Exterior

We will not spend much time on the outside as it is exactly the same as the manual Nex­on which has been here for long. But we will quickly run through it to refresh your mem­ory. You get the same exterior design, with rather unusual elements seen more on con­cepts than on production vehi­cles. The chunky front end with glossy black grill and large headlamp units looks hand­some. Front fog lamps are sur­rounded by black or contrast white cladding, while a huge air intake at the bottom dom­inates the look. Over on the side, you immediately notice the coupe like roof line and the contrast ceramic white strip that runs across the car below the window line and merges with the tail lamps. The grey roof adds to the funkiness. All this sits on smart-looking alloy wheels.

Interior

Inside is the same story, everything remains the same, which isn’t bad at all. The materials used inside the cab­in is of top quality and the fit and finish of the dash is good. The controls of the dash are well laid out, and the but­tons for the air con and pow­er windows get piano black surrounds to give a premi­um feel. The Harmon based infotainment system is one of the best. It is smooth and easy to use. The Nexon scores well in terms of practical­ity too and you get loads of storage options. You get large bottle holders and an umbrel­la recess (it can hold a small umbrella and has a drainage hole too) in the front door pads, a massive cooled glove box with a removable tray, a deep center storage box and the cup holders integrated into rear center armrests. The seats are supportive and comfort­able, which is also the case with the rear seats.

Performance

Now this is where the Tata Nexon has changed. You get the same engine choices: The 1.2 liter Revotron turbo pet­rol that makes 108 bhp and 170 Nm of torque, and the 1.5 liter Revotorq turbo diesel that makes 110 bhp and 260 Nm of torque. While before engines were mated to a manual trans­mission, now these engines are mated to an AMT transmission. This makes a difference that shows in daily driving. It gets the same six-speed transmis­sion. But now, using hydraulic actuators, it changes gears with clutch-less gearshifts. The shift between gears are jerk-free and smooth, and there is also a creep function that allows the driver to, well, creep forward during traffic situations.

This AMT is a boon in low speed city driving, mak­ing the experience easy and convenient. There is a slight turbo lag when you have to get a move on but nothing to bore you out. Once the lag is put through, the car picks up speed and shifts are slick and effortless. As in the manual version, be it the Eco, City or Sport mode, there is more than enough to go with seamless power. In the Eco mode, in pursuit of fuel economy, the gearbox shifts up early, and the power feels constrained. City mode makes it a little better, but the Sport mode is com­pletely different. The surge in power is quick and the car revs much better. Overall the AMT is good; it is smooth and provides good power to the mid-range to help you make those overtakes and to cruise with ease on the highway. The creep function also makes a drive in rush hour traffic rela­tively stress free.

Verdict

We loved the Tata Nexon when it was first launched. After driving this AMT variant, the love has only grown. The unique exterior and the plush and practical interior has now been paired with a convenient AMT transmission resulting in a package that makes the hectic drive to work easy and fun again.