Tata Motors is known for producing vehicles that look very similar to each other. The Indica has been on sale since a long time and the company had introduced the Vista which was supposed to be a better and premium version of the Indica. However, both these vehicles were getting too long in the tooth but finally Tata Motors has showcased the Bolt. The Tata Bolt is a highly re-engineered version of the Indica Vista and frankly it was a surprise to see Tata coming up with a vehicle that looks lively and fresh.
The Tata Bolt was unveiled a couple of days before the 2014 Auto Expo. The front face of the vehicle impresses us with its good looks that won’t offend anyone really. The new bumper looks good however there are chances that the corners protruding out from the front would scrape the road while going down on a steep slope or a badly designed speed-breaker. The fog lamp holders look different and we are saying this in a positive way. Looking closely, the front-side quarter looks sharp and it is a step ahead from the curvy Indica. Not much can be said about the front grille which is a typical design found on most Tatas. The projector headlamps add to the looks along with being greatly functional.
Coming to the side profile, we don’t have anything to complain about. Tata Motors has blackened out the B and C-pillars and the Bolt somewhat resembles the Fiat 500 when looking from the side-rear quarters. The company has chosen a neutral design for the alloys. Now moving to the rear, we are glad that Tata Motors has finally ditched the Christmas tree tail lights since they had gone out of fashion long back. There is also a fog lamp which is placed in the centre of the rear bumper. The bottom part of the rear bumper has been designed in such a way that it looks like a diffuser.
Moving to the interiors, Tata Motors have incorporated a redesigned dashboard in the Bolt. The design is nothing extraordinary but it will please the eye. The new steering wheel looks much better than the older one. Also, kudos to Tata Motors for the new instrument cluster which looks fresh and lively compared to the one found on the Vista and Manza. The interior colour scheme looks well-matched but we wish the company would also offer full black interiors but it seems to be a rare possibility in this beige-obsessed country. One of the cars on display did have black interiors so nothing can be ruled out. The Bolt will be loaded with features and excellent connectivity options thanks to the Harman system on board. Space inside the cabin has always been good in the Indica and the Bolt is no different.
The Vista D90 was the best Tata car when it came to driving and we can expect the Bolt to be even better. The car uses an electronic power steering in lieu of a hydraulic unit but the new one is from ZF and should make manoeuvrability a breeze. The balance between ride and handling should be very good and one can expect the vehicle to offer feedback rich handling along with excellent ride quality. The engines powering the car will be the 1.2-litre Revotron petrol motor with 85 PS and 140 Nm while the diesel is the 1.3-litre Quadrajet, belting out 75 PS and 190 Nm. Expect good performance with excellent mileage from the Tata Bolt.
The Tata Bolt is a nice lively hatchback that doesn’t look out of place from any corner. The designers at Tata have managed to create a vehicle that doesn’t look boring at all. We are very impressed by the automaker who is very keen to to improve its standards by implementing the HORIZONEXT program and now we are looking forward to the launch of the Bolt. The Tata Bolt will compete with the Maruti Suzuki Swift, Hyundai Grand i10 and Volkswagen Polo in the Indian market.
