[dsuman]

Greeting Friends.

This is a review of my Tata Nexon XMA (S) Petrol Variant where A stands for Automatic and S stands for Sunroof.

Sometimes Destiny plays a strange role and you can never anticipate what it has in store for you. All of 2020 the new car bug was biting me every now and then, but the Covid Situation/Lockdowns coupled with Work From Home and travel restrictions reminded me that a new car will just sit at Home and depreciate so refrained from diving in. Also my Mahindra Quanto (2013, 1,29,000 Kms) and Hyundai Santro Xing (2006, 89,000 Kms) were doing good job.

July 2021: Santro Xing fitness (15 Years) was going to expire in Oct 2021 and the age was starting to show with monthly expenses of up to Rs. 10,000/- since March 2021. My mother was using the Santro and frequently made trips of more 100kms in a day with her Cousins (ladies) so a car breaking down on highways with ladies was a scary thought. It was also incorrect to drive a car with expired RC. It’s a DL3C number so now is not the right time to go to Delhi and renew fitness. Santro was soon to be be confined to the garage. So my search started for a new car

My requirements were

• Budget: Maximum Rs. 9L. A strict psychological barrier for a hatchback.
• Body Type: Hatchback since it is for my Mom and Wife and replacing Santro Xing.
• Fuel Type: Petrol (primarily due to less gap between fuel prices and huge gap between petrol and diesel Engines)
• Must provide Fuss Free ownership Experience
• Transmission: Automatic
• Color: White or Red. No other color options.
• Should be comfortable for Ladies
• Good Build Quality and all possible creature comforts.
• Should have good/reasonable Highway stability.

Shortlisting and Test Drives - Scoured Team-BHP and other online sites and shortlisted the following cars

All the Positives and Negatives are as per my experience from Test Drives and checking them out extensively in the Showrooms and I apologize if any owners are offended.

• Maruti Wagon R AMT

  For:Big looking Small car. Exciting 1.2 K-series Engine, Easy to drive, Easy to Maintain, Good Fuel Efficiency, Backed by Maruti Service.
  Against: Flimsy Build and Light Weight, Swift VXI was within reach, No Red Color available, Common Colors like White, Silver were Available with less than one month waiting whereas others colors had 3 months waiting.

• Swift VXI AMT

  For:Amazing Drivability, mature Suspension, Most of the creatures comforts available, Not as Flimsy as Wagon R, Interior Quality Acceptable at this price point, Backed by Maruti service.
  Against: Thin Sheet metal, 0 Star LNCAP and 2 Star GNCAP, Except Engine, the entire package felt like a compromise due to Build for e.g. Dashboard Flexes, Door Panels Flexes, Console Flexes.

  I had almost finalized Swift VXI when the LNCAP Results were published on Team-BHP. I enquired with a few Mechanics and they too advised me to stay away from Maruti Vehicles. They don't know about GNCAP and stuff. They simply opined that the sheet metal is very thin and easily dents so there is a possibility of frequent denting work required. They get a lot of Maruti vehicles for denting and painting Jobs. So dropped the idea of Maruti. Nothing against Maruti. Just that I wanted a strong and tightly built car.

• Hyundai Grand i10 NIOS (Sportz) AMT: Test Drive was a long one. Family liked it.

  For: Engine and Gearshifts were smooth and headnod was surprisingly minimal, Decently Built, Decently loaded like Alloy Wheels, projector headlamps and Fog Lamps, Touchscreen ICE, Good Quality Interiors and tightly built, Price was 8.95L On road,
  Against:: Sheet metal was thin but the Body Panels and Doors do not flex easily, Hyundai Service is not cheap, various threads on Team-BHP for Hyundai Niggles.

• Renault Triber AMT (RXZ) - Took a very long test drive. Family was sold on it.

  For: Excellent package, On-Road Price Rs. 8.60L for a decently loaded 7 seater, Rear AC vents, Extremely spacious, Sliding middle Seats allowing a lot of leg room, Decently loaded with Touchscreen ICE, Styled Wheels, Good ground clearance, Smooth AMT, 4* GNCAP Rating, Body and Door Panels do not flex.
  Against: Lethargic 1.0L Engine NA Engine, Fizzes out after 80kmph if loaded with more than 5 people and luggage. Renault Service might be a gamble and not widespread like Maruti or Hyundai.

