Tata Nexon

Tata Nexon Road Test Review

While the Tata Punch may be the best-selling Tata car in India and also the best-selling car of India in 2024, the Nexon will continue to be the most important model for the home-grown carmaker in the recent past since it was the one that turned around the image of Tata Motors. The first-ever Tata Nexon was not perceived well because of its radical design but ever since it got a hallmark of safety from Global NCAP, it became an instant success.

Battling out the fierce rivalry with the Maruti Brezza, Hyundai Venue, Kia Sonet and Mahindra XUV 3XO, Tata Motors updated the Nexon with a major facelift, bringing a host of updates to its design, features and even powertrain options. The updates offered freshness to the package and made it appealing in front of the ever-growing competition. In this Tata Nexon review, we address all the changes and updates the new Nexon has received and understand if they have been brought for the better. 

Tata Nexon pros and cons

Before we address the intricacies of the updated Nexon, here is a quick look at the Tata Nexon pros and cons:

Tata Nexon exterior design and dimensions

The updated Tata Nexon design is completely new inside-out. The exterior changes bring a breath of fresh air and wrap the rather controversial design of the older Nexon and throw them out the window. Talking about its design details, the new Nexon features a gloss black applique at the front along with new LED DRLs. The main LED headlights sit lower on the bummer and instead of having two lighting setups, the new Nexon now features a single LED projector for each headlight cluster, while the turn indicators are integrated with the LED DRLs. The lower bumper sees large air ducts to channel cool air to the engine and the placement of the front parking camera.

Moving to the side, the new Nexon looks sleeker than before thanks to small revisions. The biggest change is the gloss black finish for the window surround and border, which reduces the unnecessary bulk the outgoing Nexon carried. With a slimmer border running under the window line, the side profile of the Nexon looks cleaner and more sophisticated. A nice set of dual-tone alloy wheels and chunky roof rails wrap the changes made to the side profile. 

At the rear, the Nexon offers a connected LED lightbar, upkeeping with the trend. The lightbar diverges, shaping a Y, at either end and also incorporates sequential turn indicators. The bumper also sees a revision and covers the edge of the tailgate too, which may look unnecessary to some. The tailgate seems more bulbous than before and gets the Nexon badging spread across. As a whole, the updated Nexon comes across as a much more mature design than that of the outgoing model and one that should age better over time.

Since the updated Nexon is a facelift, a major one at that, and not a complete new-gen model, the Tata Nexon dimensions remain similar to the outgoing model. The updated Tata Nexon measures 3995 mm in length, 1804 mm in width and 1620 mm in height and boasts a wheelbase of 2498mm. Furthermore, the Tata Nexon has a ground clearance of 208 mm and a boot space of 382 litres.

Tata Nexon Interior

Once you step on the inside, the updated Nexon welcomes you with a newly designed dashboard, which, at first glance, looks great. However, the fit and finish levels continue to be an area of improvement in the Nexon’s interior. Certain plastics feel rough and some panels are not finished properly. However, the soft touch leatherette finish on the crash pad does improve the premium feel inside the cabin. 

The Nexon continues to offer ample space for your family and friends. The rear seat offers a generous amount of knee room, however, the sloping roofline takes a toll on the headroom for rear seat passengers. Someone about 6 feet and above may find headroom at the rear lacking. However, small inconveniences like the thick A-pillar and the absence of a quarter glass at the back continue to be visibility-related issues with the Nexon. 

Tata has also revised seats in the new Nexon, claiming to offer better support and cushioning, even for larger builds. Seat comfort has never been an issue with Tata cars and the Nexon’s new seats offer great space and comfort even for taller and bulkier passengers. The rest of the cabin, which includes the centre console, storage spaces, door cards and overall space, remains the same as before, which is not a positive. Practical storage spaces like cup holders and bottle holders are missing, making it slightly impractical. 

Tata Nexon Features

Talking about the features of the updated Nexon, it offers features such as a 10.25-inch infotainment system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, automatic climate control with capacitive controls, front ventilated seats, panoramic sunroof, LED headlights, automatic headlights, rain-sensing wipers and JBL sound system. Coming to the driver-related features, the Nexon offers a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, cruise control, 360-degree parking camera, blind view monitor, front parking sensors, auto-dimming IRVM, height-adjustable driver’s seat and paddle shifters.

The higher variants of the Nexon also offer iRA-connected car tech features such as car breakdown assist, remote vehicle controls, navigation assistance, vehicle diagnostics, weather updates and over-the-air updates.

Tata Nexon Safety Features

The Tata Nexon has held the top spot in its segment when it comes to crash safety. With the update, Tata Motors not only worked on strengthening the platform of the Nexon but also added new safety features. The Tata Nexon safety features include 6 airbags, electronic stability program, LED headlights, hill-hold control, reverse parking sensors, adjustable headrests, speed sensing alarm, seatbelt reminders and ISOFIX child seat anchorages. However, it misses out on any kind of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) that the XUV 3XO, Kia Sonet, Hyundai Venue and the Kia Syros offer in the sub-4m segment.

Tata Nexon specifications

Before proceeding to sampling the Tata Nexon, take a quick look at its key engine specifications:

View More - Tata Nexon Specifications 

Tata Nexon Drive Experience

The petrol engine of the Nexon puts out 120PS of power at 5500rpm and 170Nm of torque between 1750rpm and 4000rpm. The 3-cylinder engine has been doing duty on the Nexon since its launch, and over the years, has received a few enhancements. However, its refinement levels are not impressive even today and it feels gruff to operate. The low-end torque is good but the power delivery doesn’t feel linear. Being a 3-cylinder engine, it is also not very rev-friendly and feels strained upon pushing hard. Drive it sedately and it impresses with a good poke inside the city and respectable mileage as well. Check out - Tata Nexon Mileage

The manual transmission of the Nexon feels notchy and the gates for the gears are not well defined. The biting point of the clutch is also higher and takes some time getting used to. These problems are streamlined with the dual-clutch automatic, which feels smooth inside the city limits. However, it doesn’t feel as fast or snappy as one would expect a dual-clutch automatic unit to be. Nonetheless, the addition of the dual-clutch automatic is a big upgrade over the sluggish AMT, which continues to do duty on both petrol and diesel Nexon, should you wish to opt for one.

Coming to its ride and handling, the Nexon finds a good balance between the two. The Nexon has been one of the most comfortable sub-compact SUVs on sale and that continues with the new one too. The suspension is well-compliant with poor road conditions and keeps the occupants comfortable. As the speed increases, its suspensions gain a sense of robustness and go over rough terrain with ease. The handling is also satisfactory, given its tall seating position and high ground clearance. There is a decent amount of body roll and the steering, while feels light, doesn’t induce a lot of confidence or feedback. Braking, on the other hand, feels surefooted and the pedal feel is consistent too, despite having drum brakes at the rear.

Tata Nexon price and variants 

The Tata Nexon prices range between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 15.80 lakh ex-showroom, New Delhi. The Tata Nexon petrol price starts from Rs 8 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 15 lakh for the DCA variant. The Nexon diesel price starts from Rs 10 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 15.80 lakh for the AMT variant. Lastly, the Tata Nexon CNG price starts from Rs 9 lakh and goes all the way up to Rs 14.60 lakh ex-showroom. Coming to the Tata Nexon variants, it’s offered in four variants — Smart, Pure, Creative and Fearless variants — which are further segregated into further lines like Plus, Sunroof and Dark. 

Tata Nexon colour options

Tata Motors offer the Nexon in 8 colour options:

• Calgary White
• Pristine White
• Daytona Grey
• Flame Red
• Pure Grey
• Creative Ocean
• Fearless Purple

• Atlas Black

   

Tata Nexon Verdict

For the last 6 years, the Tata Nexon has been one of the best-selling sub-compact SUVs in the country and with the launch of the Nexon facelift, Tata wants to continue with that trend. But, has Tata done enough? On the paper, it has. The Nexon feels more youthful, offers more features and offers bulletproof safety. Its petrol powertrain now offers the convenience of a dual-clutch automatic transmission while the diesel engine continues to lure cost-conscious buyers.

However, the downsides of the Nexon continue to remain. Inconsistent and finish levels, unrefined petrol engines, lack of reliable service network and glitchy electronics are some of the few problems owners have reported with the Nexon. The competition has moved ahead, featuring much better quality and features, like the XUV 3XO which offers panoramic sunroof and Level-2 ADAS features, both of which are missing in the Nexon. Hence, while the Nexon is a strong contender in the sub-compact SUV space, rivals like the Kia Sonet and Mahindra XUV 3XO have taken the game a notch higher.

Tata Nexon rivals

The Tata Nexon rivals with the following sub-compact SUVs in the Indian market. You can click on the links mentioned below to check out a one-to-one comparison between the Nexon and its rivals.

• Tata Nexon Vs Maruti Suzuki Brezza
• Tata Nexon Vs Kia Sonet
• Tata Nexon Vs Hyundai Venue
• Tata Nexon Vs Mahindra XUV 3XO
• Tata Nexon Vs Nissan Magnite
• Tata Nexon Vs Renault Kiger
• Tata Nexon Vs Kia Syros
• Tata Nexon Vs Skoda Kylaq
• Tata Nexon Vs Maruti Suzuki Fronx