[motomaverick]

Originally Posted by pamiboy

Somebody please enlighten me. Is this car a replacement for Indigo or the Manza?

Nope its not, even though its sub 4 m Tata is selling it as a new product, so this is essentially the 1st gen car.

[ajay_satpute]

Finally, I got to TD the Zest leisurely on Saturday. This time I went along with my wife and kid.

First about the car experience:

I might buy the QJD Zest XT variant, but I wanted to drive the Revotron first, as I am currently driving the petrol Vista (56k KMs) and it would be easy to find the differences.

1) Exteriors: Outstanding job by Tata! The Dune Beige shade is just fabulous and the next best is the blue. I wanted to see the Grey shade in flesh, but its not available anywhere right now, as per the SA.

The 15" alloys are very good and overall the car has an excellent stance. I wish the GC on the diesel could have been more than 165. My Vista has a GC of 165 and with full load (4+ passengers), sometimes the car bottoms out on poorly laid speed breakers or uneven surfaces. Although this has happened 2-3 times in the entire 56k KMs run, but still I feel 165 mm GC is on the border of good and bad.

The lines running from front to rear are well sculpted. The boot looks really good and does not bother on lookers, like it does on some other cars. The subtle spoiler is great. The front is classy with the DRLs and projector lamps and all.

2) Interiors: Wow ! Compared to my Vista (2009), the interiors are top notch. Infact, just a week ago, I had TDed the XCent and had thought, it is impossible to match the fit & finish of Xcent. But Zest comes close, if not equal. Xcent is still better in this department, but Zest is way too much better than the Amaze and better than the DZire.
The entire dash board, the consoles, the lights, the switches, the gear lever, dual-tone colour scheme, and lovely steering. The H&K system is fab!

The seats are good, but I think they are on the softer side. Space has been the USP of Tata vehicles always, and Zest does not disappoint too. My wife thought that Vista still has slightly more space at the rear than the Zest. I think it could be due to the recline angle. I did not get time to check the rear seat.

The steering is really from another planet compared to all Tata products IMO. It feels really rich to hold. The controls are of high quality and look durable to me. The Voice control system needs some getting used to, as the commands need to be said in a fixed format. I think the Ford system is better in this aspect.

3) Ride and handling: This is where I was impressed most. Vista has feather soft suspensions and considerable body roll. The suspensions of the Zest are very good. I was deliberately driving the TD car through potholes and uneven surfaces, wherever possible and the ride was excellent. I also did one swerving turn to check body roll and it was negligible. My wife was the first one to point out about the body and roll and she said she did not feel unsafe when I did this turn, compared to the Vista.

But I have to say that I still prefer the bigger and heavier steering of the Vista compared to the one on the Zest. May be its about being habitual. The Zest's steering, although absolutely classy and rich in looks, did not give me great feeling while driving. I felt it to be lighter than I would have liked. When I took the first left turn from the showroom, I thought what's wrong with the car man, this steering feels like a toy compared to the one on Vista. But I felt it to be a little better later when I was driving though thick traffic and negotiating tight left turn. This feeling could also be due to different tyres.

Compared to the Dzire and Xcent, I think the ride and handling of Zest has an edge. I dont know how the Amaze rides, so no comments.

Overall, Tata has done a fabulous job with the Zest. When Vista was launched, everyone said that Vista is a big leap forward for Tata. With the Zest, I would say that Tata is now not only able to compete with the rivals, but has also done better in some aspects than them. 3 cheers to the team of Zest !!!


Showroom experience:
The experience was average to say the least. We entered the showroom and went straight to the car. We checked it in and out and all seats, controls etc. Till then no one bothered to bother us. After a while, one office boy offered us two bottles of mineral water. We then checked the Red Zest in the corner and then were roaming around in the showroom hoping someone would ask us, but nothing of that sort happened. I finally approached a lady who was dressed in suit and all and asked her for Revotron TD. She said that both TD cars have gone out and it will take 10-15 minutes for them to return. When I looked outside of the showroom, I could clearly see one Revotron Zest standing still with no one around it.

