.....great car...
Good fuel economy,Comfort,value for moneypoor fit & finish .....

BASICALLY THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INDICA & INDIGO EXCEPT FOR THE BOOT. THE INTERIOR SHOULD BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN THE NEW INDIGO. THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE SHOULD BE IMPROVED & SMOOTH , GEAR SHIFT SHOULD BE SMOOTH (MUST). THE OVERALL BUILD QUALITY SHOULD BE IMPROVED BODY SOUND DEVELOPS SOONER THAN LATER. VALUE FOR MONEY SHOULD BE IN REAL TERMS.GOOD FUEL ECONOMY, SPACEINTERIORS QUALITY CHEAP AS PER CATEGORY, CLATTER SOUND OF ENGINE HIGH, PERFORMANCE POOR, GEAR STICKY

A month & a half back was looking forward to buy a sedan (diesel ofcourse) with a budget around 5.5 - 6 lacs. And after studying the available options zeroed in on the Indigo LX TDI. And a month back (8-May) bought a 'Sparkling Gold' color Indigo LX TDI from Manipal Motors. Got the first recommended servicing done couple of days back. Yet to take the car on a long trip but the car has come up extremely well.

 

Would like to share the following about this car:

 

Style:

*) It may not be the best looking vehicle around but is more than good as far as competition goes. Twin front headlamps are very helpful & good looking. I would say that car is neat looking. No real blemish. However build quality could have been better.

*) Many reviews mention that the rear lamp assembly is too big & bulbous. But my feeling is that it is extremely useful and from a distance, especially, looks extremely attractive, more so at nights.

*) Boot design looks as if slight modification would be great for the car's looks, especially from the side. However that does not mean that the car is odd looking.

*) Ground clearance is decent enough and most of the potholes & road humps are dispatched with ease.

*) Bought artificial leather for the seats and the car looks great with it.

*) Only real hitch is that driver (no matter what height) can't really tell where the front bumper would end and get to see the bonnet. This may not be an issue as with couple of months of driving one would learn. But in city bumper to bumper traffic it becomes slightly difficult to guess bumper clearances and maintain the car free of incidents.

Comfort:

*) Indica & Indigo forte has been great comfort in terms of cabin space. Even the seats are very comfortable. 3 adults could very conveniently share the rear seat. Legspace is pretty good as also the head room.

*) Luggage space (boot) is extremely good. So accomodating baggages on the longer travel is no problem. Well placed & effective boot lamp.

*) Air Con is extremely powerful and effective. Beige interiors not only make car feel more spacious but also ensure that cabin doesn't get heated too much when kept exposed to the sun and cools off quickly when air con is switched on.

*) Doors open wide and getting in and out is extremely easy.

*) Higher speed comfort over slight road humps/pot holes is better. Lower speed comfort over slight road humps/pot holes could be better. In my opinion driving with decent boot load lends more driving comfort.

*) There is not much noise entering into the cabin from outside.

*) The pedals seem to be slightly high set.

 

Performance:

*) Great pick up on first & second gear. Fourth & fifth do their job exceedingly well. Felt slightly sluggish only in the third gear at below 1500-1600rpm. Once beyond 1800rpm no issue with acceleration/pull. Ofcourse can't compare with a petrol vehicle. But very nice for a diesel.

*) There is a slight telling on the engine performance when the Air Con is invoked. But this seems to be only in the 3rd gear at below 1500-1600rpm. Beyond that there seems to be no problem at all.

 

Value for Money:

*) No doubt this is a fantastic VFM car. Great price, decent mileage, great space & pretty decent style & looks. What else would one ask for when looking for a VFM car?

*) Increasing fuel prices makes this diesel hearted variant all the more economically sensible and viable.

*) Bought the car when there was a good cash discount on it to make ownership all the more sweet.

 

Fuel economy:

*) Only a month into running this car. Getting city mileage of 12/12.5 kmpl. This is with Air Con always on. I think this is pretty good and would only get better in the next couple of months.

*) Haven't tried driving on highway as yet. Maybe in a later review would add on this.

 

Over all:

Excellent VFM car. With decent TATA service network, don't foresee any problems in ownership & maintenance. Definitely recommend buying.

Pretty Decent performance & style, Good fuel economy & comfortBuild quality could be better

hi i am anil, i just brought a indigo ls version and i should say it is the best car in its class, it gives me great fuel economy, superior pick up and overall a good value for money i dont hink i have wasted few lakhs, infact should say i have saved a few lakhs by going for indigo LS, keep up the excellent work TATA's

This is my first review.

I purchased Tata Indigo LX in May 08 and completed 2000 Kms by now. Due to some reasons I was not able to go for a long drive and hence this low milage covered in more than 4 months.

When I decided to go for a sedan, after some ground work and studying reviews on web sites and some Auto manuals, I had finalized three cars.Logan 1.6 Petrol, Dzire Vxi and Indigo LX. When price compared of all three cars,it was a diesel sedan I was getting in price of petrol Logan and Dzire. I was interested in diesel engine even if my running is less. Secondly, Indigo was more spacious than Dzire and Logan's petrol is not as popular than its diesel which is 1.5 Lakhs more than Indigo LX. So this how I selected Indigo LX.

Below are some of my observations in last 4 months:

Comfort: Very comfortable ride, spacious,very good leg room at rear even front seats are fully back.Smooth ride, no fear of looking for reducing speed at average potholes.

Performance: Good pick up at 1st gear. I observed some sluggishness in 2nd and 3rd gear. e.g.If I am in 4th gear with 60 Kmph and suddenly I apply brakes and then when try to resume in 3rd gear, it takes reasonable amont of time, same for 3rd to 2nd. I guess this might be due to TC not getting kicked below 2000 RPM or so.But one thing I have to admire, once the turbo is kicked, you feel the difference. No any effect on engine Power with AC ON. This help me lot because my earlier car was Alto and I have to switched OFF AC during overtaking.

Fuel comsumption: I am getting 13 Kmpl in city and 18 Kmpl on highways with 100% AC.

Issues till now: NO any issues.

One thing will like to mention, the pedal positions are very high and I was required to always keep my foot inclined which resulted in pains in my anchles after 300 kms non stop driving. This I had never experienced in my Alto.

I guess this what I experinced till now, will update it after 5000 kms.

 

 

 

Spacious, Comfortable,good fuel economyPedal position (all three pedals) causes leg pain after a long drive.

 

I have been driving Tata Indigo LX TDI for over 5 years now. Its a rugged vehicle and has never let me down till date. It has clocked 50k KM and gives me an average of 14.5K in city with AC and going upto 17K on highway

Interior (Features, Space & Comfort) Interior space is very comfortable and keep you seated higher up than most of the Korean and Japanees cars, LX version has got all the basic features that are necessary like Rear defoggers, fog lampls, power windows.

Engine Performance, Fuel Economy and Gearbox The engine of the car is very rugged and holds good for years to come is properly serviced as per the service schedule. Its a good highway cruiser and very managable in city driving too.

Ride Quality & Handling The ride of the car can be made better by going into 195/75 spec tyres and even the handling of the car is good with the stock tyres.

Final Words Its the only diesel car in that price bracked and for this price its a steal. What else can you expect for 6 lac's a MERC!!! Ours is a diesel driven country and kudos for TATA for getting such a sedan for us to drive.

Areas of improvement Needs better interior fit and finish as well as some exterior parts.

Good fuel economy,good handling,good spacePlastics not upto the mark,interior fit and finish not acceptable