The Tiago, Tata's recently launched entry-level hatch, has been racking up the numbers. The company says it already has more than 20,000 bookings for the car and demand for its fully accessorised version, known as the Aktiv, is so good that the company now has plans to assemble it and offer it as a fully built car. So, instead of only being available to buy in bits and pieces off a catalogue, a new chin here, roof rails there, the Tiago Aktiv will be available as a whole unit. Tata insiders say the car will initially only be made to order or in small batches, but if demand is good, the Aktiv could even be put into regular production.

The Aktiv comes with plenty of crossover bits that transform the look of the car considerably. The new chin, the most attractive-looking part, is finished in matte black, with a metallic strip used for the scuff plate. Metallic bits have been liberally used in other places as well, including the inserts in the running boards, the splitter at the rear and on the roof rails as well. The Aktiv also gets stickers on the doors (classy, subtle ones for once), more substantial-looking alloys and the door mirrors are also colour coded in black to complement this well-rounded package.     

The Tiago Aktiv is currently available from Tata’s personalisation studio for around
Rs 30,000, if you add up all the important bits, (roof rails and stickers excluded), and Tata is likely to price the factory-made version at a slight premium over that. The Tiago Aktiv, however, is likely to remain the most affordable crossover in our market for a long time to come, Renault Kwid excluded of course.