Tata Motors has launched its first compact SUV named the Tata Nexon at an introductory price of 5,85,000 INR, ex-showroom Delhi, for the base petrol variant. The diesel variant starts at 6,85,000 INR, ex-showroom Delhi.
According to Tata, it is targeted at personal car buyers and is based on their ‘impact design’ philosophy. Speaking at the launch event, President- Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, Mayank Pareek, said, “Conceptualised as a lifestyle SUV for young progressive individuals, the NEXON is the culmination of this radical shift in thinking and will further expand Tata Motors’ addressable market.”
The compact SUV segment has grown five-fold in the past four years, from 45,000 units in 2013 to around 2.2 lakh in 2017, according to automobile sector insiders.
Tata Motors address the sports coupe-like styling of the SUV as ‘breaking the box’. It also packs in modern features such as floating touchscreen infotainment system, parking sensors, dual tone roof, rear AC vents and more. Safety features such as dual airbags, ABS and electronic brake force distribution are standard on all variants.
The introductory price undercuts the competition, Maruti Suzuki Brezza and Ford Ecosport by around 50,000 INR and 1,00,000 INR respectively.
The 1.2-litre petrol engine delivers 17 kmpl and the 1.5-litre diesel engine uses a litre of fuel for every 21.5 km. Both numbers are rated by ARAI. The ground clearance is measured at 209 mm and it boasts of the best in class boot space of 350 litres. It is currently available in manual transmission only, though spy photos on various social media platforms indicate that an automatic variant is being tested.
The Nexon is available in four variants and five colour options and is on sale at 650 Tata Motors outlets across the country.