The petrol Aeris skips the CNG queue and keeps the boot, the features and the ride. Here is why that could make sense for you. 

You have likely already read our Tata Aeris CNG review. If you are still here for the petrol, chances are you hate standing in line for a CNG top-up, or you simply do not drive enough for the savings to add up. Here is why the Aeris deserves a look if you fall into either of those buckets.

The Aeris replaces the Tigor and is aimed squarely at private buyers. Tata will not sell it to fleet operators, so there is no yellow-plate taxi version of your car on the road.

TATA AERIS PETROL DESIGN

This is a Tata, so how it looks is a major talking point. Unlike some of the brand’s other recent launches, the Aeris shows a certain amount of restraint. The bumpers are cleaner, the headlamps sleeker, and the bonnet more upright.

The face comes from the new Tiago, with LED headlamps and a gloss black grille, while a full-width LED strip joins the tail lamps at the rear. There is no restraint when it comes to the colours, though, and the colour-shifting paint looks gorgeous. Opt for the top-end petrol, and you also get nicer 15-inch alloy wheels, a clear step up from the 14-inch wheels on the CNG car.

INTERIOR AND FEATURES

You can also be certain there is no dearth of features. The 10.25-inch touchscreen runs wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and you get wireless charging, ventilated front seats, auto headlamps and wipers, and a 360-degree camera that doubles as a dashcam. Six airbags are standard.

What surprised me more is the cabin itself. The materials make you feel you are sitting in a car from a segment above. There is fabric on the dashboard and door cards, and the leatherette seats get fabric sections too.

SPACE AND BOOT

Space is good, and the rear seat is fine for two adults, who get their own AC vents and 65W USB-C charging. The boot is the best in the segment, and with no CNG cylinders under the floor, you get all of it. Usable volume improves further thanks to a new strut mechanism for the boot lid, which replaces the swan-neck hinges of the old car.

ENGINE AND RIDE QUALITY

On the go, the Aeris does not feel as nimble as its competition. The 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine produces 86hp, but it clearly is not the quickest car in the segment.

Much like the CNG version, this is not a car you buy for the thrills. It is, however, a car you consider for the way it handles bad roads. It rides really well, dealing with imperfections and potholes with ease. To me, that matters more than anything else in a segment like this.

A MUCH BETTER MANUAL GEARBOX

I have criticised the manual gearboxes on a number of Tata cars, but this one is so much better. The gear action feels precise and premium, and the clutch is better judged too. There is no hunting around for gears.

The gear knob is nicer to hold, and the ergonomics are much improved. It is still not as good as the manuals from the Korean and Japanese brands, but Tata has definitely come a long way. Surprisingly, it is a better gearbox than the ones in the Harrier and the Safari.

FUEL EFFICIENCY

The petrol Aeris is expected to be less fuel efficient than its rivals. I think that matters less here than it does with the CNG version. If running costs were your main consideration, you would simply buy the CNG.

TATA AERIS PETROL PRICE AND VERDICT

The Aeris Petrol starts at Rs 5.29 lakh and goes up to Rs 8.74 lakh, ex-showroom. That starting price matters, because it undercuts its primary rival by a lakh. And if you want a compact sedan that does not look like its taxi sibling, this is your only option.

The features, the premium feel of the cabin and the ride quality all work in the Aeris’s favour. The engine, the gearbox options and the fuel efficiency, not so much.

Even with everything Tata has updated, the reasons to buy an Aeris are the reasons you would consider any Tata. Depending on who you ask, that can be a good thing or a bad one.

SHOT BY: SHREYA SOMANI FOR DAG INDIA