Tata Tigor EV

Under the hood (well, where the engine used to be), you've got this 26 kWh battery – Tata calls it their Ziptron technology. This battery powers an electric motor at the front wheels. We're talking around 74 horsepower and a pretty decent 170 Nm of torque that hits you instantly.

That torque is the magic of electric cars – you step on the pedal, and it just goes. It makes getting around the city super smooth and, honestly, kinda fun. Plus, it's quiet, which is a welcome change from noisy engines.

You get two driving modes: "Drive," which is your regular, everyday mode, balancing power and efficiency. Then there's "Sport," which gives you a bit more oomph when you need it. Just a heads-up, using Sport all the time will eat into your battery range. The top speed is capped at 120 kmph, which is plenty for most of us. Hitting 100 kmph from a standstill takes around 12.6 seconds.

One cool feature is regenerative braking. Basically, when you slow down, the car grabs some of that energy back and shoves it into the battery. The newer versions even let you tweak how strong this is, which is pretty neat. It means you can potentially squeeze out a bit more range, especially in stop-and-go traffic.

The Tigor EV is set up to be comfy, especially when you're navigating city streets. It soaks up bumps pretty well. Up front, it's got a standard MacPherson strut suspension, and in the back, it's a twist beam setup. It's generally pretty smooth for daily driving. However, if you hit some seriously messed-up roads or potholes, you might feel it a bit more in your backside.

Handling-wise, it's good for zipping around town. It's a small car, and the steering is light, making parking and tight corners a breeze. Some people say the steering doesn't give you a lot of feedback, so if you're after a sporty feel, this might not be your jam. The same goes for the brakes – some say they don't have the best feel. It's got discs up front and drums in the back, with some tech to help you stay stable in corners. The turning radius is decent at 5.1 meters, which is handy for city driving.

The inside of the Tigor EV is pretty similar to the regular petrol/diesel Tigor, so it's familiar territory. But there are a few EV touches, like a circular dial for the gear selector (like other Tata EVs). You'll also see some teal blue accents around the vents and on the seats to remind you it's electric. Some versions have a light grey and black interior.

It's got enough space for four adults to sit without feeling too cramped, with decent headroom and legroom. The driver gets a seat that can be adjusted for height and a steering wheel you can tilt, so finding a comfy driving position is doable. The downside? Some of the plastics inside feel a bit cheap and scratchy. For the price, you might expect a bit more of a premium feel. Some folks have also mentioned some rattles from the pillars when driving on bumpy roads.

Feature-wise, you get a 7-inch touchscreen for your music and stuff, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The sound system by Harman is pretty good, apparently. The screen also shows you the view from the reversing camera, but sadly, the picture quality isn't amazing, and it can be a bit laggy. Other goodies include automatic climate control, cruise control, keyless entry, and push-button start.

The top-end models now have a bigger 10.25-inch touchscreen and a 360-degree camera. Newer models also have a digital display for the driver.

Boot space is okay at 316 litres, but the spare wheel takes up some of that space, which isn't ideal if you need to haul a lot of luggage.

It's also missing some features that you might expect at this price, like alloy wheels on the lower trims, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and adjustable headrests in the back.

From the outside, the Tigor EV looks a lot like the regular Tigor – a compact sedan that's under 4 metres long. But Tata has added some EV-specific touches to make it stand out a bit. Think a different front grille with their "tri-arrow" design, often highlighted in a matte aqua colour.

You'll see similar aqua accents around the fog lights and on the wheel covers. The front and rear bumpers are also tweaked a bit to distinguish it from the petrol/diesel version. Tata's gone for a pretty understated EV look, not too much bling or crazy design changes.

It's got regular halogen headlights, daytime running lights, and clear taillights, just like the standard Tigor. The wheels are where you see a noticeable difference. The Tigor EV comes with 14-inch steel wheels with covers that try to look like alloys.

Safety-wise, the Tigor EV does pretty well. It's got a 4-star safety rating from Global NCAP for both adults and kids. That makes it one of the safer affordable electric sedans out there. All versions come with two front airbags and ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution. Corner stability control is also standard.

Other safety bits include seatbelt reminders for everyone, child locks on the doors, and parking sensors at the back to help you reverse. It's also got a reversing camera. Higher-end models might have things like a tyre pressure monitoring system and a 360-degree camera. That solid safety rating and the standard safety features show Tata's seriousness about safety in their EVs. The battery and motor are also designed to handle water and dust (they're IP67-rated), and the battery's been put through some tough tests to ensure it's safe in a crash.

The Tata Tigor EV has its own segment in which there are currently no rivals. It is a pretty spacious car with about 200 km of real-world range and can charge itself in just 60 minutes. You will have to adjust to its slightly inaccurate range estimates and Tata’s needless 6-month service intervals.