Tata Nexon

The interiors feel great. Everything feels nice to touch and has a quality vibe. The textured dash, the quilted roofline, the seats, the strip of silver that runs across the dash, the controls – all feel upmarket. You get the usual keyless entry, start-stop functionality, automatic climate control etc, but the Tata offers more. You get a wrist band, like in the Jaguar F-Pace, which acts as the key and is perfect for outdoor activities. The central touch screen is the best we have seen in a reasonably priced car. It has Android Auto at the moment, the interface is excellent, there is good readability in sunlight and there is a myriad of apps to improve functionality. The rear view camera, however, is let down by poor quality and the touch functionality of the system is a bit laggy. But, it sounds great with the Harman Kardon setup with 8 speakers. There are lots of cubby spaces inside, but most of them are rather poorly executed. For instance, the cup holders in the centre console don’t operate smoothly and the umbrella holders in the door are awkwardly positioned to be of any real use. Front seats are set high and you don’t need too much effort to find a driving position that suits you. Although it is best suited for two at the rear, there is ample headroom than the sloping roofline suggests. The seats themselves have good cushioning and offer a good posture, although the high waistline has compromised outside view for rear seat passengers. The boot is sufficient at 350litres and the rear seat offers 60:40 split folding when you need additional boot space.

The Nexon gets two engines –a 1.2-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel, both with an identical 110bhp. The petrol is the same engine as the Tiago and Tigor, but with a turbocharger and variable valve timing added. This engine produces 170Nm torque but it isn’t that impressive on the road. It needs a bit of revs to get the turbo spooling and once on the move too, you can tell the fuelling could have been better calibrated. It doesn’t enjoy being revved high and you are best of riding the midrange where it feels least perturbed. The clutch is light and the gearbox is reasonably smooth, which somehow save the day.

The 1.5-litre diesel is also a derivative of the one in the Tiago and Tigor, but with an extra cylinder taking the total number to four. The motor is very tractable around town and you can feel the 260Nm torque at play when pottering around town. Even on the highway, the addition of the sixth gear makes it feel relaxed at high speeds. The diesel engine is less clattery on idle, but you do feel some vibrations. That the Nexon weighs 1305kg – a 110kg more than the Brezza – and its engine doesn’t rev beyond 4500rpm imparts performance. Also, the power delivery is rather linear, it is best to drive this in a relaxed manner.

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