When it comes to popu­larity, compact SUVs are today what the sedans and SUVs were a decade ago. It is by far the most popu­lar segment, and manufactur­ers have taken notice. The new Nexon is Tata’s torchbearer for the division. And as the late comer, it has a big mountain to climb. The competition is tough, but so is the Tata Nexon.

 

Exterior

 

The Nexon shares the same platform as the Zest and the Bolt, but it is not a crossover version of the hatchbacks. It has the compact SUV stance and the tell-tale elements of the urban SUV such as roof rails and black plastic cladding.

 

Yet, it looks burlier than its competition. It has a wid­er stance, which helps with the persona, along with the wide tires, large wheels, and muscular bumpers. It refrains from conforming to the boxy SUV style, and adds a little pizzazz with the sloping roof line, flared heel arches and an overall muscular design. It also gets a well-designed headlight cluster with LED daytime run­ning lights (DRLs) and halogen low-beam projectors. But there are some design elements that will polarize views, especially the rear and side profile.

 

Interior

 

Tata have hit the nail on the head with the interiors. Right from the touchscreen infotainment system sticking out from the dashboard to the circular dial next to the gear lever that allows you to choose drive modes, there are several aspects that give the Tata Nex­on a premium feel. However, ingress to the cabin can be dif­ficult because of the high floor and low roof. This is especially true for taller drivers as you have to climb in and crouch down at the same time.

 

Once inside, there is plenty of room for drivers and pas­sengers to stretch out. Because the seats are so comfortable, long drives will be a relaxing affair. In the back seat, squeez­ing more than two passengers will make for a tight fit. But there is enough boot space to accommodate the luggage for a short family vacation.

 

The steering wheel gets controls for audio and tele­phone, but we can’t help but complain about how small and thin the steering felt. A chunk­ier unit would have enhanced the driving experience. Adjust­ments on the steering column are only for height; telescopic adjustments would have been greatly appreciated.

 

Performance

 

Where the Tata Nexon excels is in terms of ride quality and suspension, which are the best in the segment. It dominates road undulations to provide a very relaxing and supple ride in our broken city roads. Owing to its generous ground clear­ance of 209mm, you won’t have to worry much when the roads start to get rough.

 

You get two engine options, 1.2L petrol and a 1.5L diesel. Both churn out a 110 BHPs but we were behind the wheels of the torquier diesel variant. There is significant turbo lag up until you hit 2,000 RPM, which means you will be really working the gears for in-city driving. You have to work the engine revs to get the best out of the Nexon. Once you get the hang of it, it is one of the most relaxing and comfortable driving machines in the com­pact SUV segment, especially if you stick to sports mode. You can use the eco mode and city modes on lazy Monday drives to the office.

 

The verdict

 

Squeezing into the sub-four meter segment (at 3,994m), the Nexon rubs shoulders with the Eco Sport and the Vitara Brez­za, both successful products. Tata has, therefore, stepped things up with the Nexon to stand out.

 

With their newer models (such as the Tigor, Zest, and Bolt) Tata has been successfully broken the ‘mundane’ percep­tion given by earlier models like the Indica. The Nexon takes it to the next level as one of Tata’s better offerings. Add to it their improving reputation in terms of safety and Tata moves up on everyone’s selection list.