  Key Note: Renault Triber was rejected only because of the 1.0L Engine. Why Renault why. Triber has the potential to eat away a lot of sales from Rivals.

• Renault Kiger CVT

  For:High Ground Clearance, Good Drivability (Turbo variant), Practical interiors, Spacious.
  Against:Renault Service, New Launch so not a tried and tested product, Interior Quality is not up to the mark like Quality of materials used felt Hard, cheap and Flimsy
  

• Tata Tiago AMT: Did not test Drive. Checked the Car in the Tata Showroom and these were my observations

  For: Good Build for the segment, Spacious for a hatchback, Fully loaded car for Rs 7.95L, Looks Cute and has good ground clearance.
  Against: 3 Cylinder Engine, Interiors well built but looked cheap, Drive modes from siblings missing, Felt like a downgrade from Santro Xing (4 Cylinder Engine)
  Key Note: Tata Tiago was rejected without Test Drive because the of the Lethargic 3 Cylinder Engine. If only Tata can do something about the Engine.
  

Altroz was rejected due to absence of an Automatic. Believe Altroz was a very strong contender. I did not get to Test Drive the Tiago since the test Drive AMT Vehicle was not available. The SA offered me Nexon AMT to get a feel of the Gearbox and Drivability.

Test Drive of Nexon:
Test Drive vehicle was a Diesel AMT in Blue. Took it for a longish Test Drive. The Car felt Good with Solid Suspension. It crossed all the potholes with confidence without unsettling the car. The Test Drive Car was the pre-facelifted Model and abused in the last 3 years. It had more than 50,000 on the ODO. Yet there was no rattling inside the cabin. SA suggested I show the car to my Family as well so we took a detour to my Home. My Mom, wife and Kids looked at the car and were impressed with the space, ground clearance (Mind you my Family is spoilt by the extremely spacious - Quanto). The SA Showed the Sunroof and the Kids instantly fell in Love with it. They had a few Selfie moments as well. I could see the happiness in their eyes and was sure at that moment that Nexon Automatic petrol with Sunroof is going to be my Car. I could sense my Family approving Nexon that very moment. From that moment Sunroof became a must have feature.

Note: Though Nexon has a 3 Cylinder Engine, it felt like an upgrade when compared to the Santro it was going to replace.

Booking and Delivery Experience:
Nexon Petrol variants had a waiting of 12 weeks and the dealer inventory did not show up any Nexon XMA (S) variants. We still went ahead with the booking of White (Red looked more like a Orange shade) Nexon and were ready to wait it out. The booking was made of 4 August 2021 and the wait started. Meanwhile I viewed all YouTube videos, Online Review and off course Team BHP reviews. on 14 August 2021 I got a call from the showroom manager that a vehicle has been allotted at the Factory on my name and it has entered Production. The Vehicle was expected to be dispatched in 4 days. As expected, the car reached the dealership on 18 August 2021, and I was called for a PDI. Took the Team BHP Checklist and did a comprehensive PDI. Validated the Manufacturing Date and found it was freshly baked out of the Oven. Timestamping on various components like Headlights, Intercooler, ABS unit etc. had dates ranging from 8 Aug to 14 Aug.

Finalized Delivery for 24 Aug 2021 and made the Down payment. My loan was already approved for Nexon even before I booked the car.

On Road: Rs 11.40L (I paid Rs. 11.10L with one year extended warranty after Dealer Discounts). Well, I negotiated hard on the Insurance premium (45K).
Color: White
Variant: Nexon XMA(S) i.e. AMT with Sunroof.

Accessories installed from Showroom

• Alloy Wheels
• Door Visors
• Rear Parcel Tray
• Side Chrome Strips
• Full Carpet Mat (Done inside showroom by an external accessory guy)
• Door Sill Guard (LED Nexon branded)
• Body Cover
• Mud Flaps
• Foot Mats

(B)Accessories installed from Aftermarket(/B)

• Side Footsteps (My Mother is 65 and my kids aged 10 and 5 need this)
• ABS Sports Kit (Just for Looks). Stands Out from other Nexon’s on the Road.
• Reverse Camera.
• Artificial Leather Seat Covers
• Driver Armrest.

