The year was 2007 and we saw a silent revolution in the passenger van segment when the leading auto makers of India, TATA Motors have launched TATA Magic which is considered as a micro-van. It was summer and just like our beloved fruit mango come into the market with all its sweetness and mouth luring qualities, the new TATA Magic was launched to make all the consumers happy with its appearance, features and most pivotal, its usefulness. It is a wonder vehicle and the passenger variant of the TATA Ace mini truck. This vehicle is a complete steel framed cabin van. The price of the van starts at INR 2.60 lac (ex-showroom Pune). This new vehicle is here to cater in the taxi or auto segment.
This mini-van from the house of TATA Motors has impacted a lot in the taxi segment as it is not only passenger friendly but also fuel efficient. It has a seating arrangement for 4 to 7 people and has enough legroom. The vehicle is
fortified with powerful 700 cc water-cooled diesel engine that allows the van to give you a smooth and hassle free ride. It requires minimum maintenance. The vehicle has got 12 inch wheels with good ground clearance and the rough & tough front axle is designed to handle the car properly and easily even on rough roads. The turning radius of this automobile is 4.3 m and is agile enough to cross the lanes and traffic even in the crowded places of a city. The car is best fitted on any Indian roads and has gained popularity among the metro cities too. This is used as the best alternative of taxis and autos which consumes fuel much higher than TATA Magic. The vehicle meets the BS-III emission norms and has been designed and developed to rule the road in its segment. The vehicle is available in the market with either 12 months warranty or a warranty for 36,000 km drive. The vehicle has got an instrument cluster which is visible to all easily, digital clock, utility tray and there is also a provision to add an audio system in it. This van falls under multi-utility vehicle and the segment is B segment. This can move at a top speed of 64 km/hr. This is mainly used for commercial purpose.
TATA Magic – Models
This micro-van is available in only one model. The car is though ruling the segment of taxis; it is really difficult to fit it into any segment as it has created a segment of its own. It is available with the option of 5 to 7 seats and is body type is of a MUV. The vehicle has only diesel engine and is good in performance.
TATA Magic – Mileage Average and Fuel Economy
The van is equipped with 700 cc 4 stroke indirect diesel engine. The fuel tank capacity is of 30 L. The vehicle is a four wheel van and is safer than the three wheeler autos. Thus, it has become so popular among the people. The TATA Magic offers a mileage of 20 km/l on the city roads. This engine is powerful and fuel efficient too.
TATA Magic – Power
The TATA Magic is fortified with a powerful 700 cc 4 stroke indirect diesel engine that can generate a maximum power of 16 BHP at 3200 rpm and can churn the top torque of about 38 NM at 2000 rpm.
TATA Magic – Colours
This micro-van is mainly available in pearl white colour. However, you can get customized versions of this vehicle with the colour of your choice. However, since it is used mainly for commercial purposes, it is better to opt for light colours like white, yellow and silver and sometimes in vibrant colours like red, green and blue.
TATA Magic – Acceleration and Pick Up
The car is fortified with 5 speed manual gears and has got a powerful fuel efficient diesel engine. The car can move on at the maximum speed of 64 km/hr and has a great acceleration and pick up. The manufacturers have taken immense care to make this utility van an exclusive vehicle that can rule the road under any conditions.
TATA Magic – Exterior Appearance
The TATA Magic is unique and has got the distinctive appearance to attract the passengers to try the vehicle and enjoy a smooth and comfortable journey. It almost looks like the TATA Ace, but this is a passenger version. The two round headlamps looks cool and give the frontal face of the vehicle a cute look. The front face of the van carries the famous TATA logo and move ahead on the road with pride and honour. It has been created and is a symbol of innovation and compassion of the engineers who are there in TATA Motors. The rear side looks good with trendy tail lamps with three colour lights, yellow, orange and red. This is made simply to rule the rural India. However, the vehicle has got immense fame and popularity in the urban areas. It has 5 doors are designed and placed perfectly with correct measurement. The exterior has been built with strong material so that it can withstand all the roughness of the bumpy Indian roads. It is strong as well as cute.
TATA Magic – Exterior Measurements
The exterior measurement and specifications are mentioned in the table below:
| Length |
3790 mm |
| Width |
1500 mm |
| Height |
1845 mm |
| Ground Clearance |
160 mm |
| Front Tread |
1300 mm |
| Rear Tread |
1320 mm |
TATA Magic – Interior Appearance
The vehicle lacks many things to give the interior a pleasant look. It is sure that the TATA Magic is produced for commercial usages, however, the interior lacks some basic features like power windows, air-conditioning system, armrests and adjustable steering wheel. There is door mirror at the driver’s side. There is no musical system installed. However, there is a provision to add one audio system as per the preferences of the customer.
TATA Magic – Interior Comfort
The micro-van is made to accommodate 5 to 7 people including the driver. There is ample legroom for the passengers who board the van. However, the company has not installed certain features that could have increased the comfort level and make it a people’s choice. It has no central locking system. All the related works has to be done manually. The driver’s seat can be adjustable manually to increase the comfort of the driver. Since, the owners get the provision to customize the van, they can install music system, cabin lamps and other accessories to make the vehicle more user-friendly and trendy.
TATA Magic – Engine, Capacity and Performance
The TATA Magic is powered by a powerful 700 cc 4 stroke , indirect injection diesel engine that can churn the maximum power of 16 BHP at 3200 rpm and can produce the top torque of about 38 NM at 2000 rpm. The engine is capable enough to perform well in all weather conditions.
TATA Magic – Wheels
The vehicle runs smooth and fast with its 12 inch strong radial wheels. The size of the tyre is 145 R 12 LT.
TATA Magic – Braking and Handling
The producer of this gentle mini-van, TATA Motors has packed the vehicle with disc brakes in the front and drum brakes at the rear to give you a smooth and easy drive. The vehicle is easy to handle only because of these strong well fitted brakes. The car has not got the option of power steering, still it is always ready to give a smooth ride. It has parabolic leaf spring suspension system that enhances the easy handling of the vehicle.
TATA Magic – Handling and Safety
Although, the vehicle is mostly used for commercial purposes, there is less safety features for both the driver and the passengers. There is no airbags, fog lamps, anti-lock braking system (ABS), EBD and traction control devices. However, the body of the van is built strong and is of a quality of a standard MUV. So, the passengers can feel safe from any crash if it faces at all. However, with strong brakes, the chances of meeting up with an accident are rare.
TATA Magic – Stereo and Accessories
The passenger version of TATA Ace, TATA Magic has not the option of any stereo system. However, the vehicle can be customized and the owners can easily add a standard quality music system with AM/FM radio and CD/MP3 player. The vehicle is not up to the mark in terms of other basic accessories too. However, the vehicle has got great popularity and thus the manufacturer of the vehicle has recently launched another upgraded version of TATA Magic with a new name TATA Magic Iris. With so many features and accessories missing in the van, there was a chance to lose the race in the auto market. However, since this was the only car made available when it was launched, it has managed to get hold of a certain percentage of the market share with ease.
