The Tiago EV is based on the standard Tiago, and the latter is not exactly a fresh design. Now despite its age, the Tiago looks fresh and up to date. It’s a well-balanced design that has clearly aged well. The front looks good with a flat but wide grille and sweptback headlamps that are large but not overtly so. This electric version gets standout bits like tri-arrow-shaped inserts, EV badging, blue accents below the grille and fog light housing, a new air dam, and LED DRLs. All in all, it’s a simple design that is classy without being overstated.

In terms of appearance, the Tiago EV’s cabin isn’t too different from the petrol-powered model. The only major differences come in the form of a gear selector dial instead of a lever, an EV-centric instrument cluster, a couple of buttons on the centre console for the regenerative braking levels, and a charging port. What’s worth adding is that the cabin’s design has been the same since the Tiago was introduced back in 2016. So a major revamp would have definitely worked in favour of this electric version. That said, the leatherette upholstery looks good and has a nice fit.

The Tiago EV has adequately sized front seats with a squab big enough for most occupants. The backrest, though, is a touch narrower than expected, and hence, we felt there was some lateral support missing. Moving to the second row, it’s always tricky when it comes to rear seat comfort in EVs based on ICE architecture. This is mainly because the raised floor accommodates the battery pack within the wheelbase. Thankfully, the floor height hasn’t changed drastically over the petrol Tiago, meaning one isn’t forced to sit with their knees up.

Also, the Tiago EV is fairly good for headroom and shoulder room, so having three people at the back over short journeys isn’t a big ask. Besides having a comfortable rear seat, the Tiago scores well when it comes to that all-important airy feeling, thanks to the bright upholstery and a large glasshouse. The leatherette upholstery, again, makes it feel plush, but the absence of an adjustable headrest is a bit of a bummer. There are no seat back pockets or a folding armrest at the back either, but the door pockets are large enough for a one-litre bottle.

The Tiago EV’s boot space is rated at 240-litres, which is close to the standard car’s capacity. Unlike the standard Tiago, there is no spare wheel hindering the usability simply because there is no spare wheel here. Instead, you get a puncture repair kit.

The entry-level XE variant is offered in a medium range configuration which gets a 19.2kWh battery pack. What we have here is the top-spec XZ+ Tech Lux with the 7.2 kW AC Fast Charger variant. It comes with a bigger battery pack and a faster charger. In terms of features, you get LED DRLs with projector headlamps, a rear wiper with a washer, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, automatic headlamps, a cooled glove box, a height-adjustable driver seat, a reverse parking camera, leatherette upholstery, and an electric tailgate release. Weirdly enough, this variant doesn’t come with parking sensors. Lastly, the Tiago EV promises high levels of safety. It’s based on the Tiago’s four-star NCAP-rated architecture and comes with dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, and auto battery cut-off on impact.

The Tiago EV’s ride quality is yet another strong positive. It’s fairly absorbent, with a nice, supple feel over poorly paved roads. More importantly, in any electric vehicle, the suspension is quiet and does a good job of isolating the occupants by rounding off sharp-edged potholes. At highway speeds, the ride is mostly flat with little vertical movements, and it has that all-important big car feel overall.  The brakes are strong, with a good feel at the pedal. Now in this EV, you get regenerative braking which helps restore a small percentage of the charge. There are three levels for intensity, although the regen doesn’t kick in until the battery has dropped below 90 per cent. So you will not feel it working till then. And when it’s functional, it is effective but isn’t as aggressive as the Nexon EV in the sense that we couldn’t do one-pedal driving even on level three. So it is a little lacking in that case, but if you don’t want it to be too intrusive, then it’s great.

The Tiago EV can be had in four primary variants – XE, XT, XZ Plus, and XZ Plus Lux. The entry-level XE variant can be had as a medium-range vehicle only, which means you get a smaller 19.2kWh battery pack with 250km of claimed range. It’s priced at Rs. 8.69 lakh, ex-showroom, but if you want the most capable version with all the features and increased range, then you should be looking at the top-end variant that we have here. The latter is priced at Rs. 11.99 lakh, ex-showroom.

The Tata Tiago EV infuses electric mobility and affordability in a new light. For an entry-level EV, it feels quite mature and polished, and like the petrol-powered model, it’s got that big car feel – something that’s difficult to achieve in the hatchback segment. It’s not perfect though – the cabin is dated by today’s standards, and the real-world range could be higher. The latter would certainly appeal to a lot more people who are looking to transition from a petrol/diesel vehicle to their first electric vehicle.