Attention to detail. Nexon branding on the Headlight Assembly



Exterior
Nexon is a Muscular Car with an aggressive frontend. If you compare the First Generation and the second Generation Nexon, you will notice the car has lost the Smiling face after the facelift in 2020. Now the Bonnet is raised and is horizontal to the ground. Nexon angrily stares at you. The Muscular front end, beefed-up wheels arches, raised stance, straight Bonnet all lend this Car a solid road presence. The rear Profile is too funky and does not gel with the Aggressive front end. Look from the rear 3 quarters and you will notice that the silhouette unmistakably gives out the vibes of Range Rover Evoque.

Nexon looks best from this angle


Those Alloys were brought from Showroom and the Side Foot steps were bought from Aftermarket. They aid in getting in and out of the vehicle easy for my mother and kids.


Notice the Horizontal Bonnet. Coupled with the headlights gives the car a Muscular & angry look.


Notice the Range Rover Evoque Silhouette.


Funky Rear. Does not gel with the Muscular Frontend. I am planning to black tape the grey part.


Key Exterior Features

• Funky yet Muscular Styling. Gives out a Range Rover Evoque Vibe. Aggressive Front End.
• Solid Build and 5* GNCAP Rating. Feels Strong to touch.
• Black cladding on the doors, door sills, front and rear bumpers, Roof Rails look good.
• Solid Front & Rear Doors, Tailgate and Bonnet. Even the Side panels are Solid to touch. They do not flex easily. Paint Quality is good.
• Projector Halogen Headlamps for low beams and reflector lamps for high beams.
• Auto Wipers, Auto Headlamps, Follow me Home Headlamps, LED DRLs.
• Steel Wheels with Wheel Caps
• Long Antenna placed at the rear.
• Rear Spoiler with integrated LED Brake Lamp
• Auto & Electrically Foldable and adjustable ORVMs with integrated LED Turn Indicators.
• Passive Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS). I don’t feel pulsating brake force, so I believe it is a Passive ABS System.
• Good Suspension with class leading ground clearance enables good road manners. Does not unsettle easily at above city speeds.
• 195/60 R16 wheels provides 205mm Ground Clearance. Higher variants come with 205 profile tires and 209mm Ground Clearance.

Key Interior Features

• All Black Interiors with dual tone bits thrown in generously inside the cabin.
• Three Driving Modes Namely Sports, City, Economy controlled by a Rotary Knob
• Dual Airbags with ABS and EBD, Hill Hold Assist (it works)
• Basic IRVM. Does not have any Day/Night adjustment.
• Harman Basic Audio System with Bluetooth Connectivity, USB Connectivity, Charging Port.
• 4 Speakers with good Audio output. Crisp and Clear. Good Bass and Treble.
• Adequately Sized Driver Seat does not have Height Adjustment but has good forward and backward adjustments.
• Seatbelt reminders for Driver and Co-Passenger
• Manual AC Controls for a Bone Chilling Air Conditioner (experienced in peak afternoon with temperatures above 42 degrees) You won’t miss any rear AC vents.
• Single Cabin Lamp located at the front. No Reading lamps provided. Boot Lamp is provided and lights up the Boot and helps in picking stuff in dark from the boot.
• Sporty Steering Wheel with Controls for Phone and Audio, Steering is adjustable for Height only.
• 5 Bottle Holders (4 on doors and 1 on central console) which can hold 1 Liter bottles.
• Rear parcel tray provision is provided but the tray has to be bought as an accessory.
• MID - Fully Digital Multi Information Display shows progressive lines for Engine Speed on the Left and Fuel Level & Engine Temperature on the Right. Fonts are big and easily readable even during direct sunlight. It also contains Fuel Level Indicator.
• Driver Information Display (DIS) is provided between the Speedo and Engine RPM meter on the MID and provides data for Odometer, Outside Temperature, Distance to Empty (DTE), Instantaneous Fuel efficiency, 2 Trip meters with individual Distance details, Fuel Consumption details.
• DIS also contains the Clock, Digital Vehicle speed, Current gear Indicator, Gear upshift/downshift recommendation, Automatic and Manual mode indicator.
• Umbrella Holder on both the front Doors and Deep Glove Box, I mean really deep.
• Black Fabric Seats provides adequate under thigh support.
• Electronic Boot Release from dashboard. No other buttons provided for boot.
• Speed Sensing Auto Door Lock. Doors auto unlocks on key removal.
• Foldable roof handles. They are spring loaded and retract slowly.

