Tata Bolt first look review

Space programme

As with the Vista, the Bolt remains spacious on the inside. But what’s most striking is the entirely new dashboard and the obvious improvement to the fit and finish. The design and the quality are nothing like we’ve seen on the Tatas we are used to. The view from the driver’s seat is of a sculpted, two-tone steering wheel and big, clearly marked dials. The driver-oriented positioning of the vents and the centre console along with the use of piano black, chrome and silver really lift the ambience of the cabin. It’s clear that careful attention has been paid to everything that you touch and move – the switches for the new infotainment system, the knurled finish on the air-con knobs, and the steering wheel have a nice quality feel to them. The only bits that resemble what was once on the Vista are the headlight and wiper stalks and the doorpads. The Bolt’s interiors feature a sportier theme with plenty of black offset by the slab of white that runs across the dashboard.

As for storage space, the door pockets remain slim, there’s a cupholder next to the gearlever and a massive glovebox to make up for the lack of cubbyholes in the cabin. Also, like the Vista, the Bolt doesn't have a dead pedal – the big air-conditioning unit that sits behind the centre console eats into the driver footwell.

The front seats, however, are excellent. They are accommodating and snug at the same time, and Tata engineers spent a lot of time optimising the side bolsters, the seat base bolsters and even the cushioning. The attention to detail even extends to the seat belt webbing and the retractor mechanism that have been designed to feel smoother and richer in the way they operate.

The rear seats are comfortable too – there’s good headroom, and with the scooped out rear of the front seats, there’s even more kneeroom than before.

Tata hasn’t announced how many variants there will be yet. In terms of features, there were projector lamps and a touchscreen infotainment system developed in conjunction with Harman that features voice controls and navigation. Also Bluetooth connectivity, an SD card reader, USB and aux-in, along with a trip computer, power windows, power mirrors, parking sensors and climate control.

The next step

The Tata Bolt hatchback is expected to enter our showrooms in the latter half of 2014. Tata has not announced prices yet, but seeing how keen they are on improving sales, we expect them to be priced competitively. There’s no doubt that Tata has taken a huge step forward with the Bolt, but the proof of this pudding will be in the driving. It remains to be seen how good this car is on the road and how well it performs against a new lot of rivals.

2014 Tata Zest Review

Watch Tata Bolt and Zest first look video here

Tata Bolt photo gallery