There is only one way fuel prices are going and that is the way up. With wallets becoming lighter and lighter at each refuel, alternative fuel options are something that car owners are now exploring much more than before. Tata Motors has made a mark in the EV space already with a head start bringing in the Nexon and Tigor EVs. And now the car maker has launched the Tiago iCNG and the Tigor iCNG to grab a slice of the CNG car market. I got a chance to spend a day with the Tata Tigor iCNG and these are my first impressions.

Tata Tigor iCNG Engine & Performance

The Tigor iCNG is powered by the 1.2 litre Revotron 3 cylinder petrol engine that puts out 73 horsepower and 95 Nm of torque (the petrol is 86 hp and 113 Nm). The good part is that the car can be started directly in CNG mode. There is no need to start in petrol and then switch to CNG. Currently the engine comes mated to a five speed manual gearbox only, but there are chances that an automatic could be added to the lineup soon. Start the Tigor and there are slight vibrations felt in the cabin from the 3 pot motor. Once on the move, power is delivered in a linear manner and the engine is fairly silent. Try and push it, and the engine gets noisy and feels a little stressed at the higher end of the rev range. That said, its perfect for everyday city commute. I liked the short shifts of the gearbox and the light clutch makes city driving a breeze. Infact, you will love it as an everyday city commute car. Going up flyovers wasn’t a problem at all either, the Tigor didn’t seem lose any momentum, even with a light foot. I didn’t not get a chance to take it up very sharp inclines though. The switch from CNG to petrol on the go is also very seamless, and you really don’t come to know the change easily. The Tigor iCNG comes with a micro switch that switches off the ignition when the fuel lid is open. The car will also not start till the fuel lid is closed. Also, CNG supply is cut off to the engine if a thermal incident is detected, and also goes from CNG to petrol if a gas leak is detected.

Tata Tigor iCNG Ride & Handling

The suspension on the Tigor iCNG has also been tweaked thanks to the additional weight of the gas cylinder. The ride does feel stiffer than usual, especially because Tata suspension setups give u excellent ride quality. But nothing to complain about. You also get a healthy 165 mm of ground clearance.