I am 5.7” and heavily built so my narration of the ergonomics will be from my perspective.

The vehicle comes with an excellent quality remote flip key (1) and 1 normal key. Flip Key comes with lock/unlock button and headlamp/lead me to vehicle lamp ON button. Press the unlock key and the vehicle unlocks by blinking the indicators twice. ORVMs open upon unlocking the car and close upon locking the car.

Open the front doors and it is evident how heavy they are. The front doors open in a two-stage action. High floor, even higher door sill and low roof surely will bring out a Gymnast in you. For tall people getting in and out of the vehicle is a breeze but average heighted people will need to climb up and bend their heads a little to sit on any of the seats. I need to climb up and bend down at the same time to sit on the driver seat. The body will always be in an awkward angle. Once you get in you will feel at home. Small windows, raising window line makes you feel cocooned inside the car.

The Driver seat is beefy and offer good under thigh support. All controls fall in place and are within reach. The front seats combined with front armrest (not standard in XMA(S) but bought as an accessory) makes for a good Sofa. The front seats have generous amount of forward and backward motion. The view from the driver seat is good. Without seat height adjustment I can see the tip of the bonnet, so I use a cushion which increases the seat height by 2 inches. With this arrangement I can see the end of the Bonnet, but my head is millimeters away from the roof liner.


The Rear bench is accommodative, and the leg room is good for my driving position. There is adequate under thigh support. The rear bench is spacious with good legroom and raised roof liner. What I can say is for my driving position the legroom for rear passengers is comparable to the Quanto. Rear passengers have never felt claustrophobic even with the downward sloping roof and small rear glass.


Keynote about the Roof Liner: There is no problem with the Nexon’s roof. It is at a good height. But the variant with Sunroof has additional structure built under the roof to hold the Sunroof and its assembly so it eats into the cabin towards the frontend. I believe sunroof variants loses out on at least 3 inches of headspace compared to non-sunroof variants. It is easy to notice that the roof liner is beefy.


The Steering is beefy and has buttons on the left hand side for (AM/FM/Bluetooth/USB) Mode, Voice control, Music Control and Phone call receive/end and it can be adjusted for height. The Horn button spans across the left and right of the steering wheel so it can be operated with thumb. Horn button is hard to press.


The Quality of the buttons inside the cabin is good. All the buttons are dampened and provide tactile feedback. They don’t make a click sound but soft dampened sound.


The Wiper stalk is on the left and headlight stalk is on the right and both are beefy and are of good quality.

(Left) Wiper Stalk: Has controls for Front Wiper speed, Auto Wiper on/off, Wiper speed can be set for Manual and Auto Wiper operation as well. Pull the stalk towards you and the front wipers operate with a jet spray. The wipers sweep once after 3 seconds again to clear out the residual water drops. Rear Wash/Wipe is not available in XM Variants. All functions are integrated into the single stalk.


(Right) Headlight Stalk: Has controls for Auto headlamps ON/OFF, LED DRL off/Parking Lights ON, Headlight ON, High/Low Beam adjust, Headlamp level adjust all integrated into the single stalk. Low beams bring ON the Halogen Projectors. The visibility with low beam is below average and you will be found wanting for more light. Switching ON to high beams lights up Reflector Lamps in addition to the low beam Projectors. The visibility improves drastically but then keeping High beam always ON is not suggested.


If you do frequent highway travel, be sure to upgrade your lights.

Multi Information Display (MID): MID is a fully digital display for common Christmas lights, side indicators, Low Fuel warning, Engine Speed (RPM) on left side and Fuel Level on the right side. Switching ON the Ignition and the System performs a Check by sweeping all the dials. Low Fuel Warning message shows up in words in addition to the warning beeps, blinking fuel level indicator, amber low fuel warning when fuel level goes below 50km on the DTE monitor.


Parameters when the Engine is idling.


Driver Information System (DIS): MID also has the Driver Information System (DIS) in the middle. It is a 3.5 inches monochrome display which shows the following parameters

Digital Vehicle Speed (Speedometer). The Fonts are really big, and you cannot miss the vehicle speed.
Gear Indicator: Shows the Automatic/Manual mode, current gear, gear upshift/downshift recommendation.

