Tata Indigo Manza Elan Safire90 BS-IV - Performance Review

The same petrol and diesel engines as the regular Indigo Manza do duty in the Elan – a petrol displacing 1.4 litres and a turbocharged diesel displacing 1.3 litres. Both put out 90PS, but the petrol loses to the diesel with its 116Nm of torque to the diesel’s 200Nm. We had the petrol on test and the first thing we noticed was the refinement. There are no vibrations from the engine at all, and it even manages to sound pleasant when revved hard. That said, it doesn’t like visiting the redline, preferring instead to spend most of its time conserving fuel at low revs. This is one of the best engines we’ve seen for city driving, but its focus is narrow, and out on the highway it will lack the grunt you’ll no doubt require for a quick overtaking maneuvers. There is no doubt that this is a frugal engine with an ARAI efficiency of 14.5kmpl, which fits the target market perfectly, so no complaints.

The gearbox is crisp and positive – by any standards this is a very good gearbox, and swapping cogs, whether slow or fast, is fun. However, there aren’t many reasons or excuses to change gear in the Manza, not with the flexible engine.

The Manza is right at the top when it comes to ride quality. It’s so good that you’ll not notice potholes, ridges or small sleeping policemen if you don’t choose to slow down. The softly sprung suspension, relatively small rims and high-profile tyres contribute to this. The flip side is the handling – it rolls more than most, and its size doesn’t help with driver confidence. This car can and does grip well, but it doesn’t inspire enough confidence for you to push it to the limit. You simply want to waft around at slow speeds, letting the road get smothered by the suspension. The steering wheel is accurate and light, but is devoid of feel. Ditto the brakes – they bite well and have excellent progression, but in panic situations you’ll be glad you’ve got the Elan’s ABS to look after things for you. Best leave the driving to someone else, then.

Verdict: At Rs 6.76 lakh, the Manza Elan does seem to be a little expensive. Then again, look at the competition – the Swift Dzire simply does not have the kind of space the Manza does. The Toyota Etios comes close on space, but the Manza is still a half size larger, which means that three in the rear seat will be more comfortable. The Ford Fiesta Classic is a much better driver’s car, as is the Dzire, but that’s missing the point of the Manza Elan. It’s designed to have a lot of space, ride well and return good fuel economy. On top of this the Elan offers features available on cars twice its price! This, then, sticks to Tata’s core values. Get yourself one if you’re the kind who occupies the back seat and wants maximum bang for your buck.