Tata’s most pocket-friendly offering – the Tiago – has just received a new variant in its lineup. It carries the XT (O) tag and slots between the entry-level XE and the mid-tier XT derivatives. The price? The Tiago XT (O) costs Rs 5.48 lakh, Rs 15,000 less than the XT and Rs 48,000 more than the XE. As you’d expect, the difference amongst the trio lies solely in their lists of features.

Over the XE, the XT (O) gets extra stuff such as full wheel covers, LED indicators on ORVMs, day/night IRVM, speed-dependent auto door locks, four speakers and all four power windows. But, the new variant does miss out on a few goodies, such as a display for the rear parking sensors and a Bluetooth-enabled music system with speed-dependent volume control.

Under the bonnet, the Tiago range comes with a 1.2-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine that produces 84bhp/113Nm. As standard, the powerplant comes coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission. That’s the one available in the XT (O) variant as well. Alternatively, there’s an option of a 5-speed AMT (Automated Manual Transmission).

The Tiago prides itself as the safest small car that’s made-in- and made-for-India. Global NCAP rewarded it a four-star safety rating, which is the best in its class. Safety gizmos like dual airbags, ABS and seatbelt pretensioners with load limiters helped it claim that crash-test result. Tata Motors has been taking passenger safety rather seriously with its new-gen offerings. For instance, both Nexon and Altroz have bagged five-star safety ratings from the same independent agency.

In India, the Tata Tiago competes with models like the Datsun Go and two Maruti Suzukis – WagonR and Celerio. All those hatchbacks are petrol-powered only. But, the WagonR has two engine options – a 1.0-litre and a 1.2-litre. Both Maruti Suzukis are also available with factory-fitted CNG kits. So, would you buy a Tiago over its direct rivals?

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