I did not bother to go back to the lady and instead asked another staff member about TD. He immediately took my info and took us out for the TD. The TD time was sufficient, if not excellent. He mentioned to me that he was actually appointed for the Storme, so does not have detailed info about the Zest. I told that I already know a fair amount of info, so its ok. After returning from the TD, he gave me a feedback form regarding showroom and TD experience. I gave poor rating in most places, except the product itself. He felt bad and asked me if he can arrange for someone to give me detailed information and brochures and all. I told him that it is ok, since I have been a Tata customer over 5 yeras now. He said "Sir, things have improved a lot over last couple of years, but I am sorry that you did not have good experience today".

Anyways, since I was super impressed with the car itself, I was ready to forgive the unprofessional and ignorant attitude of the showroom staff.

BTW, this was at the Pandit Auto showroom on Law College Road.

PS: Price list for Pune city

[devious.mojave]

So I went to the showroom yesterday and there was no TD car available! Anyhoo I asked the sales rep a few questions and he seemed knowledgeable enough.

One thing he did tell me was the the ORVMS were electrically adjustable but not electrically foldable. I found it quite surprising and tried it on the only car available for display and actually could not fold the ORVM. Can someone tell me if it's actually true?

[swiftnfurious]

Originally Posted by sunitkaul

...I get the feeling Hyundai will turn out to be more cheaper and less-headache prone even though I think the Tata parts are cheaper than Hyundai, but it's just a guess since i haven't owned any Hyundai cars....

Hyundai might cost you more in the long run. There is a thread running on it. More than that, Elite i20 is a "premium hatchback". So do NOT think the service / parts cost would be any cheap.

Originally Posted by sunitkaul

... Any perspective? Is Elite i20 a better buy than Zest?...

If you are looking at a "premium" experience, Elite i20 still scores better.

Originally Posted by sunitkaul

... P.S. Or should i wait for March 2015 for the the terrible-looking, but reliable and spacious new Honda Jazz

Terrible-looking? You meant "terrific" looking I believe. You can, we never know what Honda will dish out after tasting success with cost-effective models in the recent times.

Originally Posted by darkbull

...So my advise to all the people here in this forum is, any new tata concept has to be watched at first. Tata Indica, first version had problems, Tata Indigo CS, had problems...

I would agree with you; same is the case with Mahindra too. I would give it some time before I get my hands on one; either from these stables. But Zest is definitely a great step from TATA and I have better confidence on this.

Originally Posted by pamiboy

Somebody please enlighten me. Is this car a replacement for Indigo or the Manza?

This is more of a new-gen car (a successor of Indigo CS if I may); NOT a replacement to any models.

[mrbaddy]

Originally Posted by darkbull

Tata should also shoo away, taxi drivers. Once the car is launched, the attractive blue color, might be purchased by some fleet owner, named "Blue Cabs" and will be operating in the city.

Originally Posted by gopa99

Nice note. Is it legally possible for an AOEM to not allow commercial registrations on its brands? and also since RTOs come under State Govt scanner, will the rules change from state to state?

I think so. I believe Honda does that by not allowing commercial registrations on its vehicles (as told by the sales advisor when I checked out Mobilio).

I was also told the same by Tata SA when I inquired about Zest commercial registrations. He told me that there is a directive from TATA to all dealerships to not allow commercial registrations on Zest. He stated that as commercial registration go with a different tax structure, dealerships can control people who want to do commercial registrations.

I'm not sure of the authenticity of the same, but personally I think TATA might stay away from commercial registrations for Zest at least for 2-3 years atleast. (if at all, if they can control it as mentioned by the SA).

[simplyself]

Originally Posted by gpriyesh

Recently I heard one more reason for people buying white or silver. Those cars fetch good price in used car market compared to dark ones

That is right.

Also, darker colours need more frequent washing/wiping ( I know; I own a black one).

Even touch-ups are readily done.


I dont think a manufacturer can control registrations. If one pays life tax and then registers the vehicle as commercial, what can a company do? As a matter of fact, 4 + 1 four wheelers are charged full life tax now-a-days - atleast in AP - a company can do nothing if the buyer chooses to yellow-palte it.

[ajay_satpute]

I forgot to add about the engine performance.

The acceleration is very linear and no surge anywhere in the power band. The Fiat's SAFIRE engine on my Vista is a rev-friendly engine. The 1st and the 2nd gear are lathargic, but 3rd gear onward, the Vista with the SAFIRE engine really goes vroom vroom (Not the Ferrari/Lamborghini kind, please). The Revotron is not like that.

BTW, the SPORT mode is not that bad as it is projected in few reviews (especially Autocar India's). It does make a difference, especially if you move from ECO to SPORT.

The gearbox is good, and I did not stall it during both the TDs. May be because the Tata DNA is already running in my blood.

[narayan]

Checked out a nice Blue XT at the showroom today. I think much has been already said about the car so not writing about those points. Only diesel TD vehicle has reached the dealership so far and that too had gone out.

Some observations as an existing Vista owner

1) Somehow felt the rear space was less than in my Vista. Maybe it could be because of the more cushion-y seats also.
2) a/c vents are not closing fully unlike the Vista. I find this a useful feature sometimes. Any no big deal due to its absence
3) The roof mounted interior light at the front is the same as the Vista unit and looks seriously out of place in such a modern and refurbished interior ! They could have just taken the Storme's unit and fitted it here.

Pls find below the Chennai pricing.

1) Logistics charges is now becoming the norm and is typically 6500-7500. I feel this is very high
2) You would note that the dealer has added a Accessories pack option. I clarified with the SA that this is optional and he hesitatingly said it is

This pack comprises of Door mats, Mud flaps, Perfume, Door visor, Door side protection strips and Fabric seat covers.

3) On the RTO tax header also there is a mark up of Rs5000 over the actual road tax. Not sure if the palm greasing will be so high per car ?

4) Extended warranty pricing is higher than what I paid for the Storme's EW. 8200 Vs 7450 ! Not sure why in this segment for a tried and tested platform ( except Revotron engine, the EW should be so high )

5) AMC for 45k kms / 3yrs is Rs7900 - This looks ok to me. I am assuming there would be around 2-3 oil change services and so it kind of stacks up


But Overall pricing is good and I am looking at the XM - Revotron. Only thing is I need to get atleast a decent resale for my 2009 Vista QJD.

Also the SA who had sold the Storme last year hinted that he can arrange some nominal discount for me !

[damodar]

Originally Posted by narayan

5) AMC for 45k kms / 3yrs is Rs7900 - This looks ok to me. I am assuming there would be around 2-3 oil change services and so it kind of stacks

Is'nt AMC included in the price ? They have mentioned that in all their advertisements till now.

[gsurya]

Originally Posted by narayans80

Surya, could you post the list in a better resolution of the list

Sorry, I didnt see that it was illegible. The filesize restriction on this forum makes it hard. Here is the Accessories list I got from our dealer.

[mrbaddy]

Originally Posted by gsurya

Sorry, I didnt see that it was illegible. The filesize restriction on this forum makes it hard. Here is the Accessories list I got from our dealer.

Surya,

Did you get any price list also for the attached accessories from the Dealer?

[Masda]

Just coming back from a test drive of the diesel XT variant. Overall quite impressed by the car! However, one issue that I faced while parking the car -- I could feel the steering rod against my left shoe. Though this happened only when the clutch was depressed and I was trying to reverse. Anybody else faced this?

[Ajitsingh208]

I too did the TD of the ZEST at Concorde Motors, Baner, Pune. It was a good experience, we were attended to instantly and also the TD vehicle was made available. I did the TD of both Diesel and Petrol. Liked the slight boost that came when I shifted to Sports from ECO Mode.
There was 1 issue I faced though, My left knee kept touching the right side of the console even after adjusting the seat to the lowest position and moving the seat a bit back to get into a comfortable driving position, I am 6ft1" , not sure if anyone else who's also tall like me has faced this issue.

[gsurya]

Originally Posted by mrbaddy

Surya,

Did you get any price list also for the attached accessories from the Dealer?

Hello - no I didnt get an official pricelist from dealer yet, but there was one posted here on this same thread some days back, please check.

[KMohanan]

It seems, the booking numbers for zest revealed by tata motors.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/41444676.cms