2017 Tata Nexon review, road test

The Nexon is the last of what Tata Motors calls ‘bridge products’, before a new generation of models spawned off its new Advanced Modular Platform (AMP) and L550 platform (shared with Land Rover) make production. The Nexon is built on Tata’s X1 platform that forms the basis for the Vista, Bolt and Zest. The high-riding X1 platform actually lends itself well to the Nexon, with the compact SUV boasting a class-leading ground clearance of 209mm. Like its main rivals, the Maruti Vitara Brezza and the Ford EcoSport, the Nexon measures just under 4m in length – essential to qualify it for tax sops on small cars – but is both the widest and the lowest of the monocoque-bodied compact SUVs.

See a Nexon in your rear-view mirror and you’ll be convinced there’s a big and tough SUV behind you. The wide grille, the effective use of chrome on the fascia and the muscular arches make the Nexon look wider than it is. The 16-inch wheels and chunky 215-section tyres also help the squat and confident stance. Look closely and you’ll also note the Nexon is full of intricate details. There are blister-like bulges for the indicators on the shapely headlights (similar to those on a Nissan Juke), and a funky mesh for the grille, just as you’d find on the Hexa. But completely unique are the ceramic-look plastic highlights around the fog lamps, at the window line and on the tailgate. What’s worth bringing up though is that these plastic panels are not extruded but use costlier injection-moulding that allows manufacture of more complex forms and of varying thickness. With the complexity, come challenges of panel fit. The interplay of so many surfaces and materials don’t all align well, leading to inconsistent panel gaps.

In general, the Nexon looks part-SUV, part-coupé and fully distinctive. The rich coat of silver for the upper half of the body (that is standard, by the way) will draw your attention to the beautiful flow from the raked A-pillars to the chunky C-pillars via the arced roof. And that pinched glasshouse just adds to the style. There’s not much bodywork aft the rear wheels but the compact tail with its sharply cut tail-lights and the ceramic-look elements laid out in a wide ‘X’ (to symbolize the Nexon’s X-factor we are told) looks particularly eye-catching.

It is fairly straightforward under the skin, with power from the transverse-mounted engine channelled to the front axle only. The Nexon’s suspension comprises front MacPherson struts and a rear torsion beam. Braking is via front discs and rear drums, and it uses an electric power steering. Interestingly though, the Nexon uses a different steering setup to its platform mates. Tipping the scales at 1,237kg, the petrol Nexon is lighter than the petrol EcoSport, but the 1,305kg Nexon diesel is the heaviest of the three diesels in the segment. Tata claims the Nexon, which comes with dual airbags, anti-lock brakes and Isofix child-seat mounts, meets India’s upcoming crash test regulations.