Tata Aeris vs Tigor: how price, features and safety have changed

Tata Motors has retired its nearly decade-old Tigor and replaced it with a new compact sedan, the Tata Aeris. The Tigor was launched in 2017, and the company has now introduced this new model with major changes to design, cabin and features. The question is whether the Aeris is simply a renamed car or whether it brings genuinely major upgrades. Here are the key differences between the two.

On price, the new Tata Aeris has an ex-showroom price range of Rs 5.29 lakh to Rs 9.74 lakh, while the Tata Tigor was priced between Rs 5.70 lakh and Rs 9.10 lakh. That means the Aeris starts Rs 41,000 cheaper than the Tigor. However, in the top-spec variant, the Aeris costs Rs 64,000 more than the Tigor.

There is a clear difference in design between the two cars as well. The Tigor had a curvy, traditional look, while the Aeris has a more modern and mature design. The Aeris gets slim LED headlamps, a gloss black grille, C-shaped contours and LED fog lamps. The Tigor, by contrast, had a bigger curvy grille, chrome detailing and a traditional bumper. In side profile, the Aeris gets a distinct notchback roofline. The rear looks the most different: the Aeris has connected LED tail lamps and a sleek bumper, while the Tigor had wraparound LED tail lamps and a curvy bumper.

The cabin has also been made more premium in the Aeris, with a beige and light brown colour theme, fabric inserts and a free-standing display. The Tigor used a brown-white theme and a piano black finish. The Aeris gets a new dashboard, an updated steering wheel and, in the AMT variant, a rotary gear selector. Rear seat space has not changed much, though rear AC vents added in the Aeris may bring more comfort to rear passengers.

On features, both cars get a 10.25-inch touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control, 15-inch alloy wheels and a 360-degree camera. The Aeris additionally gets a wireless phone charger, front seat ventilation, a 5-inch semi-digital driver display, and a soft-touch dashboard and door pads. However, the Tigor had an 8-speaker sound system, while the Aeris has only a 6-speaker system, meaning the older model was better in some respects.

The Aeris has been significantly upgraded on safety. The new car gets 6 airbags as standard, while the Tigor had only dual front airbags. The Aeris also gets a blind spot monitor, ESP, hill hold assist, TPMS, ISOFIX child seat anchors and a 360-degree camera. The blind spot monitor was not available on the Tigor.

There is no major change on the engine front. The Aeris carries the same 1.2-litre naturally aspirated 3-cylinder petrol engine as the Tigor, producing 86 PS of power and 113 Nm of torque. In the CNG variant, output is 76 PS and 97 Nm of torque. Both powertrains are offered with 5-speed manual and 5-speed AMT gearbox options.

Overall, the Tata Aeris is not simply a renamed Tigor. Its design, interior, features and safety have seen significant changes, though the engine and transmission options remain largely the same.