Driving the Nexon was a different experience for me, having previously driven my dad’s VW Vento.
BHPian ramprakashram recently shared this with other enthusiasts.
Hello, fellow BHPians
This is my first-ever ownership review on T-BHP. I am writing this review after 2 months and 5000 km of ownership of the Tata Nexon XM Diesel Manual in Daytona Grey.
I am a 28-year-old with 10 years of driving experience. I learned to drive on my grandfather’s HM Ambassador Diesel, which had an ISUZU engine that my grandpa used to boast about. Over the years, I have driven a variety of cars in my family, including the Tata Sumo, Tata Sumo Victa, Tata Safari, Mahindra Bolero, Tata Indica Vista, Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo, Maruti Suzuki Alto, Maruti Suzuki Swift Diesel, Ford Figo Diesel, and Skoda Superb TDI DSG. Although I don’t own any of these cars, I have gained a lot of experience driving them as they belong to my dad and uncle. Currently, my dad owns a VW Vento TDI MT, which he absolutely loves and has owned for over 11 years.
Now that I have a good job and am single, I thought it was the perfect time to buy a car for myself. And so, the hunt began.
To keep things short, as everyone already knows the pros and cons of the cars available in the Indian market, let’s dive into my experience with the Tata Nexon.
Cars Considered
- Tata Nexon – Diesel MT
- Kia Sonet – Diesel MT
- Maruti Baleno – Petrol MT
- Nissan Magnite – Turbo Petrol MT
- Hyundai Venue – Diesel MT
- Hyundai i20 – Diesel MT
Criteria for choosing cars
- Should be under 12 lakhs on-road
- Should be a relatively safer car
- Strictly Diesel
- Strictly Manual
- Since I’ll be doing most of my driving on highways, I’ll need a car that feels stable and planted while driving at high speeds.
Final Choice
After conducting multiple test drives and sifting through countless forum posts, I have finally decided on purchasing the Nexon Diesel. It has everything I need: safety features, ample space, a diesel option and a smooth ride, and it fits within my budget. I checked with Jayaraj Karz in Thanjavur for the availability of the Nexon XM variant and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they had a Daytona Grey colour available and could deliver the car in just three days. It seemed too good to be true! We agreed on a final price of approximately Rs. 11,50,000, including registration, insurance, and other miscellaneous charges. I transferred the booking amount on the same day, and the car was delivered on January 11, 2023.
Initial Impressions
Driving the Nexon was a different experience for me, having come from a sedan. It was a hoot to drive, and I found that I didn’t have to slow down for small potholes as I did in the Vento. Additionally, sitting in a taller position meant that the headlights didn’t hit my eyes directly as they did before. While the cornering isn’t as sharp as it was with the Vento, I don’t think it’s fair to compare the two.
One thing I would say is that I think they should have given the Nexon a 5-speed manual instead of a 6-speed. I find that I’m constantly changing gears, and the power is spread too much across the gears. If it were a 5-speed, I feel like it would be a different animal to drive.
Niggles
A few days after getting the delivery, a couple of issues started cropping up in my Nexon.
- The rattling noise of the front left side door
- Mild rattle noise on the speedometer when I go over bad roads
- The front left speaker has a distorted noise if I play a bass-heavy song
I took my car to the Jayaraj Karz service centre in Thanjavur, but they couldn’t fix the rattling noise in the front left side door even after three attempts. As a result, I took the car back to Bengaluru, where I work, and gave it to the Tata Kropex service centre in Koramangala. They were able to fix the front left side door rattling noise and assured me that they would address the remaining issues during the second service.
I sincerely hope that TATA will improve the quality of their cars, as having hard edges and niggles in a brand-new car is unacceptable. I hope that they will be able to fix all of my issues soon.
Accessories
I have done a couple of installations on my car:
- Blaupunkt San Andreas 970 HeadUnit
- 70mai Dashcam A400+Rear Cam Set
- Steering controls
- Reverse Camera
- Suntek Sunfil
I chose the Blaupunkt San Andreas 970 over other units mainly because it’s the only non-Android 9-inch head unit available for under 40k. It also has wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay, and it has worked flawlessly so far. The sound quality also seems better than the Android units, though still not quite at the level of the XZ+. The total cost was Rs. 40,800, which included the head unit, Canbus, frame, and fitting. A rear camera was also included as a complimentary part of the package.
I have also fitted steering controls, which work flawlessly with the HU. They cost me Rs.6000, and the accessory people assured me that they would not void the warranty since they did not cut any wires.
All these accessories I had fitted in EDGE Accessories, HSR Layout, Bengaluru.
Accessories Planned
- Alloy Wheels
- Leather Seats and Steering Wrap
- Wrapping the side mirrors in a glossy black finish
- Proper Audio upgrade
Verdict
Nexon is a fun car to drive, especially in Bengaluru where there are a lot of potholes, and the added height gives a commanding driving experience. Thank you for reading my post, and I will keep you updated.
Keyword: Tata Nexon diesel: Purchase, initial impressions, niggles & accessories