 "Boost is the secret")
When you think of sporty hatches, one of the first cars to come to mind will undoubtedly be the Fiat Punto, but now, its former stable mate, the Tata Indica Vista, wants in on the action.
Let's hold on here for a moment and look back at what the Vista has always stood for. Ever since its inception, it has always been the best value-for-money proposition around, with loads of space inside. And the Fiat sourced engines meant that refinement was at a new high. Gone were the days when the shifter would vibrate your hands clean off - the Vista could actually hold its own against the competition in terms of NVH.
How does it look?
There are a few badges on the boot lid and flanks and the D90 gets a roof that is painted in a contrasting colour on the top end ZX+ version. Other than that, there's not much to set the Vista D90 apart from a normal Indica Vista, though. However, given the fact that the Indica Vista got a facelift fairly recently, it's a much better looking car anyway (the facelift gave it different headlights and some new moulding on the boot). Proportionally, the only thing that sticks out like a sore thumb on the car are its wheel arches and the wheels inside them. If you really want a Vista that looks different from the rest, though, there is a dealer-installed body kit available that should be right up your alley. Part of that kit consists of new bumpers, side skirts and a spoiler that, if we're to be completely honest, really does look completely out of place on the car.
And inside?
Step inside the Indica Vista D90, and you'll start seeing the place where the most significant changes have been made. The dashboard is entirely different from any other Indica model you will see, and this is because it is, in fact, borrowed from the Manza. Up until now, there was a centrally placed instrument cluster in the Indica, instead of placing the gauges in front of the driver. This, of course, because of cost cutting and the fact that they intended to sell the car in both left and right-hand drive markets. Of course, the D90 is only being sold in India, and hence the Manza's dashboard has been placed in the car. We also like that this manages to bring a nice black and beige two-tone dash into the mix. There's also a touchscreen audio unit with a GPS navigation system built in.
In terms of those little conveniences, the D90 comes with a tilt adjustable steering wheel, while the driver's seat is height adjustable. Don't get your hopes up though; you'll be playing with those adjustments a lot to get into a comfortable driving position in this car. It didn't matter how many times I fiddled with the adjustments on the steering and the seat, I could never find a position that felt just right in the Vista. Only with the seat in the lowest position and the steering in the highest position was it mildly comfortable for my 5 foot 8 inch frame.
What about the performance?
The D90 comes with an 89 bhp version of the MultiJet engine, the same one that's found under the hood of the Punto 90, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Manza too. What I'm really wondering though is, "what took them so long?" The engine was already there, all developed. The car was also ready and waiting - it shouldn't have taken them this long to put them both together, right? In any case, if you take a look at the spec sheets, you'll notice that the engine makes its 89 bhp of peak power and 20.4 kg of torque at 1750 rpm - exactly the same rpm as the lower powered version. So, what this means for you, is that despite coming with a higher power output, the car is as much, if not more driveable than the lower powered variant.
In city conditions, the variable geometry turbine kicks in with minimal lag and in a wave of torque, you're off. Low speeds and high gears aren't at all a problem for the D90. Even as the speeds pick up, the flat torque curve of the engine means that you've always got a fairly constant stream of torque to keep you moving.
What's the best part, then? Apart from giving it a more powerful engine, the sound insulation and deadening has also been improved to keep road and engine noise from intruding into the cabin, so you're left with a much smoother drive.
Okay, it goes, but does it turn?
To ensure the Vista D90 can handle the extra power, the chassis has been tuned a little. Of course, this ensures that the car is a decent handler and also means that you won't find yourself lodged in a hedge somewhere! While none of the suspension components were changed, the rubber parts were swapped for more suitable units. On the move, the steering wheel does tighten up as the speeds rise, but not as much as we'd like, so at higher speeds, you've still got a slightly light steering wheel to deal with. At 1180 kg, the Vista isn't exactly a light car. It is heavier than the Punto by 50 kg and the Swift is a whopping 150 kg lighter, so carrying all that extra weight around does have consequences. The inertia does need to be overcome during cornering, so there's bound to be a good bit of understeer and body roll. If you're looking for any sort of fun in the corners, you better look somewhere else. If you're looking to get some adrenaline pumping though, the Vista D90 will do just fine!
Is it worth buying?
Despite the more powerful engine and the improved interior, the Vista D90 still remains a great value-for-money car. At Rs 6.03 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai for the VX variant and Rs 6.63 lakh for the range-topping ZX+ variant, it still undercuts the competition by a good lakh and a half of rupees, and at that price point, it makes great sense.
Let's hold on here for a moment and look back at what the Vista has always stood for. Ever since its inception, it has always been the best value-for-money proposition around, with loads of space inside. And the Fiat sourced engines meant that refinement was at a new high. Gone were the days when the shifter would vibrate your hands clean off - the Vista could actually hold its own against the competition in terms of NVH.
How does it look?
There are a few badges on the boot lid and flanks and the D90 gets a roof that is painted in a contrasting colour on the top end ZX+ version. Other than that, there's not much to set the Vista D90 apart from a normal Indica Vista, though. However, given the fact that the Indica Vista got a facelift fairly recently, it's a much better looking car anyway (the facelift gave it different headlights and some new moulding on the boot). Proportionally, the only thing that sticks out like a sore thumb on the car are its wheel arches and the wheels inside them. If you really want a Vista that looks different from the rest, though, there is a dealer-installed body kit available that should be right up your alley. Part of that kit consists of new bumpers, side skirts and a spoiler that, if we're to be completely honest, really does look completely out of place on the car.
And inside?
Step inside the Indica Vista D90, and you'll start seeing the place where the most significant changes have been made. The dashboard is entirely different from any other Indica model you will see, and this is because it is, in fact, borrowed from the Manza. Up until now, there was a centrally placed instrument cluster in the Indica, instead of placing the gauges in front of the driver. This, of course, because of cost cutting and the fact that they intended to sell the car in both left and right-hand drive markets. Of course, the D90 is only being sold in India, and hence the Manza's dashboard has been placed in the car. We also like that this manages to bring a nice black and beige two-tone dash into the mix. There's also a touchscreen audio unit with a GPS navigation system built in.
In terms of those little conveniences, the D90 comes with a tilt adjustable steering wheel, while the driver's seat is height adjustable. Don't get your hopes up though; you'll be playing with those adjustments a lot to get into a comfortable driving position in this car. It didn't matter how many times I fiddled with the adjustments on the steering and the seat, I could never find a position that felt just right in the Vista. Only with the seat in the lowest position and the steering in the highest position was it mildly comfortable for my 5 foot 8 inch frame.
What about the performance?
The D90 comes with an 89 bhp version of the MultiJet engine, the same one that's found under the hood of the Punto 90, Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Manza too. What I'm really wondering though is, "what took them so long?" The engine was already there, all developed. The car was also ready and waiting - it shouldn't have taken them this long to put them both together, right? In any case, if you take a look at the spec sheets, you'll notice that the engine makes its 89 bhp of peak power and 20.4 kg of torque at 1750 rpm - exactly the same rpm as the lower powered version. So, what this means for you, is that despite coming with a higher power output, the car is as much, if not more driveable than the lower powered variant.
In city conditions, the variable geometry turbine kicks in with minimal lag and in a wave of torque, you're off. Low speeds and high gears aren't at all a problem for the D90. Even as the speeds pick up, the flat torque curve of the engine means that you've always got a fairly constant stream of torque to keep you moving.
What's the best part, then? Apart from giving it a more powerful engine, the sound insulation and deadening has also been improved to keep road and engine noise from intruding into the cabin, so you're left with a much smoother drive.
Okay, it goes, but does it turn?
To ensure the Vista D90 can handle the extra power, the chassis has been tuned a little. Of course, this ensures that the car is a decent handler and also means that you won't find yourself lodged in a hedge somewhere! While none of the suspension components were changed, the rubber parts were swapped for more suitable units. On the move, the steering wheel does tighten up as the speeds rise, but not as much as we'd like, so at higher speeds, you've still got a slightly light steering wheel to deal with. At 1180 kg, the Vista isn't exactly a light car. It is heavier than the Punto by 50 kg and the Swift is a whopping 150 kg lighter, so carrying all that extra weight around does have consequences. The inertia does need to be overcome during cornering, so there's bound to be a good bit of understeer and body roll. If you're looking for any sort of fun in the corners, you better look somewhere else. If you're looking to get some adrenaline pumping though, the Vista D90 will do just fine!
Is it worth buying?
Despite the more powerful engine and the improved interior, the Vista D90 still remains a great value-for-money car. At Rs 6.03 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai for the VX variant and Rs 6.63 lakh for the range-topping ZX+ variant, it still undercuts the competition by a good lakh and a half of rupees, and at that price point, it makes great sense.