Display 1: Odometer, Outside Temperature,


Display 2: Odometer, Distance to Empty Readings.


Display 3 (Tripmeter A): Displays total Kms covered and Average Fuel efficiency for the distance travelled in Trip A, Instantaneous Fuel Efficiency, can be reset individually.


Display 4 (Tripmeter B): Displays total Kms covered and Average Fuel Efficiency for the distance travelled in Trip B, Instantaneous Fuel Efficiency. Can be reset individually.


Grab handles are Spring Loaded and retract in a dampened manner.


Seatbelt Reminders: The car comes with seatbelt reminder for both the front seats and detects if the passenger is seated or not. Upon crossing 20kmph and with seatbelt/s not fastened, the MID gives out continuous, annoying and sharp beeps till 90 seconds after which the audio alerts goes away but the seatbelt icon on MID keeps blinking.

Speed Sensing Auto Door Lock: The Nexon comes with speed sensing auto door lock where once the speed crosses 20kmph the door auto lock. Auto unlock happen when the key is removed from ignition.

Sunroof: The sunroof with anti-pinch feature provided on Nexon is a smaller one and has multiple open/close positions. Sunroof is operated through 3 buttons provided on the Cabin Lamp console on the roof. Sunroof auto closes if the key is removed from the ignition or water drops are detected on the Windshield.

The Sunshade is operated manually and retracts only 75%. It retracts fully only when the sunroof opens fully


Tilt Position: Operated through the Tilt Button. Sunroof opens approximately 40 degrees and can be used for ventilation.


Fully Open Position: Operated through open button. Single press opens the sunroof and the Sunshade fully.




Intermittent position: operated through Open/Close buttons. Instead of a single press, hold the button till desired position is reached and release.

The Integrated Rain and Light sensor is located behind the IRVM and is big in size. It is sensitive and does its job well.


Continued..

[dsuman]

Continued..

Driving the Nexon XMA (S) Turbo Petrol AMT:

Petrol AMT Nexon comes with a 6-speed 1.2L Revotron Engine which makes 120BHP @5500 RPM and a maximum Torque of 170nm between 1500 – 4000 RPM.

The car starts only in Neutral with Brake pedal fully pressed. When the car is in standstill and if the Brake pedal is not pressed, the Forward/Reverse gear will not be engaged by the ECU even if you move the gear lever. You get continuous beeps with current gear indicator blinking violently on the MID. Start the Car (Turbo Petrol) and it goes into silent idle straightaway. The car settles into idle at 800RPM upon heating up sufficiently. Slot the gear into A/M and take the foot off the brake pedal, the car moves forward and settles at 6kmph with no accelerator input. Key point to note is the forward motion is more or less smooth but sometimes is not seamless and there is a slight (jerky) lunge forward similar to what happens in manual cars when you suddenly release the clutch. This happens occasionally. This is an inconvenience in tight parking spots or bumper to bumper Traffic. So You need to be careful always.

The Odo stands at 1900 Kms and this is what I understood about the AMT

• 1. Learning Mode: The AMT learns (the driving behavior) every time you switch ON the Car. Why do I say this?

  a. Irrespective of the Auto/Manual mode and any drive mode, the vehicle upshifts from Gear 1 to Gear 2 between 18 – 22 Kmph in the first instance. Thereafter the upshift happens at 17kmph. Even in manual mode the first instance does not allow me to upshift before 18kmph. The gearshift is also awfully and lazy slow Its like “Yawn you want me to upshift Yawn ok upshifted”

  b. From the second instance onwards, the gearbox behaves as expected.

  i. Sports (Automatic) Mode: Gear 2 engages at 20kmph, Gear 3 engages at 38kmph, Gear 4 engages at 54kmph, Gear 5 engages at 78kmph, and Gear 6 engages at 98kmph. Prefers to downshift quickly and hold onto lower gears as speed reduces. Prefers to keep Engine RPM above 2000. This is consistent all the time.

  ii. City (Automatic) Mode: Gear 2 engages at 17kmph, Gear 3 engages at 34kmph, Gear 4 engages at 45kmph, Gear 5 engages at 58kmph, Gear 6 engages at 78kmph. Prefers to downshift not so quickly and hold onto lower gear but upshift quickly based on speed variation. This is consistent.
  The Sports Mode brings out the Beast out of the Car. If you want to have fun in Auto mode, then switch to Sports Mode and drive away. Acceleration is quick really quick.

