India has traditionally never been an automatic loving country but worsening traffic conditions and driving stress has changed the scenario in recent years. More and more buyers are inclined towards the slush box and it shows in the sales figures of the car makers. So it comes as no surprise that manufacturers are offering automatic options across the model range. Tata Motors is no different. After giving the Tiago hatchback an AMT gearbox, this time around it’s the stylish Tigor sub 4 metre sedan that is going the automatic way. We drove the Tata Tigor AMT in the regular urban settings over a few days to see how it fares.

Tata Tigor AMT Engine & Performance

Tata is offering the Tigor AMT in the XTA and XZA variants. The AMT comes only with the 1.2 petrol engine that develops 85 horsepower. The 5 speed AMT box is same as the one in the Tiago. The car gets the creep function that is extremely useful in bumper to bumper traffic.  All you need to do is release the brake pedal and Tigor moves forward at a gentle pace. However, there is prominent juddering when you hold the brake pedal in D and also at low speeds. Also you do get the head mod movements when the tranny shifts from 1st to 2nd gear. Things become smoother once you are moving at a decent pace, but you are reminded at all times that you are driving an AMT.

The Tigor AMT gets two drive modes. While ‘City’ is the default mode, there is a ‘Sport’ mode as well that can be activated by a small button on the gear lever console. The chosen mode is displayed on the instrument cluster. City mode is best for everyday driving in traffic. Accelerate with a light foot and there is no real reason to complain. However, push the pedal hard for a downshift and there is prominent lag before the gearbox responds. The Sport mode makes things a lot better. Response times are quicker and the Tigor holds the gear for longer. This makes overtaking an easier task but you still need to plan the move. There’s a manual mode too if you want to take control of the gear shifts. So to sum it up, the best way to drive the Tigor AMT is with moderate throttle inputs keeping it in Sport mode. That will keep both, you and the gearbox happy.

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