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Tata Indica V2 Xeta: Ownership Experience
The Tata Indica was a very important model for Tata Motors and still is one its most important models in the portfolio. The Indica helped transform Tata’s image from a UV maker to a passenger car maker.
This hatchback gave other manufacturers a level of confidence in the small car segment of India and was a pioneer of the present day small car rage.
Indica in its long period has seen it all. From failures to success, the present day Indica is a result of all the improvisations the company made using its own research as well as customer feedback.
Even though there are quite a bunch of newbies in the market, Indica still is one of the most fuel efficient cars in the country. In our attempt of giving the readers a fair idea of what it feels like to own one, we ask Dr. Srinivasa Murthy on his ownership experience with the 2008 Tata Indica V2Xeta.
The Technical Specifications of the model is as follows.
| Parameter | Petrol |
| Engine CC | 1193/4 |
| Powerin PS/RPM | 65.3/5000 |
| Torque in NM/RPM | 99.8/2700 |
| Transmission | 5/M |
| Tyre size | 155/80 R13 |
| Brakes Front | Disc |
| Brakes Rear | Drum |
| Fuel Tank capacity L | 37 |
| Dimensions in mm | |
| Length | 3690 |
| Width | 1665 |
| Height | 1485 |
| Wheel Base | 2400 |
| Ground clearance | 165 |
| Mileage | 16KMPL |
Below is the brief interview with Dr.Srinivasa Murthy
Q: Sir, it’s been how long since you own the car and what made you zero down on this one?
A: I’m driving this car since the last 3 years and Tata Indica is my first car. I wanted a car with more space, good mileage and easy on maintenance. Hence I went with Tata Indica Petrol variant.
Q: Any other model that you had considered before going in for this one?
A: No, This is my very first car and I didn’t consider other options.
Q: Can you please tell describe the present status of the car?
A: When I bought the car, it had done only 15,000km. At present it has run for about 25,000km. It is in an excellent condition. I have not faced any problem till date. Quality of driving and steering is satisfactory. Visibility is a concern. I can drive at a speed of up to 100km/hr without any problem but above that speed, one can hear a bit of noise. The Pickup and mileage get down drastically when the AC is switched on. The interiors are very spacious both leg space and boot space. Since it is a petrol variant, noise levels are less and I have no issues with the maintenance of the car. Overall I can say that the performance is average. I don’t use the car extensively so I don’t suffer a lot.
Q: Can you please elaborate on the costs incurred while servicing the car?
A: I must say its maintenance is quite economical. Every service costs me around Rs.3,000 + oil charges.
The features of the Tata Indica V2 Xeta are as follows
| Features | GL | GLE | GLS | GLX |
| Power steering | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Air conditioning | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Front power windows | No | No | No | Yes |
| Rear power windows | No | No | No | No |
| Music system with 2 speakers | No | No | No | Yes |
| Audio MP3/CD playback with radio AM/FM | No | No | No | Yes |
| Digital Clock | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| New Shadow beige interior colour scheme | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fabric seats | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Body coloured bumpers | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alloy wheels | No | No | No | Yes |
| Front and Rear Fog lamps | No | No | No | Yes |
| Central locking with remote | No | No | No | Yes |
| Collapsible steering | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Child safety lock on rear doors | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ex showroom price Mumbai | 332218 | 360218 | 390822 | 418677 |
Q: Have you ever met with an accident on this car; did you claim insurance on it?
A: I have a strong driving experience and do respect and endorse safe driving always. I always travel at permissible and safe speeds in city limits. Also, while parking the car and taking it out; I am very careful to avoid any damage on the vehicle. There are two scratches, though minor, which have been there since the time I got the car. These scratches can be barely seen as I frequently wash and clean the car and try and keep it at its best condition possible.
Q: Have you ever faced any mileage issues with it?
A: Mileage is not a strong point of this car. The mileage drops in city conditions considering the heat as there is no alternative other than driving with the AC on. I get a stable mileage of 12kmpl even though I expected more out of it.
Q: Can you tell us about your experience in long drives?
A: We have taken this vehicle on many long drive occasions covering a distance of 600kms and more. It offers a comfortable ride because of its good leg space and comfortable seats but driving at higher speeds i.e. beyond 100 km/h is a big problem and also as I mentioned earlier, the pickup drops considerably as the AC is switched ON.
Q: Any breakdown incident that occurred with you and how was the problem solved?
A: No Breakdown faced till now.
Q: What was your experience with the service station?
A: Service quality is good with respect to workmanship. I did not face any problem with the servicing of my car. The service engineers do give great level of importance to quality work and delivery time. Service cost is also on the lower side compared to the other cars.
Q: How do you rate the overall ownership, would you recommend the same to others?
A: I am not totally convinced that it is a good investment. However, other than the low cost of maintenance and spacious interiors, I did not find anything appealing about my car. It has been a disappointment for me in terms of mileage, quality of driving, pickup, AC functioning etc. I won’t recommend the same to others at all.
Q: If you wish to go for a new car which make and model would you choose and why?
A: I am planning to change my car soon and am considering the Ford Figo Diesel variant. Auto reviews all over have expressed positive feedback about it. I think it is a good value for money decision.
Tata Indica V2 Xeta Rival Chart
| Tata | Hyundai | Hyundai | Maruti Suzuki | Maruti Suzuki | Maruti Suzuki | Maruti Suzuki | Maruti Suzuki | Chevrolet | |
| Indica V2 Xeta | Eon | Santro | Alto | Alto K10 | Astar | Estillo | Wagon R | Spark | |
| Variant | GLX | Sportz | GLS | Lxi | Vxi | Vxi | Vxi | Vxi | 1.0 LT |
| Engine Capacity/Cylinders | 1193/4 | 814/3 | 1086/4 | 796/3 | 998/3 | 998/3 | 998/3 | 998/3 | 995/4 |
| Power in PS/RPM | 65.3/5000 | 56/5500 | 63/5500 | 47/6200 | 68/6200 | 67/6200 | 67/6200 | 68/6200 | 63/5400 |
| Torque in NM/RPM | 99.8/2700 | 75/4000 | 96/3000 | 62/3000 | 90/3500 | 90/3500 | 90/3500 | 90/3500 | 90.3/4200 |
| Gears | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M | 5/M |
| Power Steering | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Power windows | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Central locking | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| A/C | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Music system | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fog Lamps | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Rear wind shield washer | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Defogger | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| ABS | No | No | No | No | No | Optional | Optional | Optional | No |
| Air bag | No | Single | No | No | No | No | No | Optional | Yes |
| Average fuel efficiency | 16 | 21.1 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 |
| Ex showroom Price Bangalore | 418677 | 398990 | 402957 | 312066 | 349867 | 426044 | 419025 | 425611 | 410269 |
Tata Indica V2 Xeta Ownership Experience Conclusion
With the above ownership experience it can be concluded that the Indica V2 Xeta is a good option for the customers looking for a car with spacious interiors, strong build quality and ease of maintenance. However, it lags in satisfying the cutomers with its performance and mileage. The above review reflects the pros and cons of owning the vehicle and we encourage all to share their experiences/views with us.