  iii. Eco (Automatic) Mode: Gear 2 engages at 17kmph, Gear 3 engages at 30kmph, Gear 4 engages at 40kmph, Gear 5 engages at 50kmph and Gear 6 at 60kmph. This is the most Fuel efficient but highly sluggish response from Engine Mode. Prefers to hold onto higher gears proportionate to Vehicle speeds. Does not like to downshift quickly and prefers to keep Engine RPM below 2000. This is consistent all the time.

  iv. Manual Mode: You are more in control of the vehicle and the behaviour is predictable. Gear 2 can be engaged at 14kmph, Gear 3 can be engaged at 24kmph, Gear 4 can be engaged at 40kmph, Gear 5 can be engaged at 50kmph and Gear 6 at 60kmph. Prefers to hold onto the current gear even if speed reduces but till the threshold value. Best mode to achieve fuel efficiency.

  v. Automatic to Manual Mode on the Fly: I am really afraid to change from Auto mode to Manual mode while the car is in motion. Imagine you are in 3rd gear in Auto mode and shift to manual mode the AMT downshifts to Gear 1 and the RPM meter rises to 5000RPM with a near heart attack situation for me. However, this is not consistent and sometimes the gear is maintained from Auto to Manual and vice versa. So it is better to reduce speed till AMT shifts to Gear 1 and change to manual mode.

Drive Mode selector and Auto/Manual Gearshift selector


Console with and without Driver Armrest. The Armrest is bought from aftermarket for Rs. 1500/- (Amazon and local Accessory quoted same price). Bottle holder is provided for rear passengers in place of rear AC vents.


To Sum it up on the AMT Gearbox, it is like a partner who always controls you but gives you a false sense that you are in control. In Automatic Mode the car controls you. You can never predict the gearbox behavior, one time you feel like you are in control and in seventh heaven, the next moment you are brought to the ground and your senses. You cannot tame this beast in Automatic mode. From time to time it keeps reminding you who the Boss is.

The car can comfortably cruise at speeds above 100kmph all day. As per the Govt regulations the Speedo gives out a single beep at 80kmph, 98kmph, 114kmph. Once the speedo touches 120kmph there is a continuous beep sound. It is loud and sharp, so you cannot ignore it. It is capable of reaching and maintaining illegal speeds all day long as well. I get between 12 - 18kmpl depending on my driving behavior. The car has been driven on Guntur and Vijayawada roads with major part being Chennai Highway where you don’t get to see heavy traffic/jams (at least not in the range of Hyderabad or Delhi)

Engage the Reverse Gear on a slope and the Hill Hold Assist works really well. It has worked all the time for me, I never had a heart in mouth moment on slopes with Hill Hold Assist.

The Nexon comes with Front Disc Brakes and Drum Brakes on rear wheels. The Brakes are good, and the car sheds speed fast. Gradual braking will result in the car shedding speed in a straight line. However panic braking will result in the rear stepping out of line, but the car maintains its composure and stops without fuss. Hazard lights comes on if the car loses speed fast.

Notice the Ground Clearance


The Suspension of Nexon is Solid and helps maintain its composure. At slow speed the suspension makes a Thud sound on deep potholes and sharp speed breakers. As the speed increases the car comes in its own. It eats up potholes with ease, small undulations on the roads at speed does not unsettle the car and it sticks to the road like a leech. The ground clearance is confidence inspiring so you will not care for small to medium imperfections on the road. You will do well to hit the underbody of the car.

The Steering of the Nexon is on a heavier side even with EPS, at parking speeds. The steering weighs up further with speed and sharp turns at speeds are not advisable unless you have perfected the car’s behavior.


The Glove Box is Deep. It also has a separate storage area for Vehicle Documents, Manuals etc.


Rear Parcel Tray. This is not standard in XMA Model. I bought it from the Showroom. Price Rs 850/-. Key Point, the Tray does not have the threads which allows it to be lifted up with the boot door.


Boot Light is standard and helps finding items in the boot in dark. Notice the Air Compressor which is standard with Nexon.


Only Brake and Accelerator pedal. Absence of Clutch eases the left foot.


ECU is placed in front of the battery. Be careful during washing the engine compartment. Ideally you should not wash the engine compartment.


Notice the 4 Channel ABS Unit


Clutch Actuator. Operates the clutch based on predefined parameters.


Turbocharger. It is placed right at front and a severe accident will surely result in damage to it.


First Service has been completed and the SVC did not charge me anything. The experience has been good. They did try pushing for underbody coating but when I refused they let it go.

I took one year extended warranty making it 3 Years/75000 Kms. I doubt I will doubt those many KMs.

I will keep this thread updated as and when I reach various milestones with my Nexon.

Thank You for Reading

[RahulNagaraj]

Thank you for sharing the amazingly detailed initial impressions of the Tata Nexon automatic.

Having driven only the manual version, I must say the Nexon is a nice car to drive both on the highway and in the city. The engine is capable of maintaining consistent speeds all day long, while the manual gearbox is smooth and slots into place easily.

I really liked the accessory list opted by you on the Nexon, be it the aftermarket side step and the driver armrest, or the other official accessories - all of them serve a purpose and help enhance the overall experience.

Also, the sunroof must be a boon on a bright sunny day, while out on a drive.

Cheers!

[Raghu M]

That is a very well written review. Great attention to detail. I am surprised at the sunroof features that the Nexon offers.

[saikarthik]

Congrats on your ownership. Nexon is a great vehicle overall and fun. I got XM in last February and happy with the decision despite minor ergo issues that I have mentioned in my ownership review (My first legal affair | Tata Nexon XM (P) | Initial Ownership Review).

I have a couple of questions
- Armrest - Do we need to cut/drill holes to fix this or can we do it ourselves after purchase from Amazon?
- I was quoted high for the parcel tray. Are there different materials for parcel trays, I mean variants?

I request you to observe the squeaks from central console - you can observe from the image how there is no gap between seats and the console. I get squeaks even if I breath heavily due to this reason. Could you please observe in yours?

[Venky03]

Originally Posted by dsuman

To Sum it up on the AMT Gearbox, it is like a partner who always controls you but gives you a false sense that you are in control.

Can perfectly relate with this.

Crisp and detailed ownership thread, congratulations on your new purchase!

Based on your test-drive were you satisfied with Kiger's CVT?

I was pleasantly surprised with Renault's service, but my friend who recently bought a new Kiger RXZ had the worst experience at a different location with his first free service(they kept him waiting for ~4-5hrs).

[Vinod_nair]

Originally Posted by dsuman

To Sum it up on the AMT Gearbox, it is like a partner who always controls you but gives you a false sense that you are in control. In Automatic Mode the car controls you. You can never predict the gearbox behavior, one time you feel like you are in control and in seventh heaven, the next moment you are brought to the ground and your senses. You cannot tame this beast in Automatic mode. From time to time it keeps reminding you who the Boss is.

As a thumb rule with an automatic car, it recognises the driver's driving habits and acts/behaves accordingly. Meaning switching gears as per your driving inputs.

Don't get tense and enjoy your ride.

PS: I've 2 AMT's in my garage, so the gyaan.

[dsuman]

Originally Posted by Venky03

Can perfectly relate with this.

Crisp and detailed ownership thread, congratulations on your new purchase!

Based on your test-drive were you satisfied with Kiger's CVT?

I was pleasantly surprised with Renault's service, but my friend who recently bought a new Kiger RXZ had the worst experience at a different location with his first free service(they kept him waiting for ~4-5hrs).

Thank You mate. I have never experienced Renault Service but heard that it is nothing to write home about. Time taken by your friend is common since Renault dealers employ lesser technicians due to less number of vehicles.

Kiger is a very good vehicle and you can get a Top End CVT for 11.5L. Suspension is sorted and space inside is good. Being a tall vehicle the leg room is also good. Only drawback is, it looks like a beefed up Kwid.

Originally Posted by Vinod_nair

As a thumb rule with an automatic car, it recognises the driver's driving habits and acts/behaves accordingly. Meaning switching gears as per your driving inputs.

Don't get tense and enjoy your ride.

PS: I've 2 AMT's in my garage, so the gyaan.

Thanks Mate. That is what I noticed but then, sometimes it has a mind of its own. May be I will understand it more as I keep driving it, which is very less these days due to the current Covid situation and Work From Home.

Originally Posted by saikarthik

Congrats on your ownership. Nexon is a great vehicle overall and fun. I got XM in last February and happy with the decision despite minor ergo issues that I have mentioned in my ownership review (My first legal affair | Tata Nexon XM (P) | Initial Ownership Review).

I have a couple of questions
- Armrest - Do we need to cut/drill holes to fix this or can we do it ourselves after purchase from Amazon?
- I was quoted high for the parcel tray. Are there different materials for parcel trays, I mean variants?

I request you to observe the squeaks from central console - you can observe from the image how there is no gap between seats and the console. I get squeaks even if I breath heavily due to this reason. Could you please observe in yours?

- Armrest does not require any screws to hold it. Fits snugly on the central console. I suggest you go to a local Accessory shop and ask for Nexon Armrest. Amazon has generic armrests which look the same.
- Parcel Tray price was Rs. 850 when I bought my car. I suggest you go to the Accessory section inside the showroom and ask for price list of official accessories. Don't ask SVC guys. Even an aftermarket Nexon Tray will not be more than say Rs 1000. Its just a piece of hard plastic covered with Rexine.
- So far I have not noticed any squeaks from the Central Console. There may be a loose fit part inside your car's console. For e.g. When I got the floor matting done they removed the Central Console, seats and installed the mat.

Originally Posted by Raghu M

That is a very well written review. Great attention to detail. I am surprised at the sunroof features that the Nexon offers.

Thank You Buddy.

[poised2drive]

Wonderfully detailed review emulating the typical bhp reviews ! Kudos to that !

And its great to see a bhpian in the neighborhood and all the locations of your photos seem recognizable!

Nexon is a great vehicle and I wish you a million miles of happiness !

[AKSarkar1]

It's absolutely delightful to see so many Tata Motor ownership reviews on the forum recently. I think you definitely made the right choice going in for the Nexon, it is truly a well-rounded package and the cherry on top of the cake is that one can proudly state that "I drive an Indian car". The journey of Tata motors in recent years has been truly commendable.

I wish you many more happy miles ahead with this beauty, looking forward to future threads!

[Andaleeb]

Congratulations on your new car.
Thanks for sharing detailed initial experience.
Nexon XM with sunroof is a value for money package.
Wishing you many happy miles with the car.

[vasanthn21]

Congratulations on the new car!
Very detailed and informative write-up. Rated 5 stars.

Wish you many years of pleasant ownership. Owning a Tata vehicle myself, I am sure it will serve you well for many miles/years.

Regarding the side footstep - did it impact the ground clearance?

[quattroa4]

This car is SOLID ! Have no doubts about that as I am using the same vehicle in EV form as a everyday drive car .
The road towards my company is a non existing one with no tarmac at all , but the Nexon carries me everyday to and fro with such an ease that it has become a default choice for work now .
Congratulations for the sensible purchase !

[dsuman]

Originally Posted by poised2drive

Wonderfully detailed review emulating the typical bhp reviews ! Kudos to that !

And its great to see a bhpian in the neighborhood and all the locations of your photos seem recognizable!

Nexon is a great vehicle and I wish you a million miles of happiness !

same here mate

Originally Posted by vasanthn21

Congratulations on the new car!
Very detailed and informative write-up. Rated 5 stars.

Wish you many years of pleasant ownership. Owning a Tata vehicle myself, I am sure it will serve you well for many miles/years.

Regarding the side footstep - did it impact the ground clearance?

Thanks Mate. The sidesteps never hit the ground. They are almost at the same level as the floor. In addition to aiding ingress and egress, one more advantage is in crowded places where cars are parked close to each other, any other vehicle be it a sedan or a hatch where people are careless while opening their car doors, those doors hit the sidesteps. So body is always protected by such hits.

[nitin_knw]

Originally Posted by Venky03

Can perfectly relate with this.

Crisp and detailed ownership thread, congratulations on your new purchase!

Based on your test-drive were you satisfied with Kiger's CVT?

I was pleasantly surprised with Renault's service, but my friend who recently bought a new Kiger RXZ had the worst experience at a different location with his first free service(they kept him waiting for ~4-5hrs).

I have driven almost all of them during TD's including Kiger's CVT, if you are keen on only CVT the I would pick Honda Jazz else Brezaa TC as next Automatic alternative, AMT on Nexon is just as any other AMT except XUV300 which is more superior in usability and features, No hard feeling for Nexon users