The Tata Tiago hatchback has clocked cumulative wholesales of 6,00,000 units in the Indian passenger vehicle market. The Tiago’s latest sales milestones comes eight-and-a-half years after it was launched on April 6, 2016.
- Tata Tiago currently accounts over 50 percernt of Tata sales
- Took 16 months to go from the 5 lakh sales milestone to 6 lakh
- Sales ahead of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios in ongoing FY2025
As per SIAM wholesales data for the Tiago, a total of 5,96,661 units have been sold since the car’s launch till end-October 2024, which leaves it just 3,339 units shy of the 6 lakh milestone. Considering the Tiago has averaged monthly sales of 4,546 units in the August-October 2024 period – or around 151 units per day – the 3,339 units would have been sold in the first three weeks of November 2024.
Tata Tiago is the biggest sales contributor to total Tata sales
The Tiago’s best fiscal year sales came in FY2019, when it sold 92,369 units, accounting for a commanding 71 percent of Tata Motors passenger car sales of 1,31,387 units and 40 percent of its total passenger vehicle (cars and SUVs) sales of 2,31,512 units. However, sales numbers in the next three fiscals hovered between the 49,000 and 58,000-units mark as a result of pandemic in 2020 and the Covid-induced lack of market demand. Demand picked up in FY2023 with Tiago wholesales rising 33 percent YoY to 77,399 units and further rising to 85,478 units in FY2024 (up 10 percent YoY).
Of Tata Motors three-model passenger car portfolio comprising the Tiago, Tigor sedan and the premium Altroz hatchback, the Tiago’s has been the strongest contribution. A quick dive into decadal data reveals just how strong the Tiago’s share of the company’s passenger car sales has been (see SIAM data table above). From a share of 42 percent in FY2017, it rose to 71 percent in FY2019 and is currently 51 percent in the April-October 2024 period of the current fiscal year (FY2025).
The 6 lakh milestone for the Tiago would have come sooner, but for the fact that it is part of the hatchback segment, which has witnessed a perceptible decline in customer demand over the past few years. In fact, in the current fiscal’s first seven months, estimated wholesales of 37,202 units are down 33 percent YoY (April-October 2023: 55,288 units estimated).
Nevertheless, the Tiago has clocked the last two rounds of 1 lakh sales in 15 and 16 months respectively (see the sales timeline above). The Tiago, which is manufactured at Tata Motors’ Sanand plant, drove past the 5,00,000 milestone in July 2023. According to the company’s press release at the time (July 6, 2023), the Tiago has an average buyer age of 35 years. While 60 percent of sales came from urban India, the remaining 40 percent was from rural markets. Interestingly, female buyers accounted for around 10 percent of its sales.
Tata Tiago ranked third on sales among rivals
In FY2024, the Tata Tiago, with 85,478 units, was ranked third in the midsize hatchback category after the Maruti Wagon R (2,00,177 units) and the Maruti Swift (1,95,321 units). In FY2025, in the April-October 2024 period, with an estimated 37,202 units (down 33 percent YoY), the Tiago has achieved 43 percent of its FY2024 total and is currently ranked third behind the Maruti Wagon R (1,06,034 units, down 13 percent YoY) and the Swift (1,03,387 units, down 16.55 percent YoY) and is just 184 units ahead of the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios (37,018 units). The Celerio (21,450 units) is ranked fifth in this segment.
The Tiago is part of the midsize hatchback segment which, in April-October 2024, has seen total estimated dispatches of 6,55,431 units, down 17 percent YoY (April-October 2023: 7,90,946 units).
Tata Tiago brief history
The Tiago was part of Tata Motors’ strategic move to revamp its brand image from a commercial vehicle manufacturer to a serious competitor in the passenger car market. Aiming to be a game-changer for the company and a disruptor in the hatchback market because of its aggressive pricing at launch (Rs 3.39 lakh*), design and lower cost of ownership, the Tiago at the time was targeted at the likes of the Maruti Celerio and Hyundai i10, both well-established models and a replacement for the ageing Indica eV2.
For Tata Motors, the Tiago marked the debut of its two new in-house-developed engines – a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder, naturally aspirated Revotron petrol that develops 86hp and 113Nm of torque (and continues to this day in the Tiago) and the 1.05-litre three-cylinder Revotorq diesel that developed 70hp and 139Nm (Tiago diesel has been discontinued). Since then, the Tiago has gone on to get CNG (in January 2022) as well as electric (in September 2022) powerplants, both of which have helped increase this Tata hatchback’s sales.
In an effort to rev up sales of the Tiago, in February 2024, Tata Motors launched the AMT-equipped iCNG variant (along with the Tigor sedan), marking an Indian industry-first for being the first automatic CNG passenger vehicle. In the same month, given the increasing competition amongst electric hatchbacks, the company slashed the price of the Tiago EV by up to Rs 70,000.
Tata Tiago variants and engine options
The Tiago is currently available in 30 variants, spanning petrol, CNG and electric powertrains. There are 23 Tiago combustion-engine variants comprising 13 petrol and 10 CNG, with pricing starting at Rs 5.00 lakh for the base XE petrol variant and going up to Rs 8.75 lakh for the top-end XZ+ CNG AMT variant.
Tata gave the Tiago fresh charge with the rollout of the all-electric avatar in September 2022. Available in seven variants and priced from Rs 7.99 lakh through to Rs 11.49 lakh, the Tiago EV was the third all-electic Tata after the Nexon EV and the Tigor EV. It comes with two battery pack options – the smaller 19.2kWh unit delivers an MIDC range of 250km, and the larger 24kWh unit delivering an MIDC range of 315km.
Like the Nexon and Tigor EVs, it is powered by Tata’s ‘Ziptron’ high-voltage architecture and uses a permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that develops 61hp with the smaller battery pack and 74hp with the larger unit. The Tiago EV supports fast charging, with lower variants capable of 3.3kW AC charging, and higher ones 7.2kW. Via a 50kW DC fast charger, it is claimed to top either of its batteries from 10-80 percent in 57 minutes.
All prices, ex-showroom, India
*Prices are ex-showroom, Mumbai
Also see:
Tata Tiago CNG AMT video review
MG Comet vs Tata Tiago EV comparison: Which is the best budget EV?
Tata Tiago EV vs Citroen eC3 real world range comparison
