My Tata Nexon XZ: Buying & 4-month ownership experience

The Nexon wasn’t even on our consideration list because of the “Truck image” associated with Tata Motors. But we took a test drive anyway & were mighty impressed by the car.

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Dear BHPians,

Greetings!

I am writing this review after my four months of ownership of the Tata Nexon XZ Petrol (Manual).

Previous car ownerships

Before Nexon, I have owned Maruti Alto K10 (a pre-worshipped car which I used for 1 year) & New Hyundai Grand i10 1.2 Sportz (Petrol), used for 4 years.

Need for a new car (replacement of Grand i10)

I had a wonderful 4 years with Hyundai & the Grand i10. However during our holiday trips, we a family of three (Me, my wife & our four-year-old son) often explored some remote places/village areas that had unpaved or broken roads, I started feeling the need for a vehicle having higher ground clearance. Additionally, the potholes (sometimes giving the impression of wells) in Bangalore city added fuel to my need to upgrade to a vehicle having higher ground clearance.

Initial selection criteria

Gradually, I was quite clear that the next car has to be a Cross Over (Sub 4mtr). While the thought to upgrade the car was there around, I started listing out the essential requirements of our next car.

• Budget: Around INR 12 Lacs
• Safety: Has to be a safer car. (GNCAP ratings helped here).
• Ground Clearance: Around 200 mm
• Engine: The general running is around 800 Km per month and considering the reducing gap between Petrol & diesel Prices, I opted for Petrol Engine.
• Transmission  Manual. I stay near Yehlanka (Bangalore) and rarely go towards the dense traffic areas in the city, so could manage with Manual Transmission.
• Handling: Should feel planted on highway speeds during long drives.

Market offerings in this segment

There are already a lot of players in Sub 4m Cross Over (Compact SUV segment), so selecting One out of Ten was going to be an exciting task.

The candidates which I shortlisted initially:

• Mahindra XUV 300
• Ford Figo
• Hyundai Venue
• Maruti Brezza

The candidates which I did not consider initially:

• Kia Sonet: Poor safety rating of its cousin Seltos kept me away from this.
• Tata Nexon: Sorry, It is a Tata.
• Honda WRV: Is it still manufactured?
• Urban Cruiser: Not interested in Re-Badged car.
• Nissan Magnite: Nissan’s prior performance in the market kept me away from Magnite.
• Renault Kiger: Not from a very established manufacturer.

There may not be a perfect car, but you have to shortlist one considering your likings & dislikings.

Test drives & initial impressions

My following personal opinion on these cars is subjective and is not intended to hurt any of my fellow BHPians (The +ves and -ves are to shortlist the desired candidate).

Maruti Suzuki Brezza

It was an unplanned visit to Maruti Showroom. I was on the way home and stuck in huge traffic. Just on the left-hand side was a Maruti showroom so I steered my car towards the showroom so as to wait for the traffic to reduce and meanwhile have a look at the Brezza. Had a discussion with the salesperson and had a detailed look at the car and interior. Spent around 15 minutes discussing the car. The test drive car had gone out for the drives and was not expected back to the showroom anytime soon.

Anyways I was quite clear, that I am not going for Brezza. So politely refused for the test drive in future.

Brezza (+ve):

• Reliability of Maruti.
• Fuel Efficiency.
• Pretty safe (4-star rating).

Brezza (-ve):

• Interiors and overall looks felt way outdated.
• In terms of features, competitors offer much better.
• Feels quite pricey for what Maruti offers in this car.

Verdict: Rejected

Mahindra XUV 300

Visited the showroom and liked the car. I was very skeptical about the fuel efficiency of a Petrol XUV300 so thought of stretching the budget to accommodate the Diesel one. The test drive of Diesel XUV 300 was immediately arranged and I was impressed with the driving dynamics. I felt like after an initial turbo lag, the Cheetah is roaring “ Give me the roads, I will conquer”.

I had the W6 variant in my mind and discussed it with the sales team. The sales lady explained that recently some of the features have been omitted from the W6 variant like ICE will be the basic one, Hand rest removed etc. Gradually, I realized that I may have to go for the W8 variant which was beyond my budget so I quit XUV300. It appears that with the gradual reduction in features in the mid variant the only feasible option is the W8 variant.

XUV 300 (+ ve):

• 5-star GNCAP Rating.
• Spacious. Rear Seat can accommodate 3 adults.
• Low-end torque.
• Solid thud of the doors reflects the build.

XUV 300 (-ve):

• Many features removed in the mid variants.
• Less boot space (But compensated by a good leg space at the rear).
• Ground clearance.

Verdict: Had to reject

Hyundai Venue

After test driving XUV 300, I went to a nearby Hyundai showroom and Test Drove Hyundai Venue 1.0 Turbo petrol. Since I was already a Hyundai customer, the salespeople promised to offer me a good price for my outgoing Grand i10 as well. Venue drove well but since half an hour before I had driven an XUV 300 (which was very spacious. Thanks to the white interior and white seat covers of XUV which I drove), I felt claustrophobic with the black interior of Venue. (Actually, my Grand i10 was giving more spacious feel owing to beige interiors).

Venue (+ve):

• Hyundai reliability (My past good experience with Grand i10).
• Front looks.
• Refined engine.
• Smooth gearshifts.

Venue (-ve):

• Claustrophobic with all-black interiors.
• Rear legroom.
• Boot door looks (Kwid vibes).
• Steering (Feels too light at high speed like Grand i10).
• Not sure of crash test ratings (Have not read anywhere).
• Suspension: I found it to be on the stiffer side. Car shakes even on small undulations.

Verdict: Rejected

Ford Figo (Honourable mention in the list)

Besides knowing the pros & cons of this gem, I did not go to the showroom for a test drive as the rumours of Ford exiting India were already around.

Verdict: Rejected

Until this time I could not finalize any of the cars.

Entry of Tata & the Tata dilemma

Tata Nexon was never on my consideration list because of the Truck image associated with Tata. Additionally, aged Tata Sumos, Indigos, Indicas always kept me away from this brand.

But as I could not zero on one car, I started to explore more options in the segment starting with Nexon. Also, I noticed that the overall sales of Nexon are quite impressive, I could notice a lot of Nexons within the city.
Since nobody in my friend circle or peer group had Nexon, I started exploring it online and went through dozens of expert & ownerships reviews on Youtube & Team bhp. Within a few days, I had fairy understood the Nexon and decided to move one step further towards this car, i.e., The Test Drive.

So one fine weekend, we walked into the nearby Tata showroom without any prior appointment. The Salesperson was allotted within 10 minutes of waiting and immediately we could get a Nexon for Test Drive. I requested the Salesperson that I wanted to see the performance of Nexon on broken roads so took the car on a 5 km stretch of potholes.

I appreciate that the salesperson completely wanted to demonstrate the capability of Nexon so insisted me to drive fast on potholes, undulations etc.

It was like he was pointing a bad patch and directing me to drive fast over them. Anyways a total (To and fro) of 10 km test drive on almost no-road and I was sold for this car. I liked the way Nexon behaved on the broken roads. After the Test drive, we thanked the Salesperson and told him that we need some time to finalize and left the showroom.

Overall we like Nexon and it appeared to fulfil all our requirements.

Variant shortlisting

Nexon XZ 1.2 Petrol (Manual) – I was inclined towards the XM variant initially but my wife pointed out that the XM variant does not have a Rear AC vent (Our Grand i10 used to have one) and therefore insisted to go for the XZ variant which comes with a Rear AC vent. So, finally we decided XZ variant.

Color shortlisting

The previous cars (Alto & Grand i10) we owned were of Silver color so we wanted a different color this time.

• Red Color: Nexon Red gives tomato ketchup color impressions. Hope it could be Altroz Red.
• Blue Color: Strict no. The way it looked on Nexon.
• Green Color: Looks nice. But dark colors need more maintenance.
• White Color: Looks pale yellow over a period of time.
• Silver Color: Here we go. Our Third car, again Silver. (According to my experience Silver color ages slowly and needs less maintenance).

To me, The white Strips across Tata Nexon are a big eyesore. Both of us actually hated those ceramic color stripes. Therefore, we decided that immediately after taking the delivery of our Nexon we will do Black wraps on the ceramic strips.

The very next day I came from the office early, we (Me, my wife and my son) went to the Tata showroom and booked the car.

Booking experience

The booking was done with an advance of INR 21000 and the booking formalities were finished within half an hour and we were given around 2~3 months waiting period.

I asked the salesperson if I can arrange the Car Insurance by myself to which he happily agreed. I could save around Rs 20,000 on the Insurance. (Showroom Quoted INR 50,000 whereas I could get a good deal on insurance in INR 30,000).

Waiting period & selling the Grand i10

We got the call from the showroom within 20 days of booking that the vehicle VIN has been allocated and the car will reach the showroom in the next 10 days and we were asked to settle the payment.

After getting the call from the showroom I contacted the Car selling portals and could sell my Grand i10 to one of those portals at a good price (within 2~3 Days). For the next few days, we were without a car and had to manage by our motorcycle.

Meanwhile, I settled the payment for the new car with the showroom by Sep 12, we were asked to take the delivery of the car on Sep 15, 2021.

So overall we got the vehicle exactly after one month waiting period.

The D-Day & the funny incident

Anyways, the car delivery date came, Sep 15, Wednesday. We were given the time slot of 3 PM for car delivery. I took half day from the office, wife reminded to bring a sweets box while coming from the office. On the way, I parked my bike near the sweet shop but entered the Liquor shop which is very next to the sweet shop. Since it is the usual liquor shop where I buy liquor from, I suddenly realized that in excitement I have entered the wrong shop. Anyways, went to the adjacent Sweet shop, bought sweets and directly went home.

The Nexon delivery

Everything was kept ready by the salesperson. When we reached the showroom, the car was already there in the delivery area. We went into the showroom, the handover formalities were quickly done followed by a cake cutting ceremony and a brief introduction to the car and its features. The car was delivered well within the promised time. The overall car buying experience was very nice and on par with my previous experience with Hyundai.

My son doing some quality checks

The Tata sales staff was very informative about the vehicle, cooperative enough to ensure that the entire sales process goes smooth. Overall, the car cost me around INR 11.20 Lacs (Insurance bought by myself).

Accessories added

From Tata Showroom:

• Mudflap
• Door Visor
• Chrome Garnish on the Door (After the first service)
• Basic Mats (Later replaced by 7D mats from outside car accessory shop)

Outside Showroom:

• Black wrap on the ceramic Strips
• 7D Mats (I don’t know why it is called 7D), anyways found it is useful
• NEXON Mascot on the Bonnet (Ordered from Boodmo)
• Door Sill guards

My experience with Nexon

So far I have driven this car for around 4500 Kms and here is my understanding of this vehicle.

Aesthetics

• Front: Looks minimal and beefy. This adds MACHO stance to the vehicle.

• Rear: The ugly white strips spoil the rear look. Anyways I did Black wrapping. This was a tedious task for the “Wrapper” especially on the contour where the Tata logo sits. Anyways he did the clean job and has fixed this rear black wrap in a single piece. Now the Rear look has been enhanced.

• Side: The curvy roof near the C pillar gives a different look than the typical boxy looks of other cars in this segment. I think this is done to reduce the mass to balance the Higher Centre of Gravity.

Ceramic Strips black wrapped at the side too

• Build Quality: Definitely, this vehicle feels sturdy and heavy as compared to its competitor cars which I had driven. The doors close with a thud and remind you that Tata Steel is the cousin of Tata Motors.
• Fit & Finish: Fit & Finish has some scope of improvement. There are certain points where fit & finish are not consistent.

• Workmanship: It is something the neatness in the job done. Here Tata lags and has already been pointed out by many owners before.

The ugly unfinished points near the engine are an eyesore. The paint quality is just average.

• Engine: The Engine is a Gem. In Sport Mode, it roars and gives a thrilling experience. If you are an enthusiast you will fall in love with the way Nexon delivers the Power.
• Drive Modes: The various modes provided (ECO, CITY, SPORT) allows user to select the Power & Torque distribution as per the terrain/road conditions. I liked this feature.
• Noise: I love the way Nexon makes the sound (Grrrrrrrr………) especially while picking up in Sport mode.
• Vibrations: Vibrations can be easily felt when you start the vehicle especially the first start in the morning.
• Transmission: The gear throws are long and are not smooth. You need extra effort/tactics to engage reverse gear. The clutch pedal travel is longer due to which vehicle loses momentum when you change from first gear to second, especially at slow to medium speeds. So, this is not a Traffic Friendly car. Prospective buyers may note.
• Steering: The Steering feels Light at slow speeds and heavy at faster speeds which makes it Fun-to-Drive on Highway rides. The horn pad on the steering is to my liking. The right-hand portion is dedicated to honking.

• Ride Quality: The vehicle feels firm on the road at high speeds and inspires confidence while on highway duty. But needs to be careful (slow down) on curves as there is a prominent body roll due to the height of the car.
• Comfort: Seats being on the softer feel comfortable. (But expect back pain on longer drives due to soft cushioning). I have not travelled on its Rear seat. But the family and friends have appreciated the rear seat comfort.
• Suspension: The suspension eats away all the undulations at high speeds as desired. At slow speeds, the mountain type speed breakers in the streets do bother and a spring effect (like vehicle diving in & out) is prominent on such speed breakers. The ground clearance & suspension setup of Nexon is a big advantage on broken /unpaved roads. You just glide across the broken roads, the feeling is awesome.

Car interior

• The Doors close with a thud & the plastic build quality is solid.
• The beige (white color interiors) & Black Piano finish add some glamour to the interior. The Black piano finish may catch scratch easily.

• The door upholstery is white so need to be maintained carefully.

• The Speedometer console is the digital one which looks more like a kind of Video Game (Not to my taste). I like the Mechanical one with a Speedometer and Tachometer of the same size (like that in Swift).

• HARMAN ICE has sufficient features to my requirement (Music, Navigation, Rear Camera). Rear Camera resolution just OK.
• The storage slots in the centre console are good for nothing. The USB slot area could have been designed better. The USB point should be on the wall of the slot rather than on the floor.

• The Umbrella holder is something many friends appreciated who sat in the car.

• Lock / Unlock Mechanism: This is very thoughtfully executed in Tata Nexon. Nexon does not sound (Horn) while Locking & Unlocking. Nexon will make a sound while Locking only if any of the Door is not fully closed. (Half a second Honk, only to remind you to close the partially closed door).
• Ergonomics: I have noticed one ergonomic issue in Nexon. It may not be a concern for others since it bothered me, I am sharing it here. (For reference: I am a person with average build Ht: 5’7”). I feel the Foot Rest/Dead pedal of Tata Nexon is too close to the Clutch pedal. Initially, I was feeling like it is hindering my foot, as my foot was hitting the Footrest while pressing the clutch. I contacted the Tata showroom and checked other Nexons including the Test Drive car in the showroom. The footrest position was the same in all Nexons. The showroom staff told me that I need to keep my foot straight while pressing the clutch. (Since my earlier cars did not have a footrest, I was habitual of keeping my left foot slightly inclined).

Initially, I explored the following possibilities for this Footrest Problem:

• Getting it removed from the vehicle body. As per the showroom people, Footrest is welded to the vehicle chassis therefore it is not advisable to be removed. After reaching home I explored it (though could not see it) by putting my hand under the floor mat. I could feel it is bolted not welded to the body. Anyways just thought of living with it.
• Thought of wearing a shoe with lesser width to have lesser interference by the operating clutch. (This was the most ridiculous solution).

Solutions:

• Cut the 7 D mat which is over the hump, this has reduced the interference by about 5 mm.
• Started clutch operation with the foot pointing straight. (Gradually I have mastered this, now I do not see this Footrest position as a concern). But still, I feel the position of this footrest/dead pedal is not ergonomically correct.

(While reading this many of the bhpians would have done Left foot movement to see how they move their left foot while operating clutch)

Consumption of “Iraq ka Paani”

So how much Iraq ka Paani (Petrol) does it consume? I have driven this Vehicle mostly in City & Sport Mode.

• City Mode: 13.5 in city & 14 on highways
• Sport Mode: 12 ~ 13.5 Km on highways

The fuel efficiency shown by the instrument console is correct (+/- 0.3 Km). I have cross verified by the tank to tank method.

Service experience

First Service: As usual, the first service was just a medical check-up and zero bill. The car was delivered as per the promised time. (No drama of Anti-rust coating sale etc by Service advisor). I liked this.

Final verdict

This car is fun to drive for the highway runs, rural roads, broken patches and the solid build quality assures you of the safe ride and will definitely give you the feeling of a Battle Tank.

From my experience this is not a traffic friendly car,wWill take you out of your comfort zone in heavy traffic.

Overall I am delighted with the Sales & Service experience of TATA.

More technical details have already been well covered by experts in the official review by Team-bhp.

Posting a pic of Nexon near Nandi Hills (Posing with my friend’s Brezza).

Keyword: My Tata Nexon XZ: Buying & 4-month